Eric Hiscock's last book - roller reefing, cruising chutes, etc.

[Mirelle]

Eric Hiscock\'s last book - roller reefing, cruising chutes, etc.

Picked up a copy of Hiscock's "Two yachts, Two voyages" from the Oxfam shop. His last book I think. He describes the building of Wanderer V, etc.

I recommend this book to:

- anyone who thinks steel yachts are a good idea

- anyone thinking of building a one off

- anyone who fancies a "cruising chute"

- anyone who likes roller reefing headsails

- anyone who likes "jiffy reefing" mainsails.

There is nothing quite like seeing ones own prejudices justfied in cold print by a yachtsman of infinitely greater experience.

Having sung the praises of worm drive round the boom roller reefing (aka Appledore Gear, if you are into antique terminology to go with antique technology) for years, and been rubbished by all those who don't use it, I was delighted to find Hiscock trying "modern" reefing systems and dumping them in favour of worm drive roller.

He is equally damning about big "cruising chutes".

 

[Santana379]

Re: Eric Hiscock\'s last book - roller reefing, cruising chutes, etc.

Can I borrow it please? Or at least see his damning comments on cruising chutes.

I rather like our chute - the boat is so slow that in light airs I am grateful for the larger sail area. Typically I use it sailing back up the Wallet, poled out with a gybe preventer rigged on the mainsail boom as well. I wouldn't like to have to turn upwind in a hurry in a collregs give way situation, nor would I like a line squall to come though. In other respects I think it an asset though, and it launches and recovers well using its "snuffler".

Worm drive is a very interesting one. Apart from spending a long time at the mast winding away, the main critisism usually made is the loss of sail shape. On Francis Fletcher there are no wedges fastened to the boom, so there's a slight tendancy for the boom to drop when reefed, and bash the gallows.

On Nancy Blacket there is a tendancy for the mainsail luff to be drawn into the worm, damaging it and jamming the works.

The gearing is completely different on both boats, Nancy requiring at least twice as many turns, if not more.

Francis Fletcher

PS Quite a long tea break then?

 

[AndrewB]

Re: Eric Hiscock\'s last book - roller reefing, cruising chutes, etc.

Hiscock really lost the plot towards the end. Like some of us here, he had become stuck in the past, resistant to new ideas. 'Cruising under Sail' and 'Voyaging' were great classics of their time, but a lot of his stuff was below the standard that would be required to get published today.

What can best be said of him is that he, above all others of his generation many of whom were eccentrics, showed how quite ordinary people can do it - he lead the way by example for the rest of us.

 

[Mirelle]

\"Losing the plot\"

Hey, this is the Classic Boat forum!

If you want to drive your Benjenbav by Bluetooth whilst lying recumbent on your double bed in your stern cabin, apply to Scuttlebut!

I am not sure if you are objecting to what he says, or the manner in which he says it.

Yes, his later books lack the quality of his two big "bibles" - but then so does "I left the Navy" which was his first. He needed to write and to get published to live, so he kept on writing. I agree that his style becomes prolix, diffuse and repetitive but maybe that was the fault of his editors. I have just finished Helen Tew's book and had I not been asssured by Francis Fletcher who met her not long before she died I would have assumed she was barely able to focus her mind on things, as it is I can point the finger at Rodger Witt's inappropriate editing

As to what he says, the massed cohorts of the steel boat brigade who are determined to go bouncing over coral reefs will no doubt point out that technology has come on by leaps and bounds since the 1980's, but I run steel ships for a living, and I certainly would not want to keep one going after the age of 30, for all the modern paint systems, anodes, impressed current cathodic protection and the rest!

His criticisms of jiffy reefing, etc, appear spot on bearing in mind that they are written from the standpoint of an experienced, but elderly, couple, with limited strength. He is full of praise where it is due for eg Satnav, electric windlasses, etc.

 

[Santana379]

Re: \"Losing the plot\"

Mirelle - Sadly 'twas not I that met Helen Tew, but Contributing Editor PW.

I believe that anyone who successfully skippers a sailing vessel across an ocean must be in possession of an awful lot of the marbles they were originally issued with.

