RIP Hylas

[Nick]

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Just heard via TOP that Alain Poiraud (Hylas), the creator of the Spade anchor, has died.

[Mark]

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Just heard via TOP that Alain Poiraud (Hylas), the creator of the Spade anchor, has died.

Don't recall the name but:
http://www.ybw.com/forums/search.php?searchid=3294180

Born within a month of my Dad.

[Silkie]

Sad news. His anchor posts used to annoy the hell out of me - until CS came along.

He was a character and his anchor designs were based on solid research and a ton of experience and his latest was undoubtedly his best for which my thanks should be recorded again.

I guess this explains the demise of the Ancoralatina site. I've googled but haven't come up with any hard information apart from Cliff's quote. Anyone found anything more?

[Nick]

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If you've been following the long-running anchor thread on TOP you will see that several people are incensed at Rocna - or the Smith family - using the ancoralatina domain to point to one of their sites. I can see their point - and Craig hasn't even bothered to come on either forum to pay homage to his most worthy opponent. There is even talk of a 'boycott Rocna' movement.

[Mark]

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If you've been following the long-running anchor thread on TOP you will see that several people are incensed at Rocna - or the Smith family - using the ancoralatina domain to point to one of their sites. I can see their point - and Craig hasn't even bothered to come on either forum to pay homage to his most worthy opponent. There is even talk of a 'boycott Rocna' movement.

My 2 cents worth: Craig's said some cockish things recently and in the past. However I see no harm whatsoever in a company buying a competitor's domain name - I'd do that myself - any firm would.

As for the abuse that's been heaped on him. Personally I find that completely out of order. I find the putting of words in the Late Hylas's mouth absolutely despicable. (Rather similar to redirecting a URL in fact.) I don't blame him for keeping his head down. Anything that he says will be met with personal attacks. I think keeping stum is the right thing to do and it's always possible he's out doing something more constructive than arguing on forums. (And there's nothing he can say now that won't get a contrary response of some kind.)

The 'boycott Rocna' campaign is a ****ing farce. It seems the Smith Family don't even own Rocna now. You might as well
not buy VWs because they were Hitler's idea.

As for the Rocna being a copy of the spade - it's a copy of at least three anchors. I assume they've paid for the bits that are patent protected (the roll bar at least is patented IIRC). So what?

The kind of **** in that thread is exactly why Bluemoment is such a terrific breath of Fresh air. I'd like to think that we're above that here.

I've never used a Rocna and have no opinions on differing anchors. (They all work fine!) I do have an agenda though - I want everyone to be nice to each other!

And let's be honest, Craig himself aint all bad. He brings us stuff of this quality:



http://www.petersmith.net.nz/photos/antarctica-1.php

I didn't know Hylas, but maybe this thread would be better spent talking about the positive things he did rather than slagging off his internet enemies.

[Nick]

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Well said Mark.

That's an amazing picture.

As for what Hylas did - well, he has given us dozens of restful nights - thank you Alain, rest peacefully in your long night.

We had a very disturbed night as the wind got up to 30+ knots and everything got very noisy. At three in the morning a big Malo dragged its anchor, but managed to re-anchor successfully. I think he was single handed, and I really felt for the guy – running from foredeck to cockpit in torrential rain and howling wind as he tries to find a spot to reanchor among the moored and anchored boats. Stayed up for an hour or so on anchor watch – the forecast was for the wind to swing from SE to NW at some point during the night, and although I know the Spade will reset OK there are always other boats to worry about. Eventually I gave up waiting and went back to bed. When I woke up again at nine o'clock everyone had swing through 180 degrees with no drama, the rain was dying away and the wind was dropping. (From http://www.bluemoment.com/ireland )

(well, that one was not so restful, but we had a better night than monsieur . . . .)

[Mark]

As for what Hylas did - well, he has given us dozens of restful nights - thank you Alain, rest peacefully in your long night.

Probably sharing his excellent adventures with Neptune right now:
http://www.hylas.ws/Marin/ConstructionH ... uction.htm

What a life.

[Nick]

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His self-penned entry in Wikipedia:

I'm writting on this Wiki on my real name: Alain POIRAUD

I'm quite well known in the anchor business for having launched in 1996 a revolution in anchor design, the Spade anchor. This anchor pioneering the use of a concave blade.

I'm pensioned now and I don't have any more commercial or financial interest with any anchor manufacturer.

I'm also the author of a French book " Tout savoir sur le mouillage", translated in German "Besser Ankern", in English "The complete anchoring handbook", and soon in Italian and other foreing languages..

No other epitaph as yet.