hilbre class yacht

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• Sailboat Guide

Hilbre One Design

Hilbre One Design is a 19 ′ 9 ″ / 6 m monohull sailboat designed by Alan Buchanan between 1958 and 1963.

Rig and Sails

Auxilary power, accomodations, calculations.

The theoretical maximum speed that a displacement hull can move efficiently through the water is determined by it's waterline length and displacement. It may be unable to reach this speed if the boat is underpowered or heavily loaded, though it may exceed this speed given enough power. Read more.

Classic hull speed formula:

Hull Speed = 1.34 x √LWL

Max Speed/Length ratio = 8.26 ÷ Displacement/Length ratio .311 Hull Speed = Max Speed/Length ratio x √LWL

Sail Area / Displacement Ratio

A measure of the power of the sails relative to the weight of the boat. The higher the number, the higher the performance, but the harder the boat will be to handle. This ratio is a "non-dimensional" value that facilitates comparisons between boats of different types and sizes. Read more.

SA/D = SA ÷ (D ÷ 64) 2/3

• SA : Sail area in square feet, derived by adding the mainsail area to 100% of the foretriangle area (the lateral area above the deck between the mast and the forestay).
• D : Displacement in pounds.

Ballast / Displacement Ratio

A measure of the stability of a boat's hull that suggests how well a monohull will stand up to its sails. The ballast displacement ratio indicates how much of the weight of a boat is placed for maximum stability against capsizing and is an indicator of stiffness and resistance to capsize.

Ballast / Displacement * 100

Displacement / Length Ratio

A measure of the weight of the boat relative to it's length at the waterline. The higher a boat’s D/L ratio, the more easily it will carry a load and the more comfortable its motion will be. The lower a boat's ratio is, the less power it takes to drive the boat to its nominal hull speed or beyond. Read more.

D/L = (D ÷ 2240) ÷ (0.01 x LWL)³

• D: Displacement of the boat in pounds.
• LWL: Waterline length in feet

Comfort Ratio

This ratio assess how quickly and abruptly a boat’s hull reacts to waves in a significant seaway, these being the elements of a boat’s motion most likely to cause seasickness. Read more.

Comfort ratio = D ÷ (.65 x (.7 LWL + .3 LOA) x Beam 1.33 )

• D: Displacement of the boat in pounds
• LOA: Length overall in feet
• Beam: Width of boat at the widest point in feet

Capsize Screening Formula

This formula attempts to indicate whether a given boat might be too wide and light to readily right itself after being overturned in extreme conditions. Read more.

CSV = Beam ÷ ³√(D / 64)

The HILBRE ONE DESIGN is raced at West Kirby Sailing Club in north west England.

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Hilbre One Design

Saturday, May 26, 2018

The Hilbre Island One Design is a racing keelboat built to a strict design specification and raced at West Kirby Sailing Club in north west England. The class is named after an island in the mouth of the river Dee. To date there have been 55 built. The first boat was completed in 1958 but most of the 55 examples built were constructed between 1960 and 1963. The class has a Portsmouth Yardstick of 1290.

In 1956 a committee meeting was held at West Kirby Sailing Club with the proposal of expanding the Star fleet, at the time there was a majority view of Star owners that the fleet should not be expanded (11 in favour, 1 against, 2 abstentions) at the current time but instead a new boat somewhat larger than the 16 ft Star should be developed with "a more modern design and a more solid construction than the Liverpool Bay Falcons" This proposal became the Hilbre One Design. Designer Alan Buchanan was commissioned to build a sturdy shallow drafted boat with a drop keel suitable for use on the Dee estuary which could be used for both racing and family picnics. The design had to cope with the shallow waters and strong tidal effects and moorings which dry out twice a day. Buchanan's design was for 19 feet 9 inches long boats, built of wood, with a clinker built hull. Their draught is 4 ft 5in with their centre plate lowered, and 1 ft 7in with it raised. They had a displacement of 2700 lbs (including the 500 lb keel) and looked more like a yacht than a large dinghy. The original design had a flat stern but the committee decided to change this to one with an over hang similar to a Seabird Half Rater and also to add a small cuddy for day and family sailing.

The original boat Hilbre, number 1, was demonstrated in the Menai Straits in 1958 however during her trip from the builders, Williams & Nixon in Deganwy to the Straits she was dismasted whilst under tow! This failed to put off interest and 7 boats were ordered to be built by Enterprise Small Craft Company in Rock Ferry and Williams & Nixon in Deganwy, 6 for private owners and the 7th to be raffled by West Kirby Sailing Club. Priced originally at £350.00 for the hull and spars and £150.00 for a full set of sails (now approximately £1,800.00), the original boat found an eager market which was met with the additional builders who were duly authorised.

By the early 80's the majority of the fleet were located on the River Dee, with 22 boats at Dee SC, 18 at West Kirby and 5 at Tranmere Sailing Club on the Mersey, but following the closure of Riversdale Technical College the fleet at Tranmere ceased to exist and the boats were sold off. The fleet based at Dee SC dwindled in the mid to late 80's and subsequently either left or joined West Kirby Sailing Club.

Boats carry an overlapping genoa as well as a smaller No1 jib and a spinnaker. Class rules permit windows in these sails, and currently permit three official sailmakers: North Sails, Speed Sails & Pinnel and Bax, albeit this is now being reviewed with the possible introduction of a more local manufacturer which would require ratification from the Hilbre Association. The Hilbre has a small cabin, which allows the boats to be used for day sailing as well as racing: Hilbres have crossed from the Dee to the Menai Strait and back many times, with the fastest trip reported as seven hours, however due to the unpredictability of the weather it was found that the long race which debuted on the class' 21st birthday from the Dee to Beaumaris was almost impossible to hold. Class rules stipulate a minimum of three crew when racing, although the boat can be sailed single-handed at a pinch, and benefits from having four crew in strong winds.

Like all wooden boats, Hilbres need regular maintenance in the winter. This is carried out in the boat sheds at West Kirby Sailing Club. The club also offers class racing including team and match racing. Hilbres also have their own starts at local Wirral regattas and at the Menai Strait Regattas fortnight in Anglesey during the beginning of August. In 2012, Hirondelle (H5) sailed by the Riley family dominated the racing at home winning all of the series. In this year's Menai Straits Regatta, the fortnight of racing was won by Hilbre (H1).

Hipparchus built in 1966 is located at Merseyside Maritime Museum, albeit not currently on display.

It is a class rule that all boat names should begin with the prefix "Hi" but as the fleet numbers rose to around the 50 mark it became increasingly difficult to find unique suitable words left in the dictionary! This has led to some curious names and spellings and one boat, Heulwen number 50, even managed to slip through the net and have the prefix "He", no one is quite sure why this was allowed by the committee. Though the spelling "Hieuwen" has been noted.

