January 2008 Newsletter

Bonfire Night 3rd November
We had a splendid evening with Ian MacGillivary and his Bonfire Night at his boatyard at Bitterne Park where we were treated to a delicious hog roast, washed down with real ale, whilst watching an amazing display of fireworks. Our thanks to him for inviting us all and to Mark Woodhouse for supplying the beer.

Classic Boat Museum at Newport IOW
On Saturday 15th December 33 Solent members braved the cold easterly wind and enjoyed a trip across to the 'southern' isle on board the Jenny M ferry boat from Warsash. We visited the Classic Boat Musuem at Newport where we were made very welcome and had a couple of hours to look around the museum and the workshop where they undertake the restoration projects. Jenny M afterwards took us back down the Medina to the Folly Inn where we all warmed up with a late lunch.
We were joined on the island by more local gaffers and were particularly pleased to see new members joining us for the day.

Still to come:
Splicing Day
We are now fully subscribed for this event, and look forward to welcoming those attending at Ian's boatyard, and I am sure that they will come away with lots of splicing knowledge and skills. Last minute details will be sent out nearer the time.

AGM
The 2008 Solent Area AGM has been arranged for Saturday 23 February at the Warsash Sailing Club at 6.30 and Tom Cunliffe has written this especially for the occasion:
'Whatever you do, ink this year's AGM and supper at Warsash firmly into your diary today. The President and his lady are joining us from the East Coast and we've managed to persuade Dick Durham ­ also East Coast ­ to come and make us laugh while we're digesting our victuals. Dick is perhaps best known as Yachting Monthly's Feature Editor, but to gaffers he will always be a lot more than that. Dick actually served on the last working Thames Sailing Barge with Captain Bob Roberts. He knew Maurice Griffiths well (he is his biographer) and his tales of barging, wildfowling and general shenanigans up and down the Essex Coast are very salty indeed. A real sailor always sees the funny side, and Dick is no exception. I've heard him and watched his slides.