RIP rogue wave

[Maximus]

Sad news....Best wishes too his family.

[Pete7]

I first met Stu in the early 2000s when he put out a request for someone to drive a charter rib with passengers the following day. Hmm, bags of notice but by chance I had taken the day off. I tipped up early and presented the log books after which he gave me the keys to the Camel rib. He did say it was a bit slow by rib standards. He wasn’t kidding it took half a mile to get on the plane not helped with a couple of hundred gallons of water in the hull. I explained to the customers that we had just fuelled it up. The truth was we were lucky to make Cowes with the gauge showing empty all the way. Clearly a sign of things to come.

One February Sunday in 2003 I asked him if he wanted to come for a sea trial on a Pacific 22. 10am saw us arrive at a very posh house in Lymington, only to find the Pacific later to be named Old Spice sitting in the middle of the lane with the trailer 10 yards in front. The vendor had forgotten to tie the boat to the trailer and the sharp right turn as he pulled out of the long drive caused the 2-tonne rib to roll off the back. The vendor asked it I still wanted it? So I replied let’s get it on the trailer and go to sea. The vendor quite shaken and the traffic queue building up, I suggested I tow her to the slipway. With that Stu reversed my disco up and we winched her back on the trailer. Rib purchased the first task was to replace the console. Old members will know of a long running thread about that adventure which Stu was involved in.

Stu liked the Disco and later bought it from me only to forget to put the handbrake on whilst recovering a rib from the Hamble village slipway only to watch the whole lot roll back into the water. Then the tide came in. The Disco was never quite the same again and the tide mark half way up the door trims a gentle reminder to put the brake on. Slipways would feature a lot in Stu’s life.

Roll on a year and I am stood up to my knackers on the Saxon Wharf slipway launching a rib. It was February again and the water bitterly cold. I turned to Stu and asked what are we doing? You see the rib didn’t even belong to Stu or me, but some random bloke who wasn’t even there.

Later that year I asked him if he could re-wire a house for me. Although he wasn’t an electrician, he had been a roadie in a previous life for some big bands including his favourite Frank Zappa. Stu was the one chosen to repair and tune Franks guitar on his European gigs. As a roadie he therefore knew how to build and wire stages, sound and lighting etc. Rather than give me a price he suggested he take my mint Yamaha 90 outboard as payment. At the time, the Yam 90 was very sought after and hard to find in good condition. However, the house needed wiring and the deal done.

Stuff always happened in the winter; therefore, it was no surprise to receive a phone call at 10pm one winters night asking if I was busy and could I pop down to the slipway alongside the old Moody’s boat yard on the Hamble. Suspecting the worst I grabbed some tools, a couple of spades and chains. Turned out Stu had tried to do a U turn towing a rib on a 10-foot-wide slipway. The Trooper was now completely bogged into the mud on the side of the slip and leaning at a worrying angle. Oh, and yes, the tide was coming in. We dug the wheels out; Stu scrounged some pallets from God knows where? And we connected Jasper’s truck and my Disco up with the chains. The Trooper didn’t even budge. I suggested a call to Boarhunt heavy recovery even though it was going to cost. Stu reluctantly agree as the water came in ever closer. £400 later a big recovery truck turned up and dragged the trooper out followed by the rib. The strain gauge on the winch recorded 7000kgs of pull needed to move the Trooper.

The new Mrs 7 came round for dinner one night to see my home. She was shocked to see 3 large ribs sitting in the rear garden. I did explain that they mainly belonged to you know who. She later met Stu and made both us lunch. Stu however, preferred his normal diet of cheddar cheese and Lucozade.

Winter again and I have bought a Sealine 240 powerboat. Only one problem, it’s moored in Brixham. There was a short mid-week weather window so off Stu and I went carrying jerry cans on the train. That got us some funny looks. A night on board and me buying lots of drinks plus dinner went well, but the forecast the following morning was now F5-6. Lyme bay would be tough. We filled up the tank in Torquay and set off. We did put the boat on its side a couple of times in the waves and were lucky to be able to get back and pick up the cushion that had gone MOB. Lunchtime saw us in Portland re-fuelling with the jerry cans, me trying out one of those new hot cans which was promptly emptied into the harbour after a couple of mouthfuls and Stu snacking on Cheddar and Lucozade. A couple of hours later we were in Poole Bay. However, a speed, time and distance calculation showed we weren’t going to make the fuel pumps in Yarmouth by 5pm when they were due to close. We couldn’t get through on the phone, but a text to Stu’s wife, Brit did and she range Yarmouth for us. Bless, they stayed open for us. We put 180L into a 180L fuel tank. Someone was looking down on us that day.

