Page 85 - It's a Rum Life Book 3 "Ivy House Tales 1970 to 1984"

My next sensation was being brought swiftly to full wakefulness after attempting a turnover
manoeuvre. There was a sharp clunk and I found myself revolving through 100 degrees
and ending up locked securely inside the berth facing the inside of the boat’s hull.
I could not move a muscle, I realised what it must have been like to be fastened into a
“straight jacket”. I was pinioned well and truly within a small dark space, the only thing that
could move was my mouth and that muffled by bedding and the interior of the boat hull.

Banging with arms, hand and feet or legs was impossible, how was I to make my
predicament known to my family and friends?
It was afterwards that I set to thinking, had that little bolt that secures the bunk been
moved by hands unseen? Had I been sabotaged?

Then I realised there was a great deal of noise not far away.
Keith had disappeared, had he gone for an early morning swim? Most unlike him! A walk
perhaps? Also unlikely! The boat was not large, were could he be?

It took them what seemed a lifetime to look in the bed, or rather behind it and of course
with me actually in it, the whole thing was doubly heavy and difficult to shift.... and release
me...and I had not even had my sugar puffs yet!

…..........VESTA HAS A BABY ….or two!
The boatyard where we had bought Vest obviously thought we were keen on wooden
boats and offered us two wooden 'clinker built' rowing boats.

The price was reasonable and both boats were in good 'fettle' except for paintwork...so we
bought them both. The first was about 12 feet long and too large to be carried by Vesta as
a tender, the second though was ideal, except it was heavy.

Not to be perturbed I asked our neighbours Rundles the engineers to make a pair of
'davits' for me to fit on the stern of Vesta to carry the new addition!

Duly painted up, the smaller
wooden boat looked fine and was
ideal to allow us to get to the shore
when at anchor.

The second boat was taken over
by daughter Helen and dalmatian
dog Dinan for frequent boating
trips up and down the 'basin' at the
bottom of our garden.

At various times, our neighbours
also enjoyed a short excursion.

Picture right:
Vesta and “davits” with dinghy
installed.

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