run for berth holders by berth holders

Members’ Newsletter Edition No. 117

www.shbha.co.uk September 2009

HAPPY BIRTHDAY SHBHA!

September 1999 saw the newly organised SHBHA take on the roll of representing all berth-holders in Sovereign Harbour Marina.

We have.............

1 Marina which has had

2 owners- first Carillion and now Premier. There are

3 facilities blocks to be monitored and

4 harbours to be looked after in

5 areas by

6 harbour representatives. This goes on

7 days a week, 52 weeks a year. Additionally

8 meetings with the Marina Management are held in
the year.The

9 committee members work together on your
behalf under the watchful eye of Nick, the Chairman.

All this for

10 pounds membership fee (still!) What a bargain!

We ask you to encourage others to join and keep the Association strong

Page 1

All Our Yesterdays

Some kind person put some back copies of a variety of boating magazines into one of the exchange boxes. Interestingly some dated back about forty years and provided an insight into how things have changed…….or have they? Last time we looked at the seventies. We now move on to the eighties.

	Then (1980)
Price boating magazine	70p (We had gone metric by then)
Offers	New giant superprints plus free film (worth at least £1.44) if you use PBO’s colour print service. 30% more print area for 1p
Seafarer 465	“A boat that sleeps four (friendly) full size adults” Length 15’3” Beam 6’ ‘Well worth the trip at £2250’
Beat the Squeeze	Looking at simple rigs to save fuel (and improve comfort and safety)
Every boat should have	AUTOHELMing…Some say it’s cheating but it’s a lot more fun-especially when spot-on landfalls become so much easier
Revolutionary	No more struggling with bulky conventional hose. This revolutionary fold flat hose makes boat cleaning a positive pleasure. By adopting a fire engine system all 50ft is stored flat and safe in the compact enclosed reel. The most advanced system of its kind on the market.
New	Saifjet…….The first British reaction jet unit for low powered craft. Mounted outside the craft and fully efficient weed screening system No prop, no shearpin, no gear box
You cannot afford to be without………	Your own personal VHF radio telephone. Entirely self contained, it can be hand held or body worn, providing instant radio for those working or just relaxing on or by the sea. Costing £152.17 +VAT it had 6 channels but more were available for a moderate fee.
Legislation	Changeover of lights to meet IMCO specifications which become obligatory in 1981
On test	The coastal five liferaft (it had five sides). It also had a single, large diameter buoyancy chamber and an umbrella drogue system which resembled an inverted umbrella canopy beneath the floor thereby trapping more water to make boarding far less hazardous

Page 2

Cruising-a survey of women who had covered at least 5000 miles in a year	-many admitted they thought it would be more glamorous -the longer they cruised the simpler there lives became -navigation was still very much the responsibility of the skipper (53% of females never did any) -61% never did sail handling or anchoring -more than half surveyed did 50% or more of the helming -95% felt confident to sail alone if necessary -82% did the cooking & 83% the laundry Upon reflection most regarded settling back ashore with some trepidation. The sea had shown them what was truly essential in life.
Training	Prepare for a career in ship or boatbuilding. Take a one year course to provide you with the skills and knowledge required for a successful career
DIY	Blocked pipe……clear it with Sani-Snake
Must have fashion item	Classical French clothing including Breton caps
For the children	Custom made guardrail nets to your exact requirements to prevent children from going overboard
RNLI	…..with your support we can push the boat out! Life member and governor £150 min
Safety	Seaway Visual Aids…….You could be a hazard at sea! Discs (not CD or DVD types) £3.80 each or £11 for set of three
Small ads	Boat Show ’80… Everything for boats(Held in Brighton)

Sayings for the Summer

‘Mackeral skies and Mare’s tails,

Tall ships shorten sails.’

Ring around the moon, the sign of rain:

The larger the ring, the nearer the rain

Whether the weather be fine or whether the weather be not,

Whether the weather be cold or whether the weather be hot,

We’ll weather the weather, whatever the weather

…..whether we like it or not!

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What’s Been Going On?

