Revised List of Ships and Owners
A revised list detailing the latest changes in ownership is an annex to this newsletter. “Eenhoorn,” “Marmara,” “Dorothy,” “Flibustier,” “Polly W” and the ship of Mr. Dros will be commissioned this season. We wish the new owners good luck and do hope they will never be at sea at sea!

News from Mr. Gunning
We thank Mr. Gunning for sending a treatise about halyards. It seems to me of special interest for people sailing single-handed or short-handed. It is of interest too for owners of an “Alcyone.”

And here is the treatise:
“A request was received to design a lead of halyards for mainsail so that the sail could be set and lowered from the cockpit. In itself this is quite simple, implying merely two foot-blocks at the foot of the mast, thus leading the halyards aft. (The boat in question was a Cormorant, without halyard winches).

However, it was felt that 200 ft of combined throat- and peak halyard would be a nuisance in the cockpit, and so the following gear was devised.
The throat-halyard (wire) is led aft over a foot-block over the cabin top to a normal halyard winch, placed on the cabin top in easy reach of the cockpit. This halyard consists of a short length of long-link chain between gaff and masthead block, and into this chain a special sheave is incorporated.

The peakhalyard is of thin wire, one end fixed to the top of the mast (underneath the toppinglift), led over a block on the gaff near the peak, over the block just mentioned on the throat-halyard, and so down to a tackle alongside the tabernacle, with the hauling part led aft over a foot-block.
As the throat-halyard is raised or lowered the peak-halyard renders through the block on the throat-halyard, thus automatically adjusting itself. Any difference, of the order of a couple of feet, is adjusted by the above-mentioned tackle.

It is now possible to set and lower the sail by means of the winch, the tackle being only used to set up the gaff, or to lower it so as to pass underneath the topping lift when gibing.

It is felt that the system might be attractive to owners of an “Alcyone.” It has often been found that especially guests find the manipulation of the combined peak- and throat-halyard complicated and confusing. The system would allow the existing barrel for the throat-halyard to be used, leaving the barrel of the peak-halyard free for say an extra halyard for genoa, squaresail, or spinnaker.

For those who want to know more about it: Wil Valentijn has a drawing and knows all the answers.

News about the Rally 1966
As already mentioned in Newsletter nr. 6 the rally 1966 will be held on July 30th and 31st.
On Friday afternoon, July 29th, the ships will assemble in “Delta Marina”, Kortgene (Isle of Noord-Beveland).
On Saturday morning, July 30th, the fleet will set sail for Zierikzee (Isle of Schouwen-Duiveland), where a dinner will follow in Hotel “Concordia”. A captains’ meeting, where club affairs will be dealt with, will be held before dinner.
At Sunday July 31st, the ships will sail to a given rendezvous where they will be anchored and moored alongside.
Drinks and visiting. We do hope there will be a party just as gay as the one we had during the last rally.
End of the rally. the times of departure on both days will be given according to weather and tide. those who return to “Delta Marina” may join a dinner in the restaurant.

And here is some further information:
“Delta Marina” (tel. 01108-315) is a commercial non-tidal yacht harbour. It is situated on the North coast of “Veerse Meer” (Lake of Veere), in the village of Kortgene in the vicinity of the Eastern locks of Veerse Meer. Access to Veerse Meer either by the afore-mentioned locks or the locks of Flushing and Walcheren Canal.

There is a regular bus service to the railway station of Goes. Reservations for berthing our ships are made. “Delta Marina” has a restaurant, a snackbar, shops for victuals and ship’s provisions, (coin-operated) electric washing machines (waserette) and the usual amenities.
Cost of having a berth: ƒ 0,35 a day, ƒ 2,25 a week, ƒ 9,- a month, per meter length of the boat.
The dinner on Saturday night will be held in the newly rebuilt hotel Concordia in Zierikzee. It is the only hotel in this town that has accommodation for 100 or more guests. The menu will be shrimp-mayonnaise, chicken soup, fried sole, French potatoes, salad, peach with cream. Cost: ƒ 12,50 per head, exclusive 15% tip and wine. A special dining room has been reserved.

During dinner no special dress will be worn. Ladies are suggested to wear summer dress, gentlemen blazer or blue suit.
Zierikzee is a nice, little, old Dutch town. In the tidal harbour berths for our ships have been reserved. The afore-mentioned reservations for berths and dinner have been made on a rough estimate of 20 ships and 100 persons.

For harbour masters and restaurants and for us too, it is of interest to know the exact numbers. It will therefore be most appreciated if owners will inform us before June 1st:
a. if they will join the rally and if so with or without their ship
b. if they want to partake at the dinner and the number of guests they
bring along.

If owners are short of crew please inform us about it; we will try to help them out of that problem. The same applies to owner who are at the time not yet in possession of their ship.
We do hope that many ships will be present!

Mr. Gunning 70!
Mr. Gunning has now reached the age of three score years and ten.
The working committee suggests – in order to pay a tribute to the designer of our well-beloved ships – to present him at the dinner in Zierikzee on Saturday July 30th with a photograph album. The idea is that every shipowner send by the end of this season the best available photograph of his ship (for example sailing, sailing in bad weather, at anchor or moored in a picturesque spot etc.)

The size ±13×18 cm. (i.e. 5×7”) is suggested. Black and white as well as a coloured photograph is welcome.
The photograph is suggested to be sent to Mr. B. van der Ploeg, with a little note with the name of the owner, name of the ship, building number and year of building.

Correspondence
Kindly forward correspondence to:
B. van der Ploeg
Jacob Mulderweg 22
Den Haag 1 A.
Tel. 070-55.63.82