Flash Summer 11
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Issue No 126 Summer 2011 Chairman's Natter It seems an age since I was writing for FLASH, so time really is flying by this year, we're in June already with 7 events behind us, including the Haversham Training Day and are almost half way through the season. I must say with travel costs rising against the background of the general economic conditions at the moment, I was concerned we might see a drop in attendance at open events as people elected to stay local, or sail at their home clubs, but not a bit if it. Turnouts so far this year are actually improved once again, which I think shows we are generally doing the right kind of things and people are enjoying the Class Events. By way of a quick comparison here's a little table of attendance so far and we've some big events to come. Given the good start we've made, I'm hoping we might get through the two hundred attendances mark for the season, which would be a first for many years. We managed 189 last year, so we're pretty close if the second half continues to be as well supported as the first.
Event 2010 2011 Rum & Mince Pie 17 20 Haversham Training day 16 20 Hillingdon 17 20 Oxford 14 10 Cotswold 15 16 Weston 5 9 Lymington 10 9 Totals to Date 94 104
With good attendances and new boats out on the water, the Class is looking in good shape, LN402, 406, 407, 408 and 409 are all regulars at the opens, but as always with the Lightnings, new kit is no match for skill, so the new boats are spread out, right through the fleet, the older steeds continue to mix it up with the new ones, which makes for some great sailing all round. Sue Thomas has ordered another new boat, the first of the 2011 crop, so the fleet continues to grow and as more owners get to know about Class Association activities, the Boat Register and Clubs Directory continue to fill. We've revamped the website (www.lightning368.org), in preparation for a move to a new website host in September. The new site provides lots more features under a single log-in, however the look and feel of the new site is very different so the jury is still out on which is best for the Class. We can use either 'style' in the new hosting facility, so if you've a view on this please let the webmaster know. The website is there to provide help and support to the Class and the CA, so it's important we provide a facility that people like and enjoy. We try to keep the website very up to date and it would be unusual for a week to go by without some comment, or new info appearing on the pages or forum. For CA members there is a facility to 'Blog' which in our case means telling the rest us about your sailing exploits and adventures, so if you've been sailing in new or unusual places then why not tell the tale, even if it is not all Lightning stuff, reading about other Classes, or sailing in other places always provides a good read and gives another perspective on sailing and what Lightning sailor do in their 'spare' time. The Nationals are not far away now, so you'll find a few pages on the new website giving details and schedule info. For the first time, we are going to split the prizes into Gold and Sliver fleets and there is more info on this concept elsewhere in this issue. We're also planning a bit of a Lightning jumble on Saturday after the racing, so whether you're sailing or not, do pop along if you've any old bits you want to sell, or things you need, doesn't matter how large or small, many or few, I'm sure many people would welcome the opportunity to browse around looking for the odd bit or two. After all that buying and selling we have the AGM, then to recover from that, there is a curry in the club house which everyone is welcome. I'm told a good curry and the odd beer, greatly helps the racing on the Sunday morning!!! So to close, we have a lot going on, the Class continues to expand and grow, not only in terms of new boats, but older boats being refurbished and put to good use in even more clubs. Sarah down in Weir Wood SC is once again pushing the class along nicely, refurbishing a couple of old boats and getting them out on the water once again and this is typical, with clubs that once had established LN fleets kicking them back into life, let's hope this continues and grows. Please do come along to an open event, even if just to watch and pick up on the latest boats and info, you will be most welcome. I know if you put your kit in the car, you'll almost certainly get a sail in one if you want to try the new boats. I hope you enjoy the rest of this edition of Flash and remember if there is anything specific you want to see in future issues or on the website, just drop us a note. Best Regards, Wayne Lightning Fixtures 2011 16 July Southern Champs Cookham Reach SC
6 August Northern Champs Combs SC
20-21 Aug National Champs Northampton SC Two Day Event Saturday Evening Lightning Parts Jumble & AGM
10 September Informal Training Day Up River YC 11 September Open Event (Sunday) Up River YC
24 September The Noble Marine Inland Championships Haversham SC
15 October Open Event Dorchester SC
12 November Rum & Mince Pies West Oxfordshire SC (1st event of 2012 Traveller Series) “Podding” An Amateur view
Having been an amateur boat builder in sometime past and my degree says I am a Materials Engineer I decided that ‘Podding’ 288 myself was the way to go and use the money saved to buy something else from John. I then went on to do 253 later and thought I would share my experience as both through up different challenges! We started by removing all control lines, fittings and toe straps. Upon examination the thwart in 288 was was bolted into the side tanks, where Mark Giles had glassed in some metal plates with appropriate threads. Simple job with a 10mm ratchet and 15 minutes later the thwart was out of the boat! Remember these plates for later when it is time to fit the hand holds! Look at all that space!
