Allan Earl, DCA member number 1, died on 16th October aged 84. He had been suffering from Parkinson’s disease for some years, but sailed at the helm of his son’s yacht as recently as last year. He leaves a widow, Kathleen and two sons, Brian and David, both of whom sail. Sadly I never met Allan, but his book Dinghy Cruising first published in 1945, was my introduction to this aspect of sailing, and I avidly followed his later exploits, which have passed into Chichester Harbour legend.

Allan’s first boat was very much what we like to think of as being in the true DCA tradition, clinker-built, gunter rigged, and sail and oar only, although only 10 feet in length and without a foredeck. Not many of us would sail such a small boat out to sea, but after much cruising in it between St Alban’s Head and Selsey Bill, Allan set his sights on sailing single-handed all the way to the West Country. Eventually however after carefully considering the hazards he calculated that the crossing of Lyme Bay (nearly 50 miles and most likely with westerly winds), singlehanded in such a small slow boat, could involve unacceptable risk should heavy contrary winds be experienced. His next boat was a 15 foot Albacore, regarded by some DCA members as a ‘death-trap’ class, but in fact as Allen proved, a fine heavy weather boat if expertly crewed, and his article on the Albacore in the DCA Bulletin 21 was a model of objective boat assessment. (It is interesting to note that whereas most DCA members favour switching from wood centreboards to steel, Allan changed his steel centreplate for wood for greater seaworthiness!).

Allan delighted in heavy weather sailing, and Chichester ‘hard men’ spoke in awe of their experiences in crewing his Albacore in the rough stuff. Allen’s son Brian, at the age of 16 and inspired by his father’s example, did sail their powerful Albacore from Chichester to Helford in the West Country. In his later years Allan scaled down his sailing to a 13 foot Marlin dinghy, but when in his sixties joined Brian and a third crewperson in twice hurtling round the Isle of Wight in a fast 17 foot six Javelin dinghy, Chichester to Chichester, 70 miles in as little as 12 hours despite some foul tide! (Allan wrote up this epic daysail for DCA Bulletin Summer 2001, at a time when he must have known he was approaching the end).

We fortunately have several copies of Allan’s book Dinghy Cruising in the DCA library. After more than half a century it is still a good read, and not only for old-time nostalgia. Most of the material is still valid, particularly the tips on heavy weather sailing, and on balancing the hazards of wind and tide and overfalls against crew strengths and skills. He was one of our most daring helmsmen, but not a chancer, and would carefully assess the hazards and if in doubt turn back or stay in shelter. Most members will still have his account of his epic Wight circumnavigation in Bulletin 71, but I am putting this and the other material in photocopied form to be available for loan with his books in the DCA library.

We join Allan’s family in celebrating his life.