All of the above comments and observations - apart from the observations on my weight! - were written some 6 years ago, and I dd not expect to add to them. However, after 20 years of being abandoned to its fate on its side, unprotected, against a garage wall outside, I decided to spruce up Lazarus, thinking that at the worst he would end up on the club's bonfire come November the 5th.  He has, however, seen out the that month's date of reckoning almost twice now - even though totally uncompetitive and originally sailing on an ultra narrow modern Moth's handicap, and more recently on something more reasonable - as though relatively slow, he is very enjoyable to sail and a darn sight more comfortable than my International Canoe in fresh or strong winds on our fifty per cent tree-ringed puddle.  But what has added much interest over the last couple of months [2005] is the arrival of an Australian designed and built scow - one of those with totally rockerless, straight, horizontal buttock lines and seemingly built of 1.5 mm ply, cedar and epoxy and little else - featherlight compared to old Lazarus. Competition has been exceptionally interesting, to say the least, and quite surprising, too, as there has been very little difference in performance and the racing has been surprisingly close for two totally different designs.  In light and moderate winds, in marginal planing conditions, off the wind and on, even in a fresh breeze there has been little difference in performance: I can tack faster in all conditions, the Aussie can accelerate faster in a gust - partly due to the light weight, perhaps - but there is little difference in boat speed, and the racing has depended on tactics and luck - and all the luck so far being on old Lazarus' side. Apart from the odd violent gust, strong wind competition has yet to be enjoyed, and as the Aussie has retired for a winter's make-over, we'll have to wait for the blustery winds of March to see who can keep his snout above the white caps the longest and travel the fastest.

Winter's make-over, my foot!   Aussie's back, gleaming, breathing vengeance, and has taken some, too: two races each since his return.  And talking of carbon fibre masts. Yikes!  Old Lazarus is going to have to watch out for his laurels, 'cos he's going to get little extra help from the old duffer at the helm.

Foot note to the above:  Lazarus rules ok!  After a total of 29 head to head races during the mid-winter and spring 2006 series, including some real heavy weather racing, old Lazarus won 25, Aussie 4.  Pity, in a way, as Aussie has now turned tail and scarpered.  Oh well, the racing was nice while it lasted!

For the disbelievers, the results can be checked on the Haversham SC web site.

 Further pictures below on the Resurrection Scow page - see link at the bottom of the page.

[Campion Sail and Design]

[Resurrection scow]