Here are a few of our stories.

The Clinton Family

“I first sailed with Martin in October 1991 when I went for my Day Skipper. When I arrived at Poole Harbour, it was blowing Force 6 and I thought ‘I bet this is one of those instructors who suddenly find that we have to spend the day ashore’. In fact, we had a splendid blustery sail to Cowes. In those days, he had a Rival 34 – a marvellous sea boat, which made you feel safe to be aboard.

One morning a couple of years later when I was doing my Coastal Skipper, we left Cherbourg very early and set off into the pitch darkness. I was at the helm with a young lady called Anne, and at six in the morning we were changing watch in an eerie calm when the wind suddenly came up and in seconds was blowing Force 8. Changing sails was a bit of a struggle - in those days the boat had hanked-on headsails and a roller-reefed main – but once we had settled down, “Henry Morgan” roared along steady as a rock in the short nasty seas off the Cherbourg peninsular. In the end, we were over 20 miles off course, arriving at Poole at 3.30 a.m. Martin has a Churchillian gift for taking short naps – usually in wet clothes, sitting upright in the saloon, in heavy seas, with the boat heeling hard over – but occasionally, from the sleeping form down below, a deep voice will emerge, saying “You’re going off course”. It is a reassuring experience.
He is also a magnificent cook – I remember in particular a succulent roast lamb, roast potatoes, sprouts, peas, gravy and mint sauce, which we ate ‘hove to’ outside Weymouth harbour because nobody wanted to interrupt the lunch by arriving.

Listening to my stories, my son Hugo, then aged sixteen, said that he would like to go for his Competent Crew, and followed that up with his Day Skipper, and later his Coastal Skipper. Listening to his stories, my daughter Poppy went for her Day Skipper earlier this year. Since Martin has started instructing in motor boating, my wife Armorel wants to go next year. That is thirteen years, and the whole family!”

Peter Clinton

(The above is from Peter Clinton who sailed with me for three years before buying a Rival 34 called Fox which he keeps in Greece. Peter, his son Hugo and daughter Poppy are all very keen about sailing. His wife Armorel is not quite so keen, but often goes cruising with them to be with Peter and their children. Nevertheless, she still insists on spending an occasional night in a hotel! With this in mind I received an email from her recently in which she expressed an interest in my Motor Cruising Courses and said, “I have to admit that the motor boat appeals to me far more than the wretched sailing boat!! It will get me faster from hotel to hotel!" Martin.)

"We first met Martin in 99 when we took a Competent Crew Course never having sailed before, and soon found his relaxed but thorough style of teaching, patience, clear instruction, and personable manner in the warm sea off the Algarve coast, the perfect introduction to sailing - he also cooks a mean roast. We have sailed again with Martin this year (2002), taking a Coastal Skipper course, his enthusiasm and love of sailing is clearly infections as we are planning to buy our own boat, to live on board for the next few years, making a circumnavigation."

Elsie and John Oliver (Buying an Oyster, for delivery in 2004)

Elsie and John have moved forward with their plans and in March 2004 took delivery of their brand new Oyster 56 which they have named 'Ichi Feet'. The origin of this name has nothing to do with the state of either Elsie's or John's feet, but because 'Ichi' in Japenese means 'First' and this is their first boat. Following their taking over the boat at Fox's Marina in Ipswich because of a combination of their relative inexperience and the insistance of their insurance company they set off with a professional skipper on a clockwise circumnavigation of Britain with a minor detour to Norway, finishing up back at Fox's Marina four months later with a fairly long 'snag list' for Oyster to attend to.

After a few weeks there and another detour to Belgium they set off for Portugal, where I saw them again in October 2004. Following just a week in Lagos they sailed down to the Canaries and then across the Atlantic with the ARC in December 2004. I met them again on February 7th 2005 when I took over as 'skipper' and we sailed Ichi Feet up to Antigua, where after two weeks very intensive training with me, they both took the RYA Yachtmaster Exam and passed very well. They are now (May 2005) enjoying sailing 'Ichi Feet' on their own and on the way up to Newport, Rhode Island. To read more about my sailing with John and Elsie in the Caribbean please go to my 'Stories' tab and scroll down.

Gerard Verdino

"After sailing extensively in dinghies in my teens, I took a refresher and RYA day skipper course with Martin Northey in Autumn 2001. I had great fun, Martin is very entertaining, always has an interesting story to tell and has a wonderful ability to create a congenial atmosphere in the confined space of a sailing boat between people that have never met before.

On another level, Martin's range of sea-faring experience is very obviously apparent and he inspires confidence. Martin has a very pleasant way of helping people to learn, which is akin to having a mutual discussion about a subject of common interest, rather than a structured teacher/pupil lecture.

I enjoyed the time that I spent on the course with Martin, within months I bought a 43ft boat, skippered over 3,500 miles within the next year and Martin remains a friend in regular contact.

Not bad for a 7 day refresher course!" Gerard Verdino