S.O.I.A. Anglia Group newsletter - April 2005

HOLA

I’m writing this on a day when we’ve had a family get-together and the whole Letzer clan has been sprawled on the grass in the warm sunshine, children discarding shoes and running around barefoot. Very nice, but odd at this time of year. Not to worry, it will probably be snowing by the time you get this. Brian and I are just back from a trip to Lancashire, which included three days on Avocet. After airing the boat and putting some temporary but necessary patches on some spongy areas of deck (Oh dear!) we sailed north across Morcambe Bay in a stiff north-easterly. We spent a windy night bouncing around on a mooring in the Walney channel (spring tides rushing under us) then had a cracking sail back to Fleetwood in a force four easterly. We only needed the engine to get back into our berth! Now Brian is preparing our Silhouette Sula for the first Angia Group meeting. She is getting a renovated mast and some new wiring, and an interior paint job from me if I can fit it in, or fit me in it more like.

The family disease for collecting boats is spreading – Brian’s brother has adopted another homeless Silhouette…. It was on the SOIA website and looked as though it came with a mooring on Windermere where Graham sails so we alerted him; here is the result:

 

“Thanks for the tip off, I am now the proud? owner of a tatty S3 being transferred from the previous owners mooring to a SOIA owners mooring on Sat. Will sort out the rest when I get back from hols. It has a S/S pulpit, sails 2 anchors tender and 4.5 HP Yamaha outboard not sure yet of the condition of any of it though.

Regards,   Graham”.

 

Also on the subject of boats for sale, this came from Mike Atkins:

 

“I often look through the boats for sale on ebay. There are quite often “projects” advertised which start at a very low amount and have no reserve. Normally, even the worst looking wreck will sell if the price is low enough and I have wondered who actually buys them. Well, today I noticed that someone had put the following rather sad message on the www.soia.org.uk forum:

 

Subject: Anyone want a FREE Boat? 

I recently bought an old boat that we think is a Caprice (relative to the SILHOUETTE?). It is sitting just outside of York and needs a lot of work doing to it. It has no trailer, mast or sails.
It is currently in the water, tied to a tree on private land and needs to be moved asap. If you are in a position to move it off this week or next please reply here with an email address and I will contact you with more info.

PS: I haven't actually seen the boat as I bought it on impulse on Ebay and it is too far away for me to take on as a project right now.

 

It’s the part about being tied to a tree that is the saddest bit. Just imagine the poor thing. Go on. Tell Brian. I dare you. 

 

Talking of the SOIA website, I wonder if it is worth telling people that the Anglia group newsletters and logs are posted there (sometimes after a bit of a delay when I’m busy). Just go to www.soia.org.uk, click on the “group news” link and then on “Anglia”. It’s not going to win any prizes for web design, but I think it’s a useful place to put links to other relevant information. Well, it’s useful to me anyway. 

If anyone knows of any other links it is worth adding, contact me and I’ll see what I can do.”

 

And from me, a big Thankyou to Mike for making the Anglia Group page of the website such a useful resource. Check it out, cybersailors. Oh, and Brian resisted, as it was a Caprice and not a Silhouette!

 

From jet-setter Howard Orram:  

“Got to be at Heathrow 09:00 on 13th March so probably have to miss March meeting. Likewise Spring cruise - we're doing a flotilla in the Ionian for 2 weeks starting May1st (on a Jag27) - which will leave too little time to get organized for Morbihan.  Why does it have to be so complicated......
Have got my new roller reefing - just need to measure up for a new genoa. Looks like Brightlingsea will be first opportunity to try it all out.  Regards, Howard.”

 

From Bryan Simpson:

“Speaking of Miss Macarthur (to who all praise be given) I thought the enclosed might raise a faint chuckle. This is a copy of a genuine email sent to B&Q Head Office.

 

Date: Thu, 10 Feb 2005  15:21:25 +0000

Dear Sir /Madam 

My congratulations to you on getting a yacht to leave the UK on 28th November 2004, sail 27,354 miles around the world and arrive back 72 days later. Could you please let me know when the kitchen I ordered 96 days ago will be arriving from your warehouse 13 miles away?                                          Yours sincerely,  John Smith”

 

 

IMPORTANT DATES…..

 

Sailing Dates

Anglia Group Spring cruise – 29th April to 2nd May. Current plan is to launch at Levington on the Orwell and cruise up the Deben to Woodbridge. High water Friday 29th – 1600 BST

Morbihan Cruise - provisionally 27th May to 7th June or thereabouts. Contact Tony Eden

Rutland International Paints Rally – now 11th – 12th June, East Midlands Group.

Brightlingsea Weekend – 9th to 10th July. Some people cruising whole of preceding week.

Plymouth Rally Cruise – Monday 15th & Tuesday 16th August.

Plymouth National Rally – Wednesday 17th – Friday 19th August.

Broads Cruise – Probably third weekend in September.

 

Boat Jumbles

Saturday 21st May, Suffolk Boat Jumble, Foxall Stadium, Ipswich.

 

LAST MEETING was a select band of The Faithful, as some people were ill with men’s problems (Mike), and some couldn’t make it (us), but I believe the old Hell’s Angels among them were comparing scars from their motor-cycle accidents of yore. Pity we missed that!

 

Next Meeting: Saturday 9th April, Orwell Yacht Club, Wherstead Rd, Ipswich, 8pm.

 

Enclosed: The penultimate episode of Avocet’s summer cruise.

 

Last Gasp: Brian has just said he would like to do a night-time cruise in company. Any takers?

 

Best wishes

 

Elizabeth Letzer,  April 2005