There is a whole myriad of ways of enjoying boating and with it comes a responsibility of some sort or other.

Seen out recently was a sweet little clinker motor boat based at my own yacht club at the eastern end of Canvey Island. She is a John Leather design and as comely as she is, the eye would delight at a simple gaff cutter rig aboard… I mentioned this to the owner once and he wasn’t completely against it!

The John Leather designed Motor Boat… The boat had a board a young child … suitably clad in a child jacket. The men didn’t though. Are they invincible? I doubt it!

Another form of ‘boating’ which is, it is said, the fastest growing form in the country at present. That is stand-up paddle boarding. It has great advantages for the creeks and river edges around the east coast, especially, and surely in other parts too.

Now when I read a little about this the first thing I spotted was that the paddler was wearing a buoyancy aid. None of the paddlers I’ve seen locally along the Leigh-on-Sea shore and pottering around the edges of Benfleet Creek, and even off Canvey Point heading outwards, has been seen wearing such equipment. During the colder periods most seem to wear a wet/dry suit: getting in the water is probably a consequence or necessity.

Each to their own … but a sad event is all the more likely as numbers grow. Let’s hope common sense prevails.

Now dinghy sailing is a pleasure for many, whether it be day sailing, racing or just pottering. Recently I passed a group of cadets sailing off Leigh-on-Sea … they were hard at it doing capsize practice. Great.

This next boat fits into the above category but, sadly, she is no longer loved. I believe she is a Estuary One Design – an amalgamation of the Essex OD and the Thames Estuary OD. I’m sure I’ll be corrected if wrong – please do! This poor thing lives in the saltings close by Sutton Boat Yard. She looks generally sound … her gear must be somewhere!

Now boating also entails doing maintenance, even on an engine that has little use during the year, well… It has clocked nearly 200 hours since new – two seasons and a winter… But things still need to be done to ensure the beast is ready for when it is needed! So, today, me and my good mate had a pleasant run out to Brightlingsea to obtain new oil and fuel filters, and sufficient coolant fluid for a complete change… Then it was onto Fox’s to buy new oil skins, to keep us dry when the spray begins to fly. Ouch!

At Brightlingsea we fell into a pleasant little cafe for coffee – excellent, being fresh and hot. Good cakes too including huge scones! A good range of lunches are freshly prepared too … all of this is at the Coach House Coffee Shop. It is across the road from the harbour office, behind the old pub which was converted into flats some years ago. It is worth a visit, if in town by boat or car! Go to:

https://www.facebook.com/coachhousecoffee

The Coach House Coffee Shop Brightlingsea… Yummy!