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16 CRUISING REPORTS
A PAST COMMODORE’S SAILING RECOLLECTIONS
Anton Bates, former RSYC commodore, and his wife Laurie, currently RSYC Captain of Cruising, have been members of Royal Southampton since 1991. This article was originally written for the Westerly Owners Association (WOA), and in it, Anton recalls the different boats they have owned, starting with a Westerly, and their sailing experiences over the last thirty-nine years.
My wife, Laurie and I bought our first
boat in 1981 a Westerly, a Griffon II. From time immemorialWesterly has enjoyed
an enviable reputation for excellent build quality and fine sea keeping characteristics. Many of us may think we know the reasons for the marques sad manufacturing demise, but it was and is a crying shame.
Our purchase of Just Imagine I was not without its anxieties as the company was thought to be hovering on the brink of bankruptcy and not for the first time.
We were however, comforted by a bank guarantee to safeguard our investment that, fortunately, was not needed.We joined the WOA and immediately attended our first of many events, afloat and ashore.
For the first couple of years we berthed in the nearly-new marina in Brighton that also boasted a second marina, accessed by
a lock, before that marina was filled in and the land sold for the inevitable supermarket and housing development.We had two small boys at the time and, after returning from a frequently bitingly cold out-to-sea and back sail, it was a joy to warm up in the ‘under- water’ loos that were always wonderfully hot!
I recall one lovely late summer’s evening when the sun was shining, and Laurie
and the boys had left for home.As I was contemplating which tins to open for supper, a passing boater asked whether I would like some fresh scallops. Of course, I said “yes” but having no idea how to cook them, got on the radio with an ‘all ships’ call to Brighton Marina.Within seconds the airwaves lit up with recipe suggestions! I opted for the simplest - a hot frying pan,