BEMBRIDGE

A couple of weeks after the Bembridge rally I read an article in the Mail on Sunday. The journalist visited the rather posh yacht club there and wrote an amusing account. He was required to wear a tie, and hired one from the club steward; it clashed horribly with his shirt, but made him respectable in the eyes of the committee.

In developing his theme, the purpose of which was to promote the Isle of Wight as a holiday resort, he described the view of the harbour seen from the club bar. Yachts sailed majestically, children played gaily, couples strolled peacefully. On the beach opposite, the author recalled a tatty gathering of tented dinghies, crewed by a scruffy but happy mixture of men cooking, scratching, splashing and laughing. As the sun slowly set on a perfect evening, the odd mixture of dinghy sailors strolled to the local pub, watched by the journalist in the yacht club; in his borrowed tie.

COWES

Another very good week-end, attended as follows:

Barry Parker, Frank Dyer, Peter Glover, George Dyer, John & Roddy, Tony Sterkx, Ray Thornton, John Clark, Greg Yale, Stuart Jones, Henry, myself and Joe Scott. All in a total of 10 boats.

Winds were very light on the Sunday, but all 10 boats eventually reached their destinations.

ASHLETT AND CHRISTCHURCH

I was unable to attend either rally, and have not heard from anyone who did…

(Six dinghies and one cruiser at Christchurch; four dinghies and no cruisers at Ashlett. Good weather for both. — Liz)

RACING (sorry)

Stewart Jones and I raced in the Devon Yawl meeting flying the DCA flag, and came away with the trophy!

1985 RALLIES

Suggestions or opinions would be welcome. My own thoughts lean to:

Wootton, Newtown, Hurst, Hamble, Lymington, Chichester. Oh, and Cowes.

CHICHESTER HARBOUR — FOWLEY ISLAND (Report by E.B.)

Bad weather early on Saturday morning put some people off who would otherwise have come, but three dinghies and one WWP finally made it, and I met a fourth late arrival in the harbour entrance on my way back to base on Sunday afternoon.

NORTH-WEST AREA RALLIES REPORT by Antony Sluce

DINORWIC, CONISTON, ULLSWATER

The rallies have continued to be well supported, with an expanding group of people attending. There has been a mix of new members and familiar faces which has been very enjoyable.

The Port Dinorwic rally was the only one with a low attendance because of last minute cancellations due to other commitments. As reported to me, Colin Bell and Cliff Laycock dropped down with the tide on Saturday and got halfway down the Lleyn Peninsula, where they stopped for the night. On Sunday they returned and recovered at about low water. We did have a mini rally on the Bank Holiday Monday when Colin, Edwin and I met up when we were recovering our boats, and confirmed what a good place it would be for a rally, and not much further from Manchester than the Lakes.

The Coniston meet was as successful as ever with six boats and 13 people. Friday we anchored in the little harbour on Peel Island — Saturday evening was in the CSC club house — Sunday lunch we rafted together on my anchor which, when I came to recover it, was hooked over a waterlogged branch.

On Ullswater there were six boats and 15 people. I have found that the Cheshire-Under-18-Front-Row-Forwards were an essential part of my launching equipment, but they were not available for this week-end, so I was boatless. Joan had left her boat in N. Ireland, so she and I attended without boats, and had a most enjoyable time sailing in other people’s boats. The lake was very full due to a dam the Water Authority had constructed across the outflow as part of their drought emergency measures. We launched on Saturday in Kailpot Bay and repaired to the Crown Hotel in the evening. I was very interested to see Bill Buttle’s Proctor-designed, round-bilge 12’ cruising dinghy, cold moulded by Souters, and looking like a robust Firefly. The workmanship was beautiful. It was also the first time I had seen one of the Drascombe Luggers in wood. John Goodman’s Lugger looked more roomy for sleeping without the side buoyancy tanks of the GRP ones.

It is good that the increase in membership seems to have led to a increase in the attendance at the rallies.