Nick Bamford and Such Stuff

I’d be very interested in welcoming crew at any level of experience aboard my Sigma 362, Such Stuff, which is based on the Helford River in Cornwall.

I’ve been sailing since I was 11, skippering big boats for 50 years or so, and a boat owner for the last 34 years – previously I had an Elizabethan 30.

My sailing has included a season as a Flotilla Skipper for Island Sailing (now Sunsail) in the Sporades Islands of Greece in 1983.  I am almost a founder member of the S. & C.A., having joined in 1982, and before I acquired my own boat in ’89 I used to organise regular charter weekends.

For 17 years I was based on the River Exe in Devon, and did trips to the West Country, the Isles of Scilly, Ireland, the Channel Islands and all round Brittany.  Then in 2006 we sailed Such Stuff out to the Mediterranean and kept her there, in Sardinia, Italy, Croatia and Greece until 2022 when we brought her back through the French canals to the Helford River.

I’ve been Yachtmaster Offshore since 1985, and qualified as Cruising Instructor in 2009 – I worked for Sunsail again out of Port Solent as well as out of Swansea into the Bristol Channel.

In 2003 I did the ARC – sailing from Las Palmas in Gran Canaria to St. Lucia in the Caribbean with the late S. & C.A. member, Henry Hugh Smith.

Richard, my partner, sometimes comes with me, but is not as keen as me and I regularly sail alone – I’m very comfortable sailing Such Stuff single-handed.  But I prefer company and so would be delighted to welcome crew at any level of experience.  I can even train you up to Day Skipper, though can’t actually award the certificate!

The Sigma 362 is the cruising version of the racing-oriented Sigma 36, and is a tough, well-built but fast and comfortable boat.  There’s a forecabin for the crew as well as berths in the saloon.  We have shore power and a fridge.

From the Helford River we have the Fal estuary on our doorstep and Fowey, Plymouth, Penzance and Newlyn all within an easy day sail.  L’Aberwrac’h is 15 hours across the Channel.  And if the weather is right The Isles of Scilly are one long, or two short days’ sail away.

If you’re interested in a weekend or a longer trip, don’t hesitate to drop me a line.