Last week, we cleared the beach at Shoregate of years of accumulated debris, creating space for our very own smack dock.
For the uninitiated, smacks are sailing fishing boats. About half the size of a barge, gaff rigged and with a centre keel rather than flat bottom. There’s no real headroom below, no electric and (usually) no engines – and they’re fabulous.
Barges are like floating homes – all your mod cons and creature comforts, whereas the smack is like camping – basic, but cosy. If it’s adventure you’re seeking, the smack provides it.
They’re much more accessible than barges – you don’t need any qualifications or to abide by any special regulations and they are incredibly handy to sail. Geoff was once complimented by the skipper of Hornblower’s (remember that TV programme?) ship for outstanding seamanship as he ran circles round her whilst under deafening cannon fire. True story!
Broadly speaking, there are two main types of smack remaining – the flashy Essex girls and the solid Kent ladies of Whitstable.
The Essex smacks were worked in relatively sheltered waters, built with an eye for speed – influenced by the yacht designers based on the Essex coastline in the Victorian era.
The Whitstable smacks, however, operated on the exposed N Kent shoreline and by comparison, are of much heavier construction with bigger bellies – able to put up with the tougher conditions they had to face.
Time has been kinder to the Essex smacks – there are dozens remaining and more being rebuilt. The revival has largely been driven by the competitive racing scene that has erupted over the past 25 years. Check out the East Coast River Series on Instagram to see how a new generation are driving them forward through this exciting programme.
The Whitstable smacks are less fortunate. Smaller numbers survive and they’ve become spread over a wider area with uncertain futures.
Our own smack, Thistle (registration F86), suffers through having to compete for attention with our barges and has only been out for big events like the Jubilee and occasional winter fishing trips. We retain plans to get her sailing regularly again, but need to stop collecting time-hogging rotten old barges.
Emmeline (F14) is the most active Whitstable smack, rescued from Spain 30 years ago and now based in Faversham, regularly turning out for events.
Gamecock (F76) is being rebuilt in Whitstable Harbour, but it’s a long term project and we’ve been chatting with the organisation behind it, Whitstable Maritime, to see how we can help them achieve their aims.
Bluebell (CK104) is somewhere in France. Condition unknown…
Favourite (F69) is trapped behind the seawall near to the Old Neptune pub in Whitstable – she was machine gunned in WW2 and hauled up the beach, where she became a summer house! She’s been there ever since, preserved for posterity.
Rosa & Ada (F105) is up in Troon in Scotland. She’s been active as a charter and dive boat and is now on the market.
Stormy Petrel (F71) is down in Cornwall at Working Sail’s yard in Truro. Currently for sale having undergone extensive works. She’s dear to our hearts, having been the ship of the late Dick Norris, who first inspired Geoff and Ed into smacks and all that followed.
These last two are of particular interest as we’d like to see them return to the East Coast and are willing to support anyone who wants to make it happen.
If you think you, or someone you know, would like to jump in and actually join the East Coast community as a Whitstable smack owner, we’re keen to hear from you.
T&W can make introductions to the owners, offer advice, help plan the logistics of returning the smacks to the East Coast and provide cheap moorings for them at our Medway base, along with ongoing help and support.
Go on – have an adventure!
