Down Channel by R T McMullen 1893

[GeeW]

This book came to my attention whilst reading the classic 'Riddle of The Sands' as it is mentioned several times as being on the book shelf on board 'Dulcibella' so I started a trawl round t'internet to see if was a real book....

First surprise was that it actually exists and is a free download at various sites across the web in a variety of formats. It was first published in 1893 and is essentially a yachting guide to the United Kingdom from about 1850 to 1880, written in the form of a personal diary/log and a few chartlets to help you visualise his voyaging. The preface sets the scene quite well.

Second surprise, it's a reasonable read and it is quite fun to see how Victorian gentlemen yachtsmen conducted themselves and the challenges they faced apart from the weather and the sea.
Some of the Victorian vocabulary may take a bit of 'googling' for those in the colonies.......
I have particularly enjoyed some of his 'rants' (conducted in gentlemen's English) including familiar subjects such as; what's wrong with Longshoremen, how modern education is failing the kids of today and why do fishermen have to use bad language all the time?

One link to start you off
https://archive.org/details/downchannelwith00mcmugoog

I hope you enjoy it?
Regards

Gordon

[nicktulloh]

Thanks, very interesting. I'm in the middle of a reading binge about narrowboating in the UK and France. "A Narrowboat to Carcasonne" is a really good read.

[Elk River]

I ordered my softcover Down Channel book (418 pages) from Amazon.  I don't remember what I paid for it, but it is a wonderful read of yachting in the mid to late 1800's.  Another interesting book is "The Voyage Alone in the Yawl 'Rob Roy'" (214 pages) by John MacGregor, first published in 1867.  I believe I found my copy at Crawford's Nautical Books in Tilghman Island, MD.  I believe Mr. MacGregor was the original designer of the Rob Roy style boat that Ted Brewer later made famous.

     Both are very good reads if you enjoy learning about long ago pleasure sailing.

     Elk River

[Elk River]

Another book that I neglected to mention is "The Magic of the Swatchways" by Maurice Griffiths, originally published in 1932.  Sheridan House in Dobbs Ferry, NY now publishes it.  It is a about small, shallow draft sailing in the creeks, estuaries, and rivers, including the Thames estuary of southeastern U.K. in the early 1900's. It is a lot like what some of us do with our smaller Com-Pacs.

     Elk River

[GeeW]

Elk River
Magic of the Swatchways is in my bookcase, due for a re-read over the winter months. I have yet to sail the East Coast but it is on the list for a summer cruise in our CP-16.
The other stalwart of the East Coast was of course Charles Stock, whom I was lucky enough to meet, whose books I really enjoyed (the second tome "in shoal waters" was only published a couple of years back http://lodestarbooks.com/product/in-shoal-waters/ )


About 20 years ago I also read Mr MacGregors book, which prompted me to build a Rob Roy canoe, with which I had many excellent days sailing before I sold it on. Having said that I started another sailing canoe build a couple of years ago which is in the rafters of the garage until the bug strikes me again to get it finished....I'm on the look-out for an Optimist rig!

[jthatcher]

Thought I would jump on the bandwagon and suggest  yet another interesting read..  The boy, me, and the cat  -    a very cool story about  a father and son who sailed a 24 foot sailboat down the east coast in the early 1900's  -    it is certainly a study in self - reliance  ..   not sure if I will ever get the chance to take a trip like that with my son, but it is the kind of thing that I like to dream about!   jt    http://partnersvillagestore.com/product/the-boy-me-and-the-cat-cruise-of-the-mascot-1912-1913

[Mike]

Have started to read this on line...reminds one of Slocum in the language.  Thank you for sharing the book.