Norfolk Heritage Fleet Trust Explained

The Norfolk Heritage Fleet Trust is a waterway society and charitable trust based at Hunter's Yard, Ludham on the Norfolk Broads, England, UK. The Trust maintains and hires out a fleet of wooden sailing yachts from the 1930s.

Hunter's Yard is situated in its own dyke off Womack Water on the Norfolk Broads in which the two original boat sheds (the first being built in 1932 and the second in 1935) are mostly as they were built in the 1930s, from timber in the traditional Broads' style, with many of its original features intact and numerous pieces of equipment, tools and boat fittings on view to the public.^[1]

History

Hunter's Yard was operational until 1968 when it was sold to the Norfolk County Council and was renamed Norfolk County Sailing Base. The Council maintained the traditions of the Yard, however its main aim was to encourage young people to sail and experience the Yachts and discounts were offered to schools. In 1995 the Council decided to sell the Yard and its fleet as part of an economy measure.^[2] Subsequently a fundraising effort was carried out to retain the yard which raised £100,000 from public sources and £200,000 from the Heritage Lottery Fund.^[3] In 1996 the Norfolk Heritage Fleet Trust was established and took over the yard, continuing to encourage young people to use and sail on the yachts,^[4] as well as hiring them out for public use.

Cabin yachts

The trust maintain a number of yachts of various types:

Hustler class – sloop-rigged, with 2 berths

The trust have five Hustler-class yachts, all built between 1935 and 1938: numbers I, II, III, IV & V.^[5]

• Rig

gaff sloop with self-tacking jib

• Mast lowing: counter weights
• Length: LOA 24 ft
• Beam: 7 ft 6 in
• Draught

2 ft 6in

• Bridge clearance: Minimum 5 ft 11in
• Headroom: 5 ft 9in with top raised (aft end)

Wood class – sloop-rigged, Carvel-built with 3 berths

The trust have five Wood Class yachts: Wood Anenome (1947), Wood Avens (1949), Wood Rose (1934), Wood Sorrel (1933) and Wood Violet (1934).^[6]

• Rig: gaff sloop with self-tacking Jib
• Mast lowing: counter weights
• Length: LOA 24 ft
• Beam: 7 ft 6 in
• Draught: 2 ft 6in
• Bridge clearance: minimum 5 ft 11in
• Headroom: 5 ft 9in with top raised (aft end)

Lullaby class – sloop-rigged, Carvel-built of mahogany with 4 berths

The trust have four Lullaby-class yachts: Lullaby (1932), Lustre (1932), Luna (1933) and Lucent (2007):^[7]

• Rig: gaff sloop with self-tacking Jib
• Mast lowing: counter weights
• Length: LOA 28 ft
• Beam: 8 ft 6 in
• Draught: 2 ft 6in
• Bridge clearance: Minimum 6 ft
• Headroom: 5 ft 9in with top raised (aft end)

Half deckers

The trust also owns a number of half-decker day boats:^[8]

• Buff tip – also known as a White Boat

Gunter rig

Main sail and jib, LOA, 20 foot

• Sundew – a Waveney One Design.

Gunter rig

Main sail and jib, LOA 20 ft

• Rebel Reveller – high-performance sailing yacht

Gunter rig

Main sail and jib, LOA 20 ft 9 inches

• Brown Bess – suitable for sailing alone

Single, balanced lug sail, LOA 20 ft

• Woodcuts – there are two of these yachts, I & II

Single, semi-salanced lug sail, LOA 18 ft

See also

• List of waterway societies in the United Kingdom
• Norfolk Wherry Trust
• Norfolk and Suffolk Boating Association
• North Walsham and Dilham Canal Society
• Wherry Yacht Charter Charitable Trust

External links

• Official website
• Department for Culture, Media and Sport: Ships for the Nation, Consultation on Government Policy for the Preservation of Historic Ships; mention of Norfolk Heritage Fleet Trust
• Telegraph online, March 5, 2008 article: Norfolk by Boat / Flora Duncan discovers Norfolk via its network of ancient waterways
• Eastern Daily Press Tourism Awards: Norfolk Heritage Fleet Trust wins the Best Water Based Tourism Experience Award 2008

Notes and References

1. Web site: 75 Years of the Yard - Sailing Holidays Norfolk . www.huntersyard.co.uk . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20090904032635/http://www.huntersyard.co.uk/75_years_of_the_yard.html . 2009-09-04.
2. Web site: 75 Years of the Yard - Sailing Holidays Norfolk . www.huntersyard.co.uk . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20090904032635/http://www.huntersyard.co.uk/75_years_of_the_yard.html . 2009-09-04.
3. Web site: Archived copy . 2011-11-11 . https://web.archive.org/web/20110901201804/http://www.huntersyard.co.uk/pdf/2011-Hunters-Yard-Brochure.pdf . 2011-09-01 . dead .
4. Web site: Historic plans for Hunter's Yard in Ludham - Waterway history - Anglia Afloat . 2011-11-11 . dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20120425155215/http://www.angliaafloat.co.uk/heritage/waterway-history/historic_plans_for_hunter_s_yard_in_ludham_1_1093165 . 2012-04-25 .
5. Web site: Hunters Fleet authentic Sailing Cruisers for the Norfolk Broads National park East Anglia. . www.huntersyard.co.uk . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20090730044013/http://www.huntersyard.co.uk/cabin_yachts.html . 2009-07-30.
6. Web site: Wood Class Boats – Sailing Holidays Norfolk . www.huntersyard.co.uk . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20090819024533/http://www.huntersyard.co.uk/wood_class.html . 2009-08-19.
7. Web site: Lullaby Class Boats – Sailing Holidays, Norfolk . www.huntersyard.co.uk . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20090819024516/http://www.huntersyard.co.uk/lullaby_class.html . 2009-08-19.
8. Web site: Hunters Fleet authentic Sailing Cruisers for the Norfolk Broads National park East Anglia. . www.huntersyard.co.uk . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20090730043852/http://www.huntersyard.co.uk/half_deckers.html . 2009-07-30.