Classic Boat

RECALLING THE LIVES OF ERIC & SUSAN

Leaving the ferry in Yarmouth on the Isle of Wight, a few steps take you to a gate in a high stone wall from which a footpath leads to a terrace of small cottages, otherwise quite hidden from view. These are a row of old Coastguard cottages. In one of these, there’s an extraordinary treasure trove of material about the exploits of perhaps this country’s greatest ever sailing couple: Eric and Susan Hiscock.

Janice Aslin, one of Eric’s nieces, invited me to stay there and explore this archive. She is now the keeper of this material and told me how it came about.

When Susan Hiscock came back to this country from New Zealand following Eric’s death in 1986, she settled in Yarmouth in one of these cottages. She lived there until her death in 1995. This was the first time she and then on .

You’re reading a preview, subscribe to read more.

More from Classic Boat

Classic Boat2 min read
Boatbuilder’s Notes
John Leather’s book Clinker Boatbuilding (Adlard Coles Nautical) includes a sketch of a rebated stick used for marking the overlap or landing of one plank on another. The idea is for the rebate to locate on the top edge of the plank and the tool be m
Classic Boat1 min read
Hamble Classics Opens For Entry
The ninth edition of the Hamble Classics Regatta (31 August – 1 September, 2024) offers a weekend of racing and social events for a wide range of classic yachts. Online entry is now open with an early bird rate until 1 July. Full details about yacht
Classic Boat1 min read
Enjoy 1 Year For Just £1
Feel brighter every day with Telegraph Puzzles. Tackle a brilliant range of brain-teasers, from PlusWord and Panagram to Killer Sudoku and our classic Cryptic Crossword. Scan the QR code or visit telegraph.co.uk/tele-puzzles To scan the QR code, open

Related Books & Audiobooks