Hui Wharram Cornwall Gathering 2023

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A Gathering of Wharram Sailors and Enthusiasts

Join us for a weekend of Wharram Micro Adventures. 11th, 12th and 13th August 2023, in Cornwall, UK. All welcome – arrive with or without a boat.

What’s a Hui? It is a Polynesian word for ‘social gathering‘ and they regularly take place all over the Pacific. For the last few years we have made a tradition of hosting our very own Hui here in Cornwall, starting from Wharram HQ, Devoran.

Many Wharram catamarans moored at a quay
Point Quay – last year’s Hui in honour of James Wharram

All Wharram Cat owners can sail up our creek at high tide and moor at Point Quay on the first night – which is a 20 minute walk from JWD headquarters.

Point Quay will take a mooring fee of ยฃ15 per boat for the weekend, and have asked that all boats moored at the quay have their own insurance.

The Plan – Friday 11th August

Arrive by sea or car & trailer and gather at Point Quay – within walking distace of Wharram HQ, on Restonguet creek at Devoran, Cornwall (people sailing in by boat – do feel free to contact us for directions). High tide is at 14:28 – the quay will be accessible from 12:00. A fun afternoon and evening of relaxed Hui-style ‘Bring and share’ food and drink, our BBQ will be lit to cook your own food. Listen to a briefing for the weekend from our team, meet head of JWD Hanneke Boon, share your sailing adventure stories with like-minded Wharram friends around the camp fire. (Camp on your own boat, or if you are joining us without a boat – camp in your own tent on our grounds).

Many people gathered in a garden, eating, drinking and talking
Festivities at Wharram HQ on Friday afternoon/evening

Saturday 12th August

We depart Point Quay at approximately 13:00 (high tide 15:38) for a full day of sailing in the Carrick Roads and out to sea, before anchoring somewhere along one of our local creeks or beaches (depending on wind direction on the day). More food and talk round a campfire during the evening, ending with an overnight camp – either on your boat, or on the foreshore in your tent.

Three people on a black and yellow ethnic double canoe
Tahiti Wayfarer at last year’s gathering
Two catamarans next to each other on choppy seas, trees in the background on shore
Other Wharram catamarans at last year’s gathering

Sunday 13th August

Leave from our overnight mooring – for more sailing and exploring local creeks and a pre-designated break for lunch. Then either make your own way on to your next destination, or sail back to Point Quay (accessible at 14:00 – high tide 16:29), to continue home by road or set up camp for another evening by the fire at Wharram HQ.

Two people poised to jump from two catamarans on a quayside
A morning swim at Roundwood Quay

See You There!

We hope that once again the Wharram Hui Cornwall be a great way for Wharram boat owners and enthusiasts to come together for a fun weekend gathering of ‘kindred Wharram spirits’. Indeed, if any of you would like to arrive a day or two earlier, we’d love to welcome you – come and help us lash the cats together prior to the weekend!

Cornish Hui Wharram 2017. Eleven Wharram catamarans gathered in Devoran and sailed on a short Adventure in Carrick Roads, spending the night at Roundwood Quay. Smallest catamaran round-the-world Tiki 21 ‘Cooking Fat’, sailed by Rory McDougall, was part of the fleet.

James Wharram on the ‘Micro Adventure’ concept (2018)

The concept of ‘micro-adventures’, has been a way of thinking and living all my life. In the book I’m writing on my early youth, I describe my life between the ages of 16 & 18 when I roamed alone over the moors and hills of the Lake and Peak Districts and later Scotland, with minimum of gear. There was none! The ‘War’ had just ended. Boots, windproof clothes and rucksacks were not available. Each weekend & longer holiday break, with the lack of modern fashionable gear – effectively became my very own ‘micro adventure’.

I suppose my first Atlantic crossing, on a 23’6″ self-built catamaran, could also be described as an ‘extended micro adventure’.

Around 2010 in the Geographic Magazine, my attention was drawn to the book ‘Micro Adventures’ by Alistair Humphries. I bought it and relived my teenage years and attitudes to adventure in its pages.

However, it was Pierre-Yves (a French student who spent a three months internship with us in 2017) who first turned my reminiscing into reality. He reassembled our Tahiti Wayfarer double canoe – a design I had mentally neglected amongst so many ocean-going designs. During his stay with us, whenever the tide was high, he sailed it on our creek and around the Fal Estuary; sliding along close to the trees in the creeks, exploring the foreshores and then braving the wider waters of Carrick Roads, through him my long ago micro adventure memories resurfaced.

How To Find Us – Wharram HQ

James Wharram Designs is situated in Devoran, close to Truro, Cornwall’s only city. Simply follow the A39 from Truro, turn off at the Devoran roundabout and follow Greenbank Road. Nearby is Perranwell train station – a 15 minute walk to Devoran – which has links to to the rest of the country via Truro train station.

Point Quay

Point Quay can be accessed by boat after the tide permits at 12:00 on Friday 11th August. From the Cornish coast, enter the Carrick Roads and continue north until you find Restronguet creek – Point Quay is situated roughly 1km after the narrow entrance to the creek.


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