They were a rum old bunch those Oulton Broad yard owners. Old man Knights was a classic. Always remember him planking up a new cruiser for his fleet. Planks were pulled into place with g-clamps and braces off the wall, the old boy then hammering in steel screws, leaving enough proud for about 3 or 4 turns of a screwdriver to tighten things up. As he worked he chewed on a gob of putty, some of which was thumbed over the screwhead and that was followed by a slap of white lead as a primer. Finesse it was not but his view was that his boats got such a hammering that quality was not required. For all that his boats were popular, all called Sir something or another apart from Guinevere, a boat that was probably his best letting boat.
Then there was that bloke in his bobble hat, an Ivan Wooltaughton, Another class act, they don't make 'em like that any longer. Always put me in mind of a younger version of a certain wellie wearing character in Last of the Summer Wine!
L.S.D Rich at the Wherry, Ivan Darby at the Commodore, Bill Solomon, Fred Newson, Desmond Truman, Jimmy Toplis, John Knights, Timmy Fowler, Alec Hampton, Jimmy Hoseason, Mr Fletcher on the salt-side, Leo Robinsons, Richardsons, David Austin, Peter Cooper, Phil Crosland, Lenny Balls, Tin Legs at Hamptons and lots of faces I remember but who's names I forget now. Memories for me, a disappearing history to others.