THE BOATAHOLIC
Nick Burnham: “I realised how important it is to never to lose that childlike joy, no matter how old we are”
Anyone who knows me knows how much I love boats and love boating. I’ve even built an entire career out of it. And, of course, I have my own boat – the subject of this column – despite the fact that, as colleagues in the industry often point out, I, of all people, ought to know better. The only problem with a career and leisure time built around boating is that it is possible to become blasé, to forget just what unutterable joy boating can bring.
Last year I met a wonderful lady called Marianne. Smart, sexy and funny, we hit it off instantly and have been pretty much inseparable ever since. Having been on and off the dating scene for a while (thankfully now firmly off), I had a golden rule to take any prospective dates boating as soon as possible. Because if boating isn’t for them, we’re going to have a problem. Timing forced me to break this rule with Marianne due to the boat being ashore. (In fact the entire rule book went out of the window with Marianne).
So it was with a little trepidation that Marianne and I set sail for the first time on Smuggler’s this year. Fortunately the sun shone, the sea was kind, and she genuinely loved it. Phew!
But what was particularly interesting was taking Marianne’s children boating for the first time a few months later. Just a short run across the bay, lunch on board and letting them both have a go at helming. Rose, 14 and a cool teenager, took it all in her stride. She enjoyed it, but she wasn’t going to make a fuss about it.
Harvey, aged 12, is still a puppy. And Harvey was beside himself! He was all over the boat in harbour, up on the foredeck, out on the bathing platform, pushing buttons at the helm, down into the cabin. And when I let him drive, his grin threatened to split his head in half!
A couple of weekends later Rose was away overnight on a school trip, so Marianne and I took Harvey for a night on the boat. It was brilliant. We headed out early evening, Harvey already adroit at fender duties. A night in Brixham, fish and chips on the boat and playing cards around the cockpit table as the sun set. Next morning dawned bright and clear. A full English at the excellent Breakwater Bistro with a great view across the bay, a walk to the end of the breakwater in the sunshine and then we took the boat to Dartmouth, Harvey taking the helm once clear of the harbour. The best bit was watching his face as he eased on the power – it was as though the throttle lever was linked to his grin – it increased in direct proportion!
A short motor up the river, Marianne and Harvey enjoying the view from the foredeck, a perfectly timed steam train and then a run back to Torbay with Marianne at the wheel. After anchoring for lunch, we headed back to Torquay, Harvey back in command. As we surged through the clear, calm water I instructed him to give it full throttle – he looked as if he was about to explode!
As I washed the boat down after they’d left I realised that what I’d been looking at was a 12-year-old me. And how important it is to never to lose that childlike joy, no matter how old we are.