COMMENT Welcome once again to our newsletter, which, thanks to some of our members' contributions has turned out to be quite a ‘bumper bundle'. Thank you to all of them. This edition has a rather retrospective flavour. Do you recognise the boat on the cover? The cover is that of a newsletter from the 1970's and of course the boat is Eider Duck, which is still with us.

After January, proving to have been one of the warmest for some years, we are already seeing some signs of spring. Have you seen the winter copy of Sefton's Coastlines magazine? It is free and full of information with a colourful selection of bird pictures and an excellent pull out pocket guide for identification. Get it from your local library. Amidst the bird pictures you will find a rubber duck. Some of our members found these on the shore; we have two in our garden. They have been found as far away as Alaska and Iceland. If you would like more information about them there is a piece in the magazine and also a hint to try using ‘rubber ducks and ocean currents' in a web search engine.

Boat owners; watch out for a letter concerning rubbish in the yard and around the boats. It does present something of an eyesore on entering the yard. Take your rubbish home or to the Council tip is the answer. Personal responsibility should be the norm as it should be also with the people who do not clean up after their dogs, as reported last month. News from the Hightown Parish Council is that after visits to Hightown by the Dog Warden, three dog owners will be prosecuted. Mark's ‘polite notice' on the gate to the Clubhouse, to the people who deposit their dog bags on the ground, railings or roof is worth reading.

Within you will find reports of the various meetings and activities in the clubhouse. The House and Grounds Committee are to be congratulated on the work done inside the clubhouse, which is looking very well cared for. Sadly there is also is also news of the death of one of our members, David Rowles.

DAVID ROWLES

David died very suddenly and last Tuesday 1 st February. A good number of our members attended the crematorium in Allerton to say a final farewell to Dave and to offer sympathy and support to Bernie and his family. David was a keen sailing member and was for some time our Sailing Secretary. Bernie plans to remain in the marina and has promised to keep in touch with the Club. Bill Woods was a friend of Dave and Bernie and has kindly written about Dave for us.

“I first met Dave Rowles some 28 years ago when we were both members of Crosby Sailing Club. Dave was a one off with a chequered past but was one of the best. I lost touch with him for a number of years but then lo and behold he turned up at Blundellsands Sailing Club with his wife and soul mate Bernie. Our friendship was re-kindled especially when he and Bernie moved to Hightown.

Dave was an excellent dinghy sailor and had a talent for pointing a sailing boat in the right direction, this talent was very evident when he sailed his Sadler 25, Django, in BSC in races off the Alt. The Sadler 25 was named Django after the musician Django Reinhardt which gives a clue to another one of Dave's talents, music, as he was an accomplished guitarist.

Dave and I not only shared an interest in sailing but also for motorbikes. Both Bernie and Dave owned their own bikes

His life-long dream, together with Bernie, was to buy a boat big enough to live aboard and capable of sailing long distances. He and Bernie realized the dream when they bought “ ESPRIT “ and moved to Liverpool Marina to live. Fate stepped in and Dave's health took a down turn that resulted in him having major but successful heart surgery, thus delaying any plans to take on any long distance sailing. Things looked to be on the up when Dave and Bernie's daughter Hazel and her partner Ryan presented them with a second grandchild, Thomas, a brother for little Lil.

This seemed to be the time to at last realize the second part of the dream, sadly this was not to be, but Dave, you lived half the dream which is more than most people do”

Bill Woods.

COMMITTEE NOTES AND REPORTS

The General committee meeting 8 th February The Commodore opened the meeting. Apologies were received from Carole Fielding and from Trevor Meyers. Dave said that he had enjoyed a brilliant Fitting Out Dinner last weekend. In spite of the comedian not turning up all went well. The food was good and the guests were complimentary about the evening and about the refurbished clubhouse. The lack of a comedian brought out the homegrown ones, of whom we appear to have plenty. Something to think about for next time! David wished to thank all who had helped in any way and especially Stan and Mark for their organization, Dave Warren who as always obtained our wine and Trevor, Kathrine and Shirley for their hard work behind the bar over a long evening.

Dave told the House Committee that when they have completed their plans and recommendations for further work in house he will be please to give his assistance.

Dave held a vote within the committee in an attempt to change the meeting night to Wednesday. There was not enough of a majority to do so, members have other commitments.

The Vice Commodore was absent so the Hon Sailing Secretary read the Sailing Committee report.

Present: Carole Fielding, Peter Williams, Alan Roe, Phil Wright, Kieron Riley, Ian Cowell, John Heyworth, Simon Markland. Apologies: Dave Ward

W.Woods and the Commodore will carry out an inspection of the emergency mooring; April working party will carry out necessary repairs. IC has 50' of chain if required.

