Frank Bryan

Life is full of hard luck stories but some of the worst relate to people who have held a fortune in their hands and let it slip through their fingers. Take the little known story of the Rigid – hulled Inflatable Boat. It seems they have been around for ever and yet the ubiquitous craft was only " invented " in the 1960s and the patent was sold for a mere £1.

With daily headlines about the demise of the Royal Navy, one could be forgiven for thinking that the Westcountry's marine industry which relies so heavily on it must be almost on its last legs. In fact it seems that nothing could be further from the truth.