A Little Bit of History

(by David Steele 2671)
Here's a bit of "trivial" history. Some youth at Ally Pall last year said to me on the Cherub stand -"we build Cherubs in foam sandwich now" - well - I built a foam sandwich boat in 1970. Russel Bowler, who was in the UK then, helped me (he mainly made cups of tea and watched me!). We used polyester resin - epoxy was only just being invented then. The foam was closed cell, 1" thick and large cell structured, resulting in a lot of resin used and a heavyish boat.
These were the days of Babcock, Sharpe, Foreman and believe it or not Graham Dickenson, who I used to pick up in Twickenham and take to our sailing club in Egham (Graham was too young to hold a driving licence then!). All good guys, and did a lot, in the 60's/70's to keep the Cherub fleet going. So did my brother-in-law Peter Caisley, who lives down the road from me (hence the Caisley-Steele design of that era - Ed).
Pete and myself got into mast construction (I think you could call it that). We used to slide HT3O grade 17 gauge aluminium tubes of 4 different diameters into each other to make the masts, and by increasing or decreasing the amount of insertion we could control the bend characteristics - sounds technical eh? But it was great fun.
I have just built a wood Cherub (remember wood?!) to the "not very old" rules which my son Nick crews for me, at Queen Mary Sailing Club. The boat has no false floor which I am sure we will regret- but at least we are sailing a Cherub.
We frighten ourselves most Sundays with this huge pole sticking out the front and a huge kite. (I suppose the Rad Boat Brigade would use our old kites for pocket handkerchiefs now!)
I have to sign off now as I have to look after the Grandchildren don't laugh guys' now where did I put my bus pass ah there it is by my zimmer frame.

David Steele, 1997