Tim Bowden Topper Kathryn Frank & Margaret Dearden GP14 Kyle Kevin & Jennifer Leahy Sailing Canoe Brendo Sid Dickinson (Saturday only) 8’ homebuilt gunter dinghy Stuart Calcutt & Phil Davies 17’-6” Junk SOD Karmatoo Brian McClellan & Arnold Benns Shipmate Senior Jezelle Eric Scholes & Bernard Harman Skipper 17 Lady Jay

This was the first N-W meet of the year but we had already had four magnificent weekends through March into April. What a start to the season.

As usual, we arranged to meet at the National Park Boating Centre, ready to sail off at 10 sharp. This venue is at the end of the ½ mile cul de sac leading from the crossroads just south of the village petrol station. Those of us who are based ½ mile south (at the sailing club or at the adjacent Coniston Old Hall camping site), usually sail up to the centre a little earlier in case there are any rigging or launching problems. Sometimes we just sit in awe watching Stuart and Phil rig the Junk. Brian discovered that, for a small additional fee, heavier boats can be launched and recovered with ease by the centre’s tractor. But note that vehicular access from the public car park to the boat park and lake side is normally closed for security between 7pm and 9am at weekends and from 5.30pm to 9am on week days. However 7.00 may become 5.30 in bad weather and 5.30 may become 7.00 in fine weather — got it? It depends on how busy the staff are with the hire boats. (Ring the centre on 015394 41366 to check).

There was little wind on Saturday but most boats managed to reach Peel Island by the afternoon for a late lunch. The quiet airs gave Brian ample time to continue rig tweaking on his new boat under the stoical gaze of Arnold. On the return, the canoe and the Topper accepted a tow from the Skipper using the outboard. Sid was sadly limited to one day’s sailing and was so enjoying the ghosting that he opted to use the remaining daylight hours to make the three miles north, back to the campsite. As on previous occasions, the Crown Hotel provided an excellent evening meal. Again Karmatoo and Jezelle made use of the newly enlarged jetty at the centre for an overnight stay; the only restriction appears to be that, if you are on the north side, you have to move off before the adjacent launching ramp is used in the morning.

The following morning, the wind had picked up to such an extent (gusting 6) that the canoe and the GP14 retired. Tim was wearing a wet suit and braved all. The Skipper had an exciting time as Eric had just been released from hospital and was banned from hauling sheets; however he was able to steer and luff up wildly as we watched the goldfish swim by the windows. We did not see much of the other boats and as the wind eased later we enjoyed exploring the southern end of the lake. The weekend finished with refreshments and a natter at the Bluebird Café adjacent to the centre. Unfortunately the hospital ship missed the finale as the patient had by this time started to groan for his nurse. Bernard Harman

Kirkcudbright 2-5 May 2003

Steve Archer and Frank Holmes Wanderer Tony and Joan Abrams Bass Boat Terry and Margaret Hughes Seal 22 Mike and Margaret Jones No boat

Steve and Frank arrived on Thursday and launched their Wanderer from the sailing club slipway. They had a good sail into Kirkcudbright Bay. On Friday they sailed out into the bay on a N-W wind and were unable to beat back against the wind and tide. They left their boat downriver and had a long walk to collect their trailer. They also had a good but rather hectic sail on Saturday. Tony and Joan did not arrive until Friday evening and by Saturday the weather was getting bad. Joan opted to sail in the Seal 22 with Terry. Terry motored down the river on Saturday with Joan and a local friend Ray Purdie on board. Some way down the river, progress slowed to nothing against the wind and the tide so they turned back and returned to the marina on the jib in record time. Mike and Margaret were unable to get out in a boat so they spent the weekend watching the rain come down. The highlight of the weekend was a meal at the Selkirk Arms on Saturday evening, followed by coffee at the home of Terry and Margaret. In summary, it was not a good weekend for sailing but it was nice to meet fellow DCA members.

Derwentwater 16-18 May 2000

Stuart Calcutt & Phil Davies Stuart’s Own Design Junk rig Karmatoo Albert & Joyce Hattersley Cornish Cormorant Spirit 2 Colin Bell David Moss design 13’ Puffin John & Liz Hayward Skipper 14 Skipkeo Colin & Jayne Firth Cruz Jenya Frank & Margaret Dearden Sat evening Keith Herriot Sat evening

Abundant national weather forecasts are now available and, useful though these may be, one effect of them is to control meet attendances. So we were well down on numbers this time!