Writers, just like human beings, must go through stages. Us ordinary mortals have extreme views from 15-25 when we think we can change the world, then we grow up until circa 40/45, when we start becoming increasingly reactionary as we grow older.

When writing about boats and equipment, I presume one's views change, and perhaps get more extreme. in old age.

I still think that cruising chutes have their place!

Francis Fletcher

 

[AndrewB]

Re: \"Losing the plot\"

Quite so!

But when you look at the likes of Slocum, Moitessier, Tilman, Smeeton, Hasler, Chichester, Blythe, these guys certainly had all their marbles, but they were marbles of a different ilk from most of us (Moitessier's probably weren't even round). And even marbleless Crowhurst crossed an ocean. Hiscock seemed so normal by comparison.

 

[Santana379]

Re: \"Losing the plot\"

Funnily enough I thought of Moitessier as I typed my post, but guessed he must be the exception that proves the rule in some way, and carried on regardless. Square marbles explains all!

Francis Fletcher

 

[Mirelle]

Re: \"Losing the plot\"

Very good point, Andrew. As noted, I rather like Hiscock's first book, "I left the Navy", because it is so utterly normal - he had joined up, but, part way through the war, he failed an eyesight test (he had memorised the card on earlier tests) and was booted out and turned into a not very sucessful farm labourer whilst editing "The Yachtsman" in the evenings whilst he and Susan were trying to make a derelict cottage habitable. Wanderer II and Wanderer III must have been luxurious by comparison!

 

[Ships_Cat]

Re: Eric Hiscock\'s last book - roller reefing, cruising chutes, etc.

Have always enjoyed his books but unfortunately gave them all away except for "Cruising Under Sail" when we moved aboard for some time.

Have to take you to task regarding your reference to considering his views regarding whether steel boats are a good idea - I have seen Wanderer IV and she was a poorly built boat and a slow old tub to boot. Unfortunately, I don't think Hiscock knew the first thing about steel although I concede times were different then with respect to coatings etc.

I never sailed on her but I have certainly sailed at the same time as her to the same windward destination, and from the vantage of a smaller steel boat she was losing an amazing amount of ground falling off to leeward and also much slower through the water.

She should not be used as a measure against any modern boat regardless of material of construction, nor for construction quality (looked a bit like a frigate as well I am afraid) or design. She was quite sad in comparison.

Don't know where W IV is now - she was in Nelson, NZ for many years until at least around 2000 and had been on the market for a long time. Maybe she is still there but have not seen her for some years during our own visits there.

I should add that there is quite a bit of difference in the lifestyle and hence maintenance demands of a steel pleasure yacht and a cargo (or pax) vessel. No containers being dumped on decks, no tanks for surveyors to get lost in, no welding splatters over decks, no 5 years between dockings, no grinding up against wharves, tugs, etc, etc. Although I do sympathise where you are coming from, as -

- a few years ago we were called to attend a RoRo that a naive buyer had purchased. When it completed its delivery voyage the crew were a bit unhappy as there was obviously quite a few leaks. So the ship was docked and our marine manager climbed into the bottom tanks and found he didn't need any lights, there was plenty coming in through the holes in the bottom plating - that is the holes that were too big to have had wooden plugs hammered into them. Whole areas of the floors were rusted out. It had sailed half way around the world on its delivery voyage on its tank tops. Was all nicely painted though and tidy in engineroom, accomodation, etc

Regards

John

 

[Mirelle]

Re: Eric Hiscock\'s last book - roller reefing, cruising chutes, etc.

All very true.

I was not particularly "having a go" at steel boats - although it is a material that attracts more than its fair share of badly designed boats and boats whose owners lack understanding of them. If ships are anything to go by, maintenance costs are a matter of detail design and the "top" yards know how to do this very well.

But steel ships are made of thicker stuff than steel yachts are!

 

[Ships_Cat]

Re: Eric Hiscock\'s last book - roller reefing, cruising chutes, etc.

Agreed, the bad designs, etc certainly contribute greatly to their bad press - and alot of irrepairably rough (frigate look and structural distortion) amateur build ones around too.

Is a shocker in our marina on which you can see every frame through the plating, very roughly finished and the beam of the boat is not much different to its length. Looks like something that Captain Hook should be driving around in a kids' movie.

John