The Hilbre One Design Association was formed in 1960 to preserve the one design principles, which were threatened by the use of seven different boat builders who constructed the majority of the 55 strong class within a 3-year period each offering a list of extras to suit the prospective owners needs. However most of these concerned the interior layout and did not affect the sailing performance. For example the Williams & Nixon boats tend to have a far flatter cuddy compared to the other builders and it is reputed the only boats that strictly comply with the approved plans in full are the two Partington Boats (H47 & H53). Various improvements and adaptations have been incorporated into the rules over time including allowing kicking straps etc. The Hilbre One Design Association endeavours to keep boats sailing locally and currently owns two boats, Hiraethog (H32) and Hi-C (H46). The Association are now attempting to locate all "lost" boats with various Hilbres being found in gardens and one apparently being the possession of West Cheshire Sailing Club's Commodore. There is a view to obtain some of these boats and refurbish one per year. The plan of the Association is to make a boat a year available for sale or possible lease to sailors who want to sail and race on the Dee.

Following the recent Hilbre Association Annual General Meeting, Mr G Wright was confirmed as the Association's President.

An auspicious start to the 2013 season following Force 11-12 winds left H27 sunk (albeit successfully salvaged) and H8, H9, H34, H53 de-masted with 4 broken masts requiring replacement and stem heads re-securing. H8 lost its mooring and beached on rocks albeit the damage was limited to a few broken planks.

Video Hilbre One Design

Current fleet, maps hilbre one design.

External links

• West Kirby Sailing Club

Source of article : Wikipedia

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Review of Hilbre One Design

Basic specs..

The hull is made of wood.

The boat equipped with a fractional rig. A fractional rig has smaller headsails which make tacking easier, which is an advantage for cruisers and racers, of course. The downside is that having the wind from behind often requires a genaker or a spinnaker for optimal speed.

CentreBoard

The Hilbre One Design is equipped with a centreboard keel. A centreboard keel is a pivoting lifting keel, allowing to sail both coastal and inland waters.

The boat can enter even shallow marinas as the draft is just about 0.48 - 0.58 meter (1.57 - 1.87 ft) dependent on the load. See immersion rate below.

Sailing characteristics

This section covers widely used rules of thumb to describe the sailing characteristics. Please note that even though the calculations are correct, the interpretation of the results might not be valid for extreme boats.

What is Capsize Screening Formula (CSF)?

The capsize screening value for Hilbre One Design is 1.88, indicating that this boat could - if evaluated by this formula alone - be accepted to participate in ocean races.

The immersion rate is defined as the weight required to sink the boat a certain level. The immersion rate for Hilbre One Design is about 72 kg/cm, alternatively 406 lbs/inch. Meaning: if you load 72 kg cargo on the boat then it will sink 1 cm. Alternatively, if you load 406 lbs cargo on the boat it will sink 1 inch.

Sailing statistics

This section is statistical comparison with similar boats of the same category. The basis of the following statistical computations is our unique database with more than 26,000 different boat types and 350,000 data points.

What is L/B (Length Beam Ratio)?

What is a Ballast Ratio?

Maintenance

If you need to renew parts of your running rig and is not quite sure of the dimensions, you may find the estimates computed below useful.

Usage	Length		Diameter
Jib sheet	6.0 m	(19.8 feet)	8 mm	(5/16 inch)
Genoa sheet	6.0 m	(19.8 feet)	8 mm	(5/16 inch)
Mainsheet	15.0 m	(49.4 feet)	8 mm	(5/16 inch)
Spinnaker sheet	13.2 m	(43.5 feet)	8 mm	(5/16 inch)

This section is reserved boat owner's modifications, improvements, etc. Here you might find (or contribute with) inspiration for your boat.

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Hilbre One Design

Hilbre

Boat
Crew	3-4
Hull
Type
weight	2,700 lb (1,200 kg)
	19 ft 9 in (6.02 m)
	6 ft 6.25 in (1.9876 m)
Hull Appendages
Keel/Board Type	Fixed

The Hilbre Island One Design is a racing keelboat built to a strict design specification and raced at West Kirby Sailing Club in north west England. The class is named after an island in the mouth of the river Dee . To date there have been 55 built. The first boat was completed in 1958 but most of the 55 examples built were constructed between 1960 and 1963. The class has a Portsmouth Yardstick of 1290.

In 1956 a committee meeting was held at West Kirby Sailing Club with the proposal of expanding the Star fleet, at the time there was a majority view of Star owners that the fleet should not be expanded (11 in favour, 1 against, 2 abstentions) at the current time but instead a new boat somewhat larger than the 16   ft Star should be developed with "a more modern design and a more solid construction than the Liverpool Bay Falcons" This proposal became the Hilbre One Design. Designer Alan Buchanan was commissioned to build a sturdy shallow drafted boat with a drop keel suitable for use on the Dee estuary which could be used for both racing and family picnics. The design had to cope with the shallow waters and strong tidal effects and moorings which dry out twice a day. Buchanan's design was for 19 feet 9   inches long boats, built of wood, with a clinker built hull. Their draught is 4   ft 5in with their centre plate lowered, and 1   ft 7in with it raised. They had a displacement of 2700   lbs (including the 500   lb keel) and looked more like a yacht than a large dinghy. The original design had a flat stern but the committee decided to change this to one with an over hang similar to a Seabird Half Rater and also to add a small cuddy for day and family sailing.

The original boat Hilbre, number 1, was demonstrated in the Menai Straits in 1958 however during her trip from the builders, Williams & Nixon in Deganwy to the Straits she was dismasted whilst under tow! This failed to put off interest and 7 boats were ordered to be built by Enterprise Small Craft Company in Rock Ferry and Williams & Nixon in Deganwy, 6 for private owners and the 7th to be raffled by West Kirby Sailing Club. Priced originally at £350.00 for the hull and spars and £150.00 for a full set of sails (now approximately £1,800.00), the original boat found an eager market which was met with the additional builders who were duly authorised.

By the early 80's the majority of the fleet were located on the River Dee, with 22 boats at Dee SC, 18 at West Kirby and 5 at Tranmere Sailing Club on the Mersey , but following the closure of Riversdale Technical College the fleet at Tranmere ceased to exist and the boats were sold off. The fleet based at Dee SC dwindled in the mid to late 80's and subsequently either left or joined West Kirby Sailing Club.

