The winter meeting was held on 27 January, in Manchester. Thirty four members and friends attended, and the meeting started with Peter Empson talking about and demonstrating the new range of Association burgees and sweat shirts, which he now has in stock. Next, the members agreed the dates of rallies for the coming season. There was some discussion about possible cruises in company, and two locales were suggested for this format, one in Anglesey and the other in Scotland. It will be interesting to see how successful these are. Edwin Dewhirst was the next speaker, and he described his single‑handed cruise last year from the river Wyre up to the Solway Firth, across to and around the Isle of Man, across to Anglesey, and back to the Wyre.

Lunch was provided by Joan Abrams, whose delicious home-baked food was appreciated by all. The afternoon was taken up with various members showing slides of their cruises and expeditions, plus a talk by Philip Davies, on using Decca navigators.

Members showing slides included Jerry Eardley, Hugh Clay, Joan Abrams and David Chatterley, and areas covered by the slides included Falmouth, Cape Wrath, Scottish west coast north and south of Oban, Mull, Tasmania and New Zealand.

Doug Heslop brought along two beautiful models of sailing boats which he had made, and there was a good selection of members’ photographs to look at, together with charts and cruising guides. Members expressed thanks to Antony Sluce for organising the use of the comfortable premises, and to the ladies for their help with the lunch.