The Winklebrig Forum

Julian Swindell
Username: Julian_swindell

Registered: 03-2007
   
Posted on Sunday, January 05, 2014 - 07:48 pm:      
Wishing all you Winkle Brig owners a happy 2014 -safe sailing to all .

Regards Eric

WINKLE BRIG'S FOREVER !

Nick Baker
Username: Nick_baker

Registered: 03-2007
   
Posted on Friday, November 29, 2013 - 08:33 pm:      
Anything interesting? Modifications ? New sails? Wondering what to do about the delamination on the hatch cover ? New brakes and suspension for the trailer? Wear on the rudder pintles?
I could go on but as usual it will be back in the water next year !
Nick baker WB 9

Mike_seller
Username: Mike_seller

Registered: 06-2012
   
Posted on Tuesday, September 17, 2013 - 09:11 pm:      
I'm looking to keep "Heligan" on the River Thames from next year - exploring the estuary as well as the upper reaches along with some sailing close to home. In my search for a mooring I stumbled across Woottens Boatyard at Cookham Dean which has been in the family since 1908. This stretch of the river between Cookham and Marlow has excellent sailing for over 2 miles between locks and bridges.
On meeting the owner Guy Wootten I told him that I was looking for mooring and that the boat was a Winkle Brig which no doubt he had never heard of. With a wry smile Guy pointed to an upturned hull in the corner of the yard and said "That's a Winkle Brig hull". He then took me into one of the sheds and showed me another Winkle Brig fitted out as a river launch with plenty of wood and gleaming varnish. I have yet to speak in detail with Guy about this discovery but he did say the hull plans came from Eric (EB).
Woottens is a real gem in this day and age - a traditional yard with plenty of history. They built the "Sopranino" an 18 foot yacht which sailed the Atlantic in 1951 - at the time the smallest boat to do so. Today they are renovating "Judith R" a motor yacht built in 1935 owned by Barney Balaban of Paramount Pictures which he used to commute from home in Connecticut to his office on Manhattan Island.
Pleased to say that I have a mooring at Woottens and will share more about these WB hulls as I get to know the owners and yard better. For more info on the above projects check out www.woottensboatyard.org

Martin_cartwright
Username: Martin_cartwright

Registered: 04-2008
   
Posted on Tuesday, April 16, 2013 - 09:47 am:      
I spend some downtime in the New Year plundering the website to compile a short book on the Winkle Brig. Julian has kindly agreed to put a link on the homepage for anyone who is interested in buying a copy.The book is published on a 'print on demand' basis (ie each copy ordered is printed and sent out on a one-off basis) so I can update it at any time if anyone feels I have made any howlers. Do let me know your thoughts and I can include them in a second edition.

Martin_cartwright
Username: Martin_cartwright

Registered: 04-2008
   
Posted on Thursday, January 24, 2013 - 05:31 pm:      
Les Miserables:- In the opening sequence, can anyone tell me why the 19th century Frenchmen are trying to pull a galleon into an almost empty dry dock rather than simply waiting for the tide to rise and float her in???

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e_lFp6nZkq0

The film started badly for me and got worse.

Julian Swindell
Username: Julian_swindell

Registered: 03-2007
   
Posted on Thursday, January 17, 2013 - 10:52 pm:      
HI all ! wishing you all a Very Happy New Year for 2013 ! Safe sailing to all the Winkle -briggers !

Winkle Brigs Forever - Eric

Martin_cartwright
Username: Martin_cartwright

Registered: 04-2008
   
Posted on Friday, November 30, 2012 - 09:28 am:      
Discussion on another thread about Charles Stock's book 'Sailing just for fun' made me think about other sailing books. I can recommend the following. Anyone like to add their favourites?
'The Magic of the Swatchways' - Maurice Griffiths
'Swatchways and little ships' - Maurice Griffiths
'Shrimpy' - (A record round the world voyage in an 18 ft yacht!).
And of course, everyone's all time favourite - and mine- 'The Riddle of the Sands' Erskine Childers.

