Book recommendation

This is an extraordinary and chilling tale of a dogged determination not to die in quite unimaginable conditions, as recounted by a crew member on the disastrous 1979 Fastnet race, who was abandoned presumed dead when the rest of his crew took to the liferaft. It is an easy read told in a straightforward style. Much of it, like the fact that the boat was not an exotic space rocket but a mere half tonner not at all unlike my much loved Troy and the general crew makeup and interactions will be perfectly familiar to many. It does make you think about our current safety regs many of which of course came out of the Fastnet Inquiry and you get to read first hand accounts of both B1 and B2 knockdowns. It's been out for a while now but definitely worth a look if you haven't read it already.

Tarbert Washday

I think this was a very wet overnight? And the year is?

Icy

Another year arrives and time forcibly spent indoors has still not led to the technological revamp that Clydesailing should be getting to move on from the archaic HTML. However I hope you'll keep looking in from time to time in 2010 and do please send in anything you think would be of general interest. I hope to be out and about on Troikka in a good few events but I won't be everywhere and the site would be more interesting for everyone if more stuff were contributed.

All this icy and snowy weather does not exactly promote boat works but it does bring to mind the Icebreaker Regatta - the first IRC event of the Clyde season down off Clyde Marina. Early indications from Chris Dodgson at Ardrossan are that the format will be essentially the same as last year with the first coaching weekend on 10/11th April ie the weekend after the Easter weekend. The second weekend with the Icebreaker Regatta will be the following weekend ie 17/18th April. We can hope for some great weather as was experienced on the second weekend in 2009 as last year's event was certainly a great start to the season Also the plan is to have an IRC weigh-in on the Easter weekend. Troikka definitely hopes to be there for the weighing given all the heavy cruising iron we have built in. We'll have all the publicity here as soon as we get it.

Bloodhound

Photo-PA

Martin Latimer sends the following:

Bloodhound, pictured, will go on show in Edinburgh beside the Royal Yacht Britannia. The racing yacht, now more than 70 years old, had a major refit in recent years because she had fallen into disrepair. The Royal Yacht Britannia Trust bought Bloodhound today and is expected to unveil her to the public in April. Built in 1936 at the Camper and Nicholsons yard in Gosport, Bloodhound is said to be one of the most successful ocean-going racing yachts. She won scores of races in the south of England and crossed the Atlantic to compete in Bermuda. The Royal family bought the yacht in 1962 and Prince Philip successfully competed with her at Cowes Week. Bloodhound also accompanied Britannia in the Western Isles on Royal holidays and The Prince of Wales and The Princess Royal learned to sail on her before being sold in 1969. (I think they mean the yacht was sold not the Prince and Princess) Bloodhound competed at various points in her history until 2001 but then fell into ''considerable disrepair''. Classic yacht restorer Tony McGrail bought Bloodhound in 2003 and refurbished her over the next three-and-a-half years. Chairman of The Royal Yacht Britannia Trust, Rear Admiral Neil Rankin, said today: ''We are delighted to have acquired such an important piece of British yachting history and look forward to having Bloodhound alongside Britannia, for the public once more to see what a wonderful ocean-racing yacht she is and why she was so fondly regarded by all associated with her illustrious past.''

Any of our venerable readers have recollections of her?

5.5mR and the National Yachting Archive

Anyone recognise this? David Elliot of the British National Yachting Archive (www.bnya.org.uk) got in touch before Christmas to ask if anyone on the Clyde knew what had happened to this vessel, depicted in a photo unearthed by Marc Turner.. Unfortunately what with xmas shopping etc I forgot to post the pic and subsequently the answer has been revealed. It is this:

The Deb' was bought by Alex Duncan who found it lying in a bad way in a mud berth at Penarth, North Wales - he thought it had been advertised somewhere. Alex and Robin Taylor towed it (with difficulty) behind a Volvo 244 to Rothesay, where it was restored, painted dark green and sailed for 2-3 seasons and was chartered out occasionally. In an easterly gale in c. 1978 it broke from its moorings and was washed up on the beach and totally destroyed. So, a real shame it has been lost, but at least we now know its fate. Have attached a picture (from 1976 and the clue that led to Rothesay) so you know what we're talking about - the 5.5mR class was designed by Camper & Nicholson for the 1956 Olympics as a cheaper replacement for the 6mR and not conforming to the International Rule (which the 6mR was). 'The Deb' was the first prototype built.

The bnya.org.uk website seems to be in a fairly early stage of development but I note that there is a vacancy for a 'Clyde Rep'. There must be some old Clyde seadog who could fill that spot.

Tarbert - just to complete the retro theme

BLSS for 2010 has been launched formally by the Esteemed Commodore at the Excel Boat Show and the NOR is in circulation. However here's a Tarbert pic from Rover Series days. Anyone care to date the picture? What's the wee 3/4 rig thing in by the fishing boats?

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