Tales from Roach Sailing Association Newsletters (and other sources)

The following articles are drawn from RSA newsletters and other sources, and may not be reproduced without the permission of the RSA or the original author.

2023	September RSA Newsletter (pdf) featuring: RSA supports the Calais Rally (Brian Browne) Escape from the USA (Steve Noble) A trip to Clacton Air Show (Rob Ayre) Corinne Chronicles (Aleck Poole) Briar Rose in Orkney and Shetland (Shaun Hetherington) Briar Rose – the voyage home (Graham Pelling Havengore buoyage update February RSA Newsletter (pdf) featuring: RSA celebrates 50 years Racing and Awards 2022 Ciel Bleu: Paglesham to Grenada (Jon Walmsley) Briar Rose Greek Odyssey (Shaun Hetherington) Admiral Lord Cochrane (John Apps) A short history of the RSA (John Langrick) Members ideas for the future
2022	September RSA Newsletter (pdf) featuring: RSA East Coast Cruise (John Langrick) Hmm, where’s that oil coming from? (Brian Browne) SWAMPED! (John Apps) Ciel Bleu cruising upgrades (Jon Walmsley) February RSA Newsletter (pdf) featuring: Special Electric Edition Arelia's Jester Azores Challenge 2021 (John Apps)
2021	RSA Cup Winners summary 2021 September RSA Newsletter (pdf) featuring: The Long Tow (John Apps) Getting Ashore (safely)(Richard Bessey) Inspirational Navigators - Vasco de Gama(Shaun Hetherington) (Richard Bessey) Round Britain (Graham Pelling) 2021 East Coast Cruise (John Langrick) February RSA Newsletter (pdf) featuring: If Napoleon had been a sailor (John Apps) Corrine Chronicles II (Aleck Poole) Restoring Pudmudle - again (Richard Bessey) Memories of Havengore Bridge
2020	September RSA Newsletter (pdf) featuring: Circumnavigating Potton Island (Graham Pelling) BRIAR ROSE, Start of season (Shaun Hetherington) IMOTHES to Pyefleet 2020 (John Langrick) Love at first sight (Ermal Krutani) Round Britain Voyage 2007 (John Aplin) Hey Potton WASUP (Jon Walmsley) February RSA Newsletter (pdf) featuring: Leros to Corfu (Shaun Hetherington) Carry on Corrine (Aleck Poole) First Aid for solo sailors (John Apps)
2019	February RSA Newsletter (pdf) featuring: A New Yacht for the President (Mike Green) Havengore and Potton bridge plus RSPB Wallasea project (Ken Wickham) A new Yacht for Vince (Vince Lowen) Mystical (Steve Noble) September RSA Newsletter (pdf) featuring: Lotus'summer cruise (Ken Wickham) Lucy's trip to foreign lands (Nick Turner) Heligoland (John Apps) A typical day on the river(Jon Walmsley)
2018	September RSA Newsletter (pdf) featuring: Bleeding diesel engines (Aleck Poole) The Gracilda Cup (Alice Noble) Winter Series on the Roach (Ken Wickham) Sheer Terror or absolute Splendour (John Apps) From the log of Ambition II (Richard Bessey and Justine Selman) February RSA Newsletter (pdf) featuring: Ambition II: the big cruise (Richard Bessey and Justine Selman) The Building of a Bermudan Sloop - the Halloween story (Rodney Choppin) Seagull Seagull (Aleck Poole) Ambition II Atlantic blog 2017-18
2017	September RSA Newsletter (pdf) featuring: Jessica's log TRIUMPHANT and LADY ANNE 2017 (John and Sheila Quillam) An eventful 24 hours (Shaun Hetherington) My first trip up the East Coast (Ava Lowen age 18 months) February RSA Newsletter (pdf) featuring: AMBITION II Scotland log part 1 (Richard Bessey and Justine Selman) Cat and the Bat (Jon Walmsley) Bornholm, Island in the Sun (John Apps)
