The life of N3098, The Last Penny. Design: Design 6, designer: Phil Morrison, built: 1980.
Lost in Action - Easter 1982
"lost in action" - Racing at Henley SC - Graham Pearce decided that he could manage to cross the bows of the Mississipi Steamer look-alike "Pink Champagne" to round a bouy and expected the large ugly pink river cruiser to slow down a bit perhaps - it didn't. There was a the horrible sound of splintering wood, a squeal from the crew and sudenly 3098 was no more. Graham managed to jump straight from his sinking charge on the the rail of Pink Champagne whilst his crew, Frances Searle, managed to keep herself under water long enough to avoid injury from the boat passing overhead! (this was in the days when personal buoyancy was seldom worn on the river).
David Wilkins (who was close behind at the time!)