Carole has made arrangement for the yard plan to be drawn up. The Commodore has a device that will assist in location of buried pipes, cables etc.

Race dates for 2005 were agreed and will be posted in the new diaries. There was some difficulty in finding suitable dates for the Altmouth Cup 2006, three dates were identified as less problematic and will be taken to the kindred club meeting later in the year.

Time constraints did not allow for discussion of increased participation in club races and was deferred until next month.

Yard and Berth Master

90 meters of winch cable is to be ordered, the best price was from Cosalt, £137 + VAT.

The bottom of the concrete slip is breaking up and it is suggested that rather than carry out repairs the opportunity be taken to make improvements. There will be a further inspection and Popes invited to quote for repair, to widen and to repair the surface of the slip with a proposal going forward to the general committee. If not agreed repairs will be affected at the April working party.

All masts have been taken down in the yard.

Applications have been received for a number of vacant moorings; The General Committee allocated N18 to Peter Grocott, N 21 to Chris Harman and S10 to Martin Dooley. Successful applicants will be advised of their allocation.

A record of receipt of insurance declaration and launching is to be drawn up and placed in the clubhouse. This will be used in future to record compliance with club rules regarding insurance and increased fees if a boat is not launched during the season.

The yard is in need of tidying and a letter is to be sent to boat owners instructing them to remove all unnecessary items. If this is not done a skip will be ordered and a levy raised on all boat owners.

The repairs to Stevenson's Cross are in hand with John Newton who will complete when possible.

The Launching and dinghy slips have been cleaned by Kieron and it is now possible to see the damage. An inspection will be made to see if Tarmac will make a suitable surface. More about changes later.

THE SPRING WORKING PARTY

WILL BE HELD ON 16 TH APRIL 2005

ALL MEMBERS ARE EXPECTED TO ATTEND.

The Hon Secretary reported that he had filtered out all mail necessary or of use to the club and has posted anything of interest on to the notice board or to the relevant people.

The House and Grounds Committee will in future meet on Wednesday evenings at 8pm in the clubhouse, as agreed.

The Bar ongoing works Work is ongoing to complete the wood paneling to the front of the bar, thanks to both David Warren and John Heyworth for this.

A review of the electrics behind the bar has been carried out by George Williams and I am waiting on his formal report. What he has informed me is that there is a single ring main in existence behind the bar, which is dangerously overloaded.

The ring main not only fed the bar, but the wall sockets within the snug and the new extension area. The new extension now has its own ring main and a new separate ring main will be installed behind the bar to balance the electrical load.

Porch/Foyer Area Review . The porch area has been tidied up and the regalia cabinet put in place along with a members notice board. We will be looking at the remaining porch area itself with regard to additional storage and the front of the porch. Once we have completed our review we will present this to the General Committee.

Central Heating. We are currently in the process of obtaining quotations for the installation of some sort of fuel supply to the clubhouse. Once we have covered what we think are the options available to the club with costings and approximate running costs these will be presented to the General Committee. Quotations f or the installation of a central heating system will follow on from this, but we already have basic idea of what this will cost if an external contractor of some sort does it

Rear Exit . We have removed the original cupboard and replaced it with a built in one. Charlie Plant has kindly agreed to hang the door and Kieron has also agreed to plaster around the door, which will then be painted. David Warren has also laid some wood effect lino upon the floor, which has nicely enhanced the area.

Pictures . We have added some new charts and pictures to the clubhouse and dusted down, reframed and rehung others in order to give the clubhouse a bit more character.

Hopefully everyone is happy with what we have done.

I would like to express my thanks to John Heyworth for framing the charts and helping with the hanging of them and the pictures.

Grounds. The annual road repair working party was carried out on Sunday 23rd January at 10 am. Considering the date was well advertised within the newsletter and the clubhouse only eight club members bothered to turn up. It is my intention to monitor the condition of the road over the year and carry out interim working parties to keep on top of the road.

Polite notices have been displayed on the fence at the front of the clubhouse, requesting members of the public to take their pet's excrement bags home with them and not leave them on our property.

Social The Annual Fitting Out Supper was held on 5 th February. Thanks to Stan and Martin for all their help on the day.

We have bought a microphone for the club as raised and discussed at last months meeting. Thanks to Martin for organizing this.

Club presentation . The talk by Chris Morton in January was well supported by the membership . We have another talk scheduled for Wednesday, 23rd February by the RNLI, which will be on safety afloat at sea. The talk will be at 8.30 pm and posters will be displayed within the clubhouse.