Boats carry an overlapping genoa as well as a smaller No1 jib and a spinnaker . Class rules permit windows in these sails, and currently permit three official sailmakers: North Sails, Speed Sails & Pinnel and Bax, albeit this is now being reviewed with the possible introduction of a more local manufacturer which would require ratification from the Hilbre Association. The Hilbre has a small cabin, which allows the boats to be used for day sailing as well as racing: Hilbres have crossed from the Dee to the Menai Strait and back many times, with the fastest trip reported as seven hours, however due to the unpredictability of the weather it was found that the long race which debuted on the class' 21st birthday from the Dee to Beaumaris was almost impossible to hold. Class rules stipulate a minimum of three crew when racing, although the boat can be sailed single-handed at a pinch, and benefits from having four crew in strong winds.

Like all wooden boats, Hilbres need regular maintenance in the winter. This is carried out in the boat sheds at West Kirby Sailing Club. The club also offers class racing including team and match racing. Hilbres also have their own starts at local Wirral regattas and at the Menai Strait Regattas fortnight in Anglesey during the beginning of August. In 2012, Hirondelle (H5) sailed by the Riley family dominated the racing at home winning all of the series. In this year's Menai Straits Regatta, the fortnight of racing was won by Hilbre (H1).

Hipparchus built in 1966 is located at Merseyside Maritime Museum , albeit not currently on display.

It is a class rule that all boat names should begin with the prefix "Hi" but as the fleet numbers rose to around the 50 mark it became increasingly difficult to find unique suitable words left in the dictionary! This has led to some curious names and spellings and one boat, Heulwen number 50, even managed to slip through the net and have the prefix "He", no one is quite sure why this was allowed by the committee. Though the spelling "Hieuwen" has been noted.

The Hilbre One Design Association was formed in 1960 to preserve the one design principles, which were threatened by the use of seven different boat builders who constructed the majority of the 55 strong class within a 3-year period each offering a list of extras to suit the prospective owners needs. However most of these concerned the interior layout and did not affect the sailing performance. For example the Williams & Nixon boats tend to have a far flatter cuddy compared to the other builders and it is reputed the only boats that strictly comply with the approved plans in full are the two Partington Boats (H47 & H53). Various improvements and adaptations have been incorporated into the rules over time including allowing kicking straps etc. The Hilbre One Design Association endeavours to keep boats sailing locally and currently owns two boats, Hiraethog (H32) and Hi-C (H46). The Association are now attempting to locate all "lost" boats with various Hilbres being found in gardens and one apparently being the possession of West Cheshire Sailing Club's Commodore. There is a view to obtain some of these boats and refurbish one per year. The plan of the Association is to make a boat a year available for sale or possible lease to sailors who want to sail and race on the Dee.

Following the recent Hilbre Association Annual General Meeting, Mr G Wright was confirmed as the Association's President.

An auspicious start to the 2013 season following Force 11-12 winds left H27 sunk (albeit successfully salvaged) and H8, H9, H34, H53 de-masted with 4 broken masts requiring replacement and stem heads re-securing. H8 lost its mooring and beached on rocks albeit the damage was limited to a few broken planks.

Current fleet

Number	Name	Year Built	Boat Builder	Current Status
1	Hilbre	1958	Williams & Nixon, Deganwy	WKSC-Regularly sailed
2	Highlight	1959	Enterprise Boat Company, Rock Ferry	WKSC-Regularly sailed
3	Hilary	1959	Williams & Nixon, Deganwy	South of Wales
4	Hioco	1959	Enterprise Boat Company, Rock Ferry	WKSC-Regularly sailed
5	Hirondelle	1959	Enterprise Boat Company, Rock Ferry	WKSC-Regularly sailed
6	Hie	1959	Williams & Nixon, Deganwy	WKSC-Regularly sailed
7	Highwayman	1959	Williams & Nixon, Deganwy	WKSC-Regularly sailed
8	Hiccup	1959	Williams & Nixon, Deganwy	WKSC-Regularly sailed
9	Hiawatha	1960	Williams & Nixon, Deganwy	WKSC-Regularly sailed
10	Hidalgo	1960	Enterprise Boat Company, Rock Ferry	Located in Hamburg, Germany
11	Highlander	1960	Enterprise Boat Company, Rock Ferry	Lying in Heswall Boat yard last 10 years, cuddy removed and decking changed to resemble a half rater
12	Hippo	1960	Enterprise Boat Company, Rock Ferry	WKSC
13	No boat
14	Hibernia	1961	Turner & Son, Donegal	Last heard located at Fiddlers Ferry SC
15	Hieros	1961	Turner & Son, Donegal	Understood to be in a garden in Chester
16	High & Dry	1961	Turner & Son, Donegal	Went down in the Persian gulf after 130 degree temperatures in 1981
17	Hilsa	1961	Enterprise Boat Company, Rock Ferry	WKSC-Regularly sailed
18	Hijinx	1960	Enterprise Boat Company, Rock Ferry	Lying in Abersoch, requiring structural minor structural repairs and cosmetic refurbishment
19	Hilarity	1960	Williams & Nixon, Deganwy	WKSC-Regularly sailed
20	Hilda	1960	Enterprise Boat Company, Rock Ferry	WKSC-Regularly sailed
21	Highlea	1960	Williams & Nixon, Deganwy	Last heard in Polperro
22	Hijack	1961	Turner & Son, Donegal	Set on fire and destroyed in Nevin in 1995 after a dispute with local fishermen
23	Hi-Falutin	1962	Wirral Boat Co., Rock Ferry	Located at West Cheshire SC
24	Hibiscus	1961	Enterprise Boat Company, Rock Ferry	Sunk when it disappeared from its mooring at Tranmere in 1984
25	Hideaway	1961	JM Lowther, Whitby	Originally built out of class, subsequently altered and accepted by the Association in 1978. Five similar boats thought to have been built but not classed as Hilbres. Last Heard in West Lancs SC in 1996
26	Hispaniola	1961	Enterprise Boat Company, Rock Ferry	Last heard of heard in Irvine, Scotland
27	Hicotee	1961	Enterprise Boat Company, Rock Ferry	WKSC-Regularly sailed
28	Highland Scot	1961	Enterprise Boat Company, Rock Ferry	WKSC - Ownership to be resolved
29	Hither	1961	Enterprise Boat Company, Rock Ferry	WKSC - Regularly sailed
30	Hiatus	1961	Crossfield Successors, Arnside	Last heard of in Barrow in Furness
31	Hi Sheriff	1961	Crossfield Successors, Arnside	WKSC-Regularly sailed
32	Hiraethog	1960	Williams & Nixon, Deganwy	WKSC-Hilbre Association Boat. Undergoing a rebuild by the Association
33	Hiwmor	1961	Crossfield Successors, Arnside	South East England
34	Hi Fi	1960	Crossfield Successors, Arnside	WKSC - Regularly sailed
35	Hilo	1961	Enterprise Boat Company, Rock Ferry	Wrecked when escaped moorings at West Kirby SC
36	Hinayana	1961	Crossfield Successors, Arnside	Poorly repaired in the past and beyond economic repair and subsequently set on fire on bonfire night
37	Hinden	1961	Crossfield Successors, Arnside	Destroyed when put in a skip in Liverpool by over keen repairers who cut three feet off the stern in 1994
38	Hinemoa	1961	Enterprise Boat Company, Rock Ferry	WKSC - Regularly sailed
39	Hickory	1961	Crossfield Successors, Arnside	Burnt on Bonfire Night
40	Hirundo	1961	Crossfield Successors, Arnside	Broken up and burnt with parts re-used
41	Highcrest	1961	Crossfield Successors, Arnside	Wrecked when came off its moorings at West Kirby SC
42	Hindu Honey	1962	Crossfield Successors, Arnside	Destroyed/sank in North Wales with parts made available to the Hilbre Association
43	Hildebrand	1962	Crossfield Successors, Arnside	Last heard in Northumberland
44	Hibrena	1961	Crossfield Successors, Arnside	Cut up and burnt in 2002 and parts salvaged for use by the Association
45	Hifactum	1962	Enterprise Boat Company, Rock Ferry	Lying in a garden in the Irby, Wirral, likely beyond economic repair
46	Hi C	1962	Enterprise Boat Company, Rock Ferry	Recently purchased by Parkgate Parish Council beyond economic repair and the hull put on display at Parkgate
47	Highland Piper	1961	William Partington Marine, Pwhelli	WKSC-Regularly sailed
48	Hi Di Hi	1961	Crossfield Successors, Arnside	Damaged beyond repair and burnt on bonfire night 2011 at WKSC
49	Higgler	1961	Crossfield Successors, Arnside	Last heard of in Derry, reported to be in a poor condition, severe rot and broken ribs and likely to beyond economic repair
50	Heulwen	1962	Wirral Boat Co., Rock Ferry	Porthmadog
51	Hiatus	1962	Wirral Boat Co., Rock Ferry	WKSC -
52	Hikari	1963	Crossfield Successors, Arnside	Converted to fishing boat, although understood now to be destroyed and burnt
53	High Hat	1963	William Partington Marine, Pwhelli	WKSC-Regularly sailed
54	Hinon	1964	Crossfield Successors, Arnside	Lying in a garden in Buckley, in a poor condition
55	Hiriver	1964	Anglesey Boat Co., Beaumaris	Sunk in the river Mersey, when swamped by the Isle of Man Ferry in 1970
56	Hipparchus	1966	Anglesey Boat Co., Beaumaris	Liverpool Maritime Museum

