Pioneer 9 'Aziz'

The Pioneer 9 that reminds me of 'Aziz,

'Aziz' at Calstock

'Aziz' at St. Helier

'Aziz' at Ramsgate

I spent the months of June and July cruising ‘Ladybird’ from the River Crouch to Falmouth and back. On the way, I visited a friend who lives at Calstock. This is a pretty village that nestles beside the River Tamar. There I picked up a mooring belonging to the local boatyard. Less than 50 yards away, chocked up on the hard, I noticed my old Pioneer 9, ‘Aziz’.



A close inspection revealed that she had been neglected for a year or two. I was saddened to see her like that, not just because of happy memories of ownership, but because she has a history worth preserving. She was sailed across the Atlantic non-stop in 1971 by Nicolette Milnes-Walker, who was the first solo women sailor to accomplish the feat without putting into port. Nicolette gave an account of her voyage in her book, ‘When I Put Out to Sea’. Anne Davison was the first woman to sail alone across the Atlantic, but she put into Brittany, Portugal and the Canary Islands.



When I take a walk beside the River Crouch at South Fambridge, I am reminded of ‘Aziz’, because I cannot fail to notice an almost identical Pioneer 9 moored among the other yachts. I took a photo of this lovely vessel, only a few days ago, and I’ve posted it here for you see. If my financial circumstances were such that I could afford to run another Pioneer 9, I would go for it. There are several on the market just now; see the links section below.



Links


Nicolette Milnes-Walker - Wikipedia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nicolette_Milnes-Walker


Book – When I Put Out to Sea – Amazon.com
http://www.amazon.com/When-I-put-out-sea/dp/0812814673


Previous article about ‘Aziz’
http://bills-log.blogspot.com/2009/11/aziz.html


Pioneer 9 for Sale, Sandwich, Kent £13,225
http://www.boatshop24.co.uk/MTI0NDV+TkVUVzEy=-Pioneer_9m_for_sale.html


Pioneer 9 for Sale, Pwllheli £12,500
http://www.boatshop24.co.uk/MTk2Nzl+TkVUVzA0=-Pioneer_9.html


Pioneer 9 for Sale, Maidstone, Kent £9,995
http://hampshire.apolloduck.co.uk/feature.phtml?id=112944


Pioneer 9 for Sale, Plymouth £6,995
http://www.boatshop24.co.uk/UGlvbmVlcis5flNPVVgwMQ==-Pioneer_9_Van_De_Stadt.html


Calstock Boatyard
http://www.classicguide.co.uk/attractions/calstock-boatyard.html


Calstock
http://www.calstock.info/