This is sad...

[bitbaltic]

Was casting my mind idly at a Coastal Skipper course this autumn and thought I'd check the price at Southern; seems they have just closed down. http://www.southern.co.uk/

Never had any connection with them but their reputation was very good. A pity and I can see the truth in the suggestion that being in the UK and tidal makes business difficult nowadays.

 

[Giblets]

Sad indeed. Was that John Goode's business?

 

[Tidewaiter2]

Yep

 

[dom]

Like you I never met these guys personally, but my dad did and he thought they were great. It is indeed sad that they've gone under as from what I hear, and from what I know secondhand, they actually taught sailing ...and well to boot.

Hope all of the employees sort themselves out.

 

[Giblets]

They certainly did teach sailing and no egos involved whatever. When I did YM Practical they were in the process of moving offices so we did all the shorebased paperwork at John's kitchen table in Swanwick.

 

[LittleSister]

When I did YM Practical they were in the process of moving offices so we did all the shorebased paperwork at John's kitchen table in Swanwick.

Very practical!

I did my Coastal Skipper with them many years ago. The course was fun, well run, and I learnt a lot.

 

[Sandy]

Perhaps he felt that it was time to do other things. I've enjoyed his training DVDs and passed him once at the LIBS.

 

[john_morris_uk]

I'm sorry to hear this news. I passed my YM with Southern over twenty five years ago and worked for them briefly.

 

[Seajet]

Yery sad news indeed, I have seen them around a lot over the years, everything I saw confirmed their ' proper sailing & seamanship ' reputation as the best, certainly since the Solent School of Yachting - similar top skippers and tough boats but maybe let down by admin - went years ago.

I do hope there are still decent Solent based alternatives to the mega corporate ' come and get a suntan ' outfits ?

BOSS ?

 

[Hacker]

Only did my DS with them 4 weeks ago.....

 

[marklucas]

Well I guess John is getting on. And yes I have had supper at his kitchen table.

But the most rewarding thing was being one of the instructors and passing on the ethos of knowledge, technique and self-reliance - sod modern gimmeckery. The boats weren't the smartest, but that meant if a student's approach to the pontoon was a little aggressive, it didn't matter. And how many schools on a 5 day course do a complete inventory and testing of everything with the students when the pub is beckoning?