Stu also had a Guardian angel looking down on him. New Years eve the phone rings. Stu asks if he can tow a 5T boat with the Disco? I asked were to? And he said Wales. I fell about laughing and said NO! So off he sets hoping to not attract too much attention. Half way along the M27 he has to do an emergency brake as a car swerved in front. The emergency stop worked and avoided an accident but the rig jack knifed across the motorway. Stu managed to sort that out and decided to pull off the motorway to consider his options, on New Years eve! For some odd reason he disconnected the trailer from the Disco and sat a while. Presently the fuzz turned up and asked him if he knew anything about a boat being jack knifed on the motorway. Stu looking innocent said “not really”. The fuzz poured over the Disco and trailer but decided that since the trailer wasn’t connected then there wasn’t anything for them to do and went on their way.

For once an adventure in the Autumn. I rang Stu and said I have bought a jet drive. Brilliant he says, what for? I explained I wanted a small jet drive rib as a project and would he like to help me tow an old Ring 21 hull back from Bembridge on the IOW. We met the vendor a complete stranger, handed over £50 and he pushed the stripped speed boat hull into the water. The stranger would later turn out to be Lee who set up shop making Leeway Ribs in Cowes. The tow back to Gosport at 15 knots uneventful thankfully as I wanted to keep it a secret less the project be abandoned. We turned into Haslar Creek about 9pm just as it was getting dark only to see Paul and Kathleen (The Jackeen’s) out for a trip in their rib. The flash from the camera unmistakeable and Stu commented that will be on Ribnet in an hour, and it was. The project did get cancelled, the hull cut up and scrapped, the jet drive donated to Stu.

Early one Spring he rings to say he is going to buy a Pacific 22 and would I come for a sea trial. We launched what was later to be known as the yellow peril and started the engine. Only this was a jet drive rib and somewhat badly converted. There were at least 4 odd levers, none of which were labelled and we struggled to work out how to use them. We proceeded from Saxon Wharf to sea mainly going sideways. Control we did not have. Stopping to fill up with fuel we found the tank full, just a duff gauge, but the temperature was also reading high and the engine leaking coolant. We thought better of it and retreated back to Saxon again mostly sideways. The rib being returned to the owner with a thank you but not for us.

Stu, for all the adventures and escapades over the years I thank you. It’s been a real pleasure knowing you and we will meet again one day.
Pete

[Matt]

Great post Pete. I remember many of the stories from those days, but it's nice to read them again.

[John Kennett]

Look what I dug out.

It's not great quality, because it's from a very old phone, but I thought it was worth posting anyway

[Matt]

I never once saw him grumpy. No matter the situation, he always seemed able to see the funny side.

[DM]

Originally Posted by Pete7

Stu asks if he can tow a 5T boat with the Disco?

Like a lot on here, I could probably bore you for hours with tales of our escapades, most of which derived from Stuarts unique ability to charge off in a diametrically opposed direction to the mission aim, (including the first Round Ireland event and delivering a boat to Scotland when it should have been in Devon). This, coupled with an unrelenting capacity to break unbreakable things meant life with Stu was never boring.

I can add to the 5 ton boat story. At ten pm, phone rings. Stu says ''Can you help. I've broken down outside the Molineux football stadium''. I found him sitting under the statue of Billy Wright with Wolvos ring road in gridlock.

After mobilising some resources which included five council employees, seven police officers and a low loader, the boat carried on its journey to the Isle of Man.

Three nights later at the obligatory ten pm, phone rings. ''I need a bed. I'm up the road. I havent any grog or money with me''.

I told him to call in the offy and pick a bottle up and put it on my tab.

We duly demolished said bottle although my suspicions were aroused when he kept it in a brown paper bag when pouring.

When I went to settle the tab, the brandy was £160.

Matt, the angle grinder story was true apart from the insidious lie that it was me who removed the guard.

[Nasher]

Well done Pete.

It's sad that it takes bad news like todays for us all to have a trip down memory lane.

But, once again, even after he's left us, Stu has managed to turn something bad into a smile for us.