2016	September RSA Newsletter (pdf) featuring: Sambuca sailing log (Dave Pierce) AMBITION II Scotland log part 1 (Richard Bessey and Justine Selman) Two Cruises 2016 (John Langrick) The ad on the internet (Steve Noble) February RSA Newsletter (pdf) featuring: Corrine to Lowestoft (Aleck Poole) Triumphant in Belize (John and Sheila Quillam) Ambition II (Richard Bessey and Justine Selman)
2015	September RSA Newsletter (pdf) featuring: Sandy's first East Coast Cruise (Rob Jennings) The Ray Sand Channel (Richard Bessey) Eider Keil Skagarrak or Limfjord (John Apps) CORINNE makes Pyefleet and contacts the East Coast Cruise (Aleck Poole) IMOTHES Sambucca Cup challenge (John Langrick) PGSC 2015 (David Hanchett) February RSA Newsletter (pdf) featuring: The Most Extraordinary Place on Earth (John Apps) DESTAYE Journey across the North Sea to Flam (Shaun Hetherington) SEVERN – Rivers Class Yacht 1912 (Dave Pearce)
2014	September RSA Newsletter (pdf) featuring: 2014 RSA Cruises (John Langrick) Around Wallasea in WINKS (Sambucca Challenge) (Richard Bessey) Plenty of Fish in the Sea (John Apps) Up the Eider River (Richard Bessey and Justine Selman) A quick once round Holland with John, Peter and Clem aboard IMOTHES (Clem Freeman ) SPARKLE on the Roach (David Hanchet) PAKLJHAWA Ping! (Jon Walmsley ) Master of all he Surveys? (Anne Boulter) February RSA Newsletter (pdf) featuring: CONTESSA OF WESTON’s Sambuca Challenge (Ian Hewett) Tony Hudson and SNIPE (John Langrick) PAKLJHAWA Goes East (Jon Walmsley)
2013	September RSA Newsletter (pdf) featuring: REMIS VERLESQUE (RV) challenge and East Coast trip (Kay Callahan and Vince Lowen) PAKLJHAWA Goes West (Jon Walmsley) RAVENS Progress 2013 Cruises in IMOTHES (John Langrick) From Wight to Ushant (Richard Bessey and Justine Selman) February RSA Newsletter (pdf) featuring: Pascua to Pape’ete via Pitcairn (John Apps) Hosteller’s 2013 Summer Cruise (Mark Smith)
2012	September RSA Newsletter (pdf) featuring: The Cruise Part II (David Hanchet) Carry on Down Channel (Richard Bessey and Justine Selman) CORINNE Makes The East Coast (Aleck Poole) February RSA Newsletter (pdf) featuring: Some history (John Langrick) Parrot in Panama (John Apps) It’s a Dream (Peter Watson) Dinghy cruising at the Semaine du Golfe Part 1 (Gerald Turner) RSA yacht to paradise (pdf) John Margarson's account of the Jester Azores race 2012
2011	September RSA Newsletter (pdf) featuring: Not calling all ships Not the PSGC Summer Cruise Dom’sfirst trip in SWANTI SUSIE’s‘Weekend’ Trip IMOTHES' Summer Cruise Out and about in Pickled Pajamas February RSA Newsletter (pdf) featuring: Steak and Oysters A Warram Tiki catamaran Restoring Susie Jester Challenge Around again with Destaye
2010	September RSA Newsletter (pdf) featuring: Sea Jay's log The Gentleman's Cruise Philomelle in Sweden February RSA Newsletter (pdf) featuring: Triumphant in Guatemala (Sheila and John Quillam) Folkboat Rodingen (Mary Hare) Philomelle in Denmark (Richard Bessey and Justine Selman)
2009	September RSA Newsletter (pdf) featuring: Not the Atlantic again... (John Apps) Imothes in France (John Langrick) Foreign food (Richard Bessey) Pyefleet and beyond (Alec Pool) Tales from the river (Mark and Chrissie Flitter) February RSA Newsletter (pdf) featuring: Commissioning Monndancer (Brian brown) Update from South America (John and Sheila Quillam) Return of Destaye via the Scillies (John Langrick)
