I have been listening to The Archers on and off (sadly more on than off)for 46 years and am astounded that there has never been a mention of that well know midlands sport of sailing.  Time for the class to pester the BBC into introducing a story line and get MR's sailing on the River Am.  With farmers contracting out their land they may as well get into sailing and expand our wonderfull class in rural areas.

The Archers was first broadcast in 1951 the same year as gannet was built so she has probably heard most of the episodes.  HOWEVER imagine if the Grundys descended on Brookfield Sailing Club.  Oooh St... Aaaarr.. board. Dum de dum de dum te dum........

The effects of the homemade scrumpy would be so befuddling that the Grundys would not notice they had any rights of way. But I recall a midlander Merlin sailor a few years back not knowing his left from his right.  But like many places we Merlin sailors go, the scenery makes up for the odd bump and the locals are alway colourful! We have friends wherever the boat is sailed.

In the sixties the Merlin Rocket Class did have it's own Archers Type Silver Tiller weekend at Avon Sailing Club paradocically based on the River Severn at Chacely Stock (Still there if slightly rinsed lastsummers floods!)(More or less in Archers country, - South Midlands - a substitute for the AM?) Great fun, sailing between huge banks and hay fields,in mid summer, wonderful hospitality. Some home grown Brian's and Phil Archer's a few Peggy's but I recall no Ruth's or Walter's, such Merlin Luminaries as Robert Lee-Warner (Chicken Farmer.), David Bessant (Soldier and carpetmaker.) and Ralph Savery (Land Owner and soldier.)came from there, and it was "home" to the Avon Self bailer one the first tubular self bailers, that we used to leave down pulling boats out and bend or worst case pull out the bailer. Gentler days.

Oooooooooh nooooo! Nostalgia. Time to comb The Archers message board to see if anyone dare suggest sailing as a valid plot line.

It's been a year or two since I listened  - is it really true that Grace Archer is dead?

Jack Woolley married01/01/1991 
      Peggy Woolley married01/01/1991 
      Jennifer Aldridge born07/01/1945 
      Paul Johnson born10/01/1931 
      Pat Archer born10/01/1952 
      Jack Archer died12/01/1972 
      Ralph Bellamy died18/01/1980 
      Brenda Tucker born21/01/1981 
      Kathy Perks born30/01/1953 
      Roy Tucker born02/02/1978 
      William Grundy born09/02/1983 
      Polly Perks died10/02/1982 
      Hazel Woolley born15/02/1956 
      Tony Archer born16/02/1951 
      Pip Archer born17/02/1993 
      Mark Hebden died17/02/1994 
      Mark Hebden born20/02/1955 
      Bunty Hebden born25/02/1922 
      Tommy Archer born25/02/1981 
      John Archer died25/02/1998 
      Neil Carter married25/02/1984 
      Susan Carter married25/02/1984 
      Ralph Bellamy born26/02/1925 
      Christine Barford married01/03/1979 
      George Barford married01/03/1979 
      Polly Perkins (Mrs P) born06/03/1905 
      Sharon Richards born07/03/1972 
      Roger Travers-Macy born09/03/1944 
      Eddie Grundy born15/03/1951 
      James Bellamy born30/03/1973 
      Caroline Pemberton born03/04/1955 
      Robert Snell born05/04/1943 
      Sid Perks born09/04/1944 
      Grace Archer married11/04/1955 
      Helen Archer born16/04/1979 
      Elizabeth Pargetter born21/04/1967 
      Phil Archer born23/04/1928 
      Dan Archer died23/04/1986 
      Kathy Perks married24/04/1987 
      Sid Perks married24/04/1987 
      Polly Perkins (Mrs P) died03/05/1991 
      Paul Johnson died10/05/1978 
      Clarrie Grundy born12/05/1954 
      Polly Perks born15/05/1943 
      Neil Carter born22/05/1957 
      Lynda Snell born29/05/1947 
      Jennifer Aldridge married29/05/1976 
      Brian Aldridge married29/05/1976 
      Karen Barford born04/06/1962 
      Nigel Pargetter born08/06/1959 
      Ruth Archer born16/06/1968 
      Jethro Larkin died17/06/1987 
      Terry Barford born18/06/1960 
      Adam Macy born22/06/1967 
      Christopher Carter born22/06/1988 
      Lilian Bellamy born08/07/1947 
      Doris Archer born11/07/1900 
      Jack Woolley born19/07/1919 
      Pru Forrest born27/07/1921 
      Betty Tucker born04/08/1950 
      Shula Hebden born08/08/1958 
      Kenton Archer born08/08/1958 
      Emma Carter born08/08/1984 
      Julia Pargeter born17/08/1924 
      Jethro Larkin born28/08/1924 
      Lilian Bellamy married03/09/1971 
      Ralph Bellamy married03/09/1971 
      Peter Johnson born05/09/1965 
      Rosie Mabbott born14/09/1951 
      Joe Grundy born18/09/1921 
      David Archer born18/09/1959 
      Shula Hebden married21/09/1985 
      Mark Hebden married21/09/1985 
      Grace Archer died22/09/1955 
      Tom Forrest married26/09/1958 
      Pru Forrest married26/09/1958 
      Polly Perks married27/09/1966 
      Roger Travers-Macy married27/09/1968 
      Grace Archer born28/09/1930 
      Edward Grundy jnr born28/09/1984 
      Alice Aldridge born29/09/1988 
      Elizabeth Pargetter married29/09/1994 
      Nigel Pargetter married29/09/1994 
      Kate Aldridge born30/09/1977 
      Jill Archer born03/10/1930 
      Susan Carter born10/10/1963 
      Dan Archer born16/10/1896 
      Tom Forrest born20/10/1910 
      George Barford born24/10/1928 
      Kylie Richards born26/10/1989 
      Doris Archer died27/10/1980 
      Clive Horrobin born09/11/1972 
      Peggy Woolley born13/11/1924 
      Phil Archer married16/11/1957 
      Jill Archer married16/11/1957 
      Brian Aldridge born20/11/1943 
      Clarrie Grundy married21/11/1981 
      Eddie Grundy married21/11/1981 
      Mike Tucker born01/12/1949 
      Lucy Gemmell born12/12/1971 
      Lily Pargetter born12/12/1999 
      Freddy Pargetter born12/12/1999 
      Tony Archer married12/12/1974 
      Pat Archer married12/12/1974 
      Paul Johnson married15/12/1956 
      David Archer married15/12/1988 
      Ruth Archer married15/12/1988 
      Dan Archer married17/12/1921 
      Doris Archer married17/12/1921 
      Jack Archer born17/12/1922 
      Christine Barford born21/12/1931 
      Debbie Aldridge born24/12/1970 
      John Archer born31/12/1975

And has any one on this list ever stepped in a Merlin or indeed seen one?  Mind you, my boy Nelson has a nautical name so between spells in chokey and "disappearing" he could have turned his hand to a bit of sailing.

Mr F, you certainly have a bit of spare time or could you in some way be connected to the show?

Just finished listening to TA on line and then saw this discussion and delighted to read the Garry's boat Gannet listens.  I talk and shout at mine all the time but they don't respond. Perhaps I should resort to what a character has just done and give it a slap on the rudder!  But hang on, if I did I would be out of the boat and swimming!