External links

• West Kirby Sailing Club

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Hilbre One Design

5.95m (19ft 6ins)

unknown

United Kingdom

Bermuda Sloop Fractional (with jib)

2-3

none

sq. m

No spinnaker

0 sq.m

1958

No handicap data found

Wooden clinker dayboat with cuddy. Class is based in the Dee Estuary, mainly at West Kirby Sailing Club. The boat has a cast iron keel and draws 0.5 m, or 1.4 m with the centreplate down.

 

No class association known

Year	Rating	Mast	Sail
1962	110		Cotton
	PY Type Secondary;
1963	110		Terylene
	PY Type Secondary;
1964	110		Terylene
	PY Type Secondary;
1981	130
	PY Type R; PY Group Keelboat;
1982	132
	PY Type R; PY Group Keelboat;
1983	132
	PY Type R; PY Group Keelboat;
1984	132
	PY Type Trial; PY Group Keelboat;

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• Local groups

Crossfields of Arnside

With 25 boats and 2 replicas, Crossfields of Arnside are one of most significant builders on the OGA Boat Register.

Arnside is located in Cumbria at the top of Morecambe Bay on the Kent Estuary. Historically the estuary was the port for Kendal. Unusually for the North West Coast the area is wooded providing the source material for boat building.

Crossfields were active from the 1840s to 1950s. Their heyday was the period leading up to the First World War from the 1890s. They were the leading builders of Morecambe Bay Prawners (or Lancashire Nobbies) serving an area from the North Wales coast to Southern Scotland. Lancashire Nobbies were fast gaff rigged fishing boat designed to cope with the shallow waters of the North West Coast, pull a heavy trawling net and get a perishable catch back to market as quickly as possible. Railways enabled the catch to be taken to the industrial towns of the North West fuelling the expansion of the fishing industry.

Distinctive features of Morecambe Bay Prawners are the elliptical stern, central cockpit with a large deck area and low freeboard to facilitate the working of nets, high bows to cope with rough sea conditions, a large sail area and shallow draft. The boats are regularly raced in the Liverpool Nobby Race. There was crossover between the design of yachts and Nobbies.

Around 25% of Crossfields output was yachts. They also built rowing boats, bay boats, and sailing dinghies, including Arthur Ransome’s Swallow. Bay boats were sailing boats used to take holidaymakers on excursions from resorts such as Morecambe.

Yachts built by Crossfields include Ziska 1903, which has been sailed across the Atlantic and is now on the West Coast of America, Bonita 1888 the oldest boat to take part in 1913 OGA Round Britain Race, Moya 1910 and Molly both based in the Mediterranean.

The first Crossfield to move to Arnside was John, who set up a village joinery business in the early nineteenth century. His younger son Francis developed the boat building side of the business, launching his first boat in 1838, whilst his elder brother Thomas concentrated on housing building.

By the mid 1880s the business was being run by his sons William, Francis, John and George as Crossfield Brothers operating from the Top Shop yard on Church Hill. Boats were rolled down the hill to the shore and launched from the beach.

In 1892 William, the eldest son set up the Beach Walk Boatyard on the shore operating as William Crossfield and Sons taking his brother Francis with him. The Top Shop Boatyard continued to operate as Crossfield Brothers run by his half brothers John and George.

In 1906 John moved to Conway opening a boat building business there that lasted till 1983. The Top Shop boatyard was then run by his younger brother George as George Crossfield and Sons. When George died in 1909 the name reverted to Crossfield Brothers run by his two sons. In 1915, they moved to Hoylake in the Wirral, the business lasting to the early 20s. The Top Shop Boatshed is still in existence but due to be demolished for two houses.

The Beach Walk Boatyard continued to be operated by William’s sons till the early 1950s, though after the First World War, the demand for yachts and prawners declined. It was then run as Crossfields Successors, firstly by John Gill till 1966 and then John Duerden till 1983. The yard finally closed in the mid 1980s. The building has been unused ever since. Crossfield Successors made 13 of the West Kirby Hilbre Class.

Conditions in the Boatyard were primitive with each plank of wood having to be sawn by hand. Working hours were limited to hours of daylight. It took four men 6 weeks or 120 working days to make a 32 foot prawner. It is said that the boats were made in silence with each man knowing what to do. Prior to the start of work, half models of the boats were made rather than plans. As well as making boats, Crossfields hired boats to holidaymakers, acted as village joiners and built coffins.

