Dear Member,
RIVAL HEIGHT RECORD
Rivals are justly famed for their ability to handle heavy weather. However I know at least one crew who are more than happy to make progress towards their ultimate destination in the shelter of a convenient canal.R38 CALICO MARTLET has traversed a good few canals in the 25 years we have owned her. The Caledonian, the Crinan, the Keil, lots in Holland, the Gota and the Trollhatten in Sweden, and the Saimaa partly in Russia and partly in Finland come to mind.
The last three were in our 2002 itinerary and involved a climb to 91.5 metres (300 feet) between lakes Vanern and Vatern along the Gota canal. This is definitely a height record for CALICO MARTLET.
To go any higher I suspect we will have to lower the mast. How high do the French canals go? The Panama Canal’s top elevation is only 85 feet and I believe there are no locks on the Suez Canal.
ROA members Bill and Jane McLaren have been through to the Great Lakes in RB40 VAGRANT of CLYDE and the St Lawrence Seaway rises to 600 ft. But Vagrant is a Rival Bowman. Have any Rivals been along that route? Surely some of our transatlantic members have been into the Great Lakes. How high are they? And are there any higher canals that one can go through or just into and out again?
Bill and Jane intend to truck VAGRANT to the Pacific Coast. How high will she be when crossing the Rockies?
We will continue to use canals despite the accumulative damage to the topsides. A great deal depends on the type and operation of the locks and the crosswinds at the time. I’m glad to say that both the Trollhatten and the Saimaa Canals were superb with floating bollards and the water diffusing through the bottom. The Gota Canal on the other hand was very rough, especially on the way up to Lake Vattern. That was almost on a par with Crinan Canal, which to my mind is the pits. Very expensive for the doubtful privilege of having to work the manual locks oneself - hard work for just two crew! But it does enable one to get to the Clyde from the West Coast, or vice versa, in adverse weather.
NEW MEMBERS
The Association welcomes the following new Members.
Mike Smith and Anne Weston R34 BLUE DOVE OF RYE Rye
Charles and Jan Nicolay R32 SKYWAVE Emsworth
Jim & Janet Mosedale R34 VANE JANE Falmouth
Tim Faunce-Brown R32 BIRD Brighton
2003 SUBSCRIPTIONS
Those members who do not pay their £15 subscriptions by standing order are reminded that they are due on 1st January 2003. They are payable to The Hon. Treas. Marjory Selby whose address is at the top of this letter.
RAMPART YACHTS Ltd
Rampart Yachts Ltd is located at Ocean Quay in Southampton, in the premises formerly occupied by Rival Bowman. The company is managed by Martin French, who was with Rival Bowman, as were most of Rampart’s employees.
The company offers a general repair and refit service and also builds the Starlight 46 for Rustler Yachts, who acquired the Bowman and Starlight moulds after Rival Bowman’s demise. Rampart also holds the drawings and build files for the Rivals 34 to 41 and so is able to offer a specialized refit and maintenance service for Rival yachts, based on this original data.
Rampart wish to build a relationship with the ROA and in particular offers a discount to members of around 10% on the cost of labour, crainage and storage ashore.
Contact details are:-
Rampart Yachts Ltd Tele: 02380 234777
Ocean Quay Marina Fax: 02380 237444
Belvidere rd Mob: 07850 172080
Northam Email: rampartyachts#hotmail.com
Southampton SO14 5QY Web site: www.rampartyachts.com
Many thanks to Michael Smith for pursuing this subject and obtaining the concession.
NEWS FROM THE AREA GROUPS
WEST COUNTRY - MICHAEL SMITH (01684 772128, mike#msmthassociates.co.uk)
Mike had to postpone the Autumn Meet at Salcombe, but it proved worthwhile as it enabled double the number of people to attend. At the dinner in the Salcombe Yacht Club there were 18 souls representing nine Rivals, and the conversation was reported to be as lively as ever. Unfortunately the pontoon gathering was thin due to the weather forecast and other problems. The intrepid trio who did make it were trapped in the harbour by a southeasterly gale that came in on the Sunday morning. They eventually escaped the following Saturday, which gave the excuse for a second celebratory dinner at a Plymouth restaurant.
During the Dinner it was decided that Fowey would be the venue for the 2003 West Country Spring Meet in early May – Precise date to be fixed later.
SOUTH COAST - BARRY THUNDER (01793 826697) mail#barrythunder.freeserve.co.uk
The South Coast laying up Supper was held at the Landers restaurant at Haslar Marina and 37 Members and friends attended. Barry had organised a table-based quiz and that, together with the good food and wine, brought together new members and old in some animated discussions.
It was very nice to see so many new members attending who were able to meet old hands and discuss their cruising plans.
Bookings for the evening via the web site proved to be successful and will become a feature for all future events on the South Coast. (However for those without the Internet events will continue to be advertised in the Newsletter.)
Barry and Alison thank all who made the effort to attend and they look forward to a high attendance at the Folly Meet in May 2003.
WHAT’S GOING ON IN THE WEB SITE?
To date we have over three thousand “hits” on the site which shows a good deal of interest.
Some area groups are beginning to use the site as the major means of communicating with their local members including down-loaded application forms for Meets etc. We have also had four application forms for ROA membership that have come from the site.
The Forum has got off to a slow start, with the technical section leading the field. The photographs on the other hand show some splendid pictures of all types. Three sequences in particular caught my eye, Wayne Stokes’ before and after make-over of R32 SECRET ARRIVAL’s galley, how Andrew Gardener overcame crazing on R32 St BRGID’s topsides, and pictures of Gerard van Dijk’s R38 MERMAID going well under spinnaker. There is also a detailed account of RB 40 ARETHUSA’s (John Duff) cruise to the West Coast of Norway.
THE PRESIDENT and OFFICERS of THE RIVAL OWNERS ASSOCIATION
Request the pleasure of your company at the ANNUAL DINNER to be held as usual at the EAST INDIA CLUB in the CANADIAN ROOM, on Friday 10th January 2003 at 1900 for 1930.
Tickets (including table wine) are £22 for each member and one partner. Additional guests £27 each. Dress - Jacket and tie/ Skirt.
Please return the reply slip to the President by Monday 6th January 2003, which is the final cut-off date for diners.
Last year we had to turn away Members so please book early.
ROA 2003 AGM Annual dinner booking form.doc