A Blast from the Past

[thomas michael]

hi cappy #22
i came back to this one because over the years i have met a lot of ex merchant seamen whom have gone on to better things in life and one or two of them have become millionairs in the process, i find that their entrepreneurial flair and enthusiastic spirit to be contagious when around those people,
but on a different level some ex merchant seamen i have read about are absolutely outright and outstanding in their drive for success,
as i believe you are a reader, then seek out early books on one such as nicholas van hoogstraten, i believe he started his quest for success when he and others successfully broached the gold cargo coming into southhamton from south africa on one of the castle boats, he went on to become a multi-millionaire, i dont praise his climb to glory or advocate it i just find it fascinating but his rise through the sixties with the likes of peter rachman the private landlord together with mandy rice davies and of course christine keeler,
one more of the same entrepreneurial spirit is ex merchant man jimmy evans a man of the sixties his tale is called the survivor, and it is a entirely different story as he was a villain whom started in the merchant navy,
tom

[Denis O'Shea]

Yes Gerard was R/O but retired now for 22 years but you never forget the procedure you used for years, 73s Den

[cappy]

I have known some of these entrepreneurs tom .....some real salt of the earth and some i wouldnt walk down the street with....i have enjoyed what life has given me .....but my old friends are best friends .....plus one or two who worked with me ....i shall look at the gold heist i like the look of that regards cappy

[thomas michael]

hi cappy #31
pleased for you on your win, never really gambled horses or such except for many times with my life.
as for enjoying your boat it seems you really did, me i had two parts to my sailing first part was my boat which i sail single handed and the racing on my mates boat, which all the boozing and mayhem took place, sadly my mates now eighty and not good and im seventy three so it catches up,
tom

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hi cappy #34
nicholas van hoogstraten is a piece of work, he is totally unbelievable, even today he has staked out his kingdom in africa and is a one off like him or loath him, the read is fascinating
tom

[Keith Tindell]

Hi Tom, s a matter of interest, what type of sailing boat have you got?, i had a Westerly Centaur for 20 years, plus a gaggle of different boats over the years. $0 years ago i built a marine ply Caprice. kt

[thomas michael]

hi keith #36
i have a nicholson 32, she was built in 1964, yes she is a old boat but a classic, and i always had a thing for jaguars, and i would if asked tell people that my boat is the equivilent to the xk120 a beautiful car along with its stable mate the xk150,and she tracks and sails just like you would expect, also i have sailed on numerious boats too numerious to remember, and i have yet to find one with the sailing attributes be it sea kindly or looks of character,
tom

[Keith Tindell]

Yes , i know the Nic 32 Tom, friend of mine had one, i also sailed a contessa 32, another nice boat, bit off thread, so will stop now before the bol*****, lol kt

[cappy]

well done, denis, are u one of us?
Gerry

i dont think hes one of them...lolcappy

[j.sabourn]

A real blast from the past . On getting up and putting the goggle box on this morning was just in time to hear the. Announcer say “ Toodle Pip” , don’t think have heard that expression for over 70 years. Anyone know how old it is.
Toodle pip. JS.

[thomas michael]

hi keith #38
good morning
sorry i never answered this last night, as something intervened in my free time. ( the wife )
as you know the contessa a jeremy rogers design and build was and still is one of the great classics,( his first built was called Gigi and he bought her back a couple of years ago and totally refitted her out ) one moored next to me for the last few years, never sailed on one but the mate had a sadler 32, same stable design and build and was a fabulous cruiser racer, he now has a sigma,we raced her all over and in ireland both north and south and was raced continually upto the covid the chinese gift which keeps giving.
hope this gives you a little more of the answer to your post, as for the thread sorry, but a post needs answering.
tom