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Printed From: Yachts and Yachting Online
Category: Dinghy classes
Forum Name: Dinghy Yarns...
Forum Discription: Tell us your sailing stories
URL: http://www.yachtsandyachting.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=233
Printed Date: 19 Mar 24 at 9:12am
Software Version: Web Wiz Forums 9.665y - http://www.webwizforums.com


Topic: sponsorship
Posted By: sailor girl
Subject: sponsorship
Date Posted: 26 Sep 04 at 4:27pm
i am 16 and determind to go to the byte europeans next year at lake garda, as much as i would love to go, i know that the cost is going to be an issue so the only way i can get there is sponsorship or funding.. does any one have any tips for gaining sponsorship and/or funding/? also... who to ask???



Replies:
Posted By: Phil eltringham
Date Posted: 27 Sep 04 at 12:03pm

Speak to your local RYA high performance manager, they sould be able to help.   Best thing to do is to start off making a 'sailing C.V.' listing all of your experience and successes during your sailing carrer.  Put together a basic letter to companies which you can alter to make it specific to each one, companies always reply well to a well worded letter which does not look like the same thing has been sent to lots of different people. 

Remember national sponsorship (from the RYA) is usually reserved for youth squad memebrs so getting into that should be a priority. 

Also commertial sponsorship is not just there to help you, companies do it for the advertising, they will only associate themselves with events where people who will buy their products will attend, so think who will want to advertise at events you will be competing in. 

hope this helps, and good luck. 



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FLAT IS FAST!
Shifts Happen


Posted By: Doctor Clifford
Date Posted: 27 Sep 04 at 12:11pm
Every man and his dog is after sponsorship from
marine-related industry.
Depending on how much you need, think about
non-marine related companies - ideally local that
would enjoy some advertising coverage in local
press with great pictures. 'local girl done good' type
stuff. Local press lap this up.
Local press coverage i far easier to achieve than
National, and therefore easier to 'promise' to the
sponsor.
If they don't know about boats, 'photoshop' some
pictures of your boat with their logo on sail or hull if
you can. Helps to put it in their face a bit, so they
know what they are getting (particularly if they don't
know one end of a boat from another.

good luck

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regards
Dr. Clifford

take two tablets twice daily


Posted By: Bruce Starbuck
Date Posted: 27 Sep 04 at 8:18pm
Get in touch with Andrew Pindar. Providing your blonde and good looking he'll give you £50k a year.


Posted By: sailor girl
Date Posted: 27 Sep 04 at 8:45pm
who is he??? i am blonde!!!!!!!!!!! and beautiful!


Posted By: hurricane
Date Posted: 27 Sep 04 at 9:54pm

hey sailor girl read your inbox of your msg's!!!!



Posted By: Keith
Date Posted: 28 Sep 04 at 4:50pm

Hey Doctor Clifford,

What about some of you drug companies????

 



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Keith...


Posted By: Chris Noble
Date Posted: 26 Nov 04 at 7:51pm
Try your school first and foremost!

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http://www.noblemarine.co.uk/home.php3?affid=561 - Competitive Boat Insurance From Noble Marine

FOR SALE:

I14 2 Masts 2 poles 3 Booms, Foils Kites/Mains/Jibs too many to list.


Posted By: sailor girl
Date Posted: 27 Nov 04 at 3:34pm
ok cool, thankyou

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Sailor Girl, Queen Of The Forum!


Posted By: hurricane
Date Posted: 27 Nov 04 at 4:43pm

how do schools help

my school has managed to turn out over 10 national championship sailors, this is nothing to do with the school actually they laugh at me when i say i cant play rugby beacause i am going sailing



Posted By: sailor girl
Date Posted: 27 Nov 04 at 6:09pm
umm, well the best thing my school have done for me so far is let me have a week off school for sb3 nationals!!! thankyou to my school!!!

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Sailor Girl, Queen Of The Forum!


Posted By: Brian
Date Posted: 29 Nov 04 at 5:25pm
do u think i could just put the Line 7 logo on my boat if i asked them, but
not for any sponsorship?

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Posted By: Phil eltringham
Date Posted: 30 Nov 04 at 9:39am
why would you want to advertise something for free?  it will only put off prospective sponsors who will give you money. 

