By Julia Jones, Jamie Clay, Carolyn Gibbins, Samantha Simpson, Russell Read, Hugh Browton, Nancy Clay
Julia Jones – tribute to a soon-to-be centenarian
Nirvana – (courtesy Gill Moon)
The loveliest boat on the Deben – or one of the prettiest yachts ever built anywhere? Nirvana will reach her 100th birthday next year but needs a new home and owner. When I used her as the model for Snow Goose in my ‘Strong Winds’ series of adventure stories, her fictional owner described her as having been designed ‘by the hand of God’. In fact, her lines were drawn in 1915 by the artist Albert Strange (1855-1917). Strange sailed from the Humber, so was comfortable with the idea of mud flats and shallow waters, but Nirvana herself was built in Ireland and cruised extensively on the west coasts of both Ireland and Scotland. Then, for many years she was based in Holyhead, Wales. In her most recent ownership (from 1989) she has also made extensive trips to Scandinavian waters with owners Peter and Nancy Clay and their friends. It’s here, in Suffolk, however, that so many of us, who have never sailed Nirvana, have come to love her and have felt our spirits lift when we have seen her beating easily down river or lying serenely on her mooring.
Since Peter died in 2023, Nirvana has been carefully laid up, looking for a new owner to bring her back to life and activity. Now, on the eve of her 100th year, some of her East Coast friends have produced this tribute.
Jamie Clay – ‘The sort of boat you could go anywhere in’
Nirvana – (courtesy Jamie Clay)
“Well, Nirvana’s for sale”. It was an innocent enough remark, maybe tinged with a little brotherly mischief. Pete was getting restless with the glassfibre boat (albeit a pretty gaff cutter) he shared with a good friend. Nirvana had lodged herself firmly in a corner of our minds after a brief and highly entertaining afternoon outing on Strangford Lough a few years previously. I was now looking after the family boat, Firefly, taking our dad sailing. Nirvana, another gaff yawl also designed by Albert Strange, was just a bit bigger and roomier and more powerful – the sort of boat you could go anywhere in without worrying too much about picking your weather. She was tatty, but clearly a thoroughbred.
The voyage from Nirvana’s previous home to her new one on the East Coast started straight from her launch into the Clyde, on a grey day in June 1990. A lot of pumping as she took up, slowed but we realised after an exhausting night, that there was a persistent bad leak, and then the pump diaphragm split, leaving the two of us, one in the bilge passing buckets up to the helmsman in the cockpit to empty over the side, 15 minutes on, 15 minutes off. It was time to put in and sort ourselves out. Bleary-eyed, we put her against the posts in Howth marina, and Pete hurried off to catch a train into Dublin and find bilge pump spares while I tackled the leak. The two of us put the last tacks into the long copper tingle with the hammer by now under water on the rising tide, accompanied by the noise of two brass bands at opposite ends of the harbour playing different tunes. A very Irish experience! Two or three folk came along the pontoon to say hello to us and to Nirvana whom they had known and loved for years during her long life on the East coast of Ireland, while based in Strangford Lough.
Nirvana at The Naze – (courtesy Jamie Clay)
On we went, with drier bilges and drier bunks after gaffer-taping makeshift polythene gutters under the deck leaks to deflect them away. By the time Nirvana reached my workshop base in Maldon, Essex, Pete knew a lot about what a sea-kindly, well-mannered boat he’d got. He also knew how manoeuvrable under sail she was, having arrived in Lymington without a functioning engine. Once hauled ashore, the awkward and ugly 1950s doghouse was unceremoniously removed. The coachroof with its teak coamings was detached and lifted into the roof of the shed. A complete new set of oak deck beams was followed by a new teak deck, and the refurbished coachroof set back down, with new cockpit coamings.
By this time, Pete and Nancy were living in Switzerland, and as work progressed in Maldon, Pete asked Edwin Meayers, a very eminent designer of classic yacht interiors (nothing but the best!) to come up with detailed construction drawings for the interior, following the original layout with galley and saloon aft, then – unusual for a boat of this size – a lovely full length sleeping cabin – before the heads and storage in the focsle. Pete and Nancy sailed her when time allowed, with her old sails and what was left of the old interior. But back in Switzerland, Pete was turning his professional violin-making skills to create Nirvana’s new interior from Eddie’s drawings. I remember the day when Pete arrived direct from Switzerland with the Volvo estate loaded to the gunwales plus laden roof rack. It was no Ikea flat-pack that emerged. What gradually took shape inside Nirvana, was a very beautiful array of teak; chart table, galley, and bunks, with locker doors above, all framing pale maple panels.
