Whereabouts of Nicholson yacht 'Broadsword'

[jmnapier]

I understand she was British Soldier first and the name was changed to Broadsword with concern about increased IRA activity at the time.
Does anyone know what year she joined JSASTC??
Thanks

 

[AntarcticPilot]

I sailed against Donald Parr's Quailo many times in RORC races. DP worked in Hong Kong, hence the name Quailo, meaning "white man". A great guy and with very distinguished service to yachting. Good to hear that one of his boats is stilll in action and being cared for.

Um. My wife is from Hong Kong, and Gwai Lo (which is the usual transliteration) means "white ghost", and certainly for an older generation is regarded as derogatory! In fact, my father-in-law told off my mother-in-law for calling me gwai lo. Younger generations are more likely to use it in a neutral manner, but its use is not without pitfalls.

 

[Habebty]

Does anyone know what happened to the Joint Services yacht 'Broadsword'

Ian p.

I have to ask, did they have one called "Danny Boy"

 

[jmnapier]

Latest update

We were moored on the Royal London pontoon this summer when a nice young lady came over and chatted. She explained that she was Don Parr's daughter-in-law and he'd asked her to pop down to see us, being too 'wobbly' now to make it himself. He was very pleased that the boat was being looked after. His daughter-in-law explained where he lived so that we could wave to him off Egypt point as we departed.
A great end to our stay in Cowes.
All the best
Jonathan
Quailo III

 

[sarabande]

I bet that 'sail-by' will give him a great deal of pleasure. He was a redoubtable and highly focused owner and skipper.

 

[pwclarke]

Re: Latest update

We were moored on the Royal London pontoon this summer when a nice young lady came over and chatted. She explained that she was Don Parr's daughter-in-law and he'd asked her to pop down to see us, being too 'wobbly' now to make it himself. He was very pleased that the boat was being looked after. His daughter-in-law explained where he lived so that we could wave to him off Egypt point as we departed.
A great end to our stay in Cowes.
All the best
Jonathan
Quailo III

My late father, Peter Clarke, was appointed the first JSSC skipper of British Soldier, later Broadsword, in late 1976 on early retirement from the Royal Engineers. He died suddenly in late October 1977, having just returned from the Mediterranean skippering one of her sister ships, of which the Army had three, the other two being Kukri and Sabre. My father's casket was buried at sea with naval honours off Gilkicker from British Soldier's deck. I sailed the 1981 Fastnet on Kukri with John Kiszley MC - awarded in 1982 in the Falklands War, during which campaign another crew member from that race, Lt Barry R Sigs (in whose honour the Army Sailing Association now awards the Barry Trohy) was killed in action. I sailed Sabre in 1998 from Istanbul to Odessa and Sevastopol returning to Istanbul to conduct a tour of the Crimean battlefields. My parents raised me until age 2 aboard their home, a Thames Sailing Barge 'General Jackson' registered in Ipswich in 1896, which was lying in Burseldon at the time of my birth. My first seagoing passage was to Cowes in August 1952 to spectate for a day of Cowes Week. The barge was also at the Spithead Review in 1953, although my father was serving in Korea at the time.
I'm delighted to learn of her whereabouts now. Thank you.
Patrick Clarke

 

[jmnapier]

Re: Latest update

Thanks for the info Patrick.
You have quite a connection. If you would like to see her, visit Swanwick marina and walk to the end of C pontoon; she is opposite on a river mooring. If we're about we'd be happy to show you on board.
So, in fact, she was in the services from '76 until '03, longer than we thought. Her life as a competitive racing yacht was pretty short at just 5 years.
We had her in Cork all summer. We left on the return leg on a Monday morning with a force 9 having just gone through during Sunday night. The wind was still an 8 but dropping. There must have been 30 feet between peak and trough and the seas were not all that far apart. She handled beautifully, we averaged nearly 9 knots from Cork to Land's End and I would rather have been on Quailo than any modern boat you can name. She's a hell of a boat!
All the best

 

[pwclarke]

Re: Latest update

Thanks for the info Patrick.
You have quite a connection. If you would like to see her, visit Swanwick marina and walk to the end of C pontoon; she is opposite on a river mooring. If we're about we'd be happy to show you on board.
So, in fact, she was in the services from '76 until '03, longer than we thought. Her life as a competitive racing yacht was pretty short at just 5 years.
We had her in Cork all summer. We left on the return leg on a Monday morning with a force 9 having just gone through during Sunday night. The wind was still an 8 but dropping. There must have been 30 feet between peak and trough and the seas were not all that far apart. She handled beautifully, we averaged nearly 9 knots from Cork to Land's End and I would rather have been on Quailo than any modern boat you can name. She's a hell of a boat!
All the best