The web cam we asked for a couple of years ago (to look directly at the sea so you can better judge the conditions from home) may well make an appearance soon

The notices for the recycling bins have been simplified to better suit our system

Pampass grass cut back in the west harbor allowing easy access along the ramp for disabled and trolleys…………also the rest of the garden there to be weeded and brought up to standard

A berth has been identified by the SHYC for dinghy parking when you go for a drink etc

The talks about security/exiting in the underground car park are still on going

Post codes are to be displayed in areas following a medical emergency in the boat park (when the ambulance couldn’t find the place). This will help all emergency services to locate specific sites much quicker and you should quote it if you make an emergency call

An oil spillage desk top exercise has been carried out and we would like to see more of this type of preparatory thinking time

Car Clamping has been going on to reduce the number of unauthorized (ie without a white 2009 Premier sticker) or illegally parked vehicles on site

There are revised prices now available for berthing of jet skis

We regularly give feedback on lock packing experiences

Some stanchion nuts around the old visitor berths are missing but the matter is in hand

The south bridge will be closed in October as part of a rolling programme of maintenance. Further information will be available nearer the time to help berth holders continue their activities

Ø We are still awaiting a response from Head Office about our query re the facilities charge on electricity

Ø We are monitoring the emptying of the white recycling bins which seem to be left longer than desired

Ø We have suggested that re hanging the bridgehead gates so that they open the other way would be beneficial and make them self-closing

Ø We have reported an excess number of pigeons in the lock area and too many cigarette butts in the area under the yacht club

We will be attending the Marinas and Mooring panel meeting at the Southampton Boat Show

Page 4

Thinking Caps On!

To reduce overhead costs the boat park has been closed for the summer so all boats will be placed in the boat yard until more space is needed.

There are a lack of boats on WM pontoon. These are short finger berths. Do you have any ideas on how to increase their appeal or have an idea for alternative use that could be considered? More income would go to keeping our fees down. All ideas on this, or other areas, welcomed for consideration!

Bait for fish, the humble lugworms

It is fair to say that amongst the many anglers leaving our marina for a day’s fishing there will be few who do not take with them a packet or two of the humble lugworm. Yes, there has been an increasing trend to use jelly worms, shads, side-winders and red-gills, which are all man-made plastic lures, for the bigger fish inhabiting the English Channel wrecks but the humble lugworm still plays its part in the downfall of plaice, dabs cod and sole. Indeed few fish will resist the attraction of this shoreline delicacy.

The lugworm Arenicola marina is extremely common around the British coastline. Sea anglers have known for many years that lugworm do not all behave in the same way. They look different, have different habitats and there certainly appears to be more than one species. This was proved correct when in 1993 two researchers from Swansea University reclassified Arenicola to include a new species known as Arenicola defodiens.

The cast which both these worms leave on the wet sand near low water is a coil of defecated material and can identify the type of worm from which it came. The black lugworm usually leaves a neat round coiled cast often like a Catherine wheel, whilst blow lug leave an untidy pile. Casts may also have an adjacent saucer shaped depression created from their feeding method whilst resident in their ‘U’ shaped burrow.

Black lug is the larger species sometimes achieving 30 to 40 cms in length whereas blow lug average 15 cms and rarely exceed 25 cms.

So when you next walk on the beach at or near to low water look out for the casts which will tell you that down below your feet the humble lugworm is busy eating sand from where it retrieves organic matter by which it lives.

Page 5

Meet the People-Nick Baker, Boat yard Supervisor

Originating from Liverpool Nick has travelled quite a bit having spent several years in the Philippines. Whilst there he moved around the area and made regular visits to other places such as Hong Kong where he took the opportunity to help ex-pats with their shopping lists…..Sudocream and Daddies sauce being his friends’ favourites!

His family background meant he was almost destined to work around boats as his grandfather, father and uncles were all boat-builders- indeed his father built a Nicholson 45 as a hobby. Nick hated school and always wanted to be onboard boats. Upon leaving he took his City and Guilds qualifications in carpentry and joinery so that he too could move onto boat building, something he managed when he built Enterprise Dinghies.

In 1993 he took time to visit a family friend in the Philippines and saw a big change in his lifestyle. Introduced to a fruit magnate who owned a boat in disrepair lead him to several adventures one of which involved him in rescuing and refurbishing the 50 foot, steel hulled, rat riddled ketch from the mud. For two years he saw blood, sweat and tears as he set to work on the gorgeous hull he had fallen in love with! Eventually with everything ready and a very special peso set into the helm he bribed welders with bottles of gin to help him get it afloat in the deeper waters created by a typhoon.

With his father’s friend as a partner he ventured the high seas and eventually ended up, against his better judgement, crossing Manilla Bay in yet another typhoon- by far the scariest thing that has ever happened to him. That day he felt that the large boat was effectively nothing more than a dinghy on the water.

Having survived he settled down and married a local girl. Together they ran the boat as a business and for two years they enjoyed life before returning to England to try and start a family.