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FLAT IS FAST!
Shifts Happen


Posted By: Stefan Lloyd
Date Posted: 30 Nov 04 at 10:39am

Originally posted by hurricane

my school has managed to turn out over 10 national championship sailors, this is nothing to do with the school

Just a coincidence, then?  



Posted By: Pierre
Date Posted: 30 Nov 04 at 10:50am
Originally posted by Stefan Lloyd

Originally posted by hurricane

my school has managed to turn out over 10 national championship sailors, this is nothing to do with the school

Just a coincidence, then?  

Spooky isn't it...........



Posted By: hurricane
Date Posted: 30 Nov 04 at 3:37pm

yes it is my school  hates sailors

its just we have 3 sailing clubs and 2 yacht clubs near by so that kinda accounts for it!!!

 



Posted By: Brian
Date Posted: 01 Dec 04 at 5:29pm
Line 7= ETNZ brand, and a Nz clothes brand
me= a kiwi at heart

answer= a matter of national pride.

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Posted By: Phil eltringham
Date Posted: 01 Dec 04 at 7:01pm

Brian, you can try not sure how well it will work tho.  I tried something similar with O'Neill when I got my 29er.  The sail number was 052 so I thought that they want to be involved as it was basicly their logo.  I was told that they were not interested in sponsoring sailing, they did sent me a catalogue though. 

If its a matter of national pride, get a white fern leaf cut into a black kite for your boat, now that would will look very cool!!  (btw.  Having been born in South Africa and hoping to move back there one day, the plan is for my next spinnaker to be the flag - easy to do on a tri-radial cut.  Can't wait, will be so cool!!)



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FLAT IS FAST!
Shifts Happen


Posted By: Brian
Date Posted: 02 Dec 04 at 4:17pm
slightly off topic but the Emirates Team New Zealand online store is now
open. www.emiratesteamnzstore.com

i guess i could do the silver fern thing.... i just have to get a boat first!

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Posted By: Adam84
Date Posted: 04 Dec 04 at 10:42am

Ive found the best way of getting sponsored is locally, when I needed sponsrship to get to the mirror worlds we where able to get quite a few local companies to give us a bit of money an it all adds up. They usually dont want as much in return as the bigger companies as well.



Posted By: sailor girl
Date Posted: 04 Dec 04 at 4:40pm
cool, thanks! any tips for writing letters to possibly companies??

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Sailor Girl, Queen Of The Forum!


Posted By: bigwavedave
Date Posted: 04 Dec 04 at 7:00pm
Start by writing an article about your campaign for your local paper.  They long for local news that is a bit different.  Make sure to mention that you want local companies to help with the funding.  It is important to keep the local rag informed of your progress, training, regatta results etc.  Make sure you also provide some good pics.

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Posted By: Adam84
Date Posted: 05 Dec 04 at 8:01am
I agree, you need to put a kind of sponsorship pack together which should include any newspaper articles, if you are able to get into the local paper local sponsors will be much more keen to sponsor you. Also try an explain the benefits of sponsoring you, eg putting there name on your sail. As they will like the fact a boat will be sailing round with there name on the sail. 


Posted By: Garry
Date Posted: 05 Dec 04 at 12:55pm
This may seem obvious but you need to write a press release after everything you do and send it to everywhere you think will air it mentioning any sponsors etc - so don't forget your local radio and local websites. It should probably have the following format:

Headline

Report/News etc

Background - a bit about you and your sailing and how to get further info.

I'm sure someone in the Y&Y office could provide a template since they must see hundreds of press releases.

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Garry

Lark 2252, Contender 298

www.cuckoos.eclipse.co.uk


Posted By: sailor girl
Date Posted: 05 Dec 04 at 3:15pm
cool, thankyou!

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Sailor Girl, Queen Of The Forum!


Posted By: Skiffman
Date Posted: 05 Dec 04 at 9:47pm

Don't make the Proposal to long, the main thing big marine companies are usually into is results. You really need to be right at the top of the fleet, some companies only sponsor certain types of boats that get lots of publicity like 49ers and 29ers etc... Not many companies will give you direct money aswell inside sailing but like other people have said local companies are more likely, also if you under 18 then you can go to your local county council they normally give out grants of up to £300 which isnt much but its enough. Try and get a hardware company, we have a really good deal with Holt and P&B not money but keeps are boat going for free... being a young pretty girl would probably help you



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49er GBR5

http://www.teamfletcherandsign.co.uk - teamfletcherandsign.co.uk
Team Fletcher and Sign campaign site


Posted By: sailor girl
Date Posted: 06 Dec 04 at 12:30pm
lol cheers!