Pod preparation The pod is supplied with an inner ‘filler’ for want of a better description. Whilst these are roughly prepared by John it is best spending some time making sure they are a good fit before they get anywhere near any glue! I would say the fitting and fairing of the filling pieces took up by far the most time in the whole job. When faired I secured using a couple of G clamps and grips to hold the parts together and drilled through the Pod and fitted one screw to secure the ‘filler’ in the correct position. Once that is complete the next job was to prepare the boat. I started by masking off around the pod to keep to mess to as small an area as possible. Then to make sure the glue John supplies gets as good a bond as possible I roughed up and scored the wooden backing of the ‘filler’ and then did the same to the boat. Now don’t be shy the more gel coat you remove and fibreglass you expose the better the bond. When I did 253 later if chipped off much more gel coat. Assembly of the filling pieces to the hull Now was the time to go for it and start fitting the pod. I had left opening the tube of marine adhesive John had supplied as late as possible so it did not go off before I had finished (as I was doing this in evenings after work). With the pod and ‘fillers’ still assembled I applied a liberal amount of adhesive to both surfaces and pushed together. Now is a critical bit. Make sure the top of the pod is level in both directions and in the middle. I did this by sitting the front of the boat on a trolley jack until the floor was horizontal and used a builder’s level across the top of the side tanks. This gave me some confidence the boat was level and I then used a smaller level to get top of the pod level in both directions. I did not worry too much that the pod did not touch the floor on both sides this will be hidden later with the fillet of adhesive. Then for the technical bit I weighted it down with two house brick and left over night to cure!
When I removed the pod the following day as you can see from the picture the ‘liberal amount‘of adhesive I used was not as liberal as I thought but it did the job of keep securing the fillers to the hull for the next stage. I filled all the gaps around the ‘filler’ with Isopon P38, which is just premixed chopped glass and resin as found in all motor accessories shops. Once more leave to set. When set I ground/sanded all the rough surfaces ready for the pod fitting. But before that I felt the need to add a bit extra security. John had supplied 4 very long screws which I used to screw the ‘filler’ into the floor of the boat. Drill and counter sink each hole first then cover each screw with adhesive as you put it in to add extra strength. You can put more in if you want and on 253 I put a shorter screw horizontally in at the rear as well.
Assembly of the Pod This is quite simple, score/rough the surfaces again and apply plenty of glue then push the pod into place. Use the levels as before to get it level in the boat, reinsert screws in the side and use those bricks again to weigh down. Leave overnight to set. If any glue squeezes out smooth out and apply a fillet all the way round. I left the tape on for this bit and peeled it off to give a neat edge when it was semi dry. It should then look like this. I should mention we chose red as a contrast as trying to match colours would have never been perfect. Then whilst this sets you can do the other bits. Side handles These there just to hide the mess taken out by the thwart. Now on 288 it was not too bad and the grab handles John supplies are great. Note when you jigsaw out the hole with the template supplied make sure you use a metal cutting saw blade. Firstly it cuts Glass well and remember those metal plates. You need to position it well as it only just fits. Now on 253 the thwart was glued in and when it came out even though I was really, really careful it left a bit of a hole! Too big for standard grab handles so I had to find some that were bigger. Sorry no photo but if you want I can give you details of where to buy or I believe John has found some larger ones now. Like the Orange Pod on mine?
Rear hatch The rear hatch is supplied so there is access to the Rudder fittings (may be useful one day) and so the rear toe strap fitting can have nuts put on or a block to screw into. The eyelet is fitted for the elastic to raise the toe straps so you can get your feet under. I fitted the front eyelet to the top of the centre board case and tied the elastic up to the fitting on the front tank. I have seen some tied the front tank but it seems a bit thin to me. You can get your hand in through the front tank to get some nuts on the back. When everything has been fitted it should look something like this. Now I know that this is only the way I did it and maybe not the best way but maybe you will learn from my experience if you try it yourself. Good luck and don’t hesitate to ask any questions. I am always willing to give my opinion! Simon Hopkins Lightning sailor 1st in class on international regatta debut!