In 2018 Arnside Sailing Club brought Severn, a Rivers Class yacht built by William Crossfield and Sons in 1912 in order to have an example of a Crossfield boat in the village with the help of a Heritage Lottery Grant. A Friends Group has been set up to help fund and maintain Severn.

Further Reading

• The Lancashire Nobby – Nick Miller, Amberley 2009 ISBN 978 1 84868 490 4

There are the following books about boats built by Crossfields

a) Moya: Il Segno dell’onda, The Mark of the Tide by Piero Tassinari & Paolo Rumiz 2010, Communicarte Edizioni, Trieste, ISBN 978 88 6287 056 6

b) Deva: Only So Many Tides by Jon Wainwright, 2001, Seafarer Books 2001 ISBN 0 9538180 3 9

c) Laura: I brought a Prawning Boat by Edward Delmar-Morgan 1954

Time period

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Crossfields of Arnside boatbuilders: 1840 – 1950

• North West Coast of England

Arnside is located in Cumbria at the top of Morecambe Bay on the Kent Estuary. Historically the estuary was the port for Kendal. Unusually for the North West Coast the area is wooded providing the source material for boatbuilding. Crossfields were active from the 1840s to 1950s. Their heyday was the period leading up to the First World War from the 1890s. They were the leading builders of Morecambe Bay Prawners (or Lancashire Nobbies) serving an area from the North Wales coast to Southern Scotland. Lancashire Nobbies were fast gaff rigged fishing boat designed to cope with the shallow waters of the North West Coast, pull a heavy trawling net and get a perishable catch back to market as quickly as possible. Railways enabled the catch to be taken to the industrial towns of the North West fuelling the expansion of the fishing industry.

Distinctive features of Morecambe Bay Prawners are the elliptical stern, central cockpit with a large deck area and low freeboard to facilitate the working of nets, high bows to cope with rough sea conditions, a large sail area and shallow draft. The boats are regularly raced in the Liverpool Nobby Race.  There was crossover between the design of yachts and Nobbies. Around 25% of Crossfields output was yachts. They also built rowing boats, bay boats, and sailing dinghies, including Arthur Ransome’s Swallow. Bay boats were sailing boats used to take holidaymakers on excursions from resorts such as Morecambe. Yachts built by Crossfields include ‘Ziska’ 1903, which has been sailed across the Atlantic and is now on the West Coast of America, ‘Bonita’ 1888 the oldest boat to take part in the 2013 OGA50 Round Britain Challenge, ‘Moya’ 1910 and ‘Molly’ both based in the Mediterranean.

The first Crossfield to move to Arnside was John, who set up a village joinery business in the early nineteenth century. His younger son Francis developed the boatbuilding side of the business, launching his first boat in 1838, whilst his elder brother Thomas concentrated on house building. By the mid 1880s the business was being run by his sons William, Francis, John and George as Crossfield Brothers operating from the Top Shop yard on Church Hill. Boats were rolled down the hill to the shore and launched from the beach. In 1892 William, the eldest son set up the Beach Walk Boatyard on the shore operating as William Crossfield and Sons taking his brother Francis with him. The Top Shop Boatyard continued to operate as Crossfield Brothers run by his half brothers John and George.

In 1906 John moved to Conway opening a boatbuilding business there that lasted till 1983. The Top Shop boatyard was then run by his younger brother George as George Crossfield and Sons. When George died in 1909 the name reverted to Crossfield Brothers run by his two sons. In 1915, they moved to Hoylake in the Wirral, the business lasting to the early 1920s. The Top Shop Boatshed is still in existence but due to be demolished for two houses. The Beach Walk Boatyard continued to be operated by William’s sons till the early 1950s, though after the First World War, the demand for yachts and prawners declined. It was then run as Crossfields Successors, firstly by John Gill till 1966 and then John Duerden till 1983. The yard finally closed in the mid 1980s. The building has been unused ever since. Crossfield Successors made 13 of the West Kirby Hilbre Class.

Conditions in the Boatyard were primitive with each plank of wood having to be sawn by hand. Working hours were limited to hours of daylight. It took four men six weeks or 120 working days to make a 32 foot prawner. It is said that the boats were made in silence with each man knowing what to do. Prior to the start of work, half models of the boats were made rather than plans. As well as making boats, Crossfields hired boats to holidaymakers, acted as village joiners and built coffins. In 2018 Arnside Sailing Club bought ‘Severn’, a Rivers Class yacht built by William Crossfield and Sons in 1912 in order to have an example of a Crossfield boat in the village. ‘Severn’ is being restored with the help of a Heritage Lottery Grant and should back in the water in 2024.

Contributed by Alasdair Simpson, North West Area member of the OGA Arnside Sailing Club

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Yacht classification definitions

The merchant shipping sector is ruled by safety regulations developed since the beginning of the 20th century, and is familiar with international conventions such as SOLAS, MARPOL and Load Lines. But the application of common safety requirements to pleasure vessels is something relatively new – a continuous work in progress – and is very much dependant on the service and the flag of the yacht.

Defining the problems

Definitions do not help. How often have we read of large yachts, superyachts, megayachts, gigayachts or other bombastic adjectives? How many times have we mentioned MCA, RINA, and Lloyd’s, without having a clear idea of who’s doing what?

A good starting point for understanding the subject is to clarify the main definitions and the roles of the main players:

Large yacht

A large yacht is a pleasure vessel with a load line length equal to or over 24m. Almost all the flag administrations have adopted safety codes dedicated to large yachts and this is, therefore, the only definition having a universal meaning in the international regulatory framework of yachts.

Commercial yacht

A motor or sailing vessel in commercial use (i.e. charter) for sport and pleasure, carrying no cargo and not more than 12 passengers.

Private yacht

A pleasure vessel solely used for the recreational and leisure purpose of its owner and his guests.

Flag administration

The government of the state whose flag the yacht is entitled to fly . This administration sets the safety regulations, manning requirements and fiscal aspects relevant to the yacht registration.

Different flag administrations can inspect the safety aspects of yachts with their own inspectors (see MCA for example) or delegate this activity partially or totally to other recognised bodies such as the classification societies.

The main flag authorities in the yachting industry are: The UK-MCA, Cayman Islands, Isle of Man, Malta, the Marshall Islands, Italy and Luxembourg.

Classification societies

Organisations that establish and apply technical standards in relation to the design, construction and survey of ships.

Classification rules are developed to assess the structural strength and integrity of the essential parts of the hull, the reliability and function of the propulsion, steering systems, power generation and all the other features installed on board which contribute to guarantee the main essential services.

