Anyone else miss Howard’s Way…or is just me?

Boats, glamour, affairs and gossip – that was Howard’s Way!

Ah the joys of the internet! After writing for Into the Blue about the new Sunseekeer Taster powerboat experience setting off from Southampton, we’ve just done an inspired search on YouTube for Howard’s Way – the BBC’s supersoap which ran from 1985 to 1990 and was based around the world of posh cruisers and powerboats in the fictional town of Tarrant on the south coast of England.

Remember ever-so-earnest Tom who, having been redundant as a aircraft designer, was trying to live the dream by ploughing money into a local boatyard, whilst his glam wifey Jan starts a marine clothing line with smarm-ball Ken Masters? Oh and who can forget their useless son Leo and stroppy madam, daughter Lynne! Cheesy theme tune, big shoulder pads, intrigue and adultery Howard’s Way had it all. Classic British television at its awful best.

Not one of Tom Howard’s boat designs, but with a motor it’s a lot less effort than a sailing boat!

The series was actually filmed in various locations around Hampshire, including Southampton and often included gratuitous shots of glamourous yuppie types (it was the 80s after all!) posing on posh boats in and around the marina, so it’s rather appropriate that you can now buy your very own ‘Howard’s Way’ style experience hanging out like a millionaire on a 40ft Sunseeker power boat (no faffing with any sails or such like!) whilst you cruise out of the harbour at Southampton, before opening her up when you reach the open waters to see what she can really do. Ken Masters would be proud!