Hi, new member here, joined just too late to get my name into the 2013 handbook so I thought I'd introduce myself here.

I have just bought Elsa, sail number 122. The previous owner bought her from a chap in Poole last year but if anyone knows any more about her history, or if you've seen her on previous adventures, I would love to hear about it.

She's in good shape and I will be keeping her in Sussex, daysailing up and down the Sussex coast and into Chichester harbour and eastern Solent so give me a wave if you see me!

Alistair

Hi Alistair

Welcome to the "Seals".

There are plenty of seals to see in the Solent, I sail "rascal" my 26 out of Chichester.

I hope you make it to some Solent rallies during the summer.

Philip

Welcome too from another Elsa. When we bought our 26 in 1982 I thought I was being clever with the anagram of Seal and named her Elsa only to find out when we joined the association that your 22 had preceded us. You will see us in Wootton Creek if you make it that far into East Wight.Hope to see you at Solent Rallies.

I have some early records kept by our first Commodore Denis Fastnedge. 22/122 was originally "Jenny Mudge" and had a Watermota Shrimp engine, a strange device that ran on TVO (tractor vapourising oil) and had a variable pitch prop and no clutch or gearbox. To start it you set a lever where you thought neutral might be and hoped for the best.

Her first owner was a Commander Cardale RN of Kingswear, Then I G Fairhurst in Cornwall, then CJ Kingsley-Stubbs of Penrhyn who changed her name to Elsa and finally Denis Brophy of Poole.

Geoff Harwood

Thank you for that information, most interesting. I am buying her from Mr Broom and he bought her from Mr Brophy so that gives us a continuous line of ownership right back to the beginning.

There is evidence of a previous engine inside, some odd holes and slots in the internal mouldings etc., but now there's a petrol outboard on the back. I hope to get a look at her underside when she's lifted for antifouling in the next few days so I will look to see if there's any external evidence of that propshaft!

Alistair

Hi Alistair,

You have found the chap from Poole!

We owned Elsa for 16 years and sold her late August 2012 to Mr Broom.

She was kept here in Poole and pottered around the harbour.

I would be more than happy to fill you in on any details and update you on her history, Please send an e-mail (brophy64@btinternet.com).

Regards

Denis

Now! P27/158 Selina

I had to leave Elsa in Portsmouth during March - April waiting for the right combination of wind, tide and confidence but by mid May I was ready and sailed her round to her new home in Sussex. She took me safely round Selsey via the Looe Channel, about 32nm, in 6.5 hours with no drama at all.

She's snug in her berth here now and I am pleased with how she sits when the tide's out. The previous occupant of the berth had a similar keel configuration and left me a nice indentation in the bottom, Elsa settles nice and upright with the rudder and outboard well clear of the mud. I can put up some photos if anyone's interested and can show me where to post them.

David Bamber of this parish is on the pontoon next to mine and we said hello this week. Elsa has had lots of compliments from other club members, 'smashing little boat' being a common phrase!

I took her racing on Bank Holiday Monday for the first time, round the cans. Although a simple boat to sail there's plenty to tweak, traveller and kicker and genoa cars, being her first race we spent more time tweaking and less time on race tactics but we were pleased to come 6th out of 7 so nothing to be ashamed of!

I might post more anecdotes into this thread as the season goes on, for the benefit of anyone researching the Seal 22 or anybody else interested, stop me if they become boring.

Alistair