Dear Joan

Sorry to bother you, but am in a bit of a fix. On Friday 23rd May I went to Hainsworth’s boatyard (the one mentioned in my “not for sale” advert) to do some much-delayed fitting-out, after what the winter had done to the boat. Lo and behold, the boat was no longer there! Mrs Higgins, the joint owner of the boatyard, could only tell me that “it was removed from our premises by persons unknown on or about 21st March, 2003.” Very lax on her part, but I don’t want any lawsuit.

I had had no response (except that one which fizzled out) to my advert. The person taking it away doesn’t have to be a DCA member, but it seems likely that it is. It may (I hope) be all due to some misunderstanding. I would, naturally, have expected an interested party to have contacted me before taking the boat: and at least a “thank you” might have been given. Had proper negotiations taken place, the new owner would have had my help in fitting—out, and would not have had the boat without the inboard electric engine, the oversize battery, and sails.

Perhaps you would like to put an item in a coming issue, jogging someone’s mind?

Talbot Kirk