Revelations

The Newsletter of the Morning Star Association

March 1997

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NEWS NEWS NEWS

Another busy winter

When we last wrote, the office move had just taken place, and Tim had started work on the floor for the new workshop in the tunnel like ropery cellar. The floor is a success, but it took him to just before Christmas to complete it and carry out the basic move from No7 covered slip. At long last, in January, the work was completed and we now have the best set of facilities ever, although the new workshop is not as big as the old one. The coffee room, next to the office, is a welcome escape from labours in office, workshop or boats, and will be very useful for group meetings of various sorts. It also houses a large storage unit built from surplus shelving units taken from the cellar. The whole move (made necessary by the Dockyard’s plans) has cost us a frightening amount of time and money, but we are pleased with the result.

Meanwhile Chris, supported by Abigail and Brandon, was getting to grips with the winter work on Morning Star herself. He has done a good deal of work on the engine, and has rebuilt the entire steering system, with various modifications that help with the poor original design (which led to the failure that Chris himself experienced in Germany last summer). Investigation of the water tanks, which for some time have tended to fill the bilges with fresh water, showed that they all leaked and were not repairable. They have been expensively replaced, using a better type that should last longer, and which we should be able to repair ourselves if they start to leak in a few years time. Together with the usual round of routine repairs and maintenance, all this has kept these three very busy throughout the winter.

Chris, as a qualified marine engineer, has brought new thinking and thoroughness to all these things, and we are more than grateful for all his time and energy. We hope it may be possible for him to join us on a long term basis. It isn’t clear yet how this can be done, but then neither was the generator a real practical proposition until very recently.

Generator installation

In 1992 Morning Star suffered for most of the season from an engine cooling fault. The effects of this varied between annoying and very expensive, especially when it contributed to delays on the return from the Baltic in that year, so that crews who should have joined in UK had to be ferried out to Germany. The culmination of this problem came when six volunteers joined the boat in Helgoland and sailed her home to Chatham nonstop, in the face of much bad weather, without engine or electrical power of any sort (no lights or radios), unable to pump fresh water from the main tanks, or to cook food or even produce hot drinks.

The passage took six days, and was an epic that has passed into the folklore of Morning Star. It also resulted in a determination to improve the boat’s systems, and make them less dependent on the central power source - the engine. Thus the old diesel stove was replaced with a gas stove (no electricity needed). The electric fresh water pump has been backed up by a foot pump. Of the possible ways of achieving alternative battery charging, we have held on for the most expensive, but most versatile, that is a diesel generator.

Now a very generous individual has given us a large sum of money with which to install this extremely useful piece of equipment. Most of the installation will probably be done in May and June. When complete we will have efficient battery charging at any time without running the main engine, more quietly and more economically. A spin off of this should be increased battery life as they will be less deeply cycled, In addition, via a new hot water tank and immersion heater, we shall have hot water available at any time. Mains power will also be supplied to the existing sockets whenever the unit is running (yes, we suppose that does mean you can bring your hair dryer!). The generator, in its own soundproof box, will fit into the existing sound insulated engine space. And now let the debate rage as to whether the potential for increased luxury contradicts the purposes of sail training......

Office computer facilities

While Revelations and the like are produced on up to date machines in a variety of homes and offices around the country, the office staff are still making do with an ancient 286 that uses 5.25inch discs and an even more ancient Amstrad. Thanks to the generous help and connections of Dave Rowley, and the availability of software at educational prices, the office is about to acquire a less ancient 486 with Windows 97 running Microsoft Office. The plans even extend to connection to email! And all this within the cost of gifts given to the Trust some while ago for the purpose. We are grateful to God for all the generous support that comes to us from Christian friends and supporters.

And another thing...

This last item always seems to be on the same theme. Hard on the heels of news of Adrian and Lucy’s wedding on May 31, Revelations brings you details of a whole year full of Morning Star weddings:

Jemma and Steve announced their engagement in the new year, and are to be married in Clevedon on August 30. They first met when Jemma was still in Medway after her year as a volunteer, but they got to know each other properly last summer when they were first mate and skipper for the Kent to Germany cruise. The same cruise also has to take credit for bringing together Daniel and Marie, who will be married at St Justus, Rochester on June 21. On the same day, Duncan gets married to Joy in North Wales. Duncan has been part of Morning Star since 1986. We are glad to say that Joy has no connection (not yet, anyway).

Other Morning Star related 1997 weddings include Mark Handley, to Emma, in March, and Simon Ling to Liz in September.

Where will it all end?

Contents

BOOKINGS AND THE 1997 SEASON

Now that spring is in the air, lambs in the fields and daffodils in the buttonholes, it’s time to sort out what sailing you want to do during this exciting season. Have you always longed to cruise to the Orkneys or Shetlands, tootle through the Hebrides, obtain a DofE gold award residential qualification, sail across the North Sea to Holland or follow in the wake of the Celtic Saints? Now’s your opportunity. Seize the Day! Seize the 'phone! Call Jane!

