In memory of Ian Wright

[Mirelle]

Ian was found next to "Patience", his perfectly maintained, wooden, gaff rigged Vertue, built for him at the IBTC, Lowestoft, on the fourth. He had suffered a disabling stroke, years before, but this certainly did not stop him sailing round Britain and Brittany singlehanded.

He was a first class seaman and a first class human being.

 

[PeterStone]

That's very sad news indeed

 

[FWB]

What has happened? I thought he had recently set off on a long trip.

 

[PeterWillis]

Very sad. He was a terrific bloke, in many senses. The name of his boat summed up his sense of humour beautifully. But at least he made his 'unorganised, disorganised' Azores trip this summer which he'd planned in protest against all the over-organised and vertue-excluding transats. I'd been meaning to ring him to find out how that went. Did any other forumites take part?

 

[Mirelle]

He completed it, and was in the process of laying up.

 

[ghostwriter]

nope ...

below is a cut& paste from that little dark corner on th'other side of the road, I'm sure they won't mind. The question was indeed if Ian went and if any others went.
true seamen know when to call it a day... seems like Ian was.

"Well I never met any one else going either,,,,,,,,,,,, fact is after a couple of false starts I made it into Biscay. 3-4 days of discomfort and a heavy fall convinced me to divert to the west of France and Ive been day sailing since. Now on the north coast in L'Aberwrack hoping to mace it -to Holland for the Hellevetsluis Classic do,,, or not.
Go on then, kick me,,,,,

IanW"

 

[Mirelle]

A sample of Ian\'s writing about this summer\'s trip...

from another place:

Sur le pontoon berth in L'Aber Wrach, a vent force 6-7 pour half an hour caused le ponton and mon bateau to bounce up and down a lot. Le bob-stay of mon bateau got fixee under le ponton cleat and to cries of "Zut Allors" and "Oh Sod it" the bobstay plate, fixed with 2 bronze bolts and 6 large screws left its place of duty as they all parted. A touch of sponge bronze sickness had a part to play,,,,,,,,,,,,
A quick haul ashore (300euro) and an hours work and all is well,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
IanW

 

[tillergirl]

Re: A sample of Ian\'s writing about this summer\'s trip...

300 euros, blimey that's a bit steep. Boulogne Naval Chantier less than 200 avec trois nuits. Bien to see le bon Franglais est alive. Encore s'il vous plait de les words (mots?) de Ian.