The war still left it’s mark everywhere:

2 green wreck buoys marked bombed vessels in the Carrick Roads with masts showing at low spring tides.

The Club at ‘Weir’ has basic facilities in the cottage alongside the beach with limited parking spaces for boats. Water, for the Club teas, served by members, came from a spring alongside the hill leading to the club.

There was no racing or racing signals on a Sunday and the ‘Pandora Inn’ was closed.

The fleet consisted anything that floated, mainly pre-war or repatriated from the services. The main dinghy class before the advent of the plywood era was the West of England Conference (W.E.C.) 14’ one design Redwing class – (Peter Watson – still around – sailed ‘NANA’) Club member Andy Wright had liberated from the services a 23’ ex-airborne lifeboat – craft that were parachuted down to ditched pilots located at sea. Being designed by Uffa Fox, small boat sailor from Cowes, when re-rigged could plane at high speeds.

One winter a group of members got together and built some Flying Fifteens, starting a fleet at the club.

Uffa Fox, who was a legend in the small boat world was the guest – invited by the ‘15’ Fleet to attend the club dinner at the Headland hotel. He then gave the shortest after dinner speech of all time – “I have been asked to say a few words.” and then sat down……