The season casts off on March 16 with Mike Ling skippering a group from New College, Oxford, and this is the start of a busy Easter period. Looking at the season as a whole, we have been encouraged by the level of confirmed group bookings, but there is still space for you and your friends and family on many of the individuals activities. These include:

Easter celebration

March 27-31 (may be too late by the time you see this)

Spring Residential

May 28-June £125

Northern Isles

July 24 - Aug. 9 £449+travel

Hebrides Cruise

Aug. 9-16 £215

August Residential

Aug. 26-31 £155

Autumn Week

Sept. 5-12 £215

Half term Residential

Oct.29-Nov2 £125

Those labelled “residential” are particularly aimed at young people, who may or may not be looking for an activity that qualifies for the DofE gold award residential qualification. If the cost is a real problem, talk to Jane in the Morning Star office about possibilities for help with the fees.

Contents

TIM’S NEW ROLE

As Chris has arrived and shouldered the burden of the maintenance of Morning Star, and as Tim has emerged from trying to get used to his new bifocals while building a whole new 450sq ft of floor, so he has been able to make a start on work in a number of areas that have been crying out for attention. In his own words, these areas include:

Training:: Our records of everyone’s qualifications and training needs have become out of date. I am setting up a new register of these and am researching suitable courses, as well as reviewing the Trust’s needs in this area. The renovated Eagles Wings will be very important, and she is already booked for at least six training activities this year. Talk to me or to Jemma (01634 813401) about possibilities on Eagles Wings. I know that Abigail and Brandon will need crew in May or June as they train towards their coastal skipper qualification.
Fund raising:: The Trust’s funding leaves much to be desired. An ongoing programme of fund raising is needed, establishing long term contacts with funding agencies, with all the research, hard work and persistence that this implies. Areas that can be targets for funding include major items on the boats (sails, radar, inflatable etc.), training costs, and salaries, including volunteers support.
Youth work:: "But surely we always did this?" Yes, but in recent years the emphasis has moved away from working with young people. Now we are looking at building up longer term work with local young people, bringing more professional level youth work skills to bear on the problems of the Medway Towns. I see my role here as facilitation and co-ordination. We shall hear the outcome of our application to the rank Foundation later this month. Whichever way it goes, we plan, when possible, to appoint a full time youth worker to develop this work, probably mainly in conjunction with local churches.
Spiritual:: The resources available on board for our leadership teams need a major overhaul, and much more could be done by way of encouragement and training for our leadership as they seek to come alongside crew members in sensitive ways to be the “salt and light” that Christ calls us to be and to share the Christian Gospel with those who want to hear it.

Contents

THANK YOU

To those who have contributed to mailing costs for Revelations. To those who have contributed news, articles and photos.

Contents

EAGLES WINGS UPDATE

Progress over the winter months has been steady on Eagles Wings, including work parties by keen helpers and professional work by the team at Gillingham Marina. By mid March we should have the boat back, having been spray painted all over above the waterline (what colour will she be?) and having the fore deck strengthened. Some other structural work has been done which will increase Eagles Wings’ overall durability and that, combined with the mountain of work that has been undertaken by so many people (thank you) means that Eagles Wings should be a sight to behold.

Already bookings are filling up for the season. We have a full Coastal Skipper course and a full Day Skipper course as well as one of each which still have spaces. We also have a rise in the bookings by individuals and groups of friends on last year. In total the Eagles Wings is booked for 61 days already - can you help to make that double? Now that we have spent the money on Eagles Wings we need to prove that it has been worth it by keeping her sailing, not only this season, but on into the future.

As a symbol of our renewed commitment as a trust to the role Eagles Wings has in the work of the Morning Star Trust, we are having a rededication service on March 22nd at 1pm. It will be held on Thunderbolt Pier in Chatham Historic Dockyard. Anyone is welcome to join us for this opportunity to offer ourselves as well as the boats to God’s work this year.

If you fancy coming sailing inboard, either to gain experience and/ or qualifications, or just to have fun then do get in touch!

Jemma

Contents

WATER BAGS AND FRIENDS

It all started a long time ago, deep down in the darkest bilge where the water did flow unwanted. T’was this water we wanted to cure, so we set about it brave-heartedly with our bellies full of tea and our hearts full of hope. We delved below - The Treadmaster! not knowing what we might reveal. Upon arrival within this pit, we soon realised that it smelt of Chanel No.5. Oh! What sweet scent greeted our nostrils! It lifted our spirits no end and most of what was within our stomachs.

