2023 Photo Competition

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The topic for the December meeting was as usual the 2023 Photo competition.
The format of the meeting was slightly changed from previous years with the meeting being a combination of physical attendance at the RNA Welwyn Garden City and with some participants joining in via ZOOM.
It was a very well attended meeting with one of the highest in person attendance of the year, including guests from our sister organisation BOSG.
As part of the Christmas Meeting a raffle for the Commodore’s Charity was held that raised a £70 contribution to his 2023 fund..

The competition for best photo was, as usual, broken into six different Categories:-

1) Club People since the club was formed.
2) Seascapes
3) Artistic (with a nautical flavour)
4) Boats
5) Weather and Sunsets
6) Sailing Holiday

The meeting was hosted by Terry, all the photos were displayed both in the venue and on ZOOM for attendees to vote on with the results being announced after the last picture was shown.
Below is a summary of the photo completion for 2023, watch out for future calendars when some of these pictures will re-appear.

Club People Category
The entries for this category are all in this collage.

The winner of this category was George Whitchurch with his picture taken whilst racing.

George Says: about the winning photo
“A number of people asked me what dinghy I was in.
I was in one of six Blackwater S.C. owned identical R.S. Zest`s, which were used for the Cock of the River trophy at the end of the August 2023 Club Week of racing.
I had won the “Slow Handicap” cruiser series in a friends Hunter 19. But apart from the Fast cruiser class winner, I was up against the young dinghy class winners, a few of whom are world class! Although I came last in the final, I enjoyed the publicity and did not capsize!”

Seascapes Category
The entries for this category are all in this collage.
The winner of this category was Dave Arnold with his picture taken whilst on holiday.

Artistic Category
The entries for this category are all in this collage.

The winner of this category was Stewart Warren with his picture taken whilst sailing in Greece.

Boats Category
The entries for this category are all in this collage.
The winner of this category was John Robinson taking part in the competition via ZOOM with his picture of PS Waverley taken in the Solent.

Weather and Sunsets Holidays Category
The entries for this category are all in this collage.

The winner of this category was Paul Bragg with his picture taken whilst on holiday.

Sailing Holidays Category
The entries for this category are all in this collage.
The winner of this category was Lesley Stevens with her picture taken in Greece whilst on holiday. Terry picked up the prize on her behalf.

Commodore’s 2023 Christmas Message

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All,

Andrew

 
So, it’s a safe bet that all boats are now packed away for the worst of winter, awaiting the return of longer warmer days. It can’t happen soon enough.

Last season was generally good all round with a little hiccup weather wise in the middle, but we all seem to have made the best of it.
Well done.
 
However, the same cannot be said for our friends in the Bedfordshire Offshore Group (BOSG). They were faced with loosing their meetings venue – the pub went bankrupt !  Following much discussion amongst their membership and flag officers, I’m very pleased to tell you; that a proposal will be discussed at their next committee meeting, suggesting that they all join SOCA as ‘outport / country’ members for the first two years.

This vastly swells our membership and with the use of Zoom in at least some of our meetings, ensures that we all stay together, as one united group of keen amateur sailors.
We can sort out all the more trivial details later. But this course of action was considered by all as the best way forward to help preserve the interests and memberships of both clubs.

This influx will take place from January 2024, and hopefully some of their members will become regulars at the W.G. City RNA sessions – and possibly serving on the committee. 
 
I know you will join me in extending a warm welcome to them all.
 
So until then it only remains for me to wish you all the very best over the ‘winter solstice season’ and on into the next sailing season.
Doubtless, I may well see you at the Photo Competition on the 14 Dec.
 
Fair winds and following seas to all.
 
Andrew
SOCA Commodore 2023

Sailing into the Electronic Age November 2023 Meeting

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The November meeting talk was given by Jeremy Batch who is a regular presenter at our meetings. The meeting  at the RNA in Welwyn Garden City was well attended but also had a Zoom audience listening in as well. This format which was a trial for an external speaker was very successful and will be continued at future meetings especially during the winter months.

 He had previously presented 

Apr 2017.  The Story of Navigation
Sep 2018. Waves, Wheels & Sparks: Sailing into the Electrical Age
Oct 2019:  Allo, Allo: the Story of Communications
Nov 2020: Making Space for Sailing part 1 (on ZOOM)
Oct 2021: Making Space for Sailing part 2 (on ZOOM)
Nov 2022: Going Boldly: across, beneath and beyond the Ocean

The theme of the Talk in November was Sailing into the Electronic Age

Sailing into the Electronic Age 
A Synopsis of the meeting provided by Jeremy Batch is shown below.


