Tom Cunliffe goes down the slippery slope at a boatyard on the Broads!

[@dr-stephennewdell3882]

This is the sort of thing that makes YOU so famous, Tom. This is detailed maritime history right to our eyes. I can't thank you enough for this work;, and your photographer is excellent.

[@TomCunliffeYachtsandYarns]

Thanks Dr. Very pleased you enjoyed this one and Ros, my wife, is chuffed that you rate her filming. All best Tom

[@cloudsculptor1]

Been lucky enough to hire these since ‘05. The yard, the staff, the setting are like a balm to crazy ness of modern life .

[@Musician-Lee]

Back in 1965 my fiancée and I hired one of these for 2 weeks. No engine, perfect for improving your Boat handling. Just a long quant pole for getting you off the bank when you run aground, or as happened to us, becalmed under the open Reedham swing bridge. It’s wonderful to see these great boats still in use

[@kr1886]

When you mentioned sawdust I assumed it would be inside the boat! Always interesting Tom!

[@TomCunliffeYachtsandYarns]

Yes, one might easily imagine that. Glad you enjoyed it.

[@DIY-DaddyO]

What a brilliantly simple idea.

[@DrCrabfingers]

Extraordinary. I'm glad you explained the reason for chucking sawdust on the water because I was totally mystified! What a fab video...such a joy to see this.

[@rogersmith8339]

They have some stunning boats in that yard!

[@windsorlad1000]

Wonderful to hear someone talk with enthusiasm about something they clearly love.

[@kingsleycracknell7081]

The sawdust idea made me assume it soaked up moisture in the boat. I was not expecting that. Great video, thank you.

[@geoffburrill9850]

Lovely. Like the sawdust trick.

[@TomCunliffeYachtsandYarns]

The old boys knew a thing or two, didn't they.

[@geoffburrill9850]

@@TomCunliffeYachtsandYarns So much more dignified than dropping her in the water with a crane.

[@stevenheggs8938]

Lovely old stuff 😍

[@jeffreysearle2996]

This one brought back great memories for me doing the sawdust thing with me dad and our wooden power boats , you made my day, thank you

[@buynsell365]

Those are some Gorgeous sailboats !!! I would love to have one here.

[@LeonardSkinnerOfficial]

It's like a little therapy session Tom! Thank's for another lovely video...

[@stevecass7575]

Excellent and informative as ever. Thanks Tom!

[@jacilynns6330]

I always wondered what the term, grease the ways, meant. Tallow...figures. Thank you Tom

[@KeepTurningLeft]

well done - very nice indeed always good to learn something new Dylan

[@TomCunliffeYachtsandYarns]

Many thanks.

[@contessa3292]

Thanks for another lovely video Tom. Keep them coming. Love it - can't beat these wonderful traditional ways of doing things, and keeping the quiet skills alive. And thanks for your excellent record of it, along with your commentary. And yes, we can imagine the atmosphere, the scent of varnish, sawdust and tallow in the boatshed. Great stuff. Cheers. William.

[@TomCunliffeYachtsandYarns]

And I have to thank Steve Cottrell for splicing the video together so sympathetically.

[@contessa3292]

Great splicing, thank you Steve - but of course always love your yarns and commentary Tom, keep up the good work, you guys. All the best. William.

[@AndyUK-Corrival]

Lovely video Tom. I have been following these guys for a few years on FB and watching the boats go in and out and enjoying the refits and old ways of a boatyard. I used a sawdust box on my 48ft fishing boat' attached to a pole so the sawdust could be released right under the keel. She was taking a bit more water than I would have liked but by next morning it was just a trickle.

[@TomCunliffeYachtsandYarns]

It's magic, isn't it. Whoever thought of that?

[@dajoal2008]

Thank you so much, Tom, for the fantastic video another one for the Hunters Yard archives.

[@TomCunliffeYachtsandYarns]

I really enjoyed being back at the yard.

