Some sad news. For those of you who have been around merlins and/or Parkstone YC for more than a couple of decades, you will remember Tony Lock as a merlin sailor, husband to Leslie, father to Rosie and Vicky, a gentleman, and a boat builder of merlins and other boats.  I had 3433 Flying Chaucer and dad had 3488 Carrera, both Turner bare hulls finished by Tony in his garage in the 80s & 90s. He had been unwell for a year or so but has now passed away.

Yes Tony's health had declined a lot in the last two years but in our early years of going to Parkstone's Poole week, Tony and family were very keen members. His main occupation had been as a physical education teacher and although I don't know where he developed his wood working skills, he built up a very competent boat building and repair activity from his garage.
This resulted in a collaboration with Jon Turner in the early days of the composite Canterbury Tales, Jon supplying the material and Tony building it. Carrera was a beautiful looking boat and when finished was then rigged by Jon. This all enabled Nick and myself to attend the '93 Weymouth champs along with a borrowed compass and rudder and sneak the win. We will always be grateful to Tony. I'm sure that those championships still go down as one of the windiest and waviest but the boat came thro absolutely unscathed.
Tony eventually moved back to their local club at Christchurch where he did a lot for youth sailing and was involved with veteran Finn sailing
However Tony and Lesley up to a couple of years ago always came over to the Parkstone old merlins' Christmas lunch, fully participating in the wearing of Christmas cracker paper hats!
He will always be fondly remembered by us
Graham Scroggie

I was so sad to hear this news a couple of days ago from Tony's daughter Vicky.  I crewed for Tony a lot during my teenage years and early 20s doing Poole Weeks and Champs at Exmouth and Whitstable with him, so he was a formative part of my sailing life.  A lovely bloke and as Nick says, a real gent.  Remembered with fondness. xx

I too remember Tony with great fondness.  A lovely man who always seemed to have time for a chat during those long lazy days of the Poole Weeks of old.
Dan Alsop