I was given the opportunity last Friday to take a once in a lifetime trip aboard the motor torpedo boat MTB102, which was the first MTB of
the modern era and is now in a Trust.
More information can be found here http://www.mtb102.com/
The trip was supposed to have three people who would act as
crew and six passengers. I put my name
down as a passenger but said I was willing to act as crew if required. Not being sure what crewing entailed on this
large boat I was a little apprehensive!
During the week, we were advised that new propellers and
shafts were being fitted to the boat and by Thursday morning these had not
arrived, so until the last minute the trip was in jeopardy. However, they did arrive and the team worked
almost throughout the night to install the new parts.
As the MTB was on the sea side of the Broads on Lake Lothing,
Mutford Lock would have to be negotiated as would the swinging railway bridge,
so some organisation was required.
The original timing was that the MTB would go through the
lock at 10 am and we had to be there by 9.45 but this was then put back so we
duly arrived at the boatyard at the newly appointed time of 12 noon. The boat was on the slipway but it was fairly
obvious that she couldn’t be floated until the tide came up. Richard Basey, who runs the Trust and
skippers the boat, told us that high water was 3 pm but he would try and float
her before then. We anticipated the long
wait and settled down on the bank to talk and eat our lunch.
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| Crew and passengers |
Around 2.15 Richard and his usual crew asked us to move down to a nearby pontoon in anticipation of boarding and they went on board, started the engines and tried to power the MTB off the trolley but she was stuck fast!
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| Engines started |
No amount on rocking,
pulling and shoving would budge her so again we sat and watched the tide creep
in until eventually, with one roar of the engines, she was afloat! We all cheered and clapped!
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| And she's free! |
Having twin engines, she can turn on a sixpence, which she
did, and came alongside the pontoon where we clambered on board, Richard
hoisted the flags, signalled the railway bridge and lock keeper and off we
went.
I hadn’t been through Mutford Lock for many years and only
in small boats previously so was very impressed with the handling of the MTB
through the confined space. It was all
hands on deck with fenders until the water levels adjusted and we were able to
make our way out on to Oulton Broad, to the cheers of the boat owners in the
marina!
The idea of the trip was for MTB102 to lead a procession of
private and hire boats down to Beccles where spaces had been booked in the
marina, for a weekend of fun and frolics!
As we went across Oulton Broad, the fleet formed behind us, many of the
boats decked out with flags and bunting.
There were cameras clicking and flashes flashing everywhere and we felt
extremely privileged to be on board this historic vessel.
It was quickly clear that most of the small boats in the
procession were struggling to keep up with the powerful MTB so one of the
engines was shut down which reduced the speed thus allowing the procession to
keep together. There was one intrepid
sailor who managed to keep up with the leaders, under sail, for about a third
of the journey which was very impressive.
I think when it came to tacking the skipper thought better of it and
resorted to the engine!
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| The fleet! |
The trip took almost three hours and we were cheered and
photographed all along the route.
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| I'll give you 10 seconds to drop that camera! |
The MTB had taken part in the Queen’s Jubilee celebrations
on the Thames so had quite a high profile and as she isn’t seen too often on
the Broads these days, it was a momentous
occasion. One I certainly enjoyed
tremendously and the memories will stay with me for a long time.
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