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Sailor Girl, Queen Of The Forum!


Posted By: Lucy
Date Posted: 06 Dec 04 at 4:38pm
A damn good budget should be included too - exactly how much you need and exactly what you're going to spend it on. They always like to know where £££ is going! Also - and this is really important - what can you give back to them? Figure something out for this one because it's so important... and I'm not talking projected advertising benefits... offer to take them sailing or do some charity work for them. It's a two way thing, sponsors are great people so let them know that by offering them stuff too!!


Posted By: hurricane
Date Posted: 06 Dec 04 at 5:13pm
Originally posted by Skiffman

being a young pretty girl would probably help you

i think sailor girl has that one cracked!!



Posted By: sailor girl
Date Posted: 06 Dec 04 at 6:01pm
thankyou!!

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Sailor Girl, Queen Of The Forum!


Posted By: Tornado_ALIVE
Date Posted: 08 Dec 04 at 6:01am

 Hi Sailor Girl,

You are obviously still at school.....  My advice would be to do a Degree in Marketing when you finish school and apply what you learn to finding a sponsor.  Also study up on big boats and when you finish, find a job in Marketing within the Marine industry.  You can use your contacts in the media to also help promote your campaign.

My crew is the Marketing manager for SeaWind Catamarans and his skills and contacts have come in quiet usefull.

Also when you get going you should prepare a

- Proposal, hard copy to initally send them

- Powerpoint presentation to show them when you meet with them  (bring own lap top).  Include a video in this.  And maybe give them a copy on disc.

Follow up with them after the meeting.

Important to remember that you should not make yourself look like a charaty.  Show them you have something to offer......  ie publicity.  You must convince them that investing in you campaign will increase their sales.

Should also as mentioned above...  send out press releases when ever you do something.  Both to them and the media.

Also can arange a corporate day where you can take you sponnsor out for a days sail (maybe a charter yacht and maybe cruising around one of your major regattas)

Wear their merchandise at regattas and sailing functions

Gifts for the sponnors such as a team T-shirt or a framed photo or video of you or your team in action.

Create a website and post up to date results, pics, what your calander is, and most important, your sponnsors logos and links to thier web sites.

Hope this is of some help.

Also check your Private Messages



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http://www.formula18alive.com - www.formula18alive.com


Posted By: sailor girl
Date Posted: 08 Dec 04 at 6:44pm
thankyou

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Sailor Girl, Queen Of The Forum!


Posted By: Brian
Date Posted: 08 Dec 04 at 7:08pm

how hard is it to get sponsorship? do you have to be unbelievably good at sailing or just good at writing letters?



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Posted By: bigwavedave
Date Posted: 08 Dec 04 at 7:35pm
You do need to be VERY good.  There is not enough money available for the planks at the back.  However if you sail an Olympic class you can do the Holt series.  There is cash prizes for non funded sailors.  But you have to be very very good to win it.

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Posted By: hurricane
Date Posted: 08 Dec 04 at 8:41pm

Originally posted by bigwavedave

.  There is not enough money available for the planks at the back. 

plank thats brian!!!



Posted By: sailor girl
Date Posted: 08 Dec 04 at 9:23pm
oi! dont be horrible!! poor boy!

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Sailor Girl, Queen Of The Forum!


Posted By: Tornado_ALIVE
Date Posted: 09 Dec 04 at 5:34am

Don't have to be the best sailor but must be good at promoting yourself and prove you will be great at promoting them.

Be prepared for ALLOT of knock backs.  It can realy kill your confidence but keep persisting.  This is normal and even the pro's go through this.  You will find that you will spend more time searching for and looking after the sponsors than you sail.

When successfull, realy look after your sponsor.

 



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http://www.formula18alive.com - www.formula18alive.com


Posted By: Jon Emmett
Date Posted: 09 Dec 04 at 3:54pm

First of all good luck with funding sponsorship, however there is plenty of time between now and then to generate funds yourself and if you get sponsorship well that is a bonus (a new CII rig perhaps)! You do not want to rely on getting sponsorship and miss going to a great event…

 

When I was at University I used to coach every day possible! The only racing I did was the ‘Qualifier’ events and one week a year (National or World Championships, both if I was very lucky). Coaching kept me out on the water and I feel has taught me a lot as well as helping me raise funds. Try working at lots of different venues and with different classes and it will certainly help your own sailing.