In addition to this ‘third party check’ function, class societies carry out statutory duties on behalf of the major flag administrations in accordance with specific delegation agreements signed with each government.

The main class societies involved in yachting are: American Bureau of Shipping, Bureau Veritas, Det Norske Veritas, Germanischer Lloyd, Lloyd’s Register, and RINA.

Large yachts: Applicable rules and certificates

Private yachts

The mandatory requirements for these boats are very light. For the majority of flag states, a registration survey and a tonnage measurement, carried out by an authorised surveyor, are sufficient.

The only mandatory international conventions are those relevant to the marine environment: MARPOL and the Anti-Fouling System Convention.

The International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships (MARPOL) is intended to eliminate the intentional pollution and to minimise the accidental pollution of the marine environment caused by harmful substances.

The Anti-Fouling System Convention’s purpose is to eliminate the presence of harmful substances for the marine environment contained in anti-fouling paints applied to ships.

Classification

While classification is not mandatory, building and maintaining a private yacht in class is the only evidence that the boat has been designed, constructed and operated in compliance with appropriate technical standards. It is therefore highly desirable, especially in relation to insurance and re-sale purposes.

Commercial yachts

All flag administrations require commercial yachts to be certified in accordance with a specific large yacht safety code.

The most popular of these safety codes, and the first that was developed, is the MCA Large Commercial Yacht Code (LY2) published in 2004. It replaced the Code of Practice for the Safety of Large Commercial Sailing and Motor Vessels (LY1) published in 1997.

LY2 is applied by the Red Ensign Group Flags (UK, Cayman Islands, Isle of Man, Bermuda, Gibraltar, British Virgin Islands, etc.) and is recognised as a reference standard for all the yachting industry.

Other flags have developed similar codes. Luxembourg, Italy, Marshall Islands, Malta, Belize and The Netherlands are some examples.

While introducing a stricter set of rules and regulations compared to private yachts, commercial registration offers yacht owners the possibility of making a profit from the chartering activity of their boats, and allows them to take advantage of all the other benefits of a commercial operation (in particular VAT exemption on the purchase, sale, bunkering, provisions, dry-docking, and others).

Mandatory certificates

The number and type of the mandatory certificates depends on the size of the vessel; the following is an indicative list:

• International Tonnage Certificate : A measurement of the internal volumes of the yacht expressed in gross tons (GT). This measurement should not be confused with displacement tonnage, which quantifies the weight of a vessel.
• Large Yacht Code Certificate : Covers life-saving appliances, fire protection and means of escape, navigational and signalling equipment, intact and damaged stability, manning and crew accommodation.
• Class Certificate : This mainly deals with the yacht’s hull, machinery, electrical equipment and outfitting.
• International Load Line Certificate : This certifies the weather-tightness of the yacht.
• Safety Radio Certificate : This is applicable if gross tonnage exceeds 300GT This concerns the radio communication and distress installations.
• MARPOL Annex I Certificate : This is applicable if gross tonnage exceeds 400GT This deals with the disposal of oil and bilge water from machinery spaces.
• MARPOL Annex IV Certificate : This is applicable if gross tonnage exceeds 400 or the yacht is certified to carry over 15 persons. This deals with the disposal of sewage from ships.
• MARPOL Annex V : This is applicable to all ships. It covers the disposal of rubbish.
• MARPOL Annex VI : This is applicable if gross tonnage exceeds 400GT as well as to all main and auxiliary engines with a power exceeding 130kW. It concerns the emissions from main and auxiliary engines (NOx and SOx).
• Safety Construction and Safety Equipment : These are additional prescriptions on machinery, electrical parts, life-saving and navigational equipment for yachts with a gross tonnage above 500GT.
• International Safety Management Certificate : This is only applicable to yachts having a gross tonnage greater than 500GT. A certified management company is requested to carry out this service, preparing operational manuals, procedures for drills, and taking care of the maintenance of the yacht and its installations.
• International Ship and Port Security Certificate : This is only applicable to yachts having a gross tonnage greater than 500GT and deals with the anti-piracy certification. A certified management company is requested to provide the ashore assistance and establish on-board procedures and operational manuals.

The GT Factor

The gross tonnage value (GT) is a key issue, not only as a reference for the registration fees applied by the different flag administrations, but also because it determines whether an international convention, rather than a particular safety standard, applies to a yacht.

The table below summarises how the conventions and relevant certificates come into force depending on the gross tonnage of the yacht. In particular, the following values may have a critical impact:

300GT: In many codes, when you reach this value the yacht must be certified in unrestricted service (stricter requirements regarding stability, load line and life-saving appliances).

400GT: This is the threshold for almost all the environmental conventions such as MARPOL and Anti-fouling System.

500GT: This is the threshold for the application of the SOLAS Convention, meaning stricter requirements on machinery, safety systems, materials of construction, fire protection, life-saving appliances and navigational equipment. Furthermore an external certified management company is requested for the ISM and ISPS certifications.

The tonnage issue could also arise on existing yachts when undertaking major refits or modifications, in that any change to the internal volumes of the boat – such as adding enclosed deckhouses or superstructures, or modifying the hull transom or bow – will modify the tonnage value with the risk of subjecting the yacht to stricter mandatory rules.

UPDATE: Since this article was originally published, LY2 has been superseded by Large Commercial Yacht Code Revision 3 (LY3) .

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• Crossfields of Arnside

  H istory of Crossfields of Arnside Boatbuilders

Crossfields of Arnside were leading builders of yachts and Morecambe Bay Prawners, also known as Nobbies . They were active from the 1840s to the 1940s. Their heyday was the period leading up to the First World War.

John Crossfield 1782 - 1864

The first Crossfield to move to Arnside was John, who set up a village joinery business in the early nineteenth century.

Francis Crossfield 1811 - 1899

His younger son Francis developed the boat building side of the business, launching his first boat in 1838, whilst his elder brother Thomas concentrated on house building.

Crossfield Brothers, Top Shop, Church Hill 

By the mid 1880s the business was being run by his sons William, Francis, John and George as Crossfield Brothers operating from the Top Shop yard on Church Hill. Boats were rolled down the hill to the shore and launched from the beach. The Top Shop Boat Yard was redeveloped as housing in 2019.

William Crossfield and Sons, Beach Walk 

In 1892 William, the eldest son set up the Beach Walk Boatyard on the shore operating as William Crossfield and Sons taking his brother Francis with him. His sons Frederick and William Junior continued to operate the Beach Walk boatyard till the 1940s, though demand for yachts and prawners declined after the First World War. 

Crossfield Brothers (John and George) 

The Top Shop Bo atyard was run as Crossfield Brothers run by William's half brothers John and George from 1892 to 1906.