That is kind; I hope to be in the Southampton area early next year, collecting a new dinghy. I look forward to seeing her on the mooring then, if possible. Sounds like quite a trip you had back from Ireland, but I would have expected nothing less from her. I had a similar experience aboard a Sweden 41 in mid-Atlantic, and said the same thing of her sea-keeping qualities.
I cannot recall whether I previously mentioned that I have a photo of my late father, Peter, aboard her with the then GOC Northern Ireland; the last picture I have of him at sea.
Thanks again, and best wishes, Patrick

 

[richardabeattie]

I have to ask, did they have one called "Danny Boy"

As an ex Pronto (ie Regimental Signals officer) my favourite scene in all the films I've ever seen has always been Broadsword (Richard Burton in Switzerland) getting through to Danny Boy (Michael Horden in London) on a manpack radio with a 4ft whip antenna! Who needs Skype?

 

[Ric]

I believe that one of the ex forces Nic 55s is now owned by MI6 and is kept in Antigua. I don't know which one.

 

[jmnapier]

I'd be very interested to see the photo Patrick. Could you send? Jonathan.napier@hotmail.com
Many thanks
Jonathan

 

[Quandary]

Back in about 1975 there was an annual reciprocal challenge event between Cushendall and Campbeltown Sailing Clubs, the boats used were borrowed GP14s and 2 Achilles 24s from each club, various other boats joined in but the handicap used was rudimentary. We sailed over from Larne on the Friday, raced on the Saturday and sailed back on Sunday. Dasher was in Campbeltown and they asked if they could join in. The keel boat course was down the Loch, round Otterard then across to Arran, round the Iron ledges and straight back. Dasher was back in the Loch not long after we left it.
The hospitality was legendary both at the Club and the Springbank distillery, I recall a race (on foot) from the distillery back to the harbour.
My Achilles was short crewed and we had brought a guy from the office who had done a bit of duck shooting, his only maritime experience, in the fresh breeze we managed to get the kite jammed as we closed the Iron Ledges and it was quite tense until we got it away, very very close to the rocks. When we went to come home on Sunday morning, our new crew was missing, we eventually discovered that he was in church, he explained that there was no way he was going out on that boat again until he had been to Mass.
Happy days.

 

[Ric]

A pic I took on one of the Nic 55s in about 94 near Split. I think it was maybe Broadsword?

 

[Lodesman77]

I have to ask, did they have one called "Danny Boy"

:encouragement:

 

[JohnDL]

Chaser is still at Hornet. The RAF had 2 Nic 55s, Lords Portal & Trenchard (sailed on both as watch keeper in the 70s). Portal is now on the Hamble trots looking good.

 

[john_morris_uk]

I skippered Broadsword a couple of times but only on channel weeks. Like all the Nicholson’s she was a great sailing boat.

I don’t recall Lord Portal being rebuilt after the explosion.

I skippered Adventure in one of the legs of the RTW inter Services race. She was fondly remembered in Rio from her previous visit. I confirm she was donated to the Russians.

The Nicholson 55’s lost their Class 0 commercial coding and so a successor had to be found. They were retained for European waters sailing. Don’t know what’s happening to JSASTC now. There was talk about it being axed as a defence saving. (Comes out of the RN Budget)

 

[jmnapier]

I'd better just step on one thing......
It was Lord Trenchard with the explosion. Lord Portal is as sound as ever. We sail together regularly!

 

[jmnapier]

I can't do quotes.... the pic above from Ric has a mizzen and a grp top so is not Broadsword, nice shot though.

 

[john_morris_uk]

I'd better just step on one thing......
It was Lord Trenchard with the explosion. Lord Portal is as sound as ever. We sail together regularly!

You're quite right. I was getting my Lord's mixed up.

 

[Pete7]

The Nicholson 55’s lost their Class 0 commercial coding and so a successor had to be found. They were retained for European waters sailing. Don’t know what’s happening to JSASTC now. There was talk about it being axed as a defence saving. (Comes out of the RN Budget)

We are okay for now, but that problem is always present. JSASTC has been full of the Kiel Hallberg Rassy 342 Yachts after Kiel closed and there were all brought across to Gosport last year.

Pete