Since the DCA web page was published, a variety of people have emailed for information, to say ‘what a good association’, or just for a chat. A recent emailer from Turkey was John Laughland, who some of you may remember.

He writes:

Greetings from an ex-DCA member. In fact I was Southern Area Sec for several years. I sold my Devon Yawl in 1987 bought a Rival 34 and sailed to the Med. After about 25,000 miles, I tired and got a wife, a couple of cottages, a donkey, 2 dogs, 10 cats and I now want to buy a dinghy again. Unfortunately there’s nothing available here.

Well greetings from me to anyone who remembers me, in the Bulletin if you want, and ‘good sailing’. Regards. John Laughland <laughlandj@escortnet.tr>

Another emailer was Ken Atkins who wrote:

I’m thrilled to find your Dinghy Cruising homepage. About 4 years ago I found and bought a 12’ Providence River boat. It is a reproduction of an 1870s work/fishing boat in Long Island Sound. It has a 3’ bowsprit, a 6’ beam, gaff rig, and can sail as a cutter, a cat boat, or in between. Numerous sailing friends warned me to stay away from the ‘big water’, that is Puget Sound, saying it’s too small, but each of them upon seeing her, wanted to be the first to join me out on the salt water. It is a very seaworthy boat.

Anyway, I had no boat experience when I purchased her and have since sailed in the major lakes locally, planning to cruise in the sound when I have the experience and the equipment. I discovered two English books on dinghy cruising in a local used bookstore. Both were written by members of your club. They thrilled and educated me. Now I’ve found your association. Good work and happy sailing. Ken Atkins <atkins@fidalgo.net>

William Scott Wallace, from Cincinnati, Ohio USA wrote:

Hi Johnnie, what a great page! Your association certainly sounds wonderful. My wife, Nan, and I sail a 1963 Rhodes Bantam, a little 14’ dinghy made of mahogany ply with mahogany trim. It is sloop rigged, weighs in at about 350 pounds and has a cast iron swing keel. It looks a bit like a GP14, with a plumb bow and hard chine build. There is no deck; the boat is all open. Philip L Rhodes designed it as a sail trainer for a yacht club in the US. Our boat is named Tristan, in honour of Tristan Jones, Welsh sailor and adventurer (as well as good story teller!). I regularly read Classic Boat, Boatman and Watercraft. Keep up the superb work. Cheers. William Scott Wallace <Tristan@one.net>

Forrest M Brownell from New York State emailed last autumn to talk about joining and also about the possibility of a ‘North American Chapter’ — a DCA(US). Forrest detailed the contents of his boat shed which included some Canadian canoes and this interesting craft…

My present ‘dinghy’ is Leviathan, a 20’ freight canoe fitted with a square sail. Though fleet enough when running before the wind, her performance on a bowline leaves something to be desired: she points and sags to leeward in much the same way as an 18th-century first rate. Leviathan is, however, a reasonably well-travelled craft, having ventured as high as 53°N (on Canada’s James Bay) in years past. In any event, after many years of indecision, my wife and I will be building a ‘proper’ boat this winter — an Iain Oughtred Caledonia Yawl — in anticipation of a forthcoming programme of American ‘circumnavigations’. Forrest Brownell <forrest@northweb.com>

And now… I’ll turn off the computer and pick up the varnish brush.