Arctic Smoke gets a new Owner

My name is Jamie. I have, for the last five years, sailed a Halcyon 23 called Floreasca, out of a mooring on the Plym in Plymouth UK. I have a youtube channel with some of my adventures documented here.

It's Spring 2021, the UK is starting to come out of lockdown from Covid 19. India is looking bad. Europe is still closed. The world feels small. Sailors across the world are struggling to find countries happy to accept them, with many stranded part way through circumnavigations or exended cruising journeys.

Despite this climate, Mr Tom Fisher has a new boat. A Biscay 36 named Bonny. He also has his old boat. An Elizabethan 33 called Arctic Smoke, which I have just bought! Tom documented his adventures on Arctic Smoke in a bloge here, and his youtube channel here.

I've casually followed the Jester Challenge for a good few years, and that is where I first heard of Arctic Smoke. Tom completed the Jester Baltimore challenge in 2019. When I saw her on ebay in autumn 2020, I watched the auction. She didn't make her reserve price. I message Tom and made an offer in principal, which he accepted. Shortly after this I awoke with a horrible realisation that I was about to find myself the owner of two boats and only one mooring! So I messaged Tom and told him I couldn't by Arctic Smoke until I sold Floreasca. I think Tom must have given up on me at that point. Never the less, I prepared an ebay add for Floreasca and she sold to a lovely couple from North Devon. At this point I got back in touch with Tom, who invited me for a four day sail as soon as covid rules would allow, during which time I could get to know Arctic Smoke and make a decision. We had a great sail and it was a real pleasure to meet Tom. He's a very acomplished sailor and he and Arctic Smoke have been on some wonderful adventures.

During the trial sail, I inspected Arctic Smoke on the Scrubbing dock at Hoo, so I could see the bottom of the boat. Tapping revealed no dull wet spots which might indicate osmosis. Then we sailed down the river and anchored in a creek off the medway for the night.

Day 2 was a fantastic demonstration of Arctic Smoke. The wind was probably in the upper teens although the wind instruments weren't working, so we will have to guess. We sailed out of the Medway and into the Thames Estuary. Set both sails and hooked up Angus the Hebridean Windvane. She heeled over and dug in and flew along at a good 6kts over ground. The mainsail looked a bit baggy, but it was a wonderful feeling to be sailing on a long keeled boat, and plouging a furrow through the ocean. That night we anchored in the Swale, and saw seals basking in the evening sun on the mudbanks.

Tom as pulling the mainsail down an it ripped right along the edge of one of the sail numbers. I agreed to buy her if Tom would get the mainsail fixed up, or if it was shot we would re-assess

April saw me going to Kent to sail Arctic Smoke. We had a great time. I've had some wonderful times on Floreasca, and I'm really sad to see her go, but I'm equally excited for the adventures that lie ahead with Arctic Smoke.