At the time most yards in the Liverpool area were closing down and he made his way South to get a job with BMW in Hailsham. Never wanting to be away from boats he bought a Wilson Flyer and moored it at Sovereign Harbour. Six years on a colleague told him of a job advert he had seen and it wasn’t long before he was employed here as well.

He trained with courses relevant to the job (using the hoist, JCB etc) and feels he is somewhat traditional in the way he believes everyone should get on and help each other. He has to balance this with the service that is

Page 6

being paid for and likes to think this benefits the boat owner. Number one in his book is the boat. It doesn’t matter whether the boat is 17 or 70 feet

he likes to handle each one lovingly and hates being distracted until the boat is well placed in the slings or cradle.

He has recently been frustrated by the perception that the hoist is unreliable and by the inadequacies of the past and how this has impacted on the service that the hoist can give. He is pleased to say that Premier have spent money on the equipment and the crew, who now have tools and proper wet weather gear, and insist on a rigorous maintenance schedule being adhered to as the daily checks and logs are recorded and signed off. Since taking over they have more or less rebuilt the machine so Nick knows it inside out. It will also have a good resale value so the future is looking good!

With his heart 120% in the job Nick would not swap his duties with anyone else around the marina. He also would not swap his wife of fifteen years as he loves her very much. Together they are working really hard so that they can retire early and go back to the different lifestyle of the Philippines where they return each year to holiday and catch up with family and responsibilities.

Still owning the ketch Nick’s ideal life would be to sail and live aboard……just live the boat and not have that tied up feeling. With his enthusiasm I’m sure it will all happen one day.

j0237643 Page 7

Happy Birthday SHBHA!

Going through the minute books last year the Chairman noticed that the Association was approaching a milestone anniversary. On Saturday 26^th September 2009 the Association will celebrate its tenth anniversary with a special dinner which will be held in the Yacht Club. Especially priced at £20 per head, and giving everyone the chance to dress up, the black tie event (or you can wear an ordinary suit) will give members the chance to take pleasure in an enjoyable evening together.

The after dinner speaker will be Sam LLewellwyn who is a prolific writer of novels for adults and books for children. He also pens articles for the national and boating press. His long history of sailing provides the background to his work and he currently owns a collection of boats in various states of repair. He has sailed in most places from Turkey to the Baltic, in Maine, the West Indies and the Pacific Northwest. In pursuit of fact and anecdote he has hunted pirates in the Philippines, crossed the Pacific in a rustbucket freighter and rowed from North Wales to London. For pleasure, he makes annual trips to the West Coast of Scotland, where he cruises an open boat among the whales and mountains. He should prove most interesting and entertaining!

We anticipate this will be a popular evening and so invite you to book early. Tickets will be offered on a first come, first served basis with a reserve list being kept. Tickets will initially be limited to four per boat. Below you will see your menu choices. Please complete and return the form opposite, with your cheque, as soon as possible to avoid disappointment!

Starter S1 Ogen Melon filled with Seasonal Fruits with a Fruit Coulis or

S2 Homemade Rustic Pate with Toasted Fingers

--------------------------

Main M1 Braised Leg of Lamb Steak

M2 Chicken stuffed with spinach and mozzarella

in a white wine sauce

Vegetarian V Vegetable Lasagne

--------------------------

Desert D1 Bailey’s Crème Brulee

D2 Dark ‘n White Chocolate Cheesecake

--------------------------

Coffee and mints

Page 8

Please return this form and your cheque to Mrs Rona Jordan, 132 Castle Drive, Pevensey Bay, Eastbourne BN 24 6JU no later than 10^th September 2009. Thank you.

Tenth Anniversary Dinner- Saturday 26^th September 2009

Please reserve me …………………tickets for the 10^th Anniversary Dinner

j0283177

Boat Name…………………………………………

Membership Number…………………………………………

The names of those in my party and their menu choices are (Please print):

Names attending (please include first names)	Insert menu code for each diner
Names attending (please include first names)	Starter	Main course	Desert

I enclose a cheque made payable to SHBHA for £……....................

Signed…………………………………………………………

If someone in your party has any other dietary requests please note them here:

If you would like to be seated with others we will endeavour to accommodate your request. Please tell us here:

Page 9

A Good Read

The Lighthouse Stevensons by Bella Bathurst

Having just finished reading Smeaton’s Tower by Christopher Severn I thought I thought I would continue with the lighthouse theme. Whereas Christopher‘s book weaves historical fact and fiction together (I wasn’t always sure which bits were true and which embroidered the story!) Bella’s book is one hundred per cent fact. Even so it was extremely interesting and tells of the extraordinary story of the building of the Scottish lighthouses by the ancestors of Robert Louis Stevenson (Yes, he of ‘Kidnapped’ fame!)