[ollyit]

Such a good read, thanks pete

Originally Posted by Pete7

I first met Stu in the early 2000s when he put out a request for someone to drive a charter rib with passengers the following day. Hmm, bags of notice but by chance I had taken the day off. I tipped up early and presented the log books after which he gave me the keys to the Camel rib. He did say it was a bit slow by rib standards. He wasn’t kidding it took half a mile to get on the plane not helped with a couple of hundred gallons of water in the hull. I explained to the customers that we had just fuelled it up. The truth was we were lucky to make Cowes with the gauge showing empty all the way. Clearly a sign of things to come.

One February Sunday in 2003 I asked him if he wanted to come for a sea trial on a Pacific 22. 10am saw us arrive at a very posh house in Lymington, only to find the Pacific later to be named Old Spice sitting in the middle of the lane with the trailer 10 yards in front. The vendor had forgotten to tie the boat to the trailer and the sharp right turn as he pulled out of the long drive caused the 2-tonne rib to roll off the back. The vendor asked it I still wanted it? So I replied let’s get it on the trailer and go to sea. The vendor quite shaken and the traffic queue building up, I suggested I tow her to the slipway. With that Stu reversed my disco up and we winched her back on the trailer. Rib purchased the first task was to replace the console. Old members will know of a long running thread about that adventure which Stu was involved in.

Stu liked the Disco and later bought it from me only to forget to put the handbrake on whilst recovering a rib from the Hamble village slipway only to watch the whole lot roll back into the water. Then the tide came in. The Disco was never quite the same again and the tide mark half way up the door trims a gentle reminder to put the brake on. Slipways would feature a lot in Stu’s life.

Roll on a year and I am stood up to my knackers on the Saxon Wharf slipway launching a rib. It was February again and the water bitterly cold. I turned to Stu and asked what are we doing? You see the rib didn’t even belong to Stu or me, but some random bloke who wasn’t even there.

Later that year I asked him if he could re-wire a house for me. Although he wasn’t an electrician, he had been a roadie in a previous life for some big bands including his favourite Frank Zappa. Stu was the one chosen to repair and tune Franks guitar on his European gigs. As a roadie he therefore knew how to build and wire stages, sound and lighting etc. Rather than give me a price he suggested he take my mint Yamaha 90 outboard as payment. At the time, the Yam 90 was very sought after and hard to find in good condition. However, the house needed wiring and the deal done.

Stuff always happened in the winter; therefore, it was no surprise to receive a phone call at 10pm one winters night asking if I was busy and could I pop down to the slipway alongside the old Moody’s boat yard on the Hamble. Suspecting the worst I grabbed some tools, a couple of spades and chains. Turned out Stu had tried to do a U turn towing a rib on a 10-foot-wide slipway. The Trooper was now completely bogged into the mud on the side of the slip and leaning at a worrying angle. Oh, and yes, the tide was coming in. We dug the wheels out; Stu scrounged some pallets from God knows where? And we connected Jasper’s truck and my Disco up with the chains. The Trooper didn’t even budge. I suggested a call to Boarhunt heavy recovery even though it was going to cost. Stu reluctantly agree as the water came in ever closer. £400 later a big recovery truck turned up and dragged the trooper out followed by the rib. The strain gauge on the winch recorded 7000kgs of pull needed to move the Trooper.

The new Mrs 7 came round for dinner one night to see my home. She was shocked to see 3 large ribs sitting in the rear garden. I did explain that they mainly belonged to you know who. She later met Stu and made both us lunch. Stu however, preferred his normal diet of cheddar cheese and Lucozade.

Winter again and I have bought a Sealine 240 powerboat. Only one problem, it’s moored in Brixham. There was a short mid-week weather window so off Stu and I went carrying jerry cans on the train. That got us some funny looks. A night on board and me buying lots of drinks plus dinner went well, but the forecast the following morning was now F5-6. Lyme bay would be tough. We filled up the tank in Torquay and set off. We did put the boat on its side a couple of times in the waves and were lucky to be able to get back and pick up the cushion that had gone MOB. Lunchtime saw us in Portland re-fuelling with the jerry cans, me trying out one of those new hot cans which was promptly emptied into the harbour after a couple of mouthfuls and Stu snacking on Cheddar and Lucozade. A couple of hours later we were in Poole Bay. However, a speed, time and distance calculation showed we weren’t going to make the fuel pumps in Yarmouth by 5pm when they were due to close. We couldn’t get through on the phone, but a text to Stu’s wife, Brit did and she range Yarmouth for us. Bless, they stayed open for us. We put 180L into a 180L fuel tank. Someone was looking down on us that day.