“We have no use for these inventions” was the rebuff given to Christian Hülsmeyer by Telefunken in 1905 when he offered them his early versions of radar and the chart plotter. Decca would make the same mistake with the Beatles. In this sequel to “Sailing into the Electrical Age” (presented to SOCA in September 2018 ) we’ll follow the adventures and misadventures of the inventors, scientists and engineers who brought us not only radio and radar but all the other gadgets we never knew we wanted on our vessels and in our homes. We’ll start with a long-delayed visit to Cragside, William Armstrong’s home in Northumberland, to admire his (British!) light bulbs from Joseph Swan, powered hydroelectrically in 1881 from a convenient lake via a generator from Werner Siemens. We’ll look at the radio valve, the cathode ray tube (once in your TV and radar) and the cavity magnetron (still in your microwave and probably your radar) and move on down to the transistor, the integrated circuit, the microprocessor and the memory chip, now allowing you to drop the entire Admiralty chart collection into your plotter or into the bilges — provided you can still get the chips. Also: a return visit to London’s Lea Valley where the British electronics industry was nurtured, a wartime miniature radar device whose level of secrecy approached that surrounding the Flag Officers’ Lunch, and “the machines that made nothing” but made everything possible.

Commodore’s Charity for 2023

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All,

Andrew

I trust you are all well and treating the closure of this seasons ‘messing around in boats’ bit, as an opportunity to socialise in the coming shorter days. The club has a good collection of interesting members talks lined up that should last us beyond Easter. We’ll be holding our annual Laying Up Supper on 11th Nov at the Knebworth Station Pub, 12:30 for pre-eats social, 13.00 sit down – we have 15+ so far, the more the merrier. Geff is collecting menu choices – need these soon, certainly by end of October.


So, finally I have chosen my

Steam Tug Challenge

‘Commodores Charity’ for 2023‘ – based on an amazing chance trip on board the Steam Tug CHALLENGE. (there’s a talk in the making, details later) We were accompanied by the WAVERLEY paddle steamer, a sailing barge, River Thames ferry and a diesel powered tug / pilot boat.
Out to the WW2 Thames forts and back – come to the talk as and when it is arranged.
Challenge I believe was owned by the Dunkirk Little Ships Restoration Trust and I propose that we direct the SOCA Charity fund for 2023/2024 into this organisation – or whatever “group / division” of the DLSRT is responsible for the up keep of CHALLENGE. I believe she’s based on the Medway – certainly get onboard and go or a day trip if you can.

The Steam Tug Challenge was the subject of a recent talk at the Cruising Association by Edward Ions.

Hope to see you at the Knebworth Station Pub on 11 Nov

History of Steam Tug Challenge

Extract from the National Historic Ships website

CHALLENGE is the last surviving example of a large purpose-built, Thames ship-handling steam tug, where she was based for her entire working life, although she carried out work as far afield as Scotland , Holland , Belgium , France and the south coast of England . She was built in 1931 by Alexander Hall & Co. Ltd of Aberdeen , for the Elliott Steam Tug Co. Ltd (who operated her until 1950). Her 1100hp triple expansion steam engine was also built by Hall, whilst her boiler* was by Palmer’s Shipbuilding & Iron Co. Ltd, of Hebburn. She passed through two further ownerships: Ship Towage (London) Ltd (1950-1969) and London Tugs (1969-74).

CHALLENGE was one of the Dunkirk Little Ships engaged in the evacuation of Allied troops from France in May and June 1940. On 31 May, she worked at Dunkirk berthing vessels in the harbour during the evacuation and, the following day, towed small craft to Dunkirk to evacuate troops. At one point, she towed a disabled destroyer loaded with troops back to port. She was also involved in duties at Dover around this time, assisting ships which were engaged in the Dunkirk operation.

After returning to the Thames , she was fitted with a flying bridge to mount an Oerlikon cannon, and a forebridge for two Lewis guns. Her work in 1941 included towing Maunsell anti-aircraft towers out into the Thames estuary; towing Army Sea Forts for assembly in the estuary. In 1944, she towed parts of the Mulberry harbours used in the D-Day landings.

On 3 July 1944, she was damaged by a V1 flying bomb in the Royal Albert Dock and was repaired at Rotherhithe. She still bears the marks of this attack. After the war, she continued in Thames service and was converted from coal to oil firing at Sheerness in 1964.

In about 1971, she was laid up at Gravesend, having been the last steam tug to serve on the Thames . In 1973, CHALLENGE was sold to Taylor Woodrow Ltd for preservation at St Katharine’s Yacht Haven, near Tower Bridge, and was berthed there as a static exhibit. More recently she was acquired by the Dunkirk Little Ships Restoration Trust (July 1993) for restoration to steam. With the aid of Sun Tugs and the Port of Tilbury she was moved downstream to Tilbury where groups of volunteers slowly brought her back to working condition. The hull was in need of repair, particularly along the waterline.

Commodore’s Autumn Statement

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Andrew
All, 
 
It’s been another interesting sailing season, and as usual numbers at the summer monthly meetings have been low, reflecting everyone’s nautical activities. However with the shortening nights and the run into end of year it’s time to catch up on future events. 
 
