Soundings
The RBOA Newsletter, Soundings, is sent free to members six times a year. It is also available to non-members for £1 (+ p&p if required).
From the Tiller
By Rex Walden, Chairman - July/August 2008
The AGM was held on Saturday 5th July when, slightly to my surprise, I was confirmed as Chairman of the RBOA. Truly, looking at the names of the past chairmen, knowing some personally and knowing of the others, it really is a daunting role to fill. Not least, because there is this, the bi-monthly, very public, exposure of the Chairman’s thoughts via “From The Tiller”.So for my first “ From the Tiller”, given that to most of you I am but a name (and barely that to most), a little relevant personal stuff. Born in Bristol in 1946, I moved (with my parents) to Kent when I was 6 months old and grew up in Broadstairs on the Kent coast. I discovered sailing when I was twelve and have mucked about in boats ever since. My wife, Lin, and I moved to the Midlands in 1975 and became aware of the canals. Lin wanted us to hire a narrowboat for a holiday – “Me? I am a blue water sailor – I am not going down muddy ditches for anyone!” But we did, and I discovered the joy of the inland waterways; and over a period of thirty years at various times we had holidays on a variety of hired narrowboats.
Ultimately in about 2000 we decided we wanted to live afloat, so we spent a couple of years deciding our choice of style of boat, layout, equipment, type of loo(s) and builder. We placed the order in May 2003 and moved aboard on Christmas Eve 2003. The most difficult decision and the last to be made, was her name. We thought about combinations of our names, our four children’s names, a clever play on words, but nothing really felt right. Winifred is Lin’s second name, and as it’s old-fashioned, we’d decided against giving it to either of our girls, which meant it was going “spare”. Winifred still didn’t feel right for the boat - but we asked why Lin had been called Winifred in the first place. We discovered that the name had been used without a break in her maternal family since 1903. Her great grand father named his first daughter Winifred Pretoria May because he returned from the Boer War from Pretoria, in May - on a ship called The Winifred (or Winifredian). Suddenly the name felt right; decision made, Winifred came into the family on a ship and it would leave the family on a ship! We now cruise as much as practicable, around work commitments, from our “home” marina on the Trent and Mersey.
Enough about me. Beryl’s report as Chairman to the AGM is printed in this edition of Soundings so I won’t repeat that but you will see we are making some progress. There is still a way to go however, the biggest issue being the lack of moorings for residential use and the antipathy or hostility that local planning authorities display when the issue of moorings in general and residential moorings in particular is raised. We think we know the answer to this problem and we are working on it, but, sadly it will not be resolved overnight.
It was encouraging to see an increase in the number of members at the AGM and to hear their words of support. If you feel you would like to make a difference and offer more support to the RBOA but don’t have the time, the one thing you can do that is really easy and takes very little time - is to introduce more members. Please respond to Ellen’s “Membership Matters” if you would like a few Membership Forms to keep on your boat. If see Winifred cruising by (I haven’t seen another one but mine is 70’, semi -trad, green and blue with an RBOA burgee flying proudly at the fore end) please shout “Hello”. If you are able to come to the IWA Festival at Autherley in August we would love to see you at the RBOA stand, and in the meantime – if you are able – best wishes for a great summer cruising.
Rex Walden