Middle Bar people will have seen this from Tony Day but in case TD doesn't look in I have pasted his words.

"I will never forget the year Dave had a boat at Sidmouth (not sure how he got it there, or whether it was his, or one he had acquired for the week). It was an open clinker built boat of about fifteen feet, if I remember correctly.

In those days the pubs shut for the afternoon, of course (hence the origin of the twice daily Middle Bar sessions) and one afternoon Dave invited me to go out on the boat with him. There were various jokes about the perils of the deep, invading France, etc. - and I'd be very surprised if we didn't have some emergency liquid supplies with us.

We pushed the boat down the shingle up by Port Royal, got in and waited to float off. Which we did not do. The bung was missing from the hole in the bilge and we just grounded a yard or two off shore with damp ankles....

I don't think Dave wrote a song about it and I know I didn't.

Tony"

I hope Tony doesn't mind.

Dave Earl