Annual General Meeting

MBLA -- 2024 ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING

MBLA Annual General Meeting will be held at Penzance Sailing Club, Albert Pier, TR18 2LL on Wednesday 13th March, commencing at 7.30 pm (open from 7.00 pm).

This will follow the usual pattern:-

1/. Welcome

2/. Apologies

3/. Minutes of the 2023 AGM (March 8th)

4/. Matters Arising from 3/. above

5/. Reports

Chairman

Secretary

Treasurer

Membership Secretary

6/. Election of Officers

Chairman; Secretary; Treasurer

Other Committee Members

7/. Any Other Business

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If anyone has any Nominations for Committee Members, or additional Agenda Items, please let us know no later than Wednesday 28th February. Nominees must be willing to stand. You can also put yourself forward for the Committee as below but, if that is the case, you will need to be formally proposed and seconded.

Nominations (for any role), Agenda Items, and Apologies can be submitted via our website, using this sequence:-

www. happyreturn.org - About MBLA - Contact “Send us an email”

The following Committee Members are willing to stand again in the same roles, and as Trustees. They are:- James Walker (Chairman), David Keast (Treasurer), Mark Mitchell (Membership Secretary), Carol Alway, Marieanne Davy Ball (Heritage Officer), and Elizabeth Wood.

There is currently a vacancy for Secretary, plus one Committee Member.

Looking forward to seeing you at the AGM.

John Diston, MBLA Secretary

On behalf of the Committee/Trustees.

December Newsletter

Happy Return is now undercover and tucked away safely in the Penzance wet dock and we can look back on a very successful sailing season.

We’ve had some great trips to the Scillies, bay sails full of wildlife and a fantastic trip to Looe Lugger festival where we soundly beat off our friends on Barnabas with our superior crew ( in both skill and age🤣), as well as relaxing sails around the Lizard for visits to the Helford and St Mawes.

We also had some very enjoyable social events including a curry night at PZ sailing club , a get together at quay fair day, training and social nights as well as our usual monthly pub meets.

So where to next year?

Firstly we have our New Year dinner at the Lugger Inn in Penzance on 17th January where for the first time we will have music from Jay Cee & Bee lead by one of our founder members Bob Glanville. Places for this are filling fast so if you haven’t booked please make contact with James using details on our web site, as we will very shortly need to let the venue have our numbers.

Also in January we will have another education and social night at the Penzance sailing club date TBC.

There will be no Wednesday social in January.

Our maintenance schedule will start soon so please look out for calls for volunteers so we will be ship shape for the start of our season in April/May.

Sailing wise the skippers and mates will be getting together to produce our program for the new season which may include such events as Mousehole Sea salt & Sail , Quay fair day, Porthleven weekends, Scillies trips and possibly a run across the channel for some French festivals. Also more social events in Penzance and Porthleven.

Then in March we will have our AGM where we will launch the sailing program and elect our committee. We have vacancies on both the committee and secretary positions, if you are interested please call me!

Finally thank you for all your support especially the Skippers and mates without them we could not sail or learn the skills which our association is built on.

From all in the committee may we wish you a Happy Christmas and New Year,

We look forward to seeing you all soon!

Best Regards

James

Annual Dinner - 17 January 2024

Just to remind you that the annual MBLA dinner is on the 17th of January 2024, timings are 7.00 for 7:30 at the Lugger Inn restaurant on the Penzance Promenade. All bookings to James Walker by Text, Email, or WhatsApp.

The menu is shown below, but if you have any allergies or dietary needs (Veg or vegan), please let James know when you are ordering, the cost of this most auspicious evening is £21.00 for two courses, and £27.00 for three courses.

If you have a question, then please don’t hesitate to give James a call.

Payment may be made online by bank transfer to the MBLA account, or by cheque made payable to the MBLA and post to David Keast, (MBLA Treasurer). When making a payment, please put your surname and the word dinner in the Payee reference box or write it on the reverse of your cheque.

For online Transfer use:

Account name Mounts Bay Lugger Association (MBLA)

Sort code; 40-36-13.

Account Number; 91415484.

Reference; put your surname and “Dinner”

If you have a question, then please don’t hesitate to give James a call.

