Like Father Like

During our annual visit to the Southampton Boat Show last September we had a look around the RS stand. Our own RS200 last saw the water during Youth Week 2018 and has never been the same since. It doesn’t bounce quite like a Topper so is currently in need of some overdue TLC. While I cast an eye over the latest offerings including the exciting RS 21, my wife started chatting to the boys from RS. Ros mostly sails her Laser with the Ladies Fleet on Thursdays. However, the Aero caught her eye as a more sporty alternative to the venerable Laser. In no time at all arrangements were made for an Aero test day at Parkstone, and on Sunday 10th November three gleaming test boats arrived on the slipway along with a selection of rig options of 5, 7 and 9 square metres. Pre booked sailing slots commenced from 10:00 in half hour intervals, ending around 14:00. A patrol boat was on hand at all times to provide assistance if needed: however, the crew’s main job was to persuade enthusiastic helms to return to shore when their time was up. Weather conditions were near perfect for the time of year - bright sunshine for the most part with a gusty northerly breeze sending the Aeros briskly across Parkstone Bay. A broad cross section of the membership took part including youth sailors and more experienced folk from other fleets including the 200s, 400s, Lasers, and the Ladies, not forgetting one keen Rusty Rudder. The gusty conditions may have caused a few swimming incidents but you would have to ask our Vice Commodore for his opinion on that. George Purchon from RS was on hand all day to provide advice, assist with speedy rig changes and answer questions. I think it’s fair to say everyone found the Aero to be responsive, rewarding and uncomplicated. Sail controls being close at hand made rig adjustment straightforward requiring little effort. It was easy to imagine the boat being tremendous fun in a wide range of conditions for a broad spectrum of abilities.

SIMON COX RS AERO TEST DAY

LIKE FATHER LIKE SON - ALBACORE WORLD CHAMPIONS

1973 Albacore International Championship

The year was 1973, the location was Portsmouth, when 36 year old John Herbert won the Albacore World Championship with crew Ray Blake. Forty six years later, John's son, Neville, aged 49, goes on to win the very same cup in Nova Scotia, Canada, with his crew, Mark Fowler. John, a member of Parkstone Yacht Club, as well as Poole and Royal Motor Yacht Clubs, proudly points to his name on the cup, with Neville's on the other side. Neville, a former member of Parkstone, who belongs to Royal Lymington Yacht Club, now takes over the mantle as World Champion. What an amazing achievement by

all concerned and one wonders if any other Father/Son, or Mother/Daughter duo has ever done the same in a sport. Congratulations to my Father, my Brother and their crews. Perhaps Neville's son, 3 year old Teddy, will continue the family tradition? Time will tell.

ANNA JAMES (NEE HERBERT) Teddy, will continue the family tradition? Time will tell.

Shortly after publication of the 2019 Golden Dolphin, Derek Patrick, now over 90 years old, one of the crew on the Bloodhound voyage, got in touch with the Club. I visited him in his home and this is what he remembers: I have been a member of the Club for sixty five years, though not always a keen sailor, as I played hockey and tennis as well. My first sea voyage was fishing for mackerel at 10 years old, followed by sailing on Poole Park Lake with Canford School. I often crewed for John Russell (Lester and Russell Solicitors) as my father knew Mr Lester who was President of the local lawn tennis club. I sailed a Fairey Marine Swordfish, 15ft long, Bermudan rig with a spinnaker, in the B Class in the 1950s before becoming a joint owner of Merlin Rocket Pea Green with Roger Priestley. After crewing on Zillah with the Maddox family, I joined Russell Anstey on his yacht as navigator and tactician. We regularly entered the Fastnet Race, winning Class 3 one year. Russell bid for the opportunity to sail on Bloodhound. We were in yellow oilskins, had to wear bulky lifejackets when forward and we survived on tinned food, bacon and eggs. There were times we were rolling so much the cooker barely stayed in its gimbals. Conditions were rough, particularly off Portland Bill; it did not deter them hoisting a spinnaker which sadly split whilst off Hengistbury Head when Derek was trimming. ‘What shall we do now?’ The reply was, ‘put up another one!’ I think the course was east to Nab, south round the back of the Isle of Wight to CH1, to Lyme Bay buoy and finish. In those days, getting the smallest cocked hat whilst navigating using a BB loop was the challenge. It took us a while to realise we had won the race. I have served on the committee of Parkstone, was secretary of PYRA, often working out corrected times from results late into Sunday night. Later I became secretary of PYA, spending much time debating where to position buoys and moorings. I sailed XOD72 Venus, for forty years; the man to beat Willy McNeill! Sadly I have ceased sailing but I still actively pursue a number of country sports. Russell Anstey's yacht 1963, we think Camelot of Wessex

MONDAY NIGHT QUIZ

Who am I? Richard Drew! Is the sound that can be heard on a Monday night once the nights draw in. Richard is the Question Master and organiser of one of Parkstone’s most successful social events and it only costs £1 to enter. Up to ninety people compete in teams or should I say fleets of up to six. These include Dolphins, Shrimpers and Lasers, Sailability, as well as social teams including the office staff. The season kicks off with the Commodore’s Charity Quiz, which raised an amazing £793 this year and total of £1150 in the previous two years. The quiz commences with a picture round which can be anything, and I mean anything from dingbats to fiendish photographs. Magnifying glasses can be useful! Up for grabs are six mini bottles of wine. The main event involves fifty general knowledge questions, including the now infamous ‘who am I’? an anagram and ‘name the year’. The winning team takes the ‘entry pot’ but is then issued a handicap point. By the end of the year most teams will have a chance for glory on ‘corrected scores’. After the main event there is a rollover or ‘ritual humiliation’, where an individual is called up for a chance to win up to £150. All you must do is answer a random question in front of everyone - no shame in getting it wrong, most people do! And finally, every participant has a chance to win a free drink from the bar with their raffle ticket, much to the chagrin of former Bar Steward and House Manager Stephen Housley. Stephen estimated, just before he left this year, that the bar takings since the start of the quiz some fourteen years ago, was then nearly £100,000! Not bad for a Monday night’s work during the winter! If you fancy working up a mental sweat in great company come on down at 20:00 for 20:30 on a Monday evening.

AWARDS CEREMONY

Sailing Photo Awards 2019

Vice Commodore, Gary Wakefield presented prizes to the winners who captured the outstanding moments in six categories from the past season.

Best Sailing Photo by John Linford Donald Macdonald Sailor of the Year

David Elliott winner Funniest Moment

Best Picture of the Year • Sailing photo: John Linford’s photo taken during Poole Week of Flying 15s with the north shore of Poole and the clubhouse visible in the background. • Social photo: Peter Burden sporting a fetching red dress complete with dark ringlet wig which set his beard off a treat! • Epitome of the Club photo: smiling Topper sailor Isabel Brewer in the foreground whilst a rescue is taking place behind her by her young peers. Funniest Moment: a video depicts the Elliott triplets’ Dad, David, giving them a lesson on port and starboard which resulted in a comical arm raising exercise. The three perplexed faces relaxed when stickers were used to distinguish left and right. Class Captain Award: Ladies Fleet Sheila Burton, best described by a fleet member - “Sheila has enthusiastically led and motivated the Ladies Fleet and organised an entire team of instructors to produce a fleet of about fifty people, sailing at all levels. Other Class Captains do not have to deal with such a mixed ability class, ranging from complete beginners to experienced sailors.”