David Cawston
Username: David_cawston

Registered: 03-2007
   
Posted on Sunday, October 14, 2012 - 05:02 pm:      
Hi everyone,
I have been having problems with my original 25 year old (as supplied by Eric) Epi Twin gas cooker and getting cylinders to screw on correctly which I think is due to the use of incorrect little 'O' rings, the ones located in the cooker that seal up against the top of the small threaded valve on the cylinders. Could anyone give me the correct OD (or ID) and thickness of the 'O' ring. Thanks.

Neville_holmes
Username: Neville_holmes

Registered: 10-2012
   
Posted on Friday, October 12, 2012 - 04:32 pm:      
Does anyone sleep while aflote in a WB?
So who has spent the longest number of consecutive nights on a WB?
Anyone sleep on 'the hook' of only in a marina?
I used to sleep on my 26' heavy yacht on the mooring with mixed success. So while looking for a WB I would like to know if sleeping while on a cruise is practical.

Paul Thomas
Username: Paul_thomas

Registered: 01-2011
   
Posted on Tuesday, September 11, 2012 - 04:33 pm:      
Has anyone seen Cotswold Canals Trust calendar for 2013? There appears to be a WB on the cover. http://www.cotswoldcanals.com/pages/bakery/cotswold-canals-2013-calendar-57.php
I'd be interested to hear of people's experiences with WBs on canals as this could open up a whole new cruising area.

Mike_seller
Username: Mike_seller

Registered: 06-2012
   
Posted on Monday, August 27, 2012 - 06:27 pm:      
Hello All,
When I purchased "Heligan" (Sail No 95) she came without the paperwork recommended by the RYA such as proof of VAT paid and Builders Certificate etc. So what - it was love at first sight and whatever her background "Heligan" would be mine. However I do have dreams of taking the boat to foreign waters (France) one day and without this documentation am I looking for trouble - French Customs prison!
I emailed the Ferry Boatyard hoping for copies of any info - they kindly replied confirming all paperwork had gone with EB on the sale. I emailed the Yacht brokerage who had sold the boat to my vendor hoping they might have kept records - no reply. I have emailed EB via the info on this site but sadly no reply so far.
Am I being paranoid about Ships Papers on a little craft the size of a Winklebrig and would the French really throw me in jail as suggested for not having the relevant paperwork. Although I can hear the seagulls calling from the other side of the channel I doubt I have enough years left to explore our home waters. Can anyone tell me if this paperwork is available or even necessary. Another previous owner of "Heligan" is shown on this site sailing her in Portugal.

Paddy Willis
Username: Paddy_willis

Registered: 05-2010
   
Posted on Thursday, April 05, 2012 - 03:48 pm:      
I've decided that lack of use for two seasons no longer makes for a happy Winklebrig, so sadly have chosen to put "Heligan" on the market. She is in lovely condition (recently varnished and anti-fouled) and her trailer has not been used since full service last Summer. @£7,000 will have her skipping along under new ownership. Full details on request. paddy (at) wftconsulting .
com or 07768 503408

Tim Willey
Username: Tim_willey

Registered: 03-2012
   
Posted on Saturday, March 17, 2012 - 04:54 pm:      
Hello everyone. We're new Winkle Brig No.58 owners Tim and Jane. Been drooling over Winkle Brigs for many years (well to be honest, photos of Winkle Brigs) and now at last we have one. Fantastic boat - can't stop looking at her, and after a bit of fettling she will be out on the Broads this Spring. Her previous name was Mortimer, a perfectly good name I know, but as my name's Tim and I have a CSE in French, I worked out that the name had the disconcerting inference of Death-Tim-Sea. Now I know it's bad luck to change a boat's name (without the correct ceremony) but I think it's even worse luck to encourage disaster by spelling it out on your Transom! If any one out there has any ideas on the correct name-changing ceremony I'd love to hear your views and I hope you all don't mind me picked your brains in the future on the practicalities of sailing, trailing and maintaining the lovely Winkle Brig.