Stu also had a Guardian angel looking down on him. New Years eve the phone rings. Stu asks if he can tow a 5T boat with the Disco? I asked were to? And he said Wales. I fell about laughing and said NO! So off he sets hoping to not attract too much attention. Half way along the M27 he has to do an emergency brake as a car swerved in front. The emergency stop worked and avoided an accident but the rig jack knifed across the motorway. Stu managed to sort that out and decided to pull off the motorway to consider his options, on New Years eve! For some odd reason he disconnected the trailer from the Disco and sat a while. Presently the fuzz turned up and asked him if he knew anything about a boat being jack knifed on the motorway. Stu looking innocent said “not really”. The fuzz poured over the Disco and trailer but decided that since the trailer wasn’t connected then there wasn’t anything for them to do and went on their way.

For once an adventure in the Autumn. I rang Stu and said I have bought a jet drive. Brilliant he says, what for? I explained I wanted a small jet drive rib as a project and would he like to help me tow an old Ring 21 hull back from Bembridge on the IOW. We met the vendor a complete stranger, handed over £50 and he pushed the stripped speed boat hull into the water. The stranger would later turn out to be Lee who set up shop making Leeway Ribs in Cowes. The tow back to Gosport at 15 knots uneventful thankfully as I wanted to keep it a secret less the project be abandoned. We turned into Haslar Creek about 9pm just as it was getting dark only to see Paul and Kathleen (The Jackeen’s) out for a trip in their rib. The flash from the camera unmistakeable and Stu commented that will be on Ribnet in an hour, and it was. The project did get cancelled, the hull cut up and scrapped, the jet drive donated to Stu.

Early one Spring he rings to say he is going to buy a Pacific 22 and would I come for a sea trial. We launched what was later to be known as the yellow peril and started the engine. Only this was a jet drive rib and somewhat badly converted. There were at least 4 odd levers, none of which were labelled and we struggled to work out how to use them. We proceeded from Saxon Wharf to sea mainly going sideways. Control we did not have. Stopping to fill up with fuel we found the tank full, just a duff gauge, but the temperature was also reading high and the engine leaking coolant. We thought better of it and retreated back to Saxon again mostly sideways. The rib being returned to the owner with a thank you but not for us.

Stu, for all the adventures and escapades over the years I thank you. It’s been a real pleasure knowing you and we will meet again one day.
Pete

[tim griffin]

RIP Rouge Wave
Was a good egg and member of Rib Net for many years

[MustRib]

What a character - he was the kind of guy you thought nothing would ever happen to him.
He became my Rib buddy on RI2013.
Extremely kind, good natured in the face of adversity and a very very capable helm.
He suffered me moaning on about my back, had sage words, and was always chipper.
He brought Merlin alongside Paul Glatzel in Top Hat in big swells for me to transfer across.
Very difficult and well executed.
During a swift stop on RI I saw him fussing around in the anchor locker.
As we hadn't deployed the anchor, I sidled up to him,
and he was making himself a wrap from a bag of food bits and pieces he had stored in there,
floating around in the usual anchor locker soup !!
He carried on with Merlin after I had to retire in Fenit with some back damage,
and reported that fuel consumption was excessive on the run to Dingle.
When we got the rib out of the water - and drained the bilge,
there was more 4 star in it than in the petrol tank !
(I found a pic of him hosing down the Rib on the slip at Dingle)
He could have just gone home, but he chose to cadge a ride, taxi, ferry,
back to the UK with me to retrieve the trailer and tow car,
accompany me all the way back out to Dingle, and recover the boat,
then travel all the way back to the UK again, such was the mark of the man.
So sad to hear this news, condolences to his family.

[gtflash]

Very sad. Stu was a character. Always had something buried that would get you out of hot water.

He told me an AIS story which sums up the fun he had in life from simple things

[Doug Stormforce]

Not logged in for some time, so I am several months behind on this sad news. I thought it appropriate however to pay my respects here. Stu was a larger than life character, I first met when he joined a beginner yachting course in January 2001 (or maybe 2002) at a now long gone yacht school called Meridian. I had the pleasure of teaching him for 2 days before becoming friends and arguing with him for many years. We drifted apart some years later but he is not someone you forget. My condolences to Brit and Jasper. My apologies to the rest of you for digging up a thread you all read at the start of the year.