J ohn Crossfield, Conway 

In 1906 John moved to Conway opening a boat building business there that lasted till 1983.

George Crossfield and Sons 

The Top Shop boatyard was then run by his younger brother George as George Crossfield and Sons. When George died in 1909 the name reverted to Crossfield Brothers run by his sons, George and Herbert.

Crossfield Brothers, Hoylake 

In 1915, George and Herbert moved to Hoylake in the Wirral, the business lasting till the early 20s.

Crossfield Successors 

When Frederick, the last of the Crossfields retired, the Beach Walk Boatyard was run as Crossfields Successors, firstly by John Gill till 1966 and then John Duerden till 1983. The yard finally closed in the mid 1980s. The building has been unused ever since. Crossfield Successors made 13 of the West Kirby Hilbre Class. They acted as Yacht Chandlers, maintained moorings in the estuary and provide boat storage in the adjacent quarry. John Duerden was instrumental in setting up the Arnside Coastguard Station.

Crossfields and Morecambe Bay Prawners

Crossfields are principally known for Morecambe Bay Prawners (or Lancashire Nobbies). These were fast gaff rigged fishing boat designed to cope with the shallow waters of the North West Coast, pull a heavy trawling net and get a perishable catch back to market as quickly as possible. Railways enabled the catch to be taken to the industrial towns of the North West fuelling the expansion of the fishing industry. Crossfields sold Prawners to ports from North Wales to Southern Scotland, though Morecambe and Fleetwood accounted for most of their sales of these boats.

Distinctive features of Morecambe Bay Prawners are the elliptical stern, central cockpit with a large deck area and low freeboard to facilitate the working of nets, high bows to cope with rough sea conditions, a large sail area and shallow draft. The boats are regularly raced in the Liverpool Nobby Race.  There was crossover between the design of yachts and Nobbies.

Other boats built by Crossfields

Crossfields also built yachts, rowing boats, bay boats, and sailing dinghies, including Arthur Ransome's Swallow and Coch-y-bonddhu. Bay boats were sailing boats used to take holidaymakers on excursions from Morecambe to Grange and Arnside.

Yachts built by Crossfields include Ziska 1903, which has been sailed across the Atlantic and is now on the West Coast of America, Bonita 1888 the oldest boat to take part in a 2013 Round Britain Challenge, Moya 1910, second in  her class in 1975 Fastnet Race and Molly both based in the Mediterranean.

Working in the Boatyard

Conditions in the Boatyard were primitive with each plank of wood having to be sawn by hand. Working hours were limited to hours of daylight. It took four men 6 weeks or 120 working days to make a 32 foot prawner. It is said that the boats were made in silence with each man knowing what to do. Prior to the start of work, half models of the boats were made rather than plans. As well as making boats, Crossfields hired boats to holidaymakers, acted as village joiners and built coffins. 

In 2018 Arnside Sailing Club brought Severn, a Rivers Class yacht built by William Crossfield and Sons in 1912 in order to have an example of a Crossfield boat in the village with the help of a Heritage Lottery Grant. A Friends Group has been set up to help fund and maintain Severn. http://arnsidesailingclub.co.uk/severn-of-arnside/

Books featuring Crossfields and their boats

• The Lancashire Nobby by Nick Miller , Amberley 2009 ISBN 978 1 84868 490 4
• Moya: Il Segno dell’onda, The Mark of the Tide by Piero Tassinari & Paolo Rumiz, Communicarte Edizioni, Trieste 2010,  ISBN 978 88 6287 056 6
• Deva: Only So Many Tides by Jon Wainwright, Seafarer Books 2001 ISBN 0 9538180 3 9
• Laura : I brought a Prawning Boat by Edward Delmar-Morgan 1954
• Shipping on Kent Estuary
• Fishing in the Bay
• Recreation on the water
• Wrecks and drownings
• Return of The Severn
• Specific Yachts
• The History of the Arnside Yacht Club 1852 – 1860

Arnside Archive Group Email: [email protected] Designed by A2A Internet | Login

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Zippy Zero reports from the Regattas at West Kirby Sailing Club and Dee Sailing Club

Pos	Fleet	Class	BoatName	Sail No	Helm / Crew	Club	PY	R1
1st		D‑Zero	Marvin	336	Ian Baillie	Dalgety Bay SC	1043	1
2nd		Int Canoe OD	Balancing Act	275	Alex Colquitt	WKSC	905	2
3rd	C	Laser		309	Steve Jardine	WKSC	1106	3
4th	B	Falcon	Hawk	46	John Burthem	WKSC	1060	4
5th	B	Falcon	Sooty	61	Clare Wright	WKSC	1060	5
6th		Int 420		54463	Patrick & David Bromilow	WKSC	1090	6
7th		Int Canoe OD	Iconic	303	Steve Fleming	WKSC	905	7
8th		Solo	Side Winder	5794	Martin Hartley	WKSC	1152	8
9th	B	Falcon	White Hawk	51	David Taylor	WKSC	1060	9
10th	B	Falcon	Lanner	60	Ian Scouler	WKSC	1060	10
11th	B	Falcon	Isidor	63	Peter Healey	WKSC	1060	11
12th		A‑Class cat		992	Andrew Potter	DSC	684	12
13th		D‑Zero		358	Gordon Stewart	North Herts EBSC	1043	13
14th	C	Laser		200643	James Douglas	DSC & WKSC	1106	14
15th	C	Laser		156226	Matthew Wilson	WKSC	1106	15
16th		D‑Zero	Zippy Zero	333	Liz Potter	WKSC & DSC	1043	16
17th	C	Laser		195201	Ioannis Koutsokeras	WKSC	1106	17
18th	C	Laser		197704	Nigel Sperring	WKSC	1106	18
19th	C	Laser	Also Ran	140029	David Caldwell	WKSC	1106	19
20th	C	Laser		126038	Bill Johnson	WKSC	1106	20
21st	C	Laser		212	Peter Jones	WKSC	1106	21
22nd		Laser 2000	Fezziwig	21656	Julia Neal	WKSC	1095	RET
22nd	B	Falcon	Hawkwind	55	Jamie Marston	WKSC	1060	RET
22nd		D‑Zero	Azure	314	John Pickett	Leigh & Lowton SC	1043	NSC
22nd	C	Laser	Speedy P	203289	Paul Braybrook	WKSC	1106	RET

Pos	BoatName	Class	Sail No	Helm	Club	R1	R2	R3	R4	Pts
1st	Marvin	D‑Zero	336	Ian Baillie	Dalgety Bay SC	‑1	1	1	1	3
2nd	Zippy Zero	D‑Zero	333	Liz Potter	WKSC & DSC	2	‑3	2	2	6
3rd		D‑Zero	358	Gordon Stewart	North Herts EBSC	‑3	2	3	3	8
4th		D‑Zero	344	M Green	Leigh & Lowton SC	‑4	4	4	4	12
5th	Azure	D‑Zero	314	John Pickett	Leigh & Lowton SC	‑5	5	5	5	15

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Darings are widely considered to be the most elegant keelboats racing on the south coast of England. The Daring was designed as a One Design by Arthur Robb based on his successful 5.5 metre yacht ‘Vision’, the Silver Medal winner in the 1956 Olympics. The class has proved popular and enduring, offering the best value for money for One Design racing of its type. It is a classic racing yacht.

