Sad news to report that Michael Collyer, a well known sailor on the Thames Area circuit more than a generation ago, passed away peacefully at home on January 8th having suffered from a long and debilitating illness.
Sad news. I remember "Podge" as he was nicknamed, well. I crewed for him in Fireflies at Welsh Harp and in "Mirth" a N12. One incident I remember well, we were coming up the hill from Kew direction towards Hanger Lane on the N Circular. The car started spluttering just before the top "We are running out of petrol" said Podge, at which point the car came to a halt. We managed to push it the last few yards to the top and were then able to coast down the other side to the garage at the bottom whereupon he put in 1 gallon!