Hon. Sec. David  Jones                                                Hon. Treas. Marjorie Selby

17 West Mount                                                            14 Lodge Rd.

The Mount                                                                   Maldon

Guidford. Surrey GU2 4HL                                          Essex CM9 6HW

01483 505 140                                                            01621 852516

AREA VICE PRESIDENTS

SOUTH COAST – Barry Thunder (01793 826697)  dial#barrythunder.freeserve.co.uk

EAST COAST – Eric Orme (01394 386511) ericorme#audience.co.uk

WEST COUNTRY – Michael Smith (01684 772128) michael#msmithassociates.co.uk

IRISH SEA – Ramsay Ellerton  (0151 625 6928) ramsay.ellerton#dsl.pipex.com

SCOTLAND – Les Morison (01369 703323) les.morison#lineone.net

NETHERLANDS – Wop Siedsma (0031 566157) siedsma#supermail.nl

BELGIUM – Robert Reyniers  robert.reyniers#skynet.be

NORTH AMERICA – George Martin exsearch#ComCAT.com

WEB MASTER – Andrew Gardener  webmaster#rivalowners.org.uk

Web Site www.rivalowners.org.uk

Dear Member

My attempt to give up the job of Honorary Secretary has come to nought. We had no nominations at the AGM and no volunteer for the post. Unfortunately without a Secretary the Association cannot function. The Secretary’s task is essentially to write and issue the Newsletter (not a task I enjoy as I always seem to lack copy), keep the Members’ List up to date, welcome new members and do any other odd jobs that he can’t delegate. The Treasurer does what treasurers do and chases up subs (have you paid yours?) while the President organises the ROUNDUP and its publication, and the Annual Dinner. It is an absorbing task at the centre of the Association and needs a lively "young’un". So come on!

My lack of enthusiasm for Newsletter writing does not diminish the joy I get from owning R38 CALICO MARTLET. I was therefore dismayed when I read an article by a non- member who had bought a R38 to do the Atlantic circuit. He opined that he would have been better served by a "go fast, fall apart" costing a bit more. He felt the yachting press, when reviewing older boats, should compare their sailing performance with that of the latest offerings from production boat stables.

However I had a comforting experience this last season when I tried to modify a submerged rock off Jura. We hit it hard enough to throw the mate off her feet down below but the only damage was a superficial gouge out of the front of the encapsulated keel. The normal audience of well wishers, in the yard at laying up time, admired my handiwork with epoxy filler and told me about similar incidents that had happened to the latest products from Germany and Sweden. In the first not only had the back of the keel been driven up into the hull, but the momentary distortion of the hull had caused the bulkheads to come out of their keying in the deckhead. The second had just severely distorted and cracked the hull at the back of the keel.

Nonetheless I still have moments of envy as the latest designs slide by to windward and weather the point whilst we have to put in another tack. So over the years I have made changes -

Fitted a Brunton Autoprop. This feathers automatically and changes pitch to give the best performance under power in any given situation. The speed through the water when sailing is as if we had a new go-fast genoa that doesn’t lose its shape over the years.

Fitted a second fairlead track inside the genoa track to sheet a blade jib which is set on a furler inside the genoa furler. We point higher in over 16kts apparent wind and have twin jibs for downwind sailing. The drawback is having to furl the genoa in light winds when we go about.

Re-rigged her with the taller North American mast to give higher aspect ratio to the sails and a little extra area.

I think each of these modifications has helped Calico Martlet’s sailing performance but well sailed modern yachts still out sail us to windward!

Have a happy fitting out and fair winds during the coming summer.

Yours, David

With this Newsletter we enclose the 2005 Members List. If you haven’t paid this year (2005) and have not informed us of your resignation you will still be on the list. But you will not receive the ROUNDUP or any more Newsletters until you pay up.

We welcome the following new Members –

All recent new members have had an email address. Area Vice Presidents are increasingly using emails as the preferred method of communicating with their parishioners. If you do not receive e-mails from whom you consider your VP please give him your email address and also send it to the Hon. Sec. for inclusion on the Members list.

