WINDSURF & SAILBOAT 2000 AT ALEXANDRA PALACE
|
This year the SigneT stand sported no less than two dinghies'. ST2 owned by John Pryor from Paxton Lakes SC and ST 914 owned by Patrick Overs, also from Paxton Lakes SC, and son-in-law of John. Talk about keeping it in the family! ST2 is the earliest example of the SigneT. ST1 was a development craft, similar in basic layout but without the transom deck and the rear buoyancy tanks.
|
John had completely stripped the hull and found that original wood was pretty sound. He opted for a varnish finish inside and out, set off with an antique yellow underside. ST914 is the latest example and was built by the owner in his garage from plans supplied through the SCOA.
|
The stand was located mid-way down the Great Hall. Two sets of display boards were used together with 12v halogen floods and a computer based rolling slide show. The displays covered SigneT building options, plans and photographs of ST914 in-build. A second display covered information about the SCOA and the coming seasons events. The third display, based on Sunday Times press cuttings was about ST2's classic crossing of The Channel in 1965 along with four other SigneT's. The fourth display was various Signet photos from over the years. The slide show proved very popular with some pictures dating back to the early days of the class.
|
Many of AQSC's SigneT owners were on the stand over the weekend to answer questions and meet old friends Many thanks to them all for their help.
|
The build-up on Friday went smoothly. Saturday was very busy but Sunday went wrong from the start. Last year you will remember the North Circular became a lake over night. This year not quite so dramatic but it was closed a bit past Stonebridge during the morning and many people, including me, ended up on a magical mystery tour around Hendon, Finchley and Wood Green.
|
The show itself was less well attended on Sunday. Come closing the world went mad with everybody trying to get out at the same time. Still, everything was going quite well when Maggie Pryor, wife of John announced her handbag had gone missing! We searched high and low but it had gone. The good news was that both boats and their crews got away by 7:15pm and the handbag turned up in another part of the country the following day.
|
A very embarrassment lady, who sat on the stand next door, found the bag it in her car. To my knowledge she never had one visitor on her stand the whole weekend but then she was selling health insurance! Her partner came in late Sunday morning looking a bit down in the mouth and announced he'd been mugged the night before outside his hotel. Just wasn't their weekend.
|
Thanks again to everybody who was involved. It was also nice to see so many AQSC faces at the show virtually all sporting their club tee shirts and sweats. Next year the dates are 3 & 4 March so be sure to make a note in your diaries. Hopefully the SCOA will be there!
|
Mike (Over Easy) Baker
|
|