The book concentrates on the time between 1786 and 1890 and covers four generations of the Stephenson family and their family business working around the 4,467 mile coastline of Scotland

It tells of life at the time and the problems, difficulties and procedures of building lighthouses in the most inhospitable of places.

Bell Rock, Skerryvore, Muckle Flugga, (featured in recent TV programmes) and Dhu Heartach (enough to give you one!) all feature in detail. For instance Skerryvore consisted of 137 feet of granite, weighing a total of 58,580 tons, built with walls nine and a half feet thick and taking seven years to complete at a cost of £90,268. As it was built in 1842 you can imagine things were not easy for the workmen!

Also covered in the book are the development and innovations surrounding the actual lights and the life of the keepers, some of whom were paid a £10 premium for the ‘peculiar disadvantages’ that they worked under. The author ends with a most thought provoking section on whether lighthouses are necessary today.

ISBN 0-00-720443-4 Published by a variety of houses but last by Harper Perennial

North East Habour Representative Steve Clement

Steve came on to the committee and soon became famous for submitting his detailed written reports. He also helped out teaching others how to splice braid on braid at rope evenings. Unfortunately due to ill health Steve had to resign recently. The committee misses his dry sense of humour and quick wit.

Page 10

Gourmet Galley ……Savoury Fish Pasties

You need

12oz ready made pastry

8oz cooked smoked haddock (or salmon)

½ oz butter) (or you could use a part

½ oz flour ) packet of white sauce)

¼ pint milk )

Seasoning 3teaspoons capers

2 sliced hard boiled eggs and 2 chopped tomatoes

Roll out the pastry to about ¼ inch thick and cut into four squares.

Make the sauce, season well and add the flaked fish, capers,

eggs and tomatoes.

Place ¼ of the mix on each square of pastry, moisten the edges with

water and then press the corners/edges together to form a parcel.

Lift carefully onto the baking tray and bake for approximately 25mins

in the centre of a hot oven (210̊C/450̊F/Gas 7) and then reduce the heat

(190̊C/400̊F/Gas 5) for a further 10mins.

As these can be served hot or cold they could be made beforehand

and taken to the boat for a scrumptious lunch.

Staying Cool with ICEY-TEK

Making an increasing appearance on some of the angling pleasure boats in Premier Sovereign Harbour is a new generation ice box called ‘ICEY-TEK’.

It can be problem keeping the catch cool particularly if the weather is warm and the fishing trip lasts for 5/6 hours or more. This new generation ice box is perfect for keeping things cool when boating, camping, caravanning and other outdoor pursuits. They are so good NASA used one on the latest space mission.

Among their benefits are a large range of sizes, cube or long box dimensions and they are robust and lightweight. The box keeps cold for up to 10 days and its white food grade interior is easy to clean. The box is lockable and is equipped with carrying handles, heavy duty hinges, and an optional seat cushion is available.

Freezable gel packs are available for optimum performance but I am informed that a couple of bags of ice cubes, or similar, placed in the bottom of the box at the start of the day work very well. So all you have to decide now is if your catch will fit in the 70 litre box or perhaps the 450 litre model is more in keeping with your angling success!

Contact www.icey-tek.co.uk for full details.

Page 9

page 11

Waypoint Wanderer…….‘Let there be light’

In this issue of SHBHA Newsletter, Waypoint Wanderer has been visiting some of the Trinity House lighthouses around our shores. But which ones? Solve the clues below to find out.

Page 12

The RNLI is giving something back to the community

No matter what type of boat you own or how experienced you are, a FREE Safety Equipment Advisory Check by one of your lifeboat station’s friendly advisors will fill in the gaps, help ensure nothing is overlooked and make your boating safer and more enjoyable.

SEA Check is a completely free, friendly and confidential service that provides face to face, on board advice about safety equipment for any boat and type of boating. The service has provided practical and impartial advice to thousands of boat owners and crew since 1999.

To take advantage of the RNLI’s experience, please contact Terry Colbran, Lifeboat Sea Safety Officer on 07860 362367 or email him at lssoterry@talktalk.net

I am your lifejacket.

When we are on the water,

I will make you feel safe.

And when we are in the water,

I will keep you alive.

I will stop you from panicking.

I will keep you afloat,

Even in rough weather,

Even if you are unconscious.

I will support and protect you

Until help arrives.

