Richard Payne, a friend of Ian Foster, HPO Majorca (North), urgently needs help to bring his Westerly Solway through the French canals to Calais.  Richard promises good company and some good French dinners en route if anyone can join him in or around Lyon in a few days time.
Richard's email request for help dated Monday 12 April is as follows:

"This is a sort of SOS message. 
As some of you will know, I recently bought an old boat in need of restoration (you can say that again!) It is in Beaucaire located ten kilometres or so up the Rhone from Arles in the south of France. 
My old friend Simon Bowen kindly offered to help me bring the boat up the Rhone and through the canals etc to Calais at which point he was to return home near Narbonne.   
Here is my problem:   
Simon has a deadline of May 3rd at the very latest. Originally, we intended to leave Beaucaire on 1st April and were advised a month should see us in Calais.  However, the flow rate of the Rhone has delayed our departure. 
Assuming we do get away from here within the next week to ten days I’m clearly going to be without a crew somewhere around mid France At the start of May. 

Now I know that you all have family, medical, business, holiday and other commitments. However, might anyone be able to spare a week or even two at the beginning of May to have a few memorable days on the French canal system and help get this old boat and its even older skipper ‘set fair’ for Dover? 
It should be good fun. A bit like taking a boat on the Serpentine.  You know the sort of thing; “Your time is up number 14…” etc.  
I have life jackets, VHF, sleeping bags, sheets, towels. I’ve even got a pair of sea boots UK size nine and a half.  
I would add for the benefit of anyone considering coming down that although the boat is Spartan and that’s putting the best face on it, there will be a good dinner or two on me en-route and I’ll be pleased to contribute towards air fares. 
Finally, the boat is called ‘Samharcin An Iar’ (I thought it was Arabic but I’m advised it’s Gaelic) which means Primrose of the West.   She’s a 36’ Westerly Solway built in 1976.  If you’re interested, Google ‘yachtsnet’ and in the site’s ‘archives’ look up Westerly Conway, it’s the same hull as Samharcin but a different layout… and appearance! 
I’m optimistic about having a crew for the Channel crossing but it’s not absolutely certain so another member would be very welcome… especially as I’ll be going over on the ferry!! 
Finally, when we leave here I’ll be out of email contact for several days at a time so please communicate with Cherrill with who I’ll be in daily telephone contact. "
If you can help, please email Cherrill Payne here, or call Richard Payne's mobile 07973 725774