Posted by Andrew Craig-Bennett on April 24, 2006 at 12:13:04 from 213.38.124.194 user ACB.
In Reply to: Re: Messing about in boats - Re: Best memory/experience with boats posted by Alan Hakim on April 21, 2006 at 10:38:19:
The term "Messing about in boats" was in common use by the 1930's, and certainly not with any negative implications.
Surgeon Rear-Admiral Muir wrote a very fine, and deservedly popular, book under that title, describing his lifetime's sailing, aboard Bristol Channel pilot cutters and similar vessels, and I would be astonished if Ramsome did not have a copy.