Jacquie Fitton

On Saturday 9th May 2026, members of the Nelson Boat Owners Club gathered at Hythe Marina for another of the club’s organised Boat Tour Days. This time, the focus was on Seiren, a 1974 Nelson 40 owned and restored by long standing NBOC member and highly experienced skipper, Paul Gamsa. The day began over coffee in the marina café where Paul talked members through Seiren’s history, sharing photographs from when he first bought her in 2003 after her working life as a Trinity House pilot launch....

This years Nelson Boat Owners Club Winter Lunch was held in a setting that could hardly have been more fitting. Over two days, members gathered in Chatham for a weekend of good company, shared stories and a reminder of the rich maritime heritage that underpins so much of what we enjoy about our own boats. The weekend began with lunch aboard the historic paddle steamer Medway Queen, moored in Chatham Docks. Around fifty NBOC members attended, joined by ten Dutch members who had travelled over...

Our first NBOC Boat Tour Day aboard Vigilant proved that even a wet and grey day can’t dampen the enthusiasm of Nelson boat owners. Hosted by Jonathan Napier, Vigilant is a very fast 40ft Nelson that has undergone a thoughtful and extensive rebuild over several years. Rather than a cosmetic refresh, this was a deeply considered project shaped by Jonathan’s long boating experience and a very clear idea of how he wanted the boat to work for him. During the tour, Jonathan talked attendees...