Forum Access Number, FAN. It is now a year since FANs were introduced to restrict the participation in the Forum to members and exclude free loaders. Andrew reports that the number of registered users fell by a third to about 95, but this is now rising with the advent of new members. He also remarks that the activity level fell by about a third. Our membership is approximately 275 so Forum users represent about a third of our membership. What proportion use the remainder of the site is not known but members’ attention is drawn to the Forum for answering their queries.

Barry Thunder South Coast VP has suggested a new section of the Forum for social activities. Please let Andrew Gardener Webmaster know your thoughts.

Andrew is still not getting enough input for the Web Site. He particularly wants photographs.

I have an entry form for the above which I will send on to the first come first served, or get your own from the Royal Cornwall Yacht Club email azab#royalcornwallyachtclub.org There is also a web site at www.azab.co.uk. Seems pretty expensive at £425 entry fee, but no doubt there will be a lot of goodies included. The number of entries is restricted to 70. Also see the "link" on the web site.

Be sure to look out for the article on small boat tests in a forthcoming issue of YM for the review of the R32 (Andrew Gardener’s St BRIGID). Andrew played host to James Jermain of YM and Tom Cunliffe in what turned out to be a memorable sailing weekend. The report will be in the April Issue of YM to be on sale 10^th March 2005.

ROUND THE ISLAND RACE. Did you know that Peter Brett the designer of Rivals won the Gold Roman Challenge bowl in the first race in 1931? His boat was a 22ft Cornish fishing boat bought for £45, which required much pumping. A far cry from today’s yachting scene.

IRISH CRUISING CLUB. Peter and Susan Gray (non members) won the Atlantic Trophy for their 8 year circumnavigation in R41 WAXWING.

All members are welcome to all events but Area Vice Presidents only contact members who live or keep boats in their areas. If you would like regular updates from any VP please ensure they have your E-mail address, for preference, phone number or address. If your VP is not contacting you it may be he lacks this vital information.

SOUTH COAST AREA - Barry Thunder. Mail#barrythunder.freeserve.co.uk 01793 826697

The dinner venue was moved to the Royal Southampton Yacht Club’s Gins Farm on the Beaulieu River. Whilst numbers were a little lower, with 24 attending the meal, the venue and food was well received by all. Four boats made the trip from various locations and enjoyed the peaceful moorings provided by Gins. Two new members, who now own Matador (R41), made the trip by road and Michael Smith (West Country VP) also joined us. All were made most welcome. Now we know how to find the location by road, should we use this venue again? (Please email Barry your ideas).

As Barry Thunder’s boat R36 SALAMIS is now in Southern Spain, it has become harder to deal with the hosting of the spring Folly Meet. For the 2005 season he will be sharing these duties with Andrew Gardener (R32 St BRIGID). Many thanks to Andrew and Tanya for this offer.

The booking form and costs are at the end of the Newsletter. Barry wants your application no later than 30^th April 2005.

Barry would be interested to hear from members about how they would like to see the social activities on the South Coast set up in the future. For example -

-Should the Folly venue be changed, timings or format? Would a Summer Meet be welcomed, if so where?

-Should the Laying-up Supper venue be different each year? If so, please let Barry have some ideas. (Chichester has been proposed for 2005, but he has forgotten who suggested it, so please contact him whoever it was.)

EAST COAST AREA - Eric Orme eric.orme#audience.co.uk 01394 386697

This will be as guests of the Haven Ports Yacht Club aboard the lightship at Suffolk Yacht Harbour (Levington) on the River Orwell on Saturday 12^th March. Assemble around noon with the expectation of eating at 1230ish.

It is essentially a pub lunch with prices to match in the company of other Rival sailors. If the weather is fine it could be followed by a pleasant walk along the river. R34 ALIZ MOTTE is wintering in the marina so you will be welcome for coffee afterwards. For those attending by boat high water Harwich is 1314 GMT.

There’s no need to pay up front but it would be helpful if you could let Eric know numbers by 3^rd March. You can email, fax, write or phone.

Eric regrets that there will be no Summer Meet this year (unless anyone else wants to organise something!) as he will again be in foreign waters.

