Budding writers needed

[Captain_Pugwash]

Sorry, should have added a link. Please excuse me, I'm not a silver surfer, just silver. If you wish to view the topic, google 'British Moth dinghy 326' and it should be the second entry - 'Recommissioning 326'.

[Rupert]

Great that you've found your way the the cvrda.

I've been following your restoration thread, with all its successes, setbacks and bad backs - an excellent read.

[Captain_Pugwash]

Thank you Rupert. I think you forgot to mention controversial! I've actually been a member here since I bought the Moth but it's only now that I felt I could add a comment or two. As you know, I have a Merlin Rocket, 1200, which I recently purchased having fallen in love with it. Only having taken off the rose tinted spectacles do I start to see the problems. I think I will have to replace the transom and a couple of foot of the hog plus, of course a re-deck. I'm happy to write a thread here if you think people will be interested. Can we upload photos as per the BMBA? I always reduce the size of my uploads using 'paint' - takes up less space and time I think. Anyway, was it Darwin who theorised that eventually people of like minds will find a way to congregate in order to perpetuate their ways and ideals? I think he also said something about a room of monkeys typing Shakespeare but that's another thread!

[roger]

This is the sort of thing that a link on the front page could spice up the front page and make it more interesting. Many of us skip straight to the forum but it is our "shop window" and could do with added interest.

[sjgrobbins]

Hi Rupert - Johnny here
Firstly; I sail a relatively old Fireball

Wow, is 14017 a relatively old fireball? I thought if I bought a brand new one today it would be 15xxx or thereabouts I have just got Roger on this forum to take 341 from my dad which dates from about 1965. Even if we were up to 16xxx in 50 years that would suggest only about 320 per year and 14017 only being a few years old, or are the numbers skewed significantly towards the early years? Please excuse my ignorance, I'm just interested, that's all. I know they are still being built, just a bit surprised at how few these days if the average is 320 a year and 14xxx is considered old.

[JimC]

just a bit surprised at how few these days if the average is 320 a year and 14xxx is considered old.

150 in the last five years according to the ISAF report. Thing is, as epoxy/foam sandwich/high quality fibre boats have a top level competitive lifespan around 3-5 times that of ply and about 10 times better than polyester/glass/no core, the inevitable result of an improvement in construction is a decrease in the number of boats being built...
Looking at worlds results current boats are 150xxx and 140xxx is circa '89.

[Captain_Pugwash]

Just a quicky! I've added a new topic in the restoration section regarding my Merlin. I also notice that Rupert has just added a comment to a topic on varnish. Neither of these topics appear when one clicks on 'View active topics'. These means that the forum is quite difficult to use in that it is easy to miss genuine active topics both from the point of replying or simply reading. Could the 'View active topics' include all sections and all genuine active topics?

[Pat]

Hmm I've never used view active topics before. I always go for the board index and work my way up through the sections with new posts. And yes your two appear there.
Since it is someone else's software I doubt if we can fix it.

[neil]

OK, I have just reinitialised the 'view active topics' settings for the forum. Have to wait and see if the topics become active.

This will hopefully display topics that are less than 7 days old from now on - I'll keep an eye on things to see if this works.

However if you want to see what's new just click on the 'View new posts' - this is the easiest way to see what's new since your last visit.

[Captain_Pugwash]

Thanks Neil. I must admit to being a newcomer to the forum so please excuse my lack of experience in navigating. Hope it all works OK!

[alan watson]

Hi Everyone,

I too am a newcomer to the forum and postings. I posted comments about the need to bring all the disparate posting together in one place as a history, story, record. I hope I havent stepped on any bodies toes as its been well considered before.

I wish I was more technologically savvy because there must be an application to take the donkey work out of collecting and ordering the material already out there. I know a WIKKI and other have been suggested.

For example I met John Claridge who was responsible for the all conquering Magnum series of Moths in the 70's and 80's. He has a huge amount of material anicdotes, year books and some stunning pictures of this era. But also information and knowledge of the sailors and his competitors as well as the sailors designers and builders who came before him, many of them, the sad truth to be told, are getting on in years. This must be true of other classes too.

In short having been inspired by a load of dinghy chat and history I am more conscious than ever of the need to bring this stuff together and preserve it before, as has been said before, its all lost. I am very happy to help in any way but really am not at all sure how to start.

Cheers
ALAN

PS LOOKING FORWARD TO TOMOROW'S CVRDA EVENT AT BALTIC WHARF

[davidh]

Alan,

I wish I was joining you all at Baltic Wharf (though not to sail.....not only does the water resemble NHS tea but the wind is almost as shifty as being at Whitefriars!). It would have been good to meet up anyway as I too have an interest in the story of ALL moths, not just the IM.

Sadly, as I said before, I don't think technology is the answer! This is a case where the belief and input from an individual is far more important than the technology - paper and pencil can stilll rule. The other big issue is getting some form of 'buy in' from the class itself and that may be harder to get than you think!

d

[SingTheNightSong]

what is wrong with excel - i'm sure there must be a conversion from that to "Wordpress" - and "excel" is so easy to use!!

[SingTheNightSong]

sorry - peter horscroft

[Rupert]

A big thanks to Tony for writing and Pat for publishing the 1st part of Toy's story of the conversion of his N18. I'm realy looking forward to seeing her complete.

Good to know people are out there, thinking outside the box!