 

As for getting to the event you can do things on the cheap. Try and work with two or three other people. You can easily do the drive in one hit (or maybe sleep in the car for one night) when you get there sleep in the car for the championship (I have a bed in the back of my van which makes things a bit more comfortable) or bring a tent. If it gets cold (unlikely in garda) chuck your under cover over the top of the car to provide extra insulation. Remember catch the ferry on fumes and come back with a full tank of fuel (as it is much cheaperr on the continent, especially Luxemburg)

 

Better still (assuming you can drive by the Europeans) take someone else’s boat for them, covering your transport costs. Most fleets have people who are money rich and time poor and would be happy for someone (time rich and money poor) to take there boats for them and collect them for the airport.



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http://www.amazon.co.uk/Be-Your-Own-Tactics-Coach/dp/0470973218/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1312565831&sr=8-1 -


Posted By: hurricane
Date Posted: 09 Dec 04 at 4:43pm
Originally posted by Jon Emmett

I have a bed in the back of my van which makes things a bit more comfortable)

ok i know alot of sailors with converted vans, what about best van ??

would people like to post pictures

and the other users can rate them!!



Posted By: sailor girl
Date Posted: 09 Dec 04 at 4:45pm
ok, thanks for the advice etc! much apreciated

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Sailor Girl, Queen Of The Forum!


Posted By: Jon Emmett
Date Posted: 09 Dec 04 at 5:02pm

Not really sure if this is of much interest. Here is my beast (note the broken 49er masts in the corner). For reference an escourt is the smallest van you can get a full sized single bed in the back and is very cheap to run...

 

Perhaps I should look for a car sponsor... I tend to look a bit silly next to all the flash volvos and jeeps etc!



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http://www.amazon.co.uk/Be-Your-Own-Tactics-Coach/dp/0470973218/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1312565831&sr=8-1 -


Posted By: hurricane
Date Posted: 09 Dec 04 at 5:22pm

ok most of our guys have white transit vans

they can at least stand up lol

im stilll jelious anyway!



Posted By: Phil eltringham
Date Posted: 09 Dec 04 at 8:07pm

wish i had a car, have to try and find space on doubble stackers to go anywhere at the moment, doen't make for a good series result



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FLAT IS FAST!
Shifts Happen


Posted By: Tornado_ALIVE
Date Posted: 10 Dec 04 at 5:56am

Here is my Tow beast......  However have never slept in the back off it.  Would rather shack up in a motel.  To save money, rent a house with other sailors for the regatta.



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http://www.formula18alive.com - www.formula18alive.com


Posted By: Tornado_ALIVE
Date Posted: 10 Dec 04 at 6:02am

For the ULTIMATE tow car with plenty off room for a bed in the back.....  See below.  However if you can afford one of these, I don't think you are the kind of person struggling for $$$$$

 



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http://www.formula18alive.com - www.formula18alive.com


Posted By: Sarah B
Date Posted: 10 Dec 04 at 8:52am

No, no, for the ultimate tow vehicle, you want a 17 year old Volvo 240 2.4 litre estate. Yes I know its not cool, but I managed to drive and tow a double stacker 12000 miles in the past six months, and it is great!!

We have had two of us camping out of it with all our sailing kit, and it is a bit like sitting in your sofa when driving it. As for the heated seats, its dries your wet kit out when you are driving along!

The only snag - it needs the fuel reserves of a large western nation to run it the way I drive it!!

 



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A positive attitude may not solve all your problems, but it will annoy enough people to make it worth the effort.


Posted By: NeilP
Date Posted: 13 Dec 04 at 4:36pm
The REAL ultimate cheapskate's towcar: our 21 year old Mercedes 280TE estate took us and a double-stack FD trailer to Lake Como and back last summer with all our sailing gear plus kit for a week's holiday afterwards. The car had 250,000 miles on the clock when we set out, cost £250 and didn't miss a beat. Silly speeds on the Autobahns, over the Alps without noticing the gradients and extreme comfort. Was never a Merc fan until that car came along, won't have anything else now - apart from the silly V8-engined American motorhome I've just bought!!


Posted By: Lucy Lee
Date Posted: 13 Dec 04 at 4:47pm
Is that the deisel merc you can run on vegetable oil? now that really is cheap

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Fly Cherub!


