Posts by YLvRhFmTll
January 2016 – AGM
Formal business was quickly concluded. Retiring officers Duncan Wheatley , Chris Adams, Barnaby Scott, Hugh Woodsend and Roger Backhaus were re-elected unopposed. Officers Frances Miller and Phil Levermore are mid-term and continue in post. The financial position is healthy with a small but growing surplus. Membership continues to grow, slowly, and stands at 77 – new members…
Read MoreDecember 2015 – Christmas get-together
We gathered in the new Terrace Room at the Cotswold Club – a good space, nicely decorated for the event – for our celebratory meal. Hugh Woodsend showed and talked us though a summary of the 2015 talks and events, reminding us of how interesting and diverse these were, and we saw the entries for the annual photo competition,…
Read MoreNovember 2015 – Bob Bradfield
Charting the Wild West Bob Bradfield has been a member of the Royal Institute of Navigation for 35 years and made his first chart in Paradise Harbour, Antarctica. After retirement Bob headed out to the Antarctic and to the Arctic, getting to within 600 miles of the North Pole, and in 2008 he sailed round…
Read MoreOctober 2015 – Mike Golding
Extreme Yacht Racing With Mike Golding, whom we welcomed to our October meeting, we continue to attract some of the biggest names in yachting. Mike is one of the world’s most successful offshore racing sailors, with 250,000 racing miles under his belt. He’s crossed the Equator 25 times and rounded Cape Horn six times. He’s…
Read MoreSeptember 2015 – Phil Shayler
Pilotage on the Thames Phil Shayler opened our 2015/2016 dinner and talk programme with Pilotage on the Thames. Phil is a working pilot, a pilot trainer and examiner, and a port controller, and knows his stuff. He’s been a pilot for 24 years and the enthusiasm he still has for the work shone brightly through.…
Read MoreSummer 2015 – BBQ
Weather was unusually wet in Northern Europe where many of us sail, so more of us were around this summer. The summer BBQ, generously hosted by Hugh and Annie Woodsend, drew in an unexpectedly large crowd. It took an enormous amount of organising and preparatory work, so on the night it was relaxed and convivial. Thanks Hugh, Annie…
Read MoreJune 2015 – Barnaby Scott
A visit to Waywood in Chadlington In June Rear Commodore Barnaby Scott welcomed us to his design studio, furniture workshop and showroom in Chadlington, where, in a corner beside his Computer Numerical Control (CNC) routing machine, lies his 30 foot yacht in build. Barnaby has carefully thought through and defined the kind of boat he…
Read MoreMay 2015 – Chris Adams
Sailing the Bohuslän coast of Western Sweden Vice Commodore Chris Adams took the floor for our May meeting, and gave us a lavishly illustrated talk on sailing the Bohuslän coast of Western Sweden. Chris is, would you believe, almost as enthusiastic about these waters as he is about his home waters of Scotland. He got…
Read MoreApril 2015 – Sticky Stapylton
Sticky ends the Cold War April’s speaker was Sticky Stapylton, a trainer and teacher certified to teach practically everything in the sailor’s repertoire up to Yachtmaster Instructor and Yachtmaster Ocean. Sticky rather surprised us before the meal by leaping to his feet and saying a bloodthirsty Grace, calling for the sending of doves with sharp…
Read MoreMarch 2015 – Paul Fisher
Paul Fisher has the sea in his blood. At the age of 9 he attempted to run away to sea, showing better judgement in packing sandwiches and “pop” (his term), than in his choice of vessel – which failed to depart before food and drink was exhausted. He slunk home. But before long, as a…
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