Ullswater 17th — 18th July by Tim Evans

Most boats were launched from Waterside campsite, some crews camping there, while other souls, presumably wanting to be nearer to the pub, slept on board on the opposite shore.

Saturday was a mixture of weather — at times wet and windy, at others quiet and humid. Ullswater was living up to its reputation for fluky winds. Most boats headed up the lake for Patterdale for lunch, which was taken in a sheltered spot beyond Howtown. By this time, quite a number of DCA members had arrived; the lunchtime score being: 2 Dabbers, 1 Mirror, 1 Cornish Coble, 1 Jaguar 21, 1 Tideway, 2 West Wight Potters and a Highlander 14. Two DCA Sailfish had been sighted!

Everyone enjoyed a very sociable lunch, without rain, before setting off in various directions. Quite a number of members managed to find their way to the pub for a meal and a drink later in the day.

Sunday, which had a gloomy forecast, turned out to be quite warm in the morning, with a reasonable breeze, which allowed a pleasant sail up the lake for a sail — for those so inclined.

Given the awful 1993 weather, this was quite a pleasant weekend — some of us even managed to take our waterproofs off for the odd half-hour!

Derwent Water 18th — 19th September by Brian McClellan

A really well attended rally this, with possibly folk putting in a last weekend’s sailing before reaching for the sandpaper and varnish. Those attending were:

Rachel and Ian Watts with Alan and Sheila Lochhead in Dabber Bumble. Keith Jones in his sailing Tinker. Edna and Stewart (Capsize) Calcutt in their junk rigged Stewart 18 Karmatoo — and sailing with Jennifer and Phil Davies. Gerald Harrison in Lugger Tweetle. Tim Evans in West Wight Potter Beatrice. Dave Morton in his Wayfarer Restless. We use the same bespoke nautical outfitter, don’t you know? I paid £7 for mine but I think Dave said he got his cheaper in the sale. David Chatterley in his Dabber. Sonya and Don Rigg in their Sailfish with Chris, Pauline and Jonathan Battersby. Mary and Ken O’Halloran-Brown in their Wayfarer Black Pig. Cliff Laycock, Mary Aveyard and Mick Hasney in the Dabber. Eric Scholes and John Mayes in the good ship Ampull. Peter and Jackie — sorry we didn’t get the surname — in Cormorant Truelove. Brian McClellan in West Wight Potter Water Mouse.

28 members and family in 13 boats.

SATURDAY Boats set off at varying times from Derwent Water Marina where Gerald had negotiated a launching and recovery fee of £10. The normal fee is £15. A stiff southerly breeze made negotiating the narrow channel from the slip to the lake a tricky business. Wind right on the beam for about a hundred yards and then on the nose for a further couple of hundred yards to open water. Dave Morton went up the channel just before me and the least said about our passage the better. Suffice it to say that Stewart and Edna on Karmatoo had some fending off to do. Once out on the lake though the sailing was great. Several boats met up later in Myrtle Bay at the south-western end of the lake and six boats overnighted here. Gunfire and flashes from across the lake as some sort of exercise took place. Convivial evening on Restless.

SUNDAY A lazy start to the day. Breakfast, then a walk, then off we went. Calm in Myrtle Bay but out on the lake the water looked a little angry — at least it wasn’t raining. Sails were well reefed. We met again for lunch on the beach at the north end of St. Herbert’s Island. In the island’s lee calm and peace prevailed after the headlong dash downwind. Pleasant chat as is our habit, with much admiration of Eric and John’s converted Wayfarer Ampull. The up-market crew seating was particularly admired. For those who have not seen Ampull, the seats are plastic and metal, public hall type, with the bottom 6 inches of the metal legs chopped off. They are adapted for alternative use as beach seats. Then the cut of the sails was scrutinised with knowledgeable debate as to the merit of Optimist sails fitted to a Wayfarer as cruising rig. The steering gear is something else, conventional tillers are definitely out.

After lunch a quick sail back to the marina, some of us under jib only and still flying. Once again a lovely weekend with good company.