C.net Member Sets Sail

[PeterT]

Just seen this:

 

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/other_spor...ing/6065246.stm

 

Amazing man; doubt whether he's taken his Anglo, though.

 

 

 

Added 24th October, to avoid additional postings:

 

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/other_spor...ing/6079300.stm

http://www.robinknox-johnston.co.uk/

 

I'm guessing that news will be available via Robin's website.

 

Peter.

Edited October 24, 2006 by PeterT

[David Barnert]

Do you know him? Is he still playing? Did he ever really get started? Unless he's also got another c.net handle, it seems his only post was a year ago, here.

Someone ahs given me an anglo concertina. Having got it, I might as well elarn how to use it. Please advise on a simple instruction book for a completre beginner.

RKJ

I wonder if he's the only knighted c.net member.

[Gavin Atkin]

Just seen this:

 

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/other_spor...ing/6065246.stm

 

Amazing man; doubt whether he's taken his Anglo, though.

 

Peter.

 

Fascinating! I wonder how many of us are sailing types? I am, though naturally not on RKJ's scale...

 

Gav

[Mardie]

My first posting on C.net although have been reading forums with great interest. Thought you might be interested in my story, or not as the case may be. I bought my first concertina after seeing two in a little music shop in Ryde on the Isle of Wight around 20 years ago (no longer there) when my husband and I were moored in the Marina. Unfortunately the shop was closed Tuesdays the day we were there and for several years after it was just a dream until hubby said how about getting one and off we went to Hobgoblin at Crawley. Not knowing anything about ‘tinas’ I took the advice of the staff there and bought a Hohner 30 key Anglo.

 

After about a year I decided I needed something a little better and began the search, without much luck. WCCP advised I advertise in the local shops and lo and behold I received a telephone call from someone saying they had one that had been in its box for many years. Later that day saw me sitting in the lounge of a very large grand house with my arms cuddling a box inside which was a wonderful Maccann Duet frightened by how much they were going to ask me for it. I won’t get you all green with envy so I won’t tell you how much I bought it for (I did say it was worth more) but was told they just wanted to see it played. Couldn’t let them down so now had to learn Duet, actually very shortly found this suited me better than the Anglo.

 

My concertina went with me everywhere and I even played sea shanties as we sailed along (surprising how far a concertina will sound on the open sea, could also come in handy as a fog horn!!). Unfortunately had to give up sailing three years ago, but still have wonderful memories of playing whilst sitting on a mooring with the sound of the sea and seagulls all around me - Mardie

[Robin Harrison]

I missed his posting back in 2005 .............shame, as my claim to fame is that I had a pint with him once.................I wonderif he'd remember me? It was at the Earl's Court boat show in London. I was at the incredibly crowded Guinness stand rehydrating,all squeezed in elbow to bent elbow, and there was a guy behind me jostling to get to the bar. It was Robin K-J........a big, handsome man with a real presence about him.

He, along with William Kimber, have been iconic figures in my adult life . I spent five years of my life building and fittng out a boat very like Knox-Johnson's "Suhaili" (that he did his circum-navigation in) and sailed it across the Atlantic...................

Now the connection to free-reed instruments is a story I have told before. Before we left from La Palma,in the Canaries, to find the trade winds, I thought to spray the reeds of my Hohner Pokerwork melodeon with WD40 to stop the reeds from rusting. It was incredibly successful............25 years later,although the valves are completey glued to the reed shoes and allow no air through, I can see that there is no rust on the reeds. Usually I am too embarrassed to tell this story but I'm among friends here now !!

The moral being that drinking Guinness gets you to meet wonderful people , as does playing the concertina.

Regards Robin ( Harrison)

[PeterT]

Do you know him? Is he still playing? Did he ever really get started? Unless he's also got another c.net handle, it seems his only post was a year ago,

Hi David,

 

Sadly, I only know as much as you. However, as Robin is a Forum member, it seemed like a good story to flag up.

 

Regards,

Peter.

[PeterT]

Welcome, Mardie. What a great story.

 

Glad that you only had to give up the sailing, not the concertina.

 

Regards,

Peter.

[PeterT]

Fascinating! I wonder how many of us are sailing types? I am, though naturally not on RKJ's scale...

 

Gav

Not me, although I was a member of the "Shanty Crew" 1980-2.

 

Regards,

Peter.

[Chris Timson]

My concertina went with me everywhere and I even played sea shanties as we sailed along (surprising how far a concertina will sound on the open sea, could also come in handy as a fog horn!!).

Something I feel perhaps we should all bear in mind.

 

Chris

 

PS A good tale!