Best Regards

September Newsletter

Hello Happy Returners!

After a very successful season of away sails we are now focusing on the bay sails to see the season out. There’s plenty of wildlife in the bay, however the weather is very variable so please ensure you get yourselves booked onto sails asap.

Our bi-monthly 50/50 draw took place at the committee meeting this week with first prize of £78 going to Hermione Morrison and second prize of £38 to Roger Roberts. The next draw will be at our November social meeting at the Dock Inn Penzance, remember you can’t win if you’re not in so please contact me to join.

Our good friend and skipper Mark Mitchell is looking to move home shortly. Mark has been so kind as to let us store much of the equipment for Happy Return both over winter and during the summers for the last 20 years but now it’s time to find a new storage home so we are looking for a barn, garage or a perhaps a space where we can place a container. So if you can help or know someone who can please get in contact with me as soon as possible.

Our mates training has progressed well this season and we will continue shore based instruction throughout the winter, so if you would like to become a mate or simply improve your sailing knowledge and skills please contact Mark Mitchell to sign up.

The training is open to any member who wishes to learn something new and will help pass the winter until we can sail again!

On the point of passing the winter we will again endeavour to bring you some winter talks this year. If you know someone or group who would be a good presentation for our members please get in contact for us to invite them. Also thinking of winter reading our library goes live this month with a book list on our website and link to Carol to arrange collection.

Finally as advised in the last news letter our fantastic secretary John Diston is stepping down this coming AGM, so we need to find a replacement. If you feel you may be interested please contact John or myself without commitment to discuss the role and what it involves.

That’s all from me this month.

Happy sailing.

James.

Summer Newsletter

Dear Members

Another season is moving along, and we’ve had some fantastic sails and with still more to come especially if you like wildlife as over the coming weeks it is the most active time of the year.

There are still bay sails and away trips to be had so don’t delay and get booked on as soon as possible.

We have our heroes and villains’ night at the Bath Inn Penzance on 19th August fancy dress is optional , buffet, welcome drink and disco £15 per person contact me for tickets.

Another date for your diary Saturday 9th September, for an MBLA BBQ.

This is purely a social evening to be held at Penzance sailing club at a cost per member of just £10, further detail will follow shortly so be sure to keep an eye on our WhatsApp and Facebook pages.

The MBLA are starting a collection of books with a marine, sailing, and west country theme which may be of interest to our members, some rather old some much newer.

For instance, there's a 1918 one for Scouts on knots, and another, 40 years old, on dinghy sailing plus more up-to date sailing handbook, Sea charts, - we have a book on Plymouth area wrecks from 1980's, written by divers - all could be of interest.

If any members would like to donate any books on sailing, boats, fishing heritage that would like to pass to the library on a non-return basis, please contact Carol Alway on 01736 365218 - she can arrange collection.

In due course Carol will issue a list of books which can be borrowed from her at 7 Gwavas Bungalows, Newlyn TR18 5PF; please call above number if interested, or for queries.

Finally, sadly I have to announce that our valued secretary John Diston is stepping down from his position as secretary and the committee at the next AGM in March.

I’d like to thank John for his fantastic years of service to the association and support for the committee.

Also, my personal thanks for keeping me in line in my time as chairperson!

John will be sorely missed by us all, but we look forward to seeing him sailing with us when he is able.

And so, a call to arms, we need a new secretary and trustee to replace John, if you feel you may be interested and would like more information, then please give me a call on my number below.

Happy sailing for now!

All the best

James

Penzance Sea Cadets Sail by Carol Alway

On Monday 24 July, Happy Return left Penzance harbour, with John Van der Hoff, as skipper, and

James Walker, as mate accompanied by three MBLA members, five Sea Cadets (two girls and three boys) and accompanied by two Cadet instructors .

The youngsters really engaged and listened to John V - who's an excellent instructor – during the introduction and safety talk. One lad was especially keen, enquiring, and handy and we have him pencilled in as a future member!

Excitement increased as we put up canvas. Sailing with only the smaller mainsail, for simplicity of instruction and handling, the breeze was stiff enough to scud Happy Return at a speed to impress the youngsters, who commented on the silence, being used to motorboats, if any.