Derwentwater Marina is an ideal DCA venue; a small field doubling as dinghy park and occasional camp site (with showers), small craft moorings along two sides, a couple of slips and restaurant serving bar meals. Being at the northern edge of the lake it’s usually easy to get home with the prevailing southerly winds, which were our lot this weekend. We admired Colin’s new boat on its maiden DCA meet — 13’, clinker-built with cat rig, by David Moss of Fleetwood, who enthralled our Windermere AGM recently with his talk on boatbuilding. Despite its 1985 vintage it is in superb condition. Dave Williamson, our new host, commented that for him it epitomised a DCA boat — perhaps we should get an action photo to use as a model for the Bulletin cover! Saturday dawned wet, with a fickle but moderate southerly wind giving good sailing for the morning. As is often the case, despite onshore pessimism, once afloat there was very little rain — heavy showers but fairly short. We met for lunch at the now traditional spot, St Herbert’s Island, which we shared with a stag party (as in ‘stag night’) trying various outdoor challenges before their Saturday night celebrations. Most of us were then content to use the blustery 3 to tour the lake, but Stuart & Phil headed Karmatoo towards Myrtle Bay for a night on board.

Derwentwater Marina is now owned and run by Dave Williamson, who is steadily improving the facilities. Small-scale camping is still available, fortunately for us, and we understand the field will have new land drains in next year — which regulars will appreciate! We had been concerned that the restaurant might not be available, but the new tenant managed his opening night on Saturday — with drinks on the house in the early evening! The meal was followed by a bevy of musical instruments being produced. Albert on harmonica and banjo, Frank on guitar, John and Liz playing respectively melodeon and guitar led the singing to the appreciation of others in the restaurant.

Sunday’s weather lived up to the forecasts and Liz commented that it never rained like this east of the Pennines! Vertical stair-rods is the traditional description. The campers had had a wet night and busied themselves socialising and packing during the morning, Stuart and Phil were impelled into bravery — no option as they were at the south end of the lake! Let’s hope for better weather for the next meet on 12-14 September. Don’t miss it: it’ll be a gorgeous Indian summer!

Despite little activity on the Sunday it was a good weekend. Our thanks go to Dave Williamson and the staff of Derwentwater Marina for their friendly & relaxed hospitality. Colin Firth

Dee Estuary 19 July 2000

This was a meet at which nobody actually met, although four of us communicated our intentions and movements by mobile phone. Hopes that the heat-wave would continue and that we would sail in Mediterranean conditions had been dispelled already by mid-week and, by Thursday, the forecast was for fresh southerly winds and moderate rain, so two decided not to come in the end.

That left Graham Finney and myself. Graham had suggested exploring along the north Welsh coast, conditions permitting, and I agreed to join him. This meant catching the tide at dawn on Saturday. So Graham arrived at Thurstaston beach (on the Wirral shore of the Dee estuary) on Friday evening and launched his Lune Longboat Brisk onto the mud. I set out on the mid-afternoon tide on Friday, under clear skies, glorious sunshine and a light northerly breeze (which completely belied the forecast) on Star Catcher, my newly acquired this season, 17ft, gaff-rigged Hitia catamaran, from her mooring at Dove Point on the north Wirral shore. It was an enjoyable sail, made interesting by some deep swells outside the East Hoyle Bank, and I came to anchor at Hilbre about tea-time. The plan was to meet Graham in the morning.

The anchorage at Hilbre is close in under the shore of the east side of the island, near the three southerly most cottages, where there are usually a couple of small boats lying to summer moorings. There is water for three hours either side of high tide. It was a beautiful, still evening. Hilbre is a lovely place to spend time, spotting birds and seals, and enjoying the views across to Wales.

The wind got up in the night, though. Graham had a disturbed night sliding around on his bilge boards. At dawn he bravely set sail, then thought better of it and motored back at full throttle against the ebb and the wind, getting very wet. He pulled out, changed into dry clothes and made a hot brew on the beach. At around the same time, I crawled out of my tent to feel the teeth of the wind, decided it wasn’t for me and got back into my sleeping bag and slept until 8am.

The forecast gave no hope for improvement. Graham left for home, and I decided to return to my mooring on the afternoon tide. The wind had dropped a bit by then but I set my storm canvas just in case — that is, a diminutive little jib as foresail, and my Lark jib set loose-footed as a main, laced to the mast (this seems to work quite well as the sheeting angle happens to be about right). I enjoyed a pleasant reach home keeping to the shallows round the outside of the bank. John Hughes