2020 is the chosen year if you want to get married, I can’t think why, but apparently it is.

In 2020 we will have being making trailers for 45 years, so to  mark  this milestone we decided to produce a calendar. It is A3 size and mostly features racing dinghies  which is our core business. The photographs were taken on the south coast, North Norfolk, and at our local club on the  Welsh Harp, by a particularly talented young (ish) photographer.

They will be provided to our trade  customers, but are available for £9.95 delivered, or £7.95 collected.

This months front cover is one of thirteen images used.

As the days get shorter the first victim is weekday evening sailing, our clubs is  Wednesday.

This year has been less well supported  than  last year, and that was less well supported than the year before and so on and so on. Which is all rather sad, we have had lots of inquiries into the subject but still the decline continues.

The  photo shows two MRX’s on the Harp during one evening race, throughout that race they  were never more than two boat lengths apart, it was a proper scrap. The point is, using all methods at your disposal try and make sure there is at least one other competitor who is your standard and speed.  There is nothing more boring than flogging around a course on your own, which could end up with you giving up!

This is a period when the season changes, everyone has generally got themselves organised on the trailer front.  We can look at manufacturing processes and improve some aspects in an effort to make them quicker, the Flying Fifteen  trailer is quite complicated and takes longer to manufacture than almost any other trailer.  We have spent the last week replacing all of our working jigs,  their  are 21 so it does take a while. The fifteen trailer image here is the most accurate and the fastest produced yet.

It is now on its way to Australia.

As your family grows up, as a parent you hope health and well being prevail, through the years  and  all the growing pains, ultimately you want to end up as friends as well as parents!

This months front page is Tom  driving  the rib and Barnie,  we’ve been through a lot together but this is a perfect opportunity for me to say  thank you for all your support “Barnie”  you are my best friend.

Also Tom and his lovely girlfriend  Rezzy have finally  got engaged, brilliant! It’s  only taken  12 years  4 months and 12 days, not that we were counting!!!!

We undertook European Type Approval as an organisation because we thought it would improve our working processes and thus the quality of our trailers.

The absolute last thing we thought would happen is  that the product would become so popular abroad, these three 2.4 combi’s are  bound for Germany.

This year we went to Prague in the Czech Republic, yes I know, makes a change from the Chocolate factory and Lego Land.

Well it was amazing, very hot, very clean and we didn’t get mugged once!  The architecture and history was almost too much to take in. We walked for miles, our guide took us everywhere and we ended up at the Lennon wall ( that’s not the one that sails at HISC and never returns your calls , no,  it’s  the one in the Beatles).  This  was  covered with bright colourful  murals,  beautiful ladies go there and have their photos taken, hence the images!!!!

I am not a big fan of budget airlines, whilst they have a place in the market generally I prefer to fly the flag.  Our flight was delayed by local thunder storms and we didn’t get off the ground until 1.30 am interestingly had it  been 27 seconds later the flight would have been cancelled.  The cabin crew were frankly excellent and the captain red lined it the whole way home so BIG respect to Wizzair!!

Our July front cover is Ben Dingwall.

We always recommend Ben who is our local boat builder  based just outside  Radlett , Herts. He is a traditional boat builder having learnt most of his skills from his father Brett, and can repair wood or GRP.  He can however achieve a spray varnish finish with a brush!

I have asked him loads of times to tell me how he does it, but it’s his secret and he just smiles!

First delivery of our  new  D4 dory trolleys,  two  were taken down to Dell Quay Sailing Club this week.

It was well supported and very well run, which we all take a bit for granted but with the number of quality helms on  hand  I suppose it should be.

In 1953 my mother finally managed to talk my father out of motorcycle racing.  With a young family she was concerned about the dangers, so he decided to take up sailing. He brought a second hand Firefly with the idea of learning and then racing on the nearby Welsh Harp.  Unfortunately there was a waiting list for new members, it was very over subscribed, how mad is that these days, but don’t forget there were no gravel pits. He started to look for an alternative club, fabricated a trailer and drove south, he had been recommended to look around the Chichester Harbour area.  When they were virtually there mum spotted an RAC man in a layby, being members they thought he would be the best person to ask, assuming he was local, which he was.  He directed them to what he described as the best place to sail on the South coast. They followed his directions over a wooded bridge onto Hayling Island, drove to the sea, turned left until the road stopped at a place called Sandy Point, which was aptly named.

From my perspective  (66 years later) as someone who enjoys taking photographs it really  is an amazing place!

When we went through European Type approval our colleagues at the VCA (Vehicle Certification Agency) assured us that by 2020 most  trailers  on the road would comply with the law.

Well the trailer brought into our workshop this week  was manufactured in 1978, it needed new bearings and a small mod at the front.  It had not lived in a salt environment, but at  41 years  it still had a long way to go.

As for the VCA well I am sitting in my office looking out the window  and I can clearly see yet  another  flock of pink elephants flying past!!