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Grand Launch of Kingfisher

At 1130 hours, Our Chair Mike Nelson gathered everyone around Kingfisher, which was smartly adorned with bunting for the occasion. A special plaque, acknowledging KCC’s invaluable role in her purchase, was placed on her bows.

Bewl Valley Sailing Club Commodore Crispin Farrant, resplendent in a colourful garland, gave the vessel his blessing with a wish for happy sailing and fair winds. Simon Kendall-Hume Chairman of Kent Attractions LLP and owner of Bewl Water (without garland but sporting a rather fine yellow rose in his buttonhole) then cracked open the champagne and wet Kingfisher’s bows. Finally, Mike Nelson called for ‘Three Cheers for Kingfisher!’ It may have been the excitement of the occasion, or it may have been the effect of the champagne, but somehow the three cheers turned into five, or was it six?

Lunch for the day was enhanced by a tray of Kingfisher cakes, specially baked by MOB Honorary President Jennie Humm. Yes, a plate of cheesy chips followed by chocolate cake and a bottle of Old Speckled Hen is your typical MOB member’s idea of a light lunch.

Eventually, Kingfisher, skippered by Roy Butcher, crewed by Wendy Rackham also onboard were friends Jacqui and Martin, they set off on a course towards Bewl Straight on her maiden voyage. She made another trip with visitors Chris, Hilary and their son Peter from the Boat Show, before returning to shore in the late afternoon.

Many thanks to all the members who helped make Kingfisher’s launch a really special occasion. We all look forward to sailing Kingfisher for many years to come!

Over the Winter

During this last winter it wasn’t all hands on deck down the turkey sheds. The usual home where the boats are stored and where our members under the direction of our bosun carry out the essential annual maintenance, normally between Christmas and March about March time, was strangely quiet. The reason for this was that the three challenger trimaran’s were taken off to White Formula in Brightlingsea, Essex for a complete overhaul and for the two single hander’s to be upgraded to a racing standard.

Although much sanding, varnishing, fibreglass and gel coat repairs, oiling and polishing was not taking place during these dark, cold and wet months, it was not a case of the Committee going into hibernation. Long awaited decisions had been made and after 5 years of debate and deliberation we had finally got round to deciding on what new boat we should have to replace our Drascombe Lugger ‘Shearwater’.

There was only one problem, we did not have enough money in the bank and so it was our chairman Mike Nelson who set about seeking funding. The first stage of the plan involved contacting Paul Panton at the Kent County Council’s Kent, Sport & Olympics to see if MOB might be eligible to applying for a grant from Kent County Council Community Fund .

With the support of Committee member Malcolm Barth all the necessary details about MOB were gathered together and an application was completed and submitted.

After a relatively short wait the great news came through - we had been successful and we had been awarded around £8,000.00. This meant that Mike and Malcolm could stop worrying about the provisional order for a new Drascombe Lugger that they had placed with Churchouse Boats at the Southampton Boat show back in September 2009. All went to plan, the boat was built and we took delivery of ‘Kingfisher’ with her shiny dark green hull, lovely crisp sails, bright brass fittings and smooth iroka thwarts and rubbing strips, towards the end of March.

Her name, suggested by Wendy Rackham, had been agreed, and so on 24th April 2010 Kingfisher took to the water for her first ‘sea trials’.

But this was not the end of winter work as Richard Hayden had spotted a very competitively priced Laser Stratos Keel that was being sold by a member of BVSC . It was certainly one of the types of boat that had been considered as being suitable for many MOB members and although we had a new Lugger on the way and dear old Shearwater had not been sold, it was too good an opportunity to be missed. Mark our Treasurer had to be persuaded that it would be a good to take the risk despite the fact that it meant that the coffers would be bare, but he eventually agreed and so ‘Stampede’ joined the MOB fleet as our final addition.

Quite a few bits on the boat were missing or had been adapted by the previous owner and so it was decided to spend some of the money from the sale of Shearwater on her and get her back to her original specification. As they say work is still in progress but hopefully she will be ready for general use by the end of July.

MOB COMMITTEE 2010

Jennie Humm

HON PRES

Mike Nelson

CHAIR

Vacant

VICE CHAIR

Mark Cromey

TREASURER

Malcolm Barth

SECRETARY

Lee Davies

MEMBERSHIP SEC

Margaret Morrison

SAILING MEMBER

Mick Mitchell

SAILING MEMBER

Roy Apps

SAILING MEMBER

John Dennis

SAILING MEMBER

MOB DIARY DATES 2010

(in addition to normal Saturday sailing) Dates are subject to change and should be confirmed with a committee member

05th February

AGM - Bewl Water Outdoor Centre

Unless otherwise stated, all contents of this News page are the personal opinion of the Editor and not in anyway official MOB statements.