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Wish you were hereDavid Villers-Child reminisces... |
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The Merlin Rocket Silver Tiller Series is a highly competitive competition run over the whole at differing venues from Oban on the West Coast of Scotland to Lowestoft, Whitstable and Falmouth. Inevitably there are clashes, and in the year in question the clash was Bolton in the North with Cookham Reach in the South. Both were Inland events. Our two heroes were head to head and both needing an elusive Inland win to cement victory. They were friends as well as rivals. They agreed that the gentlemanly thing to do was to fight it out fair and square at Cookham Reach. They sailed in the practice races on Saturday and went home Robin to central London Brian to Chipstead in Surrey. On the Sunday the day dawned bright and Brian was happy, lots of wind and whistling as he rigged his boat with such concentration that he noticed nothing at all. Until that is: a telegram delivery boy tapped him on the shoulder, �You Saffery-Cooper?� �yes� �telegram sign here� he did with the curious slightly worried anticipation we all felt on such occasions before telegrams were abandoned. He need not have worried, Great Uncle George was not dead, and had not left him all his money. It merely said �having a lovely time in Bolton wish you were here- Love Robin!� Both won and therefore the Silver Tiller went to the wire some two weeks later at Rye Harbour. However there is some justice, when two months later Robin appeared in the magistrates court in Litchfield for speeding (exceeding a 30 mph limit with a two wheeled trailer), he attempted to defend himself by saying the police had not followed him nor had they attempted to stop him. �What do you have to say to that constable?� asked the magistrate, well your worship my machine (a high power motorcycle) was doing the maximum it could and the accused was still drawing away. Robin changed his plea to guilty paid the heavy fine with ease and reflected on what might have been. He also ordered a roof rack for his Aston Martin to carry the boat on and thus avoid this occurring again. Oh yes who won? Well they both had punctures on the way to Rye Harbour and the series was won by someone else! Both subsequently did win the much sought after Silver Tiller. |