“I have enjoyed working with Rob and look forward to spending many days on the river with my new Limpet”
Rich
“The revised version of the Cormorant is more graceful than the bird — but just as well suited to her element. An apparent simplicity is achieved by expert design and construction; in short she is an outstanding small sailing boat.
Chris W
Having been introduced to Woodbridge, Suffolk, and the beautiful River Deben, there seemed only one course of action: to find a boat suitable for sailing there.
I don’t quite remember how I came across the Cormorant advertised at Anglia Yacht Brokerage near Bury St Edmunds. It might have been a Google search for ‘traditional GRP dinghy’. I know the photograph caught my eye: it looked like a sailing craft with its mainsail (plus cormorant symbol) and jib, extended on a bowsprit, and its lines appeared to be particularly pretty. It was also reasonably sized, enough to accommodate two adults (and possibly a grandchild or two), but not too cumbersome for sailing solo or unmanageable for trailing, and a craft that would sit happily beside the pontoon at Woodbridge. The price was also reasonable and being nearly new, she was ready to sail.
After viewing and a useful discussion with Alex Haig at the brokerage, it was simply a question of ordering a boat cover, waiting for the spring and taking delivery.
With mounting anticipation April arrived together with launch day. I spent a day or two at the yard beforehand rigging and polishing. Having been introduced to sailing as a child with a Mirror dinghy, all the spars and rigging were familiar, except the rakish bowsprit and furling jib. It seemed an impressive sail area for a twelve-foot dinghy (100 square feet). And compared with the Laser raced on the Thames, Audrey – as she had been named – looked a good deal drier, more comfortable and stable.
Once on the water the superlatives begin to flow. First she is quick to rig, especially if the mast is left up, with the jib furled and the main already laced to the gunter spar; she is also stable when stepping aboard from the pontoon. Sailed solo everything happens at a sedate tempo so there is plenty of time to let off the jib while tacking and re-trimming the sails afterwards. Even in gusty conditions, (and without toe-straps) sitting on the broad gunwale, she sails comfortably flat with quite light weather helm, needing only a moderate hand on the tiller. Sailing with a crew, of course, is more sociable and an extra pair of hands is useful for goose-winging the jib while on the run. On the Deben on Bank Holiday weekend, with the tide on the ebb she took us back to her pontoon mooring at an impressive speed with the slap, chortle and chuckle of water under her. What could be better for mind and spirit? And with one other adult and two young children aboard on their first time afloat, all were safe and sound, protected by the deep cockpit (solid buoyancy tanks built into the hull) with a fairly comfortable seat on the central thwart, and a jib sheet to pull.
In quieter conditions she catches the lightest of airs and responds immediately, pointing to windward at an impressively acute angle; tacking up the side of the channel against the tide, she makes easy headway. The furling jib is useful for de-powering but also makes departing and arriving at the pontoon a more orderly affair. The centreboard swivels on a bolt and doubles as a simple depth finder in the shallower parts of the Deben; when it gently slides up as you skim across the mud, the helm knows it’s time to tack.
Woodbridge, I am finding, is the perfect place to sail, and the Cormorant – even after a handful of outings – I am discovering is a perfect dinghy to sail there.
Simon A
