When she's not roaming the four corners of the world, Westernman is moored in the Beaulieu River. Bringing our boat into the River for the very first time, a couple of years ago, who should be following us upstream? Yes, you've guessed it.
I don't think I made many cock-ups, but he's not really the bloke you want to have astern of you when you're helming a new and unfamiliar boat. Luckily, he's moored down-river of me, so he didn't see my first effort at picking up our mooring!
His wife and daughter often crew for him, so they may have been two of the three that you saw on board. Tho' perhaps there are Cunliffe groupies?
We saw him in Yarmuff in December, also with 3 wimmin on board - and a Christmas tree at the top of the mast, but I didn't have time to grab the camera.
Where was your shot taken? Some grotty looking buildings in the background.
Yes in the same way the boat is apparently MAB etc etc (probably got tufnol blocks and all that bollox) but there's a sodding great hydraulic self steering system at the back .. now we all know if it were a a proper MAB it would'nt need that !
Well, the jeans look fairly manky and auld, from Para's photo, but perhaps closer inspection would reveal Lycra, carbon fibre and modern underwater protuberances....
Agreed that Westernman is no MAB however. My understanding is that she's a modern take on a gaffer, with all the conveniences of 21st century technology built in. Mind, his last boat (Hirta?) was auld, battered and leaky, thereby presumably ticking all the required Classic Boat boxes.
Actually I feel sorry for the man, followed him up the Beaulieu one when there was a westerly wind and he had to tack all the way up, you could see him looking round to see if anybody was looking so he could switch the engine on;-)
Me too
He must spend ages when writing his YM column trying to think up suitably sage and salty things to say. What on earth does "Tight as a bottle" mean anyway?
I'm sure Mr C will take the forum banter in good part, but I just wonder whether there is an "ethical" issue involved. Mr C is a sailor and journalist. Does that make him a "public figure", and "fair game" for privacy intrusion?
This is a public forum, and many posters (including myself) are deliberately vague about our identities, locations etc - usually because we are concerned about possible invasion of privacy, or in some cases, physical retaliation, or threats of libel.
Is it not hypocritical for us to maintain anonymity, while at the same time publicising location details of a third party (who may or may not be a member of this forum)?