Nirvana on Stour. 2020 – (courtesy Sandy Miller)
Pete never stopped making improvements to his beloved Nirvana, whilst cruising her far and wide. But it has always amused me how he and Nancy could have a thoroughly enjoyable sail within the narrow confines of the lovely Deben River, while I often watch others motor down its entire length and out over the bar, before setting sail.
Carolyn Gibbins – ‘Nirvana was impressive under sail’
Soon after my husband and I met Pete, we would see him sailing Nirvana on the Deben. Our mooring was at Ramsholt and if we had stopped there a while and saw Pete coming past (a magnificent sight under full sail and often with only his dog Jake for crew) we would gesture ‘a cup of tea’ and it was fascinating to see how Pete could manoeuvre both Nirvana and her sails to be able to come gently alongside where we could tie up together. Jake understood the command ‘ready about’ and would calmly walk around the catwalk to be on the windward side.
Nirvana from Denmark to Gotenburg – (courtesy Carolyn Gibbins)
In 2008 we had a wonderful two week’s holiday with Pete and his friend Hugh on Nirvana where we sailed from Denmark up to Gothenburg where we caught the train home, having sailed through many lovely islands and channels. On one stretch of water between two villages we were at full sail when we realised there was a chain ferry across. With no time to start the engine Pete turned Nirvana around in double quick time and very little space. All of us had enjoyed helming and crewing on Nirvana and so fortunately we were able to be a quick and responsive crew. Nirvana was impressive under sail, moored up or just motoring and always the onlookers brought out their cameras to photograph her
Sam Simpson – ‘one of those boats most of us only ever dream about owning’
Nirvana in Kiel – (courtesy Jamie Clay)
I first met Pete in 2002 at the Tuesday Breakfast Club Meeting set up by Caro Gibbins. This followed a long friendship with Pete and Nancy which included house decorating, charity work and above all else sailing chat and adventures. Nirvana was his pride and joy, second only to Nancy. What my brother and I call a “proper boat”….elegant, beautiful, sea kindly, a real head turner. One of those boats most of us only ever dream about owning. I was honoured to cross the North Sea and travel through the Kiel Canal in Nirvana with Pete and his friend Russell and even happier when Pete invited my brother and me to join him for a week in Roskilde Fjord. Pete and Nirvana were a perfect match…well crafted, beautifully behaved and true adventurers.
Russell Read – ‘a joy to sail’
Nirvana on her Deben Mooring – (courtesy Russell Read)
This 1925, 36ft Strange yawl is a joy to sail; fast, powerful, immensely strongly-built, and supremely elegant both above and below decks. A touch spartan perhaps, as befits her age: but who wants en-suite staterooms when the compensation is an admiring wave from almost every discerning sailor who passes.
Sam Simpson has referred above to our memorable voyage to the Baltic in Nirvana in June 2009. Learning from Pete that ‘a very experienced sailor called Sam’ was also signed up was a great reassurance to me and to my wife, Chris. Only when the crew met up onboard was I compelled to confess to Chris that Sam was a Samantha – and that we would apparently be sharing the forecabin!
Nirvana passed – (courtesy Jamie Clay)
A few highlights of the trip are etched in my memory:
Sam and I nervously watching Pete, as we approached the Dutch coast at Vlissingen (Flushing) in increasingly windy conditions, while he embarked on a heroic shuffle out along a plunging bowsprit to recover a vital dropped loop in the jib furling gear.
Running hard aground in Holland, an everyday experience in the Deben, then realising that in these inland waters there are no tides to float you off.
Much discussion of emulating a Riddle of the Sands adventure and crossing the very shallow and tidal inshore waters towards Borkum in the Frisian Islands. Then sensibly carrying on into deeper water and outside the entire chain of those islands – Memmert, Juist, Nordeney, Langeoog, Spiekeroog …..…wonderful names.