They really liked viewing St Michael's Mount from 'the other side' – of course you can't see this from shore.

But the crowning experience was Happy Return meeting up with a small pod of common dolphins,

some young ones, who obliged by swimming round, diving under and keeping pace with us, leaving for a bit – hunting – but then returning, and playing round the boat, going under and coming up, bow riding to Happy Return.

One girl was particularly entranced, and watched, eyes shining and mouth slightly open, as long as

she could.

All in all, a very successful trip for all of us, hopefully to be repeated, and no-one was sea-sick!

Heroes & Villains Party

Hello All Members,

Come and be a Super Hero or Villain at our party on 19th August 2023 at the Bath Inn, Penzance. Welcome drink and light buffet & Disco included with the ticket price of £15.00. Bring your family and friends, All welcome. Fancy Dress is optional!

For details please download the poster on the link below and use the QR code to book your ticket. (A small booking fee will apply)

Please note this is a fund raising event to help with the upkeep and maintenance of Happy Return.

Thanks to Fee for organising this event, her hard work much appreciated, lets support her and the event.

All the best,


What is coming up in May

Looking forward to what is happening on the Happy Return over the next couple of weeks.

Wednesday 10th May

Happy Return is going over to Newlyn for the day, this will enable some bronze rods to be fitted through the garboard planks, (the ones next to the keel) and at the same time, hopefully finish of painting the hull. We will be meeting up to move to HR to Newlyn at 8am, if you would like to motor across the bay just let me know.

Painting will start at about 1pm, weather permitting and should be all done by 4:30 at the latest. (We hope) Help is always needed. Work clothes and wellies are essential.

The return trip to Penzance will be about 7:30pm if you would like to come along let me know.

Thursday 11th May

Evening sail in Mounts Bay with me, muster time is at 6:30pm on the north arm of the wet dock in Penzance. If you would like to come along then call or text me on 07766913836.

Saturday 13th May

Crew training day for members who are going to Looe Luggers weekend which will be held on the following weekend.

Saturday 13th May

Curry night in the Penzance sailing club along with a flutter on some lugger racing after the meal. The evening is a fund raiser for the MBLA, and the cost for the meal is £15 per head. For more information about this event contact James Walker on 07387550719 for full details.

Tuesday 16th May

Afternoon sail with John van der Hoff. Meeting up at 2pm on the North arm. If you would like to go on this cruise, just contact John on 07775607574 and book your place.

Thursday 18th May

Happy Return will be departing Penzance for Looe luggers weekend. We plan to be in Looe on the Friday evening, and then Sailing in company with many traditional sailing boats over the weekend, befor returning to Penzance. This will be either on the Sunday night or Monday morning, depending on the weather forecast and crews wishes.

If you would like to take part in some or all this weekend, we still have some places available. To find out more contact me to see if we can make it happen. You can sail one way on the homeward or outward-bound part of the weekend. Or just sail one of the days in Looe. The railway station in Looe can be reached by changing at Liskeard, so if you if you are thinking of coming along at any point, contact me on 07766913836 to see what we can do.

The summer is so short, so don’t hesitate , get your sailing in now.

MBLA curry and lugger racing night

Saturday 13 May - 7pm at the Penzance Sailing Club

You and your friends are cordially invited to the at the Penzance sailing club. Being May, the light evenings will give us great views over the bay while you enjoy a full meal of mild, Mughlai chicken with almonds, and a hotter beef Rogan Josh or a vegan option all served with basmati rice, Nan breads , poppadom’s, and chutneys and all included in the meal price.

After our fantastic meal will be indoor Lugger racing with the chance to own your own Lugger or be a punter for the night.

There will be winners but no losers as everyone will go home happy and well fed!

Please book your place as soon as possible with me (James) by phone or email, giving me your meal choices and then make payment to the usual MBLA account of £5 per person.

Sort code 40-36-13

Account No 91415484

Name MBLA

Please include your name in the reference box.

The Bar will be open from 7pm and we will sit down to a splendid supper at about 7:45pm Do not forget to bring some cash for a flutter on the lugger racing.

See you all soon.

James Walker

Chairperson

Mount's Bay Lugger Association

www.happyreturn.org

Registered charity No 1050517