 

10th-July-Honfleur-in-Dunkirk

 
 


In October your HONFLEUR crew will present a short slide show off their recent “expeditionary force” to the continent... all is well, the natives are friendly, and the required paperwork proved to be no hindrance. 



 
 
In November we are experimenting with a Zoom presentation by Jeremy Batch.Jeremy has recently retired from the Cruising Association after 23 years service.
Come along to the RNA and have a beer whilst listening to Jeremy, or join from home.
 
The traditional Photo Comp will be held in December – only digital entries, details soon. 
 
Soca is 40 next year and the RNLI will be 200. We plan a very very short AGM in March followed by a SOCA 40th party – with accompanying photo show….. dig out your old pics please. 
RNLI…? We’ll think of something. 
 
The Laying Up Supper will be held at the Station Arms Pub in Knebworth on either 4th or 11th November.
Details later, keep you all posted. 
 
See you Thursday

First Aid Training at Stanborough.

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Message to SOCA Members
“Hello Soca & Friends
I’m running two Royal Yachting Association (RYA) First Aid Courses at Stanborough Park, Welwyn Garden City for Better Leisure Sunday 5th November and Sunday 3rd December.  
See Better website, (link below) for costs and booking details.
Barry”

 

Honfleur Journeys to the E.U.

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Crewed by Alex, Andrew and Richard, Honfleur made a recent trip across the Channel.

8th-July-Walton-Yacht-Club



The trip started at Honfleur’s home port of Walton Marina with the first stopping point being Ramsgate where the crew prepared for their journey across the Channel.




10th-July-Chart-Plotter




After a day experiencing the delights of Ramsgate they set off for the continent  crossing La Manche via Knockdeep Channel in good sailing weather. 


 

 

10th July Knockdeep



Navigating was reasonably easy as someone had put these really tall marker buoys on the sandbanks. So the instructions to the helm was sail between the wind generators.



10th-July-Honfleur-in-Dunkirk



After their cross Channel trip it was obviously time to celebrate the return to the continent at the quay in Dunkirk.

11th-July-Trouble-motivating-crew


Before the Captain could rally his shipmates to proceed to the next port of call along the coast the crew decided they needed to take on more refreshments.

After their rest the crew of Honfleur then preceded along the coast to Ostend

12th-July-North-Sea-Yacht-Club-Oustende

 

Arriving in Oustende the first “port of call” was the North Sea Yacht Club to top up (again) on the local beer.
There were complaints that the beer consisted mainly of froth but that didn’t stop repeat orders!.

13th-July-Ostend-Tourist-train



The next day the crew decided to explore Ostend and the various forms of alternate travel methods rather than sailing.




13th-July-Vagrants-in-Ostend

13th-july-Exercise-on-Pedal-Car.

 

 

 







5th-July-Da-Boyz-in-Bruges



Last port of call for Honfleur on this foreign trip was Bruges were despite all the other options available on shore again it seems the bars held the greatest attraction.

Having increased the GDP of our continental neighbours, mainly via beer sales, Honfleur returned to its home port of Walton.  There is a potential that Honfleur wiill make another sortie to Europe later this year after the SOCA Solent Sailing in Company Event.

‘The Wooden World’ – the inner life of the 18th century navy. 

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The talk at the meeting held at 7:30pm 11th May at the RNA club W G City was given by author Phillip K Allan

A talk in two parts for SOCA

Part 1 :- The Wooden World
An introduction to the 18th century navy – a world apart from society ashore, with its own customs, language, and culture. How sailors were distinctive and easy to spot – clothes, jewellery, language, uncut hair, different songs and dances, tattoos. The ships and those that sailed on them. How they were built, how they operated. Life aboard, diet and disease, press gangs and mutiny, animals, children, and women aboard.

Part 2 – The Wooden World in Action – The Battle of the Nile
In 1798 the biggest fleet since the Spanish Armada left Toulon carrying a huge army under the new French Republic’s crack general, Napoleon Bonaparte, and vanished into the wide Mediterranean. Where was it going, and what was its target? A British fleet under their own young hero, Horatio Nelson, was sent to track them down. In an epic hunt from Sardinia, to Sicily, to Malta and beyond, the fleets finally met in an epic battle fought at night. 

About Philip K Allan

Philip K Allan comes from Hertfordshire where he still lives with his wife and two daughters. He has an excellent knowledge of the 18th century navy. He studied it as part of his history degree at London University, which awoke a lifelong passion for the period. A longstanding member of the Society for Nautical Research, he is also a keen sailor and writes for the US Naval Institute’s magazine Naval History.

He is the author of the nine book Alexander Clay series of naval fiction set in the age of sail. The first book, The Captain’s Nephew, was published in January 2018, and immediately went into the Amazon top 100 bestseller list for Sea Adventures. He has recently turned his attention to the Second World War. Sea of Wolves is a novel set during the Battle of the Atlantic. A sequel, called The Wolves in Winter, was published last year.

 

Please click here for more details on his website