WEST COUNTRY AREA - Michael Smith Michael#msmithassociates.co.uk 01684 772128

A good end-of-season Meet was held last October, in Fowey, with eight Rivals on the visitor’s pontoon and 24 attending the dinner at the Royal Fowey Yacht Club. Gavin and Georgie McLaren kindly made R41 Margaret Wroughton the focus for hospitality afloat – it was found possible to pack more sailors into a R41 than students into a telephone box!

These will be on May 14th, in Salcombe, and October 1st, in Fowey. A few more Rivals have moved to the area, following changes of ownership, and so there is the prospect of even larger and livelier gatherings.

Michael hopes to make a cruise of about six weeks to the Azores this June/July, first crossing Biscay to Bayona or Oporto, and may have room for one or two crew for any or all of the three legs. He would be happy to explore the idea with anyone interested - or why not make it a cruise in company with other Rivals? Email michael#msmithassociates.co.uk or phone 01684 772128.

SCOTTISH AREA - Les Morison les.morison#lineone.net 01369 703323

The Scottish Summer Meet in 2004

Saturday 7^th August 2004 appeared to be the fifth summer’s day of the season for the Meet at Stonefield Castle, Loch Fynne. Sadly this date clashed with many peoples’ plans and the forecast was horrific. Only Les aboard R34 MEERKAT arrived by sea. John and Wendy Tedd arrived by road. The meal was of the usual high standard and the conversation ranged from natural history (basking sharks) to nuclear energy with navigation and corporate economics included. A very pleasant evening, in spectacular surroundings was enjoyed. Les experienced an easterly gust of 55kts in Inchmarnock Water on his way back to the Holy Loch on Sunday.

The usual venue for the dinner in Stirling no longer caters for parties and Les has not had time to find another venue. The East Loch Tarbert Meet later in the year will take place. Les will keep everyone informed nearer the time and he hopes to lay on better weather this year.

The Hon Sec expects to be at the Oban Yacht Services on Kerrera Island, with CALICO MARTLET on Saturday evening 21^st May 2005and would be delighted to meet up with any other members who may be in the area.

Ramsay has not yet had time to organise any venues for the summer but hopes to do so later in the spring. He will be communicating by email and snail mail as appropriate.

However the Hon. Sec plans to be at Glenarn, Antrim Coast, NI, on the week-end of May 14/15 2005. Perhaps some of our more elusive Irish members might like to join him there aboard CALICO MARTLET. Glenarn is not that far from Scotland so it might be an outing for Clyde based members. You may recall that Tom McKnight, who is a member, is the Harbour Master at Glenarn and has promised to facilitate any land transport arrangements that may be required for crew changes.

At present CALICO MARTLET is short of one or two crew for the Glenarn to Oban leg. Please contact David Jones on 01483 505 140, or davidandbarbara#care4free.net if you would like to come along.

BELGIUM - Robert Reyniers robert.reyniers#skynet.be 3 383 51 22

Robert informed me of the death of Arno Linnenkohl just after the issue of the last Newsletter. The funeral took place last November and we extend our condolences to Christiane at this time. Arno sailed R34 JANUS II out of Collynspoort.

Robert has no other news to report other than there is to be a get together at Gentbrugge for Belgian members early in March 2005.

NETHERLADS – Wopke Siedsma siedsma#supermail.nl 0031 566623215

The Netherlands Group did not have a summer Meet in 2004 but there will be one in 2005. In January 2005 they had a winter Meeting at the home of member Arie Verhoef. 20 members attended.

Wop reports that Wil and Martin Kerkmeer (R36 BEAGLE II) did the Atlantic crossing in the autumn and are now in Surinam. They produce a regular newsletter which we hope to get on the web site.

Please return to Barry Thunder no later than 30^th April 2005. (Berthing fees are extra to be paid on the day.)

5 Rawlings Close, South Marston, Swindon. SN3 4XA

01793 826697, mail#barrythunder.freeserve.co.uk

Please reserve a berth for RIVAL………………………………………LOA……….ft

NAME ……………………………………………………………No of crew……….

Address

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……………………………………………………… Tel No………………………….

I enclose a cheque made out to the ROA for £……………………..for ……… crew at £11.0pp