Four years ago my cousin took me out on the Solent on his trimaran. He asked me again on Sunday.
Now he has another boat, much comfier for a landlubber, with hot water, ‘fridge and lots of cushions. If I may digress, he has only had one employer in forty-seven years in the City (yes, he’s still working) and one wife but more boats than you could shake a boathook at. He flies a Blue Ensign, a privilege conferred on members of his sailing club. To add a further note of distinction he allowed me to fly my Arms from the cross trees.
He keeps his boat moored at Bursledon on the Hamble; it’s as far upstream as is navigable by yachts unless they step their masts; very trying if you are a landlubber. This is very good for a landlubber as there is a long and scenic cruise down the river before the sails go up and there’s much faffing around on deck with possibility of drinks being spilt.
Being observant you will have two questions about the boatyard where he parks. First, the floating office is an old chain ferry across the river; practical when there are spring tides. Before I could ask why it is called the Elephant Boatyard my cousin told me.
HMS Elephant was a 74-gun, third-rate, Royal Navy ship of the line launched in 1786. It came to fame in 1801 when Nelson chose it as his flagship (because of its shallow draught) for what became the Battle of Copenhagen. It was on that occasion Nelson put his telescope to his blind eye and did not follow orders to withdraw. Actually Wikipedia is fleshing out his story.
I imagine that the horse the Duke of Wellington rode at Waterloo was called Copenhagen as a tribute to Nelson’s victory. In any case, the boatyard on the Hamble is called Elephant because it is where it was built. It is under family ownership and still builds and restores boats, albeit smaller than HMS Elephant.
That’s where we had lunch. Afterwards two brave members of the party took the dinghy ashore to swim. In the morning we had been beating into the wind – that’s a bit like St Paul kicking against the pricks – but we had a glorious downwind run back to the Elephant enhanced by a selection of ‘80s hits and pink gins to satisfy both generations.