Abandoned dinghies etc

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BenIOW
Posts: 12
Joined: Wed Sep 14, 2011 11:11 pm

Abandoned dinghies etc

Post by BenIOW »

Hi everyone,

This is a slightly strange wanted ad but thought that you might be the ideal people to be able to help. I'm the president of the Bournemouth University Sailing Club, we're a relatively new club and in the last 2 years have grown subtantially. This year so far we have introduced over 40 people to sailing, taught 20 people to sail and gain their RYA level 1 and started competing in our first team racing events. Currently we have been using a mix of toppers, picos and wayfarers from a local sailing centre, which, as you can imagine is not ideal for us and obviously costs us in hire fees. To progress we really need to get our own boats for training.

We are very restricted on money, the university do not fund us in any way and the Students' Union are sadly not in a position to be able to give us the sort of money needed to purchase boats at present. Because of this we are looking to see if we can rescue some boats from club graveyards. As club racing sailors ourselves we know all too well of the problem of abandoned boats at clubs and how much of a shame it is to see boats rotting away. Obviously we would collect any boats and we do have a small amount of money available to purchase such boats. We are particularly interested in Fireflies, Laser 2s, Larks and 420s; however, we would be open to other classes.

So if you think you might know of something that could be of interest to us, whether it be a laser 2 in a hedge or a school you know is selling their team racing fleet then please get in touch. I can assure you they'd be going to a great home :)

Cheers,

Ben
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Pat
Posts: 2555
Joined: Mon Sep 27, 2004 1:42 pm
Location: West Wiltshire (Wessex)

Re: Abandoned dinghies etc

Post by Pat »

I've an old but serviceable Lark you can have if it's for good use. Sound, stiff hulled, Baker made (in 1973) boat with tatty paintwork because it was painted with domestic paint a few times then pressure washed. A bit of time with sandpaper and paint would fix it. Includes old mast and boom, old sails & rudder, hasn't a spinny.
We're an hour away and could even deliver as we have family in that area.

Larks are common uni boats and the class has a great social scene and many members of around that age. They also run good training sessions.

pm me or email to pat at cvrda dot org if interested.
Obscured by clouds
Posts: 715
Joined: Mon Apr 06, 2009 3:23 pm
Location: north Wales

Re: Abandoned dinghies etc

Post by Obscured by clouds »

If you go down the Lark route there may be one up here which will need tlc as well as a good few other bits, but might make a spares boat
Tony



MR 2404 Julia Dream
N18 276 Sibrwd [ongoing project]
Hirondelle catamaran Kalipse
[down to 3!]
Rupert
Posts: 6255
Joined: Thu Sep 16, 2004 8:40 pm
Location: Cotswold Water Park

Re: Abandoned dinghies etc

Post by Rupert »

There is aso an abandoned Lark at Whitefriars on the Cotswold Water Park - if you are interested, I'll as about its status? Seems in a useable state.
Rupert
STEVERESERVE
Posts: 36
Joined: Sun Sep 19, 2010 11:16 am

Re: Abandoned dinghies etc

Post by STEVERESERVE »

Hi,
I still have the 11+ if you want a wooden project, no sails though!
Steve :D
BenIOW
Posts: 12
Joined: Wed Sep 14, 2011 11:11 pm

Re: Abandoned dinghies etc

Post by BenIOW »

Many thanks for all the responses and all your kind offers :)

Pat, the lark sounds amazing, I'll speak to the rest of the committee and get in touch with you.

Where abouts are you Obscured by clouds? If we do end up getting a few larks together we will no doubt need all the spares we can get so that boat would definitely be of interest.

The Whitefriars boat does sound good too Rupert, if you could ask about it for us it would be massively appreciated. One of our members sails at South Cerney so that could certainly be a goer.

Thanks for the offer Steve but I probably shouldn't take on another wooden project at the moment, I still have a 1955 Firefly sat on my parents lawn waiting to be finished!
Firefly 1522
Obscured by clouds
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Joined: Mon Apr 06, 2009 3:23 pm
Location: north Wales

Re: Abandoned dinghies etc

Post by Obscured by clouds »

Where abouts are you Obscured by clouds?
North Wales - a long way off, unless you want me to get out a screwdriver and start plundering
Tony



MR 2404 Julia Dream
N18 276 Sibrwd [ongoing project]
Hirondelle catamaran Kalipse
[down to 3!]
Rupert
Posts: 6255
Joined: Thu Sep 16, 2004 8:40 pm
Location: Cotswold Water Park

Re: Abandoned dinghies etc

Post by Rupert »

Looks like that if the boat hasn't been claimed by the work party day in mid march, it will be up for grabs. If that happens, I'll take it into custody for you. It has no sails, and it is possible the tanks have cracked with freeze-thaw action, but I don't know for sure.

I'll keep you posted.
Rupert
Pat
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Joined: Mon Sep 27, 2004 1:42 pm
Location: West Wiltshire (Wessex)

Re: Abandoned dinghies etc

Post by Pat »

Old Larks hold up surprisingly well. The tanks usually have polystyrene blocks inside which would help the freezing bit.
The biggest problem is too much rig tension which tries to fold them up and the best preventative is a solid bar between the mast foot and the deck immediately above, tying the two together.
I'd be glad to lose this one as there's five Larks in the garden at present :oops:
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jpa_wfsc
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Location: Oxford (Work) Coteswold Water Park (Sailing)

Re: Abandoned dinghies etc

Post by jpa_wfsc »

Rupert wrote:Looks like that if the boat hasn't been claimed by the work party day in mid march, it will be up for grabs. If that happens, I'll take it into custody for you. It has no sails, and it is possible the tanks have cracked with freeze-thaw action, but I don't know for sure.

I'll keep you posted.
I have an old Lark mainsail that could go to you with this..
j./

National 12 "Spider" 2523
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Comet Trio - something always ready to sail.
Obscured by clouds
Posts: 715
Joined: Mon Apr 06, 2009 3:23 pm
Location: north Wales

Re: Abandoned dinghies etc

Post by Obscured by clouds »

Tony



MR 2404 Julia Dream
N18 276 Sibrwd [ongoing project]
Hirondelle catamaran Kalipse
[down to 3!]
BenIOW
Posts: 12
Joined: Wed Sep 14, 2011 11:11 pm

Re: Abandoned dinghies etc

Post by BenIOW »

thanks again for all of your help guys, sorry I've taken a while to get back to you.

That sounds great about the lark Rupert, if you could let me know when you hear more that would be fantastic. :D That's very generous of you jpa_wfsc and if the Whitefriers boat isn't claimed we would certainly like to take you up on that.

I'm watching the ebay lark, not sure we have any way to get it back at the moment or anywhere to keep it if we did so we may have to let that one pass.
Firefly 1522
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