[@Lightw81]

I've sailed on these beauties back in the '90s when the yard was owned by the council. It's great to see them still going, pretty much unchanged since the 1930s.

[@TomCunliffeYachtsandYarns]

Just a treat, isn't it.

[@josephinebennington7247]

Lovely stuff. Seen at 3.40 is a little half decker, that stoically put up with me and my single handed efforts, in the wonderful weather week of mid-October 2018. And a late thanks to Gary, who showed me how to do it better.

[@TomCunliffeYachtsandYarns]

Lucky you. I'm hoping to go sailing with Hunter's again this coming October.

[@2waterlook]

Thx Tom, takes me back over 50yrs looking at a old sloop for sale in the yard. Not one of their hire boats, customers beater in comparison. Happy days.

[@TomCunliffeYachtsandYarns]

Glad it supplied a few memories.

[@legend343]

About time you were back sir.!!! Love all your videos and all your analogies, thank you.. Warren s/y Legend

[@TomCunliffeYachtsandYarns]

Sorry I've been dragging my sea boots. A bit like my school report 'Cunliffe could do better, if he tried harder'!

[@leeweisbecker6048]

just wonderful, glad to new a new vid from you

[@TomCunliffeYachtsandYarns]

Sorry it was so long in coming.

[@johnheath3790]

Well I've never seen that done before with the greased boards. Fantastic.

[@TomCunliffeYachtsandYarns]

So simple and easy, isn't it.

[@johncano2594]

Thank you for sharing. Absolutely special.

[@nwoodman1]

Love your work Tom. Thanks for another great video

[@TomCunliffeYachtsandYarns]

Thanks for watching.

[@kevinhoffman8214]

the sawdust intrigued me , I remember the working boats being well past their expiration date , they used a favorite "mud bar" just run the boat up there for a few tides and all was well !

[@kc9pxz]

Vary cool video

[@estrelladelmar6466]

This is really cool. I love old school tech.

[@TomCunliffeYachtsandYarns]

Can't be beat.

[@johnlupo9577]

I’m a recovering stroke patient that recently purchased a Sharpie Sailboat. I really enjoyed your video, it brought back my childhood memories of boats, marinas and of the creosote that was used to waterproof the timbers in the water. I enjoy the way you speak quietly and confidently about your subject matter. Freshening breezes always. John in Alberta Canada

[@Coastwiser]

After about 8 years of not doing sawdust a friend of mine came to my launching this year and he brought a special small bucket on a pole and a big bag of fine sawdust and instead of my bilge pump coming on in about 15 minutes it didn't come on for 5 and 1/2 hours. Bob's your uncle!

[@PillSharks]

Hi Tom, what happened to Westernman? I know you sold her but I’ve always wondered where she ended up.... great name for a cutter, my great great grandfather was a Westerman from Pill.... Lovely looking boats and respect to the lads who keep them floating!

[@TomCunliffeYachtsandYarns]

Westernman is currently in Scotland, still in the hands of the guy I sold her to. I called her that out of respect for the Westernmen. Do you know which boat your great great grandfather was on?

[@cilldublin07]

only heard about the sawdust trick about 3 weeks ago after we launched our boat from 1908 which had been launched after a redecking. Vassline or lip balm had always done the trick before till an experienced ship Wright suggested it to us.

[@TomCunliffeYachtsandYarns]

I've never heard of lip balm or vaseline being used on the bottom. I once tried soft soap on a recommendation from an old salt, but it was rubbish! Tom

[@saishyamnilgiri1]

Tom, thank you for sharing with us another boating secret! ( at least for me). These places and practices surely would not be known even by the common everyday day boater I suppose.

[@TomCunliffeYachtsandYarns]

I hadn't seen it done for many years - since the introduction of the travel lifts in fact.

[@sailingnordicsun7199]

Just found your channel. I subscribed. Keep the videos coming. Happy Sailing.

[@TomCunliffeYachtsandYarns]

Thanks for coming on board.

[@lukedogwalker]

Sawdust! I never would have believed it...