[Chris Drinkwater]

Just seen this:

 

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/other_spor...ing/6065246.stm

 

Amazing man; doubt whether he's taken his Anglo, though.

 

Peter.

 

Fascinating! I wonder how many of us are sailing types? I am, though naturally not on RKJ's scale...

 

Gav

 

Well, Gav, I have been sailing once, some years ago in my pre-concertina days, with my father, a keen amateur sailor, in a hired dingy, on Coniston water, while on holiday in the Lake District. Does this count? I really enjoyed it too.

 

Chris

[Paul Woloschuk]

Well, Gav, I have been sailing once, some years ago in my pre-concertina days, with my father, a keen amateur sailor, in a hired dingy, on Coniston water, while on holiday in the Lake District. Does this count? I really enjoyed it too.

I too have sailed a few dinghies in recent years, though only in warmer waters - makes the inevitable capsize quite pleasant!

Best experience? A ride on a Hobie Cat with an instructor - 1/2 mile on one hull!

[PeterT]

Just seen this:

 

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/other_spor...ing/6065246.stm

 

Amazing man; doubt whether he's taken his Anglo, though.

 

 

 

Added 24th October, to avoid additional postings:

 

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/other_spor...ing/6079300.stm

http://www.robinknox-johnston.co.uk/

 

I'm guessing that news will be available via Robin's website.

 

Peter.

Looks like it's gone "pear-shaped" for Robin, as well as other competitors. Sounds very scary.

 

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/other_spor...ing/6079300.stm

[McIsog]

Looks like it's gone "pear-shaped" for Robin, as well as other competitors. Sounds very scary.

 

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/other_spor...ing/6079300.stm

 

Common in a (growing) gale - if you don't depower enough, quickly enough eventually the window to remove sail closes because the sails are pinned in place by the wind.

 

I race sailboats in Chicago. Including the Chicago - Macinac Island race - 333 miles up lake Michigan. Though it is no ocean at times it acts like one. This year we were surfing our now old NY36 Sloop up into the Straits of Manitou in a 30 knot breeze (gusting to 50 knots) we were riding bumps that were apparently about 10 - 15' hitting us astearn doing about 14 knots ourselves (which is fast for this boat) and along comes a big wave hitting us astern but first cresting over our stern and completely dousing the boat's cockpit and 1/2 its crew sleeping in the berths below the cockpit. Several boats in the race were dismasted and had broken booms and spinnaker poles.

 

In past races we have seen wind speeds hit 70 knots on the lake. Boats that did not remove sail had real problems. It can come up very quick - like in a squall - at night giving you almost no time to prepare.

 

Given that Sir Robin rolled the boat sailing alone I'd say he did very well surviving in those conditions.

 

My son and I are newbie anglo concertina students studying and playing in Evanston, Il with a pair of Tedrows.

And we like Bob's work!

[PeterT]

My son and I are newbie anglo concertina students studying and playing in Evanston, Il with a pair of Tedrows.

And we like Bob's work!

Thanks for your tale. Please keep us posted regarding your Anglo progress.

 

Regards,

Peter.

[Gavin Atkin]

Some great stories here. I do hope RKJ's anglo is some comfort to him... I'm not sure I'd want to face the Southern Ocean knowing that this kind of accident could befall me far from land and possibly from rescue. As you say, Peter, he's an amazing man.

 

Gav

[Peter Brook]

Some great stories here. I do hope RKJ's anglo is some comfort to him... I'm not sure I'd want to face the Southern Ocean knowing that this kind of accident could befall me far from land and possibly from rescue. As you say, Peter, he's an amazing man.

 

Gav

 

 

As a very keen follower of ocean racing I think that people were caught out because it was so early in the race and the forecast was so very wrong. I believe that everyone - RKJ included - will give the Southern Ocean a lot more respect than the North Atlantic and be much more cautious.

[PeterT]

Just seen this:

 

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/other_spor...ing/6065246.stm

 

Amazing man; doubt whether he's taken his Anglo, though.

 

 

 

Added 24th October, to avoid additional postings:

 

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/other_spor...ing/6079300.stm

http://www.robinknox-johnston.co.uk/

 

I'm guessing that news will be available via Robin's website.

 

Peter.

Latest update:

 

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/other_spor...ing/6262907.stm

[David Barnert]

Fascinating! I wonder how many of us are sailing types? I am, though naturally not on RKJ's scale...

I guess I didn't see this question back in October. I don't sail much anymore, but I was an avid small boat day sailor in my youth and spent the summer of 1973 teaching sailing at a summer camp on Cape Cod.

 

Long before I ever dreamed I'd play concertina, though.

 

Edited for typo.

Edited January 16, 2007 by David Barnert