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Ties that bind man and boat

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.

The gloves are coming off

I remember fondly summer holidays with my children at Southwold on the Suffolk coast when one of the regular highlights was taking part in the annual crabbing contest. We regularly used to lift out hundreds of crabs of various sizes by dangling old fishheads and bits of bacon rind into the water.

Club with a reputation that’s second to none

There are rowing clubs up and down the length of the Thames and crews being put through their paces by enthusiastic coaches pedalling along the river bank are a familiar sight for anyone who regularly takes a stroll beside the water.