Those members attending the 1997 AGM will remember Charles was our guest speaker. He was an old DCA member and you can find accounts of his voyages in old copies of our Bulletin. Now he has written a book.

Charles and the boat he built, the 16ft Shoal Waters, have been together for 25 years, covering almost 70,000 miles during that time, which is about 1000 for every year of his life, and almost 3000 a year. I used to wonder why a man with so much experience had not written a book until I realised that there was probably little time for writing once you'd put that many miles under the keel.

Having read my copy I can tell you what a superb read it is. Every page seems to contain hints and tips that most of us can use in our sailing. And it's all told in a very readable style with plenty of witticisms - or Charleyisms as I prefer to call them. Like these:-

Whilst describing the building of his boat and finding the ease with which new resins and glues replaced accurate woodworking skills he says “Clodhopper carpentry had arrived just in time”. On confessing a lack of understanding of meteorology he says he thought a cold front was a topless waitress in an Eskimo bar.

Having bought a bargain batch of Christmas puddings in the summer that proved difficult to stow inside the boat, “I found myself in the unhappy position of not knowing what to do with my Christmas Pudding!” Fortunately there was no one aboard at the time to tell him.

Reduction to Soundings - something which puzzles even the best of us - he deals with by what he calls the 'teapot method'. I can't possibly describe it here, you'll just have to go out and buy the book yourselves, or get someone else to buy it for your Christmas stocking. Ted Jones