Since were are going total scorched earth on this, he's an update on yesterday's rather exciting exchange between Carl and myself.
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Today I'm getting messages from annoyed friends and colleagues asking why they were subjected to long angry phone calls yesterday about a boat I have and wish to sell.
A sensible business would respond to a customer request for a simple detail by answering. Even if they didn't like you or your club.
A rude madman would be condescending to that customer, and apparently then phone half of London to interrogate/rudely bother a number of innocent third parties.
So far I understand that two boatmen from large London clubs, a rower who is a bit of a boat sales broker, and a couple of others from my rowing club (including one senior committee member) were all subjected to this.
What sort of insanity is this? Do please try to explain or justify this to our shocked readers.
All because one unpleasant man holds an irrational grudge against an ex-employee.
How many people are on your black list, Carl? I've done small boat repairs for at least two people who you refused to help, and another quote. I've heard of quite a few more.
Carl - the truth is that you are a nasty bully. Don't come here to this "civilised, self-regulating forum for >20 years" and play the innocent with everyone.
It's time to call you out completely. Your public face mask needs to be pulled back a little. You can be very charming, but the reverse to this is spiteful and nasty.
- I am not doing anything wrong and I won't be bullied in to silence or into leaving the rowing world.
- I have a sideline in doing minor repairs on your boats. You can't complain if it is a market you yourself don't serve well. I'm getting better at it, tackling more and more complex repairs, and I'm not going away (I'm also decades younger and will outlast you).
- I used to work for you, but I left. I was an employee, not an indentured slave. Maybe I am also way too old to put up with BS. Maybe I was too 'Australian'. Maybe I didn't 'tug the forelock' enough for you. That does not give you the right to follow my future path and try to attack it and generally make things difficult out of spite.
- I do see and hear the lies and distorted half-truths you say about me. Some are ridiculous (the distorted or grossly exaggerated) and some are way beyond this (like being blamed for events that happened before or after my time at CDRS). And no, I did not 'almost drive you out of business' as you are fond of claiming to people. That's so pathetic that it is laughable.
- Does anyone here think it is normal that I have to ask friends around the country (and around the world on occasion) to buy parts for me and on-ship them? No, I didn't think so.
How many employees have come and gone to my role since I left? 3 or 4? Or is it 5 now?
How is your prosecution by the Health and Safety Executive going? Postponed due to Covid I expect. I've met the chap who is short half a thumb and apparently his sculling is still OK, albeit a little changed.
Carl, please remember in future that the correct answer to the Health and Safety inspector is "yes sir, you are quite right, we'll update that old machinery to the new standard", and not to lay in to them with your superior attitude and end up facing a charge for intimidation.
Carl - flounder about with florid phrases and sci-fi quotes if you want, it does no good.
You've not responded to any of the factual content because you can't.
You haven't challenged me legally about your farcical agreement because you can't (and we'll ignore the small detail that I haven't actually violated it anyway).
All you can do is continue to make up stories about me, rant privately to people and be unpleasant to your customers.
May the potential next owner of CDRS continue to build wonderful boats, but run it like a sane person.
--- SBBSecho 3.06-Win32
* Origin: SportNet Gateway Site (24:150/2)

What an strange and amazing day.

It started with a bunch of phone calls and messages to the people that Carl called yesterday to apologise for their having been dragged into this. One person on the list had not actually been called, but appreciated the apology anyway!


Then during the day I had a few messages from various people around the UK and the world. Friends, rowers, people in the rowing trade, and even an umpire.

I had a couple of "bravo" messages. A "about time someone said it publicly" message. And one lovely person simply phoned to ask how I was.

I learned that if you stay around UK rowing long enough that "everyone has a Carl story". I'd heard this before but had forgotten.

If the origin of some messages is any guide I'm not banned from boat builders as Carl suggests!

I learned that someone I had trusted wasn't as trustworthy as I had imagined.

I also realised that more people read rec.sport.rowing than I had imagined!



I had wondered if I'd been stupid to post any about this (yes, I have been). It has all been very unprofessional. However, based on the feedback I've had I was not wrong. It needed to be said.

Now to get a boat test rowed to gauge it's size and then sell it!
--- SBBSecho 3.06-Win32
* Origin: SportNet Gateway Site (24:150/2)