Remembering Overlord

You may be interested in a few notes relating to my experiences with Overlord (Tom Cunliffe, last month) during National Service 1955-57. After my initial training at the RASC Water Transport establishment based at Fort Victoria, Yarmouth, IoW, an officer somehow discovered I had considerable knowledge of the maintenance and handling of small craft. My call-up at the age of 24 was deferred because my employer, the Berthon Boat Company, was building Inshore Minesweepers for the Admiralty. At the time I was a young naval architect and much in contact with the shop floor. Following the revelation of my background, I was placed in charge of the maintenance of recreational Small Craft, dinghies and a 30Sqm Windfall yacht called Sachse. One of my duties was to helm the Windfall yacht Overlord while it was towed from its winter quarters at Gunwharf Quay (HMS Vernon) Portsmouth, to Yarmouth to its summer berth. Under way, it was normal practice to scrub the deck. While helming I watched a Lt Colonel, a Brigadier and two Majors beavering away pushing holly stones fore and aft with beads of sweat on their foreheads. Upon arrival in Yarmouth, one of the officers remarked he had noticed a slight brown stain in several areas, he was informed by me you should never scrub a fir deck in this manner. This treatment over a number of years had reduced the deck thickness allowing salt water to penetrate below the caulking seam exposing the secret fastenings.

During the 1960 season, while Overlord was under the command of Capt Venables, the forestay parted while in mid English Channel. The crew managed to place a strop under the forefoot, braced back to the main shroud chainplates port and starboard. The jib halyard was attached to the strop and sweated up by the winch on the mast. The boat then limped back to its home port, quite a feat of seamanship. Although the mast was saved, it must have received damage, for an aluminium alloy mast was then stepped.

In 1961 all Windfall Yachts came up for disposal. Capt Tony Venables had obviously developed an affinity to Overlord as he purchased the yacht reputedly for the value of the lead keel with a view to doing some cosmetic work to sell on at a profit. Instead he had second thoughts and formed a syndicate, which was named The Offshore Sailing Club. It is pleasing to know that both boat and club are in good health. Jim Hazel, Locksheath