A Winter's Tale

G

Guest

Guest
A Winter\'s Tale

As October pressed from a petrol-less knees down (a 7 day wonder) to the eternal rains that made us think that we should sail our unlicensed boats up and down the motorway car parks, so we became more and more obsessed with flying flags of convenience - One : the full yellow to indicate peeing over the side and the other, a gardeners yellow delight, a round ranunculus ring on a cloth of blue. Then we had a go at the RYA for doing nothing about Marain's RCD proposed amendment and said shove the Brussel's Sprouts of our own making onto the compost; Then we had anchor chains (ie several threads of calibrated links)... and numerous threads trying to explain why Britain isn't part of Europe. Then we've had threads trying to work out just why we of these sceptered isles are nulli secundus ... (Never did understand that ... !!!) Thank God/Allah/Jehova/GeorgeBush etc., we've had nothing about lifejackets for babies, cats and dogs !

We have had nothing over the past few months about sail shape; mast bend for flattening sails; standing rigging failure through corrosion at unlanolined swages; whether the galley ought to be starboard or port or whether the chart table should be visa-versa. We've had discussions on every else under the sun including the use of self-uncorrecting sextants; little or nothing on whether vector charts are better than raster charts, or even the pseudo-software that drives them.

Meanwhile, throughout this long wet winter YM has continued to only publish chartlets on French havens - It would be nice to have chartlets published for Schull, Port Ellen, Scavaig and Porth Solfach (They all exist - But I'll bet you can't find the last one!)

And now we're still talking anchors and having another go at the RYA .... the only thing that has changed is that it hasn't rained for 3 days.

Spring has sprung out of the dry rot. It's time for us to finish off those winter projects, (which probably haven't been started), relaunch our boats, stop typing and head for new horizons where there is real Guinness ... or for the majority to test out all those overwintered french chartlets.

Now that we're almost into a new sailing season, perhaps YM could test a few different sail boats : an Open 60 for coastal cruising; a Swan/Oyster or two for those of us who don't have two brass beans to rub together; and perhaps the best cruiser of all, a Wayfarer.

What we would all like to see is for YM to change its format, encompass the best of PBO, Sailing Today and Cruising World and reach to the giddy heights of 99,999 monthly sales to set ABC alight. It could be done.

So here a cheer to all those of you who taken part since last October. Here's to friends known and friends new met. Here's a cheer for JJ, Karl and Suzanne for being the silent referees .... Let's quietly toast us, because we post as we do as we sail as we do.

Here's a cheer to Spring and hopefully a Summer/Autumn long of good sailing to one and all.
 
G

Guest

Guest
The in-laws are really getting to you tonight, eh Nigel? - but Porth Solfach is also known as Solva I believe? *

*
 
G

Guest

Guest
Re: A Winter\'s Tale

Good on you Nige. Yes its been a long, dull winter and I've stuffed myself because I cannot get launched until April 26. Nevertheless, Scuttlebutt and contributors like your goodself have eased and are easing the pain. Your Good Health, Sir.
 
Top