Supremely designed for punching through the chop of the Solent to windward, with a stately grace missing from most modern boats, she is a boat for those who love strategy, boat handling, skill and the principles of Corinthian racing, and is the antithesis of modern 'tack as often as you like'   yacht racing. 

Having celebrated its Golden Jubilee in 2011, the Daring is still one of the most popular one design yachts sailing out of Cowes and is still keenly raced most weekends from May through October. The regular weekend racing with 10 to 15 boats on the start line often only sees seconds separating them as they finish after a couple of hours of racing, due to the strict nature of the one-design class rules which also keep down costs.

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Leapher's new NAVIX50 can also cruise for 5,500 nautical miles at 10 knots.

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“The NAVIX50 embodies our philosophy of creating vessels that excel in any environment,” Leapher CEO Yiannis Andriotis said in a statement. “From the Drake Passage to the coast of St. Tropez, this yacht redefines what’s possible in the sub-500GT category.”

The spacious interior includes six generous cabins, with the option for a seventh cabin or expanded skylounge. The guest cabin on the main deck can also be turned into a gym, wellness area, or an expanded owner’s suite. All guest cabins are equipped with king-size beds, while the owner’s suite is fitted with a plush super king-size bed. The yacht is also home to six crew cabins that can sleep up to 11.

The exterior decks are replete with alfresco dining areas, lounges, and sunbeds. The aft deck is arguably the standout, with two folding terraces, a large, 18-foot pool, a sprawling sunbathing area, a swim platform, and not one but two wet bars. At the opposite end, the foredeck doubles as a garage for two tenders.

“It [the NAVIX50] offers unparalleled versatility and luxury while maintaining an attractive value proposition for seasoned owners,” added Andriotis.

Leapher operates on a site formerly owned by cruise ship producer De Hoop that closed at the height of the pandemic. The yard is set to deliver the first NAVIX60 later this month. Christened Horizon, the 198-foot explorer will be on display at the Monaco Yacht Show from September 25 to 28.

Rachel Cormack is a digital editor at Robb Report. She cut her teeth writing for HuffPost, Concrete Playground, and several other online publications in Australia, before moving to New York at the…

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• Hilbre-2018-08-17-06_54_17.gpx (119.46k)

Join our Islandeering community

• Location: Wirral
• Size: 1.2 hectares
• Terrain: Tidal sands and mud; footpath on island
• Access: Tidal crossing (2 hours either side of low tide)
• Height gain: 103 metres
• Map: OS Explorer 266
• Starting point: The walk starts at Dee Lane slipway in West Kirby, postcode CH48 0AQ. There is a car park on Dee Lane, and also free parking on the front. West Kirby also has a rail station.

Compost loos on the island with wet weather shelter close by; also toilets on Dee slipway. No food or drink on the island but West Kirby offers a full range of food and accommodation. The very popular West KirbyTap on Grange Road offers a great selection of real ales and ciders.

Hilbre is part of a string of islands that include Little Eye and Middle Eye. The ‘archipelago’ sits in the Dee Estuary with magnificent views of the English and Welsh coastlines. The vast sands are stacked with plentiful wildlife – it’s one of ten more important sites in Europe for overwintering birds, a nursery for terns in the summer and a large colony of seals. Uninhabited Hilbre has a cluster of interesting buildings and some beautiful geological features all around its coastline, including a large cave and red sandstone cliffs that have been dubbed the ‘Wirral’s Ayer’s Rock’.

• Caves, gullies, geos and stacks
• Incredible panoramas of the English and welsh coastline
• Lerge seal colony & huge diversity of birds
• Maroon yourself over the high tide with a picnic and have the place to yourself

The route takes in all three islands of the archipelago. Tides and safe crossings can be checked at the RNLI station on the Dee Slipway. The route heads across the sands, around the back of Little Eye first, then over the top of Middle Eye before reaching Hilbre itself. It is mostly on the sands, avoiding the muds, with plenty of opportunities to explore the wonderful geological features of the coastline and the eclectic mix of buildings on the uninhabited island.

The walk starts at Dee Lane slipway in West Kirby, postcode CH48 0AQ. There is a car park on Dee Lane, and also free parking on the front. West Kirby also has a rail station.

We continuously find new islands, rivers, lochs, canals and coast to walk, SUP and swim in and meet plenty of great folks along the way. Join our community to get new routes and adventures, latest blogs and news by using the email box below. Tune in also to our Facebook and Instagram pages to see where we are going next.

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: DNews.com - 11/11/2017
, of Moscow, died Wednesday, Nov. 8, 2017, at the age of 70. John was raised in Moscow as one of eight children born to Jack and Rose Weber. John attended school in Moscow, ultimately earning a Master of Business degree from the University of Idaho. He had a varied and full work career in sales, which he loved because it allowed him to connect with the Moscow community. He advocated for programs that continue to benefit the health and wellbeing of Moscow's youth, notably his support of the Palouse Ice Rink and the Moscow Bear Boosters. John made lifelong friends in every aspect of his life. John's civic career began in 2006 when he was elected to the City Council, serving through 2009. John was again elected to City Council in 2014 and was serving at the time of his death. John was proud to be one of the founding board members for the Urban Renewal Agency. He was an active member of the Moscow Elks Lodge and Golf Club beginning in 1974. John was loved and admired by his entire family. He was a devoted brother to his six sisters and one brother, and a favorite of his nieces and nephews. John is survived by his sisters, Kathleen Weber (Bill Lambert) of Moscow, Susan Weber (Ron Hein) of Minneapolis, Minn., Kristine (Jim) Rose of Rumford, R.I., Jacqueline Weber (Mark Moline) of Portland, Ore. and his brother Thomas (Lorraine) of Naperville, Ill., as well as 11 nieces and nephews. John was preceded in death by his parents and two sisters, Margaret Weber and Mary Tully. A memorial service will be held at 1 p.m. Friday, Nov. 17, at the Moscow Church of the Nazarene. The celebration of life will continue with a reception at the Moscow Elks Clubhouse following. The family suggests memorials be made to St. Mary's School Foundation, Moscow Bear Boosters, Palouse Ice Rink or BPOE #249.

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