Nick Baker
Username: Nick_baker

Registered: 03-2007
   
Posted on Thursday, February 09, 2012 - 09:57 pm:      
As we are a bit low on postings maybe we can talk about this.
I came back from the UK after Christmas with a Tideway 12 built in 1968 which needs some work so now I have WB 9 to get ready for the season and also my new toy.
I also have a Walker Bay plastic dinghy which I use to get to my mooring.
Classic Marine love me - lots of brass and bronze bits arriving by every post!
What other boats do you have?

Martin_cartwright
Username: Martin_cartwright

Registered: 04-2008
   
Posted on Tuesday, December 20, 2011 - 08:06 am:      
I have always felt that the design of the Winklebrig owed more to the working boat heritage than that of leisure craft, so I was delighted to come across this picture of one of my great grandfather's herring drifters which fished out of Lowestoft in the 1860's. Is it just my fantasy or can anyone else spot the similarities with the second picture?

Pam Freeman
Username: Pam_freeman

Registered: 05-2011
   
Posted on Saturday, November 12, 2011 - 10:55 am:      
I've given myself a good Autumn/Winter sewing job in that I'm make a pair of canvas halyard bags for Mudlark. I see that quite a few of you have them on your WBs.
May I ask, please, how you've fixed them to the grp of the cabin? I wondered whether to use Velcro, gluing it to the cabin etc - or would it be better to have a thin wooden batten to attach each one to, having said batten "screwed" to the grp...? Answers on a postcard to....
Many thanks

David_owens
Username: David_owens

Registered: 04-2010
   
Posted on Wednesday, August 31, 2011 - 09:20 pm:      
Has anyone read 'Ode to Joy: a Winklebrig's Tale' by Charles and Janet Harker? It is available on Amazon for just under £12:00 but without a synopsis or pic, though Wivenhoe books describes it thus:
'Joy is a remarkable little boat who tells her own story, from humble beginnings working as a barge boat on the Thames Estuary, to a workhorse in the oyster trade. In her long and joyful retirement she is re-born as a winklebrig and sails her home waters of the River Blackwater, the Scottish waters of the Solway Firth, the Cornish River Fal, venturing abroad to Brittany and then finally, the Norfolk Broads.'
Is Joy reborn a Winklebrig as we know her?

George Billington
Username: George_billington

Registered: 12-2009
   
Posted on Wednesday, August 31, 2011 - 03:10 pm:      
Greetings to interested parties. Because of recent medical advice, I'm reluctantly putting Mortimer up for sale. A brief description and my contact details are in the Resources Section, under Boats for Sale

David_owens
Username: David_owens

Registered: 04-2010
   
Posted on Tuesday, August 30, 2011 - 05:34 pm:      
Martin Cartwright's much modified 'Winkle' has to be in it (dear me, Martin, you should consider changing that name ...), and how about Esmeralda, a steam driven Winklebrig launch. New to me at Holyhead Old Gaffers' meeting, but has also appeared at Beale Park I understand. Any other 'unusual Winklebrigs' around?

Brian Kirkland
Username: Brian_kirkland

Registered: 08-2011
   
Posted on Saturday, August 27, 2011 - 12:11 pm:      
Hi, I just discovered the forum this week and already I have had great support (see 'Hull' threads).
Eventually found a photo of Stella:

Here she is in 2005 at Coleraine marina
Ready for loading stores for an overnight adventure for my son and his friend.
We anchored overnight in Dougan's Bay at the back of Portstewart Strand, half mile inside the barmouth.
I recall waking very early to find we had drifted some way into the dredged channel
- I'd laid too much scope for the anchor.
Thank goodness the regular scrap-metal coaster wasn't due! Lesson learned:
Tides!!! lay kedge anchor at stern, lie fore-aft well outside the channel!
Happy Winkle Brig grins to everyone!