M Meadows.

200 Club'Members Draw

Prize winners of the January draw;

1 st Prize of £30.00 - Number .185 Pat Heyworth

2 nd Prize of £20.00 - Number 157 Mr. Mike William.s

3rd Prize of £15.00- Number 103 Mrs. Audrey Bowen

The draw was carried out on Friday 26th January 2005.

The date of next scheduled draw: Friday, 25th February 2005

The Hon Treasurer gave spreadsheets for the committee to peruse. We are solvent and some subs have been paid in. However David has qualms when he hears the members talk about spending money!

He pointed out that several items are looming on the horizon.

The Hon Membership secretary reported that the subs have started to come in. There have been two resignations, one from Gordon Brown and from Robert Lathom. Stan was pleased that the Fitting Out Dinner was a good success in spite of a few setbacks. There will be an application for one change of membership from House to Full member from David Oakes.

A.O.B. There have not been any formal social event dates fixed yet but these will be published as soon as possible.

Alan Roe will deal with a Licensing form to use the Liverpool 08 logo. This will be free and will give our club some publicity all all our details will go into their handouts.

Mark Meadows is dealing with the composition of the 2005 diary. Where does he get the time?

WHO GOES THERE?

Who are you? Do you carry identification? Do you fly the flag the right way up? We know we were registered at birth and given a certificate. That is the Law. If you are legally married you are again logged and given a certificate. The records are stored in a place that is called Summer something House. We wont mention our last registration, it will also be logged.

I ask myself “Am I identified?” I am carrying in my wallet, a driving licence, a library ticket that I once lost and received a new one for £1.00. I also have a national Trust card and Merseyside pensioners free travel card with photograph. The latter is similar to the poster photos in Cowboy films “WANTED DEAD OR ALIVE”

My car key ring has two RAF identity discs with my name, number and religion on them. We were told they were fireproof and waterproof. My fingerprints are all over them! My number 970 263 shows in RAF records that I joined in 1939 when the war began and the pay book kept at home shows that I served six and a quarter years. It contains a whole page for next of kin, service record and even a free railway warrant in case they need you again. Is this enough? NO.

Sefton Council write to me each month to state how much income tax they are taking from my pension and each New Year Gordon Brown's outfit send me an income tax letter with no New Year Blessing. Hundreds of firms have identified my name, age, address and telephone number and regularly write or phone me, trying to sell cars, cameras, carpets, cycles, insurance, get rich quick money schemes and cheap holidays even as far as Antarctica!

Can one escape? YES. I'll go sailing on the Great Waters of the Mersey, but is one free? My boat has a number and insignia on the sail, which is listed in the Club Handbook with name and telephone number. It is also noted on the boat insurance and the Coastguard has a record.

Our rulers want to charge us 30 to eighty pounds for a quality identity card. In view of the Budget Deficit would it not be cheaper to send to all of us a fireproof label with full name, address and phone number and also to supply a Terylene cord with instructions how to thread it through the brass eyelet and to tie the two ends together with the infallible fisherman's knot. This type of identification was invented in September 1939 when thousands of children were evacuated from towns and cities to the country.

A happy new year to all members.

“PER ARDUA AD ASTRA”

A Latin scholar once told me that the above means: Through bolts and bars to the stars. Most of us thought it meant: By arduous ways to the stars. The writer wishes to be unidentified. Anon.

AN OCCASIONAL ALPHABET

E =ECHO

E is a horizontal blue and red code flag. MORSE is a solo DOT.

Used as a single letter it indicates, “I am altering course to starboard”

Emergency - At sea, an emergency situation is presumed to exist whenever one or more persons find themselves on any floating craft in waters whose depth makes it impossible for the shortest one of them to stand on the bottom and still have his or her head completely above water.

Engine - Sailboats are equipped with a variety of engines, but all of them work on the internal destruction principal, in which highly machined parts are rapidly converted to low-grade scrap, producing in the process energy in the form of heat, which is used to boil bilge water; vibration, which improves the muscle tome of the crew; and a small amount of rotational force, which drives the average-size sailboat at speeds approaching a furlong per fortnight.

Equator - A line circling the earth at points equidistant from both poles, which separates the oceans into the North Danger Zone and the South Danger Zone.

How to practice your sailing skills during the winter months -

1) Call your crew on Friday night, have them all meet you at your house at 7:00 am sharp tomorrow.

2) Have your friends clean your house, and haul everything from the cellar to the attic.

