Page 38 - Folk Boat Year Book 2022

Initially Suffolk seemed a long way to go for a Folkboat, especially given the large fleet
in the Solent, but Redwych did seem to be just what I was looking for so I made the
journey to confirm that she met expectations, commissioned the survey (which she
passed with flying colours despite her age), and arranged for her to be trailered down
to Parkstone.

She spent a month or so in the yard while I sorted out electronics, renewed the
rigging, antifouled and touched up areas of peeling varnish, learning the hard way
that the deck of a Folkboat is quite a cramped working space which is better
approached off a ladder. A low point in this exercise was when I couldn’t locate the
lid of the varnish tin and then realised I had sat on it!

Finally she was launched and I found that she sailed even more beautifully than all my
research into Folkboats had led me to hope. We had several wonderful outings,
getting a little more adventurous over time as we went first to Studland Bay, then to
Swanage and finally, on a grand finale of the year, to Hengistbury Head and back in a
lovely Force 4 hitting an exhilarating 7.2 knots over the ground with the current!

This year has started well and we have completed our first overnight trip as part of
the highly enjoyable PYC Weymouth Rally. We are looking forward to many more
cruises in company and hope to be able to participate in Folkboat Week. It will be
nice not feeling quite so diminutive in relation to our fellow cruisers!

If any Association members have any more to add to Redwych’s story, do get in
touch!

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