Posted By: bigwavedave
Date Posted: 13 Dec 04 at 5:04pm
Don't forget the AA membership.  When my trusty Hiace started leaking vital fluids all over the M25 with the Finn in tow I certainly got my monies worth.  It took two trucks to get me home.  One for the boat and one for the van. You should have seen the guys face when I told him to be careful of the mast.  He asked if they were expensive.  About 1800 quid!  He never went more than 40mph.

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Posted By: Brian
Date Posted: 13 Dec 04 at 6:17pm

re hurricane "planks like u brian!"

i would be happy to be the plank at the back of the 29er fleet with his crew wrapped around the forestay!



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Posted By: NatL
Date Posted: 31 Dec 04 at 12:05pm

To be honest Sailor Girl, I doubt if you'll have a huge amount of luck getting sponcorship - The byte doesnt exactle have a huge following in the UK, its not an RYA class like the topper or laser, so I doubt if you'd get funding off them. Unless you live on the south coast in Portsmouth/Southampton etc, or in a place that has a couple of major sailing clubs, I found even local papers dont care that much - sailing isnt somehting that the 'general public' can relate to.

Local companies - possible, but remember if you're going to Garda no1 will know who the company is, so you need to offer local coverage.

Best advice - you're still at school so play off that - parents associations (write to them directly). You're still a junior so ask your sailing club - some clubs have small funds for juniors hidden somewhere that you might get a hundred quid or so from.

To make things cheaper - camp, and try and find a travelling buddy or 2 - if you can borrow a laser double stacker for a few weeks it can be adapted to take bytes, stick one on top of the car, basically the more people travel together the cheaper it gets.

I wouldn't even bother trying marine companies like Gill, HenriLloyd, Purple etc - they get sooooooooo many requests for money each year that they can, and will, just pick the sailors that get the most coverage and the best results.

If you;re going abroad make sure you have as many spares as pos, a decent toolkit with spare cleats etc and go over everything on your boat, trailer and car  before you leave - ropes, fittings, mast, trailer wheels...having sailed bytes for a while I know thay when you push them they can have a tendency to break. Differnet countries have different rules of what you need to carry in the car - spare lights, 1st aid kit...make sure you have all this to avoid trouble.

If you can, speak to someone at your club who has travelled for a while, assuming this is your 1st international, they will have a lot of advice for you.



Posted By: sailor girl
Date Posted: 31 Dec 04 at 3:55pm
Thankyou for your advice, this will be my second europeans, but luckily my first was in this country, so not so much organising!
Our local newspapers and 'general public' are very keen on the sailing, where i live nearly everyone owns a boat and is keen and interested in covering all the sailing that goes on.
who are the parents associations?????
my club have previously given a large sum of money towards a new sail, so yes, it would be a good idea to write to them.

thanks again for your advice.

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Sailor Girl, Queen Of The Forum!


Posted By: Brian
Date Posted: 31 Dec 04 at 9:50pm
do i hear the words 'fat face'??

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Posted By: sailor girl
Date Posted: 01 Jan 05 at 10:19am
maybe

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Sailor Girl, Queen Of The Forum!


Posted By: hurricane
Date Posted: 01 Jan 05 at 1:33pm

well always worth a try and you neva know the hot blonds, always seem to find sponsers easily must be something to do with corparate image!



Posted By: Harry44981!
Date Posted: 01 Jan 05 at 1:38pm
get your parents to put in a good word at their companies.

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Posted By: Brian
Date Posted: 01 Jan 05 at 9:35pm

hot blond? who what where?



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Posted By: hurricane
Date Posted: 02 Jan 05 at 12:10am

oi everyone knows who she is 

brian its u



Posted By: Brian
Date Posted: 02 Jan 05 at 2:19pm
oh, i thought we were talkin abuot harry...

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Posted By: sailor girl
Date Posted: 02 Jan 05 at 2:27pm
Lol! Who are u talking about hurri?!

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Sailor Girl, Queen Of The Forum!


Posted By: Brian
Date Posted: 02 Jan 05 at 2:33pm
THAT is called fishing for compliments

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Posted By: Harry44981!
Date Posted: 02 Jan 05 at 5:54pm

Originally posted by Brian

oh, i thought we were talkin abuot harry...

Oi sarcasm not apprieciated!!!  Just jealous of my blondeness!

Happy New Year Everyone.



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