[@AndysEastCoastAdventures]

It's astonishing that these beautiful old boats are cleaned up every winter for some oaf to hire one and play bumper boats all season!

[@TomCunliffeYachtsandYarns]

It's amazing, isn't it Andy. But they've been doing a great job for decades and none the worse for it. Tom

[@chrisarcher8315]

nice video again Tom. looking forward to some more. unfortunately we not collecting a boat from Ludham this year, a caravan will have to do.

[@TomCunliffeYachtsandYarns]

Maybe next year?

[@chrisarcher8315]

Tom Cunliffe - yachts and yarns Do hope so.. the bairn will be 12 months by then. A good age to start on the water!

[@hearsejr]

Wow that is really awesome. Unfortunately my boat was sold a couple of years ago and lost on Coco Beach Florida USA. Many years ago, Tom was kind enough to send me a book that I cherish to this day. Was never fortunate enough to get on the high sea on my old 1973 Coronado c-30, but I did spend several days stranded in the middle of Swash channel in the Chesapeake Bay in Virginia USA, with a busted atomic 4, engine, and a main sail with a broken car stuck in the mast during a Nor'Easter. Ever two hours the coast guard were calling me to be sure I was well, and offered to remove me from the boat. I was reported over due by a friend who could not make contact. I found a decent place to get the 35# CQR and 35' of chain down rode it out... sleeping in the cockpit after I hit bottom during a particular over sized wave came through. I came out pretty good, but the town's all long the coast were flooded. I hated that engine. I call it the a**4. Lol it would get just to the edge of disaster and laugh while you panicked. I swear it was a product of the devil himself. Haha. Thanks for the great articles Tom. I'm grateful for the company during the storm of November '09 even if it was in the form of articles in sailing magazines.

[@TomCunliffeYachtsandYarns]

Sorry to hear about your boat. Always sad. I was interested to read about the Coronado. My late father-in-law purchased a bigger one about that time in Barcelona and we crewed with him to the Balearics. Last year I saw one in a French marina and it brought back some good memories.

[@hearsejr]

@@TomCunliffeYachtsandYarns my condolences to you and your family. The Coronado yachts had a very interesting history.

[@Yeaitstemp]

Outback steakhouse uses pure talo to fry everything

[@nbmrbluesky3688]

Would love to know who worked out the sawdust trick. People must have thought the first chap to do it was a crazy.

[@DIY-DaddyO]

You can hire these beauties???? I’m on it, once I’ve learned how to sail.

[@johnsmith4219]

Tom,, I am building a 16 sail boat and i want to construct a tabernacle for the mast, where can i get information on how to construct one... I see that these lovely boats have theirs built out of wood and i was thinking of using stainless steel. and information would be a great help, Thanks your fiend the Yank across the pond.

[@TomCunliffeYachtsandYarns]

I'm sorry chum. I really don't know the answer to this. All my traditional masts have been keel stepped. The Broads yachts you see here have a stout tabernacle and the mast is hinged above deck level on a pin. Below deck is a very heavy weight on the mast heel that balances the upper mast when lowering. This means she needs a long forehatch running forward of the tabernacle, which is fine on rivers, but might not be so good at sea, except on larger boats like the big Scottish luggers. I should have a good old trawl through the internet. There's all sorts of stuff on there. Jolly good luck

[@johnsmith4219]

@@TomCunliffeYachtsandYarns Thank you for your help Tom

[@whocares4199]

Funnily enough, coffer dams for civil works get the saw dust treatment, well if the lesser spotted old timer is on site.

[@sailingbargegrowler1627]

Lovely video

[@paulputnam2305]

👌❤️👍

[@TomCunliffeYachtsandYarns]

Cheers!

[@BrunoWiebelt]

a light cart with bicycle wheels could do the trick ... nothing romantic... but nice boats

[@TomCunliffeYachtsandYarns]

I guess you would have to grease the wheels as well - otherwise they'd go rusty.