2008	Log extracts from Triumphant (John and Sheila Quillam) September RSA Newsletter (pdf) featuring: Jester Challenge to the Azores (John Apps) Imothes in France (John Langrick) Philomelle in France (Richard Bessey and Justine Selman) February RSA Newsletter (pdf) featuring: A brief visit to Sydney (Richard Bessey) Square Rig cruise (Ken Wickham) News from Triumphant (John and Sheila Quillam)
2007	September RSA Newsletter (pdf) featuring: Three men in a boat (John Langrick) Dawn raid (Richard Bessey and Justine Selman) Atlantic double cross (John Apps) Ibiza to Croatia (Jon Walmsley) February RSA Newsletter (pdf) featuring: From London to Paris River (James & Shaun Hetherington) Nancy of the yawl Philo (anon) Dick Churn (obituary) Norweigian Log (Richard Bessey and Justine Selman)
2006	September RSA Newsletter (pdf) featuring: The first Mudcatcher's Cup (Richard Bessey) When the storm forms around you (John Apps) Gemini, twice to Pin Mill (Ken Wickham) Exploring Barling Creek (Steve Dowding) Triumphant's progress (John and Sheils Quillam) February RSA Newsletter (pdf) featuring: A day out on the water (Shaun Heatherington) So you think you are ready for a West to East Atlantic Crossing? (John Apps) Scilly to Alderney (Richard Bessey and Justine Selman) Holiday of a lifetime? (John Langrick & family)
2005	September RSA Newsletter (pdf) featuring: Restoration of Boom Boat Dally Brandy Hole series (Steve Dowding) To the Scillies (Richard Bessey and Justine Selman) Benfleet rally - a ditch crawlers guide (John Langrick) I don't like brussels sprouts either (John Walmsley on an Atlantic crossing) February RSA Newsletter (pdf) featuring: The Beacons (Richard Bessey) Tiny Mite (John Whittingham) A Partner's lot is not a happy one (poem by Anne Boulter) From the Roach to Australia - the eay way (John Langrick)
2004	September RSA Newsletter (pdf) featuring: The Jo(h)ns' top ten sailing tips (one of the Jo(h)ns) My first East Coast cruise (Shaun and Ben Hetherington) Kingsley Varcoe 1913-2004 Follow that ship! (Richard Bessey) New decks for Philomelle (Richard Bessey) Paglesham Regatta 1974 February RSA Newsletter (pdf) featuring: Paglesham to St Peterberg (and back) (John Walmsley) Laying up in Talinn (Richard Bessey and Justine Selman) To Maldon with the OGA (John Langrick) A quick trip to France (John Apps) Triumphant voyage update from Madiera (John and Sheila Quillam)
2003	September RSA Newsletter (pdf) featuring: Paglesham Yacht Race (John Perry) Fambridge Rally (John Langrick) East Coast Cruie (John Langrick) Fahrting rund der Ost See (John Ap The journey to Hel (Richard Bessey and Justine Selman) February RSA Newsletter (pdf) featuring: Delivering Philomelle (Richard Bessey and Justine Selman) Baltic or Bust (John Walmsley) Professor Peter Quillam OBE (1915-2003)
2002	September RSA Newsletter (pdf) featuring: HMS Beagle (Rodney Choppin) Freisian cruise (Richard Bessey and Justine Selman) Brilliant bash for British Boats in the blue and brown Baltic and Holland (John Apps) Three Tiny Mites (Richard Bessey) February RSA Newsletter (pdf) featuring: Don McDowell Trophy (John Langrick and Pat McDowell) A Floating Home (book review by Ivor Jones)
2001	September RSA Newsletter (pdf) featuring: Norman Bishop (Paul Bishop) To Try and Try Again (Anne Boulter) RSA Holland Cruise (John Langrick) February RSA Newsletter (pdf) featuring: Live-a-board in the Mediterranean (Dan O’Herlihy) A sad farewell to Don McDowell A Passage (Bill Christie) A day-trip to Gunfleet Lighthouse (Richard Bessey)