All this I will do for you

If you do one thing for me….

Please put me on.

Page 13

British Seagull, “The Best Outboard Motor for the World”

There can’t be many boat-owners, whether power or sail, who have not at sometime come into contact with one or other of the British Seagull outboard motors. The range ran from the Feather-weight 40 through to the Seagull Silver Century +. In the majority of cases the experience will be have been a positive one. It was common knowledge that if you had a spark and fuel then these engines would go. Some ran a little better than others but this could usually be put down to owners being a bit too over- zealous with the mixing ratio of petrol to oil. The engines at work had a very recognizable ignition note usually accompanied by a visual trail of light blue exhaust. Yes, you could always tell a Seagull.

In the early 1980s the smallest engine was priced at £163 by Lady-line through to the Seagull 90 Longshaft costing £306. British Seagull themselves made a move in the early 1980s to sell direct to the public and this made quite an impact. The Seagull Feather-weight bought direct was offered at its 1976 price of £84.95 including VAT !

One other initiative made by British Seagull was to turn your old Seagull engine into a new one for £27.50. Their advert of October 1980 read,

seagull engine 002.jpg “ For just £27.50.we’ll bring your old Seagull back to life. We’ll do everything there is to do to your ignition system. We’ll do 14 things to the fuel system to make sure it never lets you down. We’ll go through the cooling system, remove the cylinder head, clean out the water passages, inspect cylinder walls and re-torque all fastenings. The same attention will be given to your gearbox and every single aspect of your Seagull. You will be given a written report and after we’ve painted it, your Seagull will look like new.”

A special delivery offer of £2 was enclosed to part pay for the return of your Seagull so all you had to do was to get it there either by post, by car or by taking it to one of their 4 receiving centres.

(Having taken up this offer I can honestly say it worked perfectly for me. Ed.)

Outboard motors have come a long way since those days but I am sure that there are a few boat-owners around who can’t help but have a quiet appreciation for those good old workhorses of the sea.

Page 14

Future Events

Pour On Water?

Fires onboard have recently attracted the attention of the press. Most have happened quite close inshore and some even tied up alongside. John Maynard, a berth-holder at Brighton Marina was such a victim. John will tell of his experiences, how he moved on from the trauma and what he has done to lessen the risk of a repeat.

Come along on Thursday, 15^th October 2009 and hear John’s story.

Also speaking will be Andy Garland, the current manager at Brighton to tell of the marina’s perspective and the plans drawn up to minimize the risk to nearby boats should it ever happen again.

You need to have a plan in case it happens to YOU. Come along and start thinking! We all hope it won’t be us……….but you never know!

Calling Beginners, Intermediates and Old Sea Dogs!

We are hoping to commence the Sea Safety evenings again in the Autumn; if any of you have any topics which you would like covered, or have any suggestions for visits or speakers you would like us to arrange then please contact Pete and Carol.

Congratulations

Hot off the press……………………….

SHBHA Vice-chairman and Secretary, Pete and Carol, got married very recently. Congratulations to Mr and Mrs Holland!

Congratulations also to Ed Spears who featured in the last edition. He was recently promoted to Lock Keeper. Well done!

Sovereign Harbour Berth Holders Association Officers and Committee 2009/10

Chairman, Webmaster Nick Jordan (NX17)

and Sailing Club liaison officer

Vice Chairman Pete Holland (NG11)

Secretary Carol Holland (NG11)

Treasurer Rona Jordan (NX17)

Membership Secretary Nigel Dumbell (F30)

From the

Central Harbour Brian Stiff (F42)

North Harbour (W) Pete Holland (NG11)

South Harbour Simon Hanmore (SY 28)

West Harbour Sue Sydney (WS17)

Newsletter Editor Roy Sydney (WS17)

Auditor Derek Last (G16)

Web addresses for the officers and editor are available

via the website at www.shbha.co.uk

Dates for your diary

For local events and more information, posters will appear around the harbour and information can be found on the web site.

^Eastbourne^{RNLI Regatta August 29,
30 and 31st 2009}

^Southampton^{International Boat Show
September 11th to 20th 2009}

^{SHBHA 10th Anniversary Dinner SHYC
September 26th 2009}

^{‘Pour on Water, Pour on Water!’ SHYC Thursday 15th October 2009}

^London^{Excel International
Boat Show January 8th to 17th 2010}

Premier will again be offering a special package on tickets for the Southampton Boat Show. The deal will include car parking at Swanick Marina and the shuttle bus to and from the show. Further details will follow.