Most boat owners would agree that having a vessel of any kind – sailing dinghy, rowing boat, canoe, sailing yacht, cabin cruiser, you name it – means that over time you acquire ‘stuff’.

We’re a hardy lot, us sailors, you know – especially when we’ve been denied access to our favourite sport for any length of time.

I was rather encouraged to see that a London MP had put down an Early Day Motion to bring the vexed question of the future of resident lock keepers on the non-tidal Thames into the public spotlight.

One of the things I’ve always loved about boating is the fascinating array of skills that it has engendered. That includes everything from basic seamanship to weather prediction, from understanding how a diesel engine works to finding the correct technique for sculling.