About the Memory Owners Association

The Memory Owners Association was first established in the 1970s but with the tail-off in production of the Memory by Eric Bergqvist and then the Liverpool Boat Company the owners association faded also. When production of the Memory was resumed in 1996/97, by Greg Dalrymple at Salterns Boatbuilders on the Hamble - the Memory Owners Association resumed also. As at the start of the new century, there are about 100 Memorys known and registered. The majority are still Bergqvist and Liverpool Boat company Memorys - but the Salterns versions now form an increasing proportion.

MOA is a fairly informal network of Memory owners who keep in touch and meet up from time to time. It does not have annual general meetings, class rules and the like. That does not seem to fit too well with the culture of people who sail Memorys. However, many owners maintain the link with the Old Gaffers Association and Memory skippers (with their in-built design advantage) have been known to be as race competitive as anyone else when there is a chance to overhaul the boat in front.

The main concentration of Memory ownership is in the East Coast and around the Solent, and along the South West coast, Cornwall to Poole. But harbours from Scotland to Ireland, Germany, Holland and the Middle East are also included.

The Association has a Newsletter, which is published three times a year, early season, end of season and in the depths of winter. The list of all members and their boats is maintained and re-issued to all members annually. There is a small annual subscription of £8 to help these things to happen. There are the occasional sail-together outings, which are arranged locally. And there is usually a pre-Christmas bash hosted by Salterns Boatbuilders at the yard in Bursledon, to which all Memory owners, families and friends are invited. Salterns Boatbuilders are very close friends of the MOA but the Association operates independently and MOA members views provide a useful consumer forum for the current builder of our boats - of which he sometimes takes note !

Registration forms are available from Terry Collins. If you are - or are about to become - a Memory owner, we should be pleased to hear from you.