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[french dave]

Hi, I've been reading Mayhem for about 10 years, when I returned to model boats after years in the wilderness of family, football, swimming sailing etc.
It all started back in the late 60's, home was Bournemouth, Poole Park was the place to see vanes on marbleheads and although I didn't know it at the time, the birth of radio control. Westbourne Models opened about this time, close to work in Bourne Valley and Kingston Mouldings was starting out in Ashley Cross, close to Poole College,which is  across the road from Poole Park. I bought my first hull from Kingston,a Tarpon,and put a Telectra top on it. I still have it but it's on it's 4th engine, 2  ICs and now a brushless. At 3 score years the knees gave out, 2 new ones fitted and to pass the time I went up into the roof of the garage and dragged out the Tarpon/ Telectra. A few years later my father in law turned up with an old Sea Commander with some single channel bits and an ED Sea Otter which were replaced. 2 boats now.
Joined the local club, SMBC, had some days out, Warwick, Wicksted, Beale Park, Coalville, St Albans etc and I now have boats that go but need tlc, refurb. projects, hulls and plans and kits still in boxes. Haven't we all. I own up to about 30.  A lot are last century, the ones I couldn't afford  and many have come the pre- loved to re-loved route.
At St. Albans earlier this year I promised Roy CV that I would join Mayhem properly and to look out for 'french dave' my club name to distinguish me from the other Daves. I use my cottage in France as an excuse for disappearing for weeks at a time.  It's near La Rochelle, and Rochforte ( Gazou country).Now with e-mail I can at least stay in touch with home. (Travelling after Jan. 31st ? I guess they will still need our money). Many of you will have seen this little old man in SMBC clothing wandering aroung aimlessly near your boats. He really is quite harmless, just nosey.

Pleased to be aboard at last.

Dave Gray

ps. please do not ask an ex gas man, and C. Eng. how many mm in a meter (none).  Try metre
 

[Martin (Admin)]

Greetings French Dave,

I would say Welcome to the Mayhem but that seems a little superfluous in view of bringing on the sidelines for 10 years!

'Warwick, Wicksted, Beale Park, Coalville, St Albans etc'.... we must have already cross paths at least a couple of times....


' cottage in France.... near La Rochelle '..... is there a WWII museum there?

 Martin 

[Andyn]

About time too

[Shipmate60]

Welcome.


Bob

[french dave]

Hi Martin, I've seen your shirts around and been served cups of tea by your ladies.

La Rochelle.  The U boat pens are still at La Pallice, part of the old docks. I got quite close to them a few years ago, they're derelict  and are too strong to destroy. The docks have been restored with new fences and security so casual access is not good now but I have heard that they are considering tidying and opening one as a tourist attraction, but have no Idea of a time frame.
In the town centre near the Hotel de Ville (Town Hall) and bus station there is a private museum on the site of the original U boat Command Centre. It is in cellars under some shops and open to the public.  WW11 museums seem scarce in France, certainly away from the Landing Beaches and the V1 and V2 sites, although there are some martyr villages.
Near the towers in the old port there is a maritime museum based on the boat of an early TV scuba naturalist (whose name escapes me at the moment) It's just undergone a major refit.

[Colin Bishop]

Near the towers in the old port there is a maritime museum based on the boat of an early TV scuba naturalist (whose name escapes me at the moment) It's just undergone a major refit.

If you are thinking of Jacques Cousteau's Calypso I thought she was still in Turkey where she was supposed to be refitted starting in 2016 but things ground to a halt after a fire in 2017. A lot of the info online is out of date but I did see a reference dated last June confirming that she remains in Turkey. I saw the ship years ago when she was temporarily moored in Concarneau.

Billings produced a model of the ship but it appears that it may no longer be available. It used to be quite popular but was difficult to convert to a successful working model as it was rather top heavy.

The three ships currently listed as being in the La Rochelle maritime myseum are a meteorolgical frigate a trawler and a tug.

Colin

[SteamboatPhil]

We only have a few museums here, one dedicated to the Canadians that were lost during the rehearsals  for the D day landing, and there are a few V1 & V2 sites around and of course all the D day beaches. Just down the coast about 2 km is the  wreck of a cargo carrier, carrying tanks, loco's and support vehicles (its about a 20 Mtr Dive) RAF launches ( Nick) built a model of it which was at Mayhem this year