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How to catch a lobster. An appeal

Started by Crusader 3244, 07 Dec 2015, 09:02

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Crusader 3244

Linda is watching episode 2 of the Coroner; 'How to catch a lobster'. Via iPlayer.

There is a young man who has gone missing from somewhere along the West Country Coast. His GF hasn't seen him in over a week. His boat is gone.

What sort of boat? "It's a national 12, a wooden one, named Hispaniola and it has a blue bottom."

A sail number would have been useful, Luv. Knowing the era would help. Should we be on the lookout for clinker, four planks, or cold-moulded ply?, I say. I did a quick search of the database and trumped nothing.

So if anybody knows of a blue-bottomed National 12 named Hispaniola and it's whereabouts then they may be able to help solve the mystery of a missing person in a fictional setting.

Of course the boats disappearance might have nothing to do with the young man's disappearance. Within the fraternity there exist individuals that just cannot resist a new acquisition to add to their personal fleet.

How incriminating would it be if Hispaniola turned up in barn lying next to Dolly Daydream?      [with tongue firmly in cheek, of course]

Could there be an innocent explanation, I wonder. Might he be sailing his way to Brightlingsea? Not that I would recommend it. And even I wouldn't need to set out so soon.

He could have read Frank Dyes account of sailing a Wayfarer to Iceland and Norway and been inspired.

"Don't give up hope, girl, he might turn up in the Bay of Biscay," should have been a line in the script.
Chris, 3244

Dave Croft

Interesting. I think that something like this actually happened once, some years ago ... I recall hearing a story (I think it was Janet Bloor who told me) about a phone call one night from the coast guard. A capsized National 12 was found in the channel and the coast guard patched the phone call through to the SAR pilot... Maybe Janet could add some more detail, if I am right that is!
Dave C

JohnMurrell

Dave, you are quite right!

A certain Mr Savell's boat was found in the Channel, capsized with it's trolley still attached :-*

It was recovered in one piece and returned to Millbay by the Salcombe Lifeboat with one C Winzar as Duty Cox :D