I left a message by EMail with our new club Commodore, on Saturday, asking if he sees the owner(yesterday)a visitor participating in our Frostbite series,please let him know I found a rudder behind his boat and the back of the boat cover flapping loose.
Presuming the rudder/stock/ tiller extension was too big for the adjacent boats, and said cover being open, after letting a load of rain water out,placed the gear in the boat, put the bung back in as found and fastened the cover. Sorry the rudder was a bit muddy around the edges but what with it raining hard and nothing to hand to clean it put it in boat as found.
We have reportedly been having problems with loose boat parts being targetted and after going to Colchester, I called in ostensibly to check on a bed ridden member's Osprey-and my own boats, so had a quick gander around.
I havent received a reply to that or another matter raised from Commodore as yet, so thought I would place a message on here just in case, presuming the owner is an association member? kind regards Gavin.

ps messa Chip Off The Old Block is the boat's name, I believe it is a Smokers...

Hi Gavin, chip of the old block was out sunday at ardleigh so think alls well.  We have been taking our rudder back and sails as have heard about recent theft issues. Been having some realy good sailing at ardleigh sunday was great sunshine and 15 knots.  cheers.  pete

COTOB is a Gnome from memory, used to be at Shoreham, was lovingly maintained and updated by Rich and Sue Parke before heading to Whitstable. Fast boat in it's day although a little scary down hill in a blow

COTOB was of course the late Martin Warren's boat .

Thanks everyone for the replies, I will freely admit,being a Class newby, to not really being able to differentiate between all the myriad marks.
I saw another nice white Merlin Rocket had appeared near the clubhouse,(on closer brief inspection she looked brand new,the side sports the legend Smoker/s), and COTOB looked a very similar shape to my relatively untrained eye. 
I did see her on the reservoir racing early in the Winter series, looked nice out there in full flight with our resident fast Fireballers kites flying.
Glad you are enjoying Ardleigh Pete. In Smoker's? 
We do get a nice variation of classes and what with the scouts and Essex Uni rowers, helps to keep things balanced too. 
Regards to all GavinT

Hi Gavin, been sailing the white winder merlin 3627 snorter over there.  Chip of the old block is owned by a couple from mersea and going well.  Theres also another white 1 year old winder 3719 last week all three of us were out.  Yeah its nice to get out once a week at ardleigh we have certainley never done so many hoists and drops before.Cheers.pete

Hi again Pete, are you a club member or visiting to do the series.
If the latter and I dont get to see you out there prior to the end of the series, all the very best.
Last year I was the only MR owner. We have had quite a few assorted ones since I joined over a decade ago.

Hi Gavin, no not a member at ardleigh just doing the series i sail at brightlingsea where we have got a good healthy growing fleet.Which Merlin you own?Great boats arent they.cheers.pete

Gavin,

Many thanks for returning the rudder. We must have taken it out the boat (having heard about the recent thefts) and then not put it in the car. Couldn't believe our luck when everyone else was having their rudders nicked and we had ours returned! Its currently being sanded down and re-varnished ready for Ardleigh on Sunday.

COTOB is a Rowsell and Morrison built in 1985 - number 3373 - I think the design is a Gnome but correct me if I'm wrong! It seems to go pretty well still when we aren't trawling the kite or capsizing in the gybes ;-) 

We bought it in October and we're sailing it at Dabchicks, West Mersea in the summer and Ardleigh Reservoir in the winter. Ardleigh is a great friendly PY series for anyone in the area - the winter series runs mid Oct to mid Dec and Frostbite series runs mid Jan to mid March.

All the best and thanks again
Lee
MR 3373

Lee, now if that had been last year when I needed a rudder...-seriously I bought one from a chap in Suffolk, an X Fireball one, so had to modify the Pintails, which I had to re do when first time out,a tapper fell out. Amazing that resin stuff, must put paint it, on the things to do list.
Pete she is a 1957 Proctor Mk 6, called Caprice.
She was retrieved from The Thamsis club's boat house racks, laid up therein for a good half decade I believe, and maybe would have been destined for a different sort of burn up to a racing one, otherwise.
I enjoyed going down there and seeing all the different MRs on the Thames.
I will probably be down ar ardleigh, the weekend after next, as my third(and maybe final one) Fireball is due to go to a new owner but we havent arranged which day yet.
Anyway all the very best sailing at Brightlingsea and W Mersea- we are very lucky to have such great venues in one area. I do quite a bit on The Stour/Orwell and occassionally Deben too.
cheers also, Gavin