Coming on watch at 3am in the Weser Estuary, astonished to find us sailing through a packed fleet of commercial shipping. ‘Don’t worry, they’re all anchored,’ said Pete, as he rapidly disappeared to the warmth below.
Arriving exhausted at the massive lock system for entering the Keil Canal, visiting the excellent museum dedicated to the building of the Canal, and sleeping right through a fascinating documentary on that huge endeavour.
Entering the Baltic at last, and heading north; an alarming encounter with a U-boat which surfaced and crossed our bows, seemingly oblivious to our existence.
Finally, failing to get to our original destination, Aarhus, due to a ferocious headwind. Turning tail, we satisfyingly surfed our way up the Vejle Fjord, abandoned ship in the marina there, caught a train, and made it to Aarhus airport just in time to catch our pre-booked flight home.
Nirvana remained in the Baltic through the winter of 2009, and further adventures followed.
Hugh Browton – ‘[Pete] sailed Nirvana like a 14’ dinghy, not a 47’ yacht *’
Nirvana in squall, 2020 – (courtesy Sandy Miller)
Well, the first thing to say is that it was always an easy pleasure to spend time with Pete aboard Nirvana – which I did every season for over 15 years (including 4 trips across the North Sea), and for which I am and will be eternally grateful. And, it must be said too that every time we got into difficulties, Pete demonstrated the most assured and impressive boatmanship in getting us out of trouble. Turning Nirvana in a space less wide than her length in a dead-end Dutch canal (with me running the entire 44’ length from bowsprit end to bumpkin end to check clearances over and over); and swinging 180 degrees in the face of a chain ferry which deliberately raised the chains out of the water a boat’s length in front of us. He sailed Nirvana like a 14’ dinghy, not a 47’ yacht *.
We worked together on Nirvana, here in the UK, and also in Denmark and Norway via the Netherlands and Germany. Every time was a delight of harmonious inter-working, both in boat maintenance and in sailing. Part of this harmony is attributed to our shared appreciation of the wonderful Albert Strange-designed yacht and part to a deep friendship of shared values in a lot of walks of life.
*Note from Jamie Clay: Nirvana’s LOA (by the old and correct definition) is 36ft. Sandeman has her overall length – often called LOS, length over spars – as 47ft., which suggests there is a total of 11 feet taking bowsprit and bumpkin together.
Nirvana in Colne – (courtesy Jamie Clay)
Nancy Clay – ‘Sailing on Nirvana was Pete’s happy place’
Since Pete bought Nirvana, he and I sailed together during part of every summer (other than the few summers when Nirvana was undergoing repairs) primarily along the east coast of England, and then occasionally along England’s south coast (reaching Falmouth), and in the waters of the Baltic. We often went for 2-3 weeks on our own – he was the skipper, and I was crew (hoisting & bringing down sail, raising & lowering anchors, preparing Nirvana whenever we needed to come alongside, taking my turn on the tiller, etc.) Pete was an excellent skipper, so sailing Nirvana with two people, plus dog (often), worked well. As we got older, including another person or two (particularly to help with the heavy lifting) was also a big help. Plus, Pete’s appetite for sailing (often) was stronger than mine – so he loved having friends and other family members join him for a sail.
Pete’s preference was to sail without using the engine; he revelled in manoeuvring without it. I remember a time when we were at anchor across from Orford Quay (on the River Ore); it was a tricky anchorage with many other boats on moorings or at anchor around us. We sailed the anchor out in fairly strong winds under his sure guidance and control. I was at the bow and remember well the exhilaration of pulling in anchor chain on each tack as Pete called out the orders. Nirvana responded beautifully. A few days later, we overheard the story being told by those on another boat.
Nirvana in an Orwell squall – (courtesy Sandy Miller)
Sailing on Nirvana was Pete’s happy place. He believed her to be the most beautiful boat on the River Deben. What a graceful, well-balanced, sound, beautiful boat she is. How fortunate I have been to have had so many happy times aboard with my Pete.
Editor’s note:
Nirvana is currently listed for sale with Sandeman’s Yacht Company who give full technical information. What we on the Deben are waiting to hear is where she will be sailing next as she cruises gracefully into her next century.