Tall ship Channel hop

Phil Dando tells of a gruelling Channel crossing on the sail training ship Malcolm Miller

- Phil Dando

The Malcolm Miller in her sail training days. She's now a refitted and privately owned luxury charter yacht

Bill Howlett's article 'Tales from a tall ship’ (PBO, November 2020) was a nostalgic read for me because in 1981, nine years after Bill set sail on the Sir Winston Churchill, I set sail on its sister ship which was then named the Malcolm Miller.

Both ships had overwintered in one of London's Royal Docks, where they were de-rigged and underwent a full service.

We were to be the shakedown cruise, in February, and consequently paid a lot less than the full rates. As on Bill's cruise, we were mustered on deck before setting sail and split into three watches, Fore, Main, and Mizzen with a watch officer and a watch leader.

The practice was still for everyone to ascend the ratlines as far as the crow's nest and back down on the other side. I seem to recall that this was about 60ft up the 150ft mast. I didn't find this too much of a chore as I am OK with heights as long as I trust what I'm standing on. We were told to hank on when working aloft and to Make sure that it is a horizontal line and not a vertical one'. Apparently, the latter had been done.

I also recall being told how to deploy the liferafts. Basically, untie the securing straps making sure that the tether that operated the raft when it hit the water remained connected. It was then simply a case of picking the raft up and hurling it over the side. One of the trainees then commented "I couldn't pick that up!" to which the watch officer said: "You would!"

After an enjoyable evening spent in a dockland pub we set sail at dusk, following the Churchill out through the swing bridge. bound for the Channel Isles.