3) After the house is clean, everyone wraps themselves from head to toe in plastic.

4) All of you cram together in the bath. Point a large fan at the tub

and turn the shower on cold.

5) While yelling and swearing at your friends at the top of your voice, tear up £10 notes. Do this for six hours.

6) At the end of the six hours, everyone gets out of the bathtub and walks around the house, dripping wet.

7) Have all your friends clean your house again and take the stuff from the attic back to the cellar, then take them all out to the pub.

8) Invite them to come back next weekend and do it again.

How to practice your cruising skills during the winter months -

1. Sleep on a shelf in your kitchen cupboard.

2. Replace the cupboard door with a curtain .

3. Four hours after you go to sleep, have your mate whip open the curtain, shine a flashlight in your eyes, and mumble, “Your watch!”

4. Put a wall across the middle of your bath and move the showerhead down to chest level.

5. When taking showers, shut off the water while soaping.

6. If your cellar floods, during a sudden thaw, go down and start bailing.

8. Bring inside some type of petrol motor (lawn mower, garden tiller, etc.), start, and leave running while trying to listen to favorite CD, or having an in depth conversation.

9. If the wind outside is howling, race around the house to make sure

all windows and doors are secure (at night, everyone takes a turn on ‘watch').

10. Place all non-edible garbage in small plastic bags, and store in other half of the bath (edible garbage to be thrown out the window).

ii. Wake up at midnight and have a jam sandwich on stale bread. Cold canned ravioli or soup, is optional.

12. Make up your family menu a week ahead of time without looking in the pantry, fridge, or freezer.

13. Once a month, pick a major appliance, take it completely apart, and put it back together.

14. Use 18 scoops of coffee per pot, and allow it to sit for 5 to 6 hours before drinking.

15. Put a fluorescent light under the coffee table, and lay there to read a book.

16. Every so often, throw the cat in the bath and shout, “Man overboard!”

17. Run into the kitchen and sweep all the pots, pans and dishes off of the counter onto the floor, then yell at the mate for not having the place “stowed for sea”

Two, not too bright, sailors sank their boat and ended up in the life raft. After three days (one without water, two without food and three without beer) they felt something bouncing up against the raft. When they looked, they found an oil lamp. After deciding that it probably wasn't a genie, they decided to try anyway. Sure enough, out pops a genie with an attitude. “I know your types, three wishes and back in the bottle. So I will only grant you one wish and I will be gone.” The genius of the two blurts out “I want all the beer we could ever drink in a lifetime.” The genie replies “So be it” disappears and turns the entire ocean to beer. The other genius slaps his buddy upside the head and says “You idiot! Now we have to pee in the raft”

Thanks again to Simon. Ed.

Mark miller continues his reminisciences

Most people today work a five-day week. They finish on Friday afternoon and do not start again until Monday morning. A real weekend, two whole days of freedom. In theory it should be possible now to leave the Alt on the ebb on a neap tide Friday evening, sail overnight to the Menai Straits, have a day anchored at Beaumaris and sail back to arrive on the flood on the Sunday evening.

Fifty years ago such a weekend cruise was impossible because most offices and factories were open on Saturday morning and even quite senior staff were at their desks until l.00pm. I well remember going for an interview and being offered the inducement that after thirty years service I would be allowed to take every other Saturday morning off! Due to the short time available and other factors, there was in fact little weekend cruising from the Alt fifty years ago. Whether there is more now that most people enjoy a five-day week I do not know.

Of course there were far fewer boats and reliable engines were very rare. Few boats ever ventured up the Mersey. It was impossible to be clear of the Alt earlier than about two hours before High Water. Even with a fair wind progress became very slow once the ebb started. Yachts were moored at New Brighton, Egremont and Rock Ferry. With the strong tidal stream and the difficulty of getting ashore none of these places held much attraction.

Bill Rogers, sailing Mascot, and possibly one or two other racing

enthusiasts would attend the annual regattas organized by the Royal

Mersey Yacht Club and the Wallasey and West Cheshire Sailing Clubs. Apart from these occasions we seldom ventured up river.

Mostyn, on the far side of the Dee, was a popular over-night anchorage visited by boats from the Mersey as well as others from Heswall and West Kirby. In those days it was a working port and quite large coasters would be piloted up the narrow gutter to lie alongside the quays. The harbour authorities were not too keen on yachts entering the harbour so we would anchor in the pool outside and scramble ashore along the breakwater, which ran along the south side of the gutter.