2000	September RSA Newsletter (pdf) featuring: Norman Whibley - the Quiet Man (Reg Seal) Going Dutch (Richard Bessey and Justine Selman) OGA East Coast Rally (John Langrick) Build me straight and strong O worthy Master (Rodney Choppin) February RSA Newsletter (pdf) featuring: Close Encounter (John Walmsley) Normandy and back (Dai Williams and Caroline Gibb) Laying in your bunk dreaming (Rogues yarn)
1999	September RSA Newsletter (pdf) featuring: Lady Hamilton's trip to the sun (Dennis Haggerty) The Everlasting One-Design (Caroline Gibb) Winks on the Fal (Richard Bessey) Ditch Crawling (John Langrick) February RSA Newsletter (pdf) featuring: Triumphant Goes West (John and Sheila Quillam) A Freight to Maldon (Ron Watts) Lady Hamilton is heading for the Sun (Dennis Haggerty) First Time Foreign (Jon Walmsley)
1998	September RSA Newsletter (pdf) featuring: Are you a tall ship? (Ron Watts) Round and Round - Part 2 (Caroline Gibb and Dai Williams) Creek Crawling? (John Langrick) February RSA Newsletter (pdf) featuring: To Shotley and Ipswich and back (Alan Holland) Round and Round - Part 1 (Caroline Gibb and Dai Williams)
1997	September RSA Newsletter (pdf) featuring: Two summer cruises (Richard Bessey) RSA and Hostellers SC Pyefleet August bank holiday weekend (Steve Dowding) My first circumnavigation of the Isle of Sheppey (John Langrick) From Dinghy to Cruiser and back again! (Roger Frith) February RSA Newsletter (pdf) featuring: One Man and His Boats: A tribute to Jack Walmsley (Jon Walmsley) Launch of the Gracilda (from Southend Standard, 1934) Home to N51.35.31, E00.48.41 (Dai Williams and Caroline Gibb) Swanti's travels (John Langrick)
1996	September RSA Newsletter (pdf) featuring: Farewell Len Choppin Hostellers Sailing Club Nearly Won the first Dinghy race! For the love of boats (John Langrick) Oops Ruth (John Langrick) February RSA Newsletter (pdf) featuring: The Last Race (archive 1961) The Years Roll By (Ron Watts) En route to Les Sables D'Olonne (Caroline Gibb and Dai Williams) To Maldon this time! (John Langrick) Tony Hudson's memories of Snipe in the 40s Havengore: a sceptic's guide from Dennis Haggerty
1995	Tess in France part 1 Tess in France part 1 A trip to Faversham with Swanti
1975	RSA newsletters September newsletter
1974	RSA newsletters July newsletter February newsletter
1973 (RSA beginnings)	Roach Sailing Association formed to represent yachtsmen on the river Roach Letter to yachtsmen (invitation to join)
1973 (Maplin Airport)	Part of our Heritage (part 1) and (Part 2) Wakering Small Boat Users Association's observations on the consultation documents for the Maplin New Town and access corridors.
1961	Paglesham Yacht Race ("The Last Race") Postcard of Paglesham Hard at about this time Paglesham Built by George Pattison, owner of Hope
1959	Lylie wins Shuttlewood Cup (newspaper cutting)
1953	Two articles by the owner of Shuttlewood Barge Yacht Dione, courtesy of the author's son Tony Hays, and Yachting Monthly: Barge Yacht Blessings (YM March 1953) Red Stars in the Sky (YM Nov 1953)
1936	Death of  J. W.  Shuttlwood

1939	Launch of barge yachy Nancy Grey (video - wmv format, 300mb)
1934	Launch of the Gracilda
1895	Launch of the Arthur (lighter)
1883	Launch of the Kate
1886	Launch of steam dredger, Tiny Mite
1858	Paglesham Regatta
1845	How Darwin's HMS Beagle ended up in Paglesham - by Rodney Choppin

If you have any tales to contribute to the newsletter or this web archive, please get in touch!