Our task was simple. T’was laid out straight to remove and test the four waterbags fate. No4 did spring a leak, thence a doctor we did seek. Our dear good friend went off to Southampton under Chris’ most watchful eye.

A few days later the news was heard to us, it sounded quite absurd. The doctor did seem to think that the bag would serve us no longer with water to drink.

We scrubbed and tidied our best to make clean No4's nest for his successor was to be all funny black and rubbery. On arrival, he soon slipped in with his new mates. We filled them up, let them drink. But oh, what sorrow was on the brink! The next morning we opened up and to our horror the bilge had filled up. Those three old bags had to make that trip to Southampton alas and there was to be their resting place.

So there our story ends and we made lots of new friends. The four new bags beneath our feet are the last of those we had to greet. At this day our mission is complete, the water is held beneath our feet. So, next time you come on board, do not ignore this word, no matter how absurd. Do not forget those faithful ones below the companionway.

The Morning Star Bilge Rats (aka The Volunteers)

Contents

MORNINGTON CRESCENT

It seems to be the custom on Morning Star that when at anchor, the evening is spent playing daft games. It is not very often that word games are played because they tend to be a little slow and often eliminate some members of the crew who may be less verbal than others.

So it is a sadness to me that Mornington Crescent is not played more often. It is a game, like chess, that can be played at many levels and it is not necessary to work at the deepest intellectual level for everyone to be able to enjoy it. Unfortunately, like chess, it is a notoriously difficult game to explain and those who have not played it before find themselves hopelessly lost over the intricacies of what is essentially a very easy game. I first came across it on the radio when it was being played by one of the panel games that some find funny if they are in that sort of mood and others find so stupid that they turn to the TV regardless of what soap is on at the time. I immediately realised the potential of the game and it used to be a favourite in the days when I went camping up mountains and there was nothing to do after dark (and little light). I have been constantly frustrated however, by the majority of crews (yes, even the mates and volunteers) who have been unable to get to grips with it.

Imagine my delight therefore, when my wife Maureen pointed out to me that two programmes were to be run on Radio 4 on the game. I immediately got my tape recorder turned on and taped the first programme. This explained the origins of the game and how it is played abroad, giving details of special opening gambits and possible responses. The second programme was intended to explain in detail the rules of the game and so the next week I was all ready with my radio and tape recorder. Imagine my horror then, when it was announced that for technical reasons it was not possible to broadcast the programme and that they hoped to put it on at a “later date”.

So, we still have no definitive set of rules to pass on, and crew members will continue to have difficulty in playing it. I had thought that the easiest way to demonstrate the rules was to play it, but when I have found anyone who could give me a good game, it seemed only to confuse others listening. It may be possible to produce a set of simple rules which we might call “Mornington Crescent for Mornington Star”, but this is probably not the right time of year to carry out this task.

So, if you have not come across the game, or if you have and don’t understand it, then persevere! All will be revealed in due course.

Mike Ling

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THOUGHT FOR THE QUARTER

Sara was doing some clearing up recently and came across a large envelope. It contained a print of the French sail training ship Etoile. It was given to me ten years ago by the crew of Morning Star on the 1987 Tall Ships race. On the back they had all signed it and written friendly comments. The names include at least seven that are still familiar to Morning Star people today. Seeing this again brought on a wave of nostalgia for “the old days”. How much less complicated life seemed to be then! No code of practice, no European package travel directive, no registered charity. No membership, no committee (the first informal group that became the trustees was formed that summer). No skippers reports (it would mostly only have been me reporting to me) and no need for a full time administrator, though the pressures were beginning to mount that were to lead to Liz Banner joining us part time. No office overheads, the office was still in a box room in our house. A place on Tall Ships cost half what it will cost this year for about the same time on board. And all through those years of the eighties, for me at any rate, a growing experience of God at work, which was to reach its peak in 1988. Of course, it is easy to look back with rose tinted spectacles. 1987 was also the year when the old engine was destroyed by frost damage, and we all but lost the whole boat through launching in a hurry with the new engine not connected to the cooling inlets - as it was, the new engine was filled with water! Far more serious than that, every week I spent away with the boat, and there were many, was a week when Sara was left at home with two small children and no Daddy to help.

So although I remember them as the most challenging and exciting time of my life, those days were not necessarily better, but they were certainly different. Now we live in a heavily regulated age, with all the bureaucracy and expense needed to support that regulation. Standards have risen (good), but sometimes at least I fear this may be at the cost of the spontaneity and fun there used to be as we sailed the sea with young people, and saw God at work in their lives. Be that as it may, we have a God who has not changed. Under his protection we still sail across a sea that has not changed, among the glories of a creation that proclaims his presence and power at every turn. People, young and old, still have the time of their lives, still learn a great deal about each other and about themselves, and are still challenged to consider the claims of the Creator on their lives. Long may it continue.

Tim, in nostalgic mood