Meanwhile Over on the Sports Channel.

My good friend and HBBR co-conspirator Chris Partridge has posted a video of Katie's first outing on his Blog.  

There was a rumour that footage had been shot but it seemed to disappear like the original Director's Cut of the Wicker Man. 

However it seems Chris was having trouble with the You-Tube gremlins and has finally managed to up-load it.  

If you listen carefully over the din of the tiny outboard pushing the fairly hefty ferry-boat in the background you can hear me announce to the assembled crowd that I was probably about to go A*se over T*T. 

I didn't and I apologise for my language. 

There also exists footage of yours truly demonstrating his Scottish Country Dancing steps, taken the next day in a pub garden in Tewkesbury. I hope that stays buried. 

enjoy. 

Rowing for Pleasure

Katie Gets Her Petticoat Wet.

Photo by  Chris Waite aka Cee Dubbs Katie's designer. 

Katie finally got wet on Saturday in the River Severn near Tewkesbury

I took the opportunity of an HBBR rally to bring Designer, Builder and Katie together. The idea was principally to see how and where she floated before adding all the other paraphernalia required of a sailing canoe.

 The answer is she floats exactly on her lines, is really very stable and quite quick.

Designer and Builder very happy.

Why I don't like rowing.

Lets do the time warp again.

Let me take you back to Barton Turf.
On the Sunday we took a trip to Sutton Staithe because we'd heard that the usual pub in Neatishead had gone down the pan a bit so to speak. 


Getting there was very enjoyable, there was a bit of wind in the trees and once we got onto Sutton Broad it was a broad reach all the way to the pub. 


The pub its-self wasn't much to write and tell your mum about but they were friendly and those that wanted it could have a few slices off the carvery.


Getting back proved to be a little more interesting. 


The wind was whistling down the broad, and after a very experienced sailor tested the depth of water with the tip of his mast I decided that discretion was the better part of staying dry and opted to row rather than sail. 


I made very poor headway and sometimes I didn't make any at all until eventually I was rescued by my old chum John "Ratcatcher" Lockwood who gave me a tow. 


Once we got back into the trees I decided to have another go on my own, and well, it didn't go much better.  Thankfully my good friend Phil. was on hand to record the event for posterity on his phone. That's him chuckling away and offering encouragement.


So what's wrong with this picture? Well there is far to much sail and rigging flapping around in the breeze for a start. 


You can see why I was getting a bit worried about the Thames Raid !