It was a dreary place only redeemed by a pub, The Liverpool Arms. This was a run down establishment presided over by a landlord known as ‘Twilight' with a part-time staff of three buxom wenches lusted after by visiting yachtsmen tanked up on pints of bitter. The opening hours were somewhat elastic and I can still remember the difficulties of getting back on board in the early hours of the morning after a night of beer, songs and attempts on the barmaids virtue! Getting back to the Alt from the Mostyn Deep involved negotiating the shoals of Wild Road and then finding Welshman's Gut, a narrow channel between the Salisbury Middle and the West Hoyle Banks. Great Fun!

Hoylake Sailing Club Regatta was usually on a Saturday with High Water around 5.OOpm. Even if you could get away from the Alt really early on the tide it was not possible to reach Hoylake in time for the start. I well remember on one occasion crewing for Bill Rogers in Mascot and leaving the Alt in the dark and then entering Hoylake just as dawn was breaking. We dried out on the sand, had breakfast and then Bill went off to his office. He returned at lunchtime just before we floated. We completed the race, sailed down to Formby Pool, anchored for the night and finally picked up our mooring in the Alt early on the Sunday morning.

Although weekend cruises were rare the all-day sail was always popular. High Water Neaps every other weekend meant it was possible to leave the Alt in the morning on the ebb and return on the flood in the evening. The destination was almost always Formby Pool preceded by a sail up towards New Brighton, against the ebb, while the banks uncovered.

I should explain that in those days there was a channel, navigable to those with local knowledge, running between the Formby Bank and Taylors Bank, further offshore. We would sail down on the ebb as far as the Crosby Lightship. By then the revetment would be showing and we would sail in and anchor close up to Taylors Bank. It was possible to walk for miles on the firm sand. As the flood began maybe a nobby would motor in from fishing on the shoals further north. We were never in a hurry to leave because there would not yet be sufficient water to enter the Alt.

Maybe someone will write a short article about weekending and all-day sails from the Alt in the present day

COMMENTS AND OBSERVATIONS .

It was very disappointing that the bar was not open after the 2003 AGM. Having traveled up from Cornwall for the meeting I was looking forward to having a drink with various old friends and acquaintances. Instead everyone disappeared when the meeting closed, so, having time in hand I walked along to have a look at the entrance of the Alt.

It was near High Water and blowing fresh from the WNW. Hence the course of the river could only be followed by identifying the various perches marking the banks.

In the past the channel ran more or less parallel to the shore, through between the ‘goal-posts' and then turned seaward along the southerly groyne. Now it appeared to sweep in towards the beach and then, almost at H.W. mark, turn alongside the sewer outfall, through the ‘goal-posts' and out to sea.

Although fifty years ago we would happily beat out of the entrance under sail with no engines I would not like to attempt it now.

Maybe after a strong W. or N.W. winter gale the channel may move even further inshore to the East of the sewer and scour out its original course towards Hall Road.

It would be interesting to know which authority is responsible for the maintenance of the various groynes and whether they are aware of recent changes in the channel.

May I add to ‘the facts and figures about the I.O.M. Race' published in the November Newsletter?

In the 1935 race, due to very heavy weather, only one boat finished.

She was the ‘Kathleen' a big nobby built at Southport in 1905.

Lloyds Register gives her dimensions as 43'LOA. 35.5' LWL 11.8' Beam and 6' draught.

I remember seeing her at the start of the first I.O.M. Race after the war, l946 possibly. With black topsides and red sails in a traditional gaff cutter rig she was a fine sight. I think she eventually became a houseboat at Conway.

It will be interesting to learn whether the proposal to increase subscriptions by 10% was accepted at the 2004 AGM. Now that the clubhouse has been renovated, thanks in part at least to the generosity of some of the membership, it must be maintained in decent condition., hence the hike in subscriptions.

Without a sensible annual income the club premises will once again deteriorate. The begging bowl will circulate once more. A depressing thought.

Even after taking into account the limitations imposed by the tidal moorings and the DIY laying-up facilities sailing on the Alt is still not expensive

•  01 05.

DIARY DATES

23 rd Feb. A talk in the clubhouse by RNLI on Safety Aboard.

Northern Boat Jumbles.

20 th March and 11 th Sept. Jnct 18 off M6 Cheshire.

2 nd May Garstang Nr Preston.

19 th June Spike Island. Widnes.

16 th April The Spring Working Party

Please watch the notice boards in the clubhouse for further revelations.

Coming next month : Reports on the committees, a report about the Coastal Forum and erosion (will we continue to exist?), News about the LBSA. A contribution from Eric Wilkinson and anything else you care to submit. The last date for inclusion is the 6 th March. Many thanks.

Pat

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