Report on the Launch

by Martin Goodwin

Photos by Martin Goodwin & Clem Wright

By noon there were quite a few owners present (12 people & 2 dogs at least) including Clem and Beryl Wright who are taking Rodbaston on its first weekend trip. As we arrived things were still being loaded and checked - glasses, crockery and the grill pan which proved very tricky - in the handle attaching department.

Soon after 12:30 we decided that there were unlikely to be any latecomers so we started to do the business. Eve struggled suitably with a bottle of champers and ceremoniously popped the cork - after saying " I name this boat Rodbaston - God bless all who sail in her" she poured some liquid nectar over the bows - but stopped very quickly with the words "I'm not wasting any more of this stuff on you".

We took a few group photos.

As Rodbaston was not going to be ready to sail for a while we adjourned to the pub (The Boat) for lunch. The barman (I hope he wasn't the landlord) was a little less than ecstatic at 11 people arriving en masse for lunch - we stood at the wrong place at the bar and had to move, we had to eat in the restaurant as we would have crowded out the bar and several people thought that the beef sarnis were a little "higher" than desirable - although I must say that I have suffered no ill effects thus far.

Soon after three we set sail - just 6 of us (Martin & Eve, Clem & Beryl, Sue & me) - others had to leave due to distance home etc.

Clem steered us out quite magnificently given the very crowded conditions at Blue Lias. We turned right - not least because the windlass was not yet on board - and motored for about half an hour before winding and returning to Blue Lias as dusk was falling.