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I have to start by saying that 'Nielson' (in our humble opinion) are nothing short of magnificent. Absolutely everything just 'feels' right you know? The hotel staff can genuinely not do enough to help, the food - freshly cooked on the premises - is stupendous, the Kids Clubs have every adult jealous of not being able to join in....and the sailing? A total dream for gravel pit sailors such as Emma and I. From almost nothing in the mornings - ideal for beginner sailors/windsurfers and brilliant for skiing/wakeboarding - to full force 5/6 by 2 or 3pm every single day. A wind (The Mtelmi) that stays in a straight line and rarely gusts....even 25kts was manageable in a Lasers! (Though Spinnakering, in a Bahia,through the Turkish Oppie squad who were out training did raise some heart rates!!!) A straightforward flight (pay for extra-legroom in advance - very much worth it!) to Bodrum airport & we were met by our 'Nielson' rep Nick outside. Nick epitomises the typical Nielson rep. Young, intelligent, informative, welcoming and VERY VERY qualified! Bear in mind that the team averages, probably, 22(max) yrs of age? - and they're all RYA qualified Dinghy/Windsurfing instructors to a very high level as well as being Waterskiing instructors, Wakeboarding instructors, Mountain bike guide leaders and nannies to a variety of child age-groups - a phenomenal achievement for these whippersnappers. Never do you feel patronised and there's an overwhelming feeling of 'Can do' about every single person working / instructing here. From absolute beginners that have never set foot in a boat, up to advanced techniques for the (slightly) more competent - Trapezing in Dart 16s and RS500 for example... it's all here for you. You're free to take boats out as and when you please or join in the more structured classes each day - this is where Emma really benefitted. Joining both the beginners and intermediate groups saw her out on the water for at least 3hrs a day - gaining in confidence, skill and being encouraged all the way by the instructors. Me? i joined the 'Advanced' group (stop laughing!) - and actually WON, yes WON the Laser regatta!! This group went on to do Spinnaker training (25knots of wind in a Bahia was, frankly, terrifying!), Trapeze training (Me helming a Dart with my novice crew on the wire!!)...in fact, with an island sail away (me helming a Bahia with Emma and another as crew) i did enough to earn my RYA Level 3 Certificate. That'll do nicely. All RYA levels from start sailing/windsurfing to Level 3 Dinghy and advanced Windsurfing can be obtained here - and lots of people were actually aiming at pocketing a certificate or two. It's not just about the sailing though. We also joined 'Beginners Windsurfing' and ,by hook or by crook, I was going to crack this one! Last time we were here ,in 2009, Emma gained her Level One Windsurf award whilst i languished more in the water than on the board!! - this time, though, i was going to earn that certificate!!! And I did :-D A week of very patient instruction from Brad and Corey each morning (I MUST devise a new 'cool' name!) saw us out there on the boards, tacking, gybing and turning willy and nilly... as well as rigging .Have you ever tried or thought about a windsurf rig? I recommend having a look, I was amazed! So, 'Level One' windsurfer too - i can now walk on a beach barefoot, saying 'Awesome' with impunity! Water Skiiing. That's for masochists. I tried it and was, officially, declared as shocking! I have, it appears, the grace, balance and co-ordination of a new born foal! Raising oneself up from the sea, dripping with various bits of nasal horrible-ness ISN'T the uber-glam image of the International playboy!...... as Emma, once again, gracefully glided around the entire bay, on the rope, behind the towboat! How about mountain biking? Apart from Day One of the holiday claiming the resorts first victim - a head-over-handlebars incident resulting in a broken arm and a face full of hefty bruises for a 'just arrived' woman -we took to the Turkish roads with a small group for a 'BiYak' adventure. A simple bike ride a few miles to the next-door- village, stop for drinks and a chat, then swap with the 'other' group and Kayak along the coast back to the hotel. This was a beautiful way to enjoy the hottest day of the week thus far - 37C in the shade! The bike rides go on different routes twice a day, culminating in a monster 45km ride around the locality. Some 'fitness' classes were also in place - Aqua, Zumba, Pilates, Yoga, Running as well as formal (and taken VERY seriously) Tennis. ...and the best of all of this? It's all included in the price of the holiday! Apart from extra water skiing (you get one free tow per day of your holiday) and the opportunity to do Sub-Aqua on a PADI course, ALL of the instruction is included. 'Free Sailing' is just that. Go to the beach, choose your boat - someone will rig it, let you get in and even give you a push - it's free. As long as you want (so long as the boat isn't needed for a class). So grab a Laser and head off to 'Windy Corner' for some fantastic sailing - all covered off by lookout towers and patrol boat service. Food? All breakfasts, lunches and 4 evening meals are also included. (free bottles of water each mealtime) On the 'non- inclusive' nights, either stay at the hotel and add meals to your bill or stroll down to Yashi to frequent the local joints. The food at the hotel, however, is truly truly stunning and well worth staying in for. Evenings are then spent around the bar, chatting, trading stories with people you meet and making crew/helm agreements for the next day :-D ....or watching the Canadian Grand Prix upstairs :-D Oh and you MUST not skip the chance of a Dart 'joyride' with the local Turkish sailing gurus! Their skills will astound and terrify.....across the bay in 20+ knots, if you show heart you'll be trapezing and spinnakering your way to one of the wettest and fastest sails of your life! Breathtakingly good fun.
Ortakent is Nielsons smallest venue and all the better for it. The staff love being able to become truly friendly with guests and there's a real community feel to the whole place. Beautiful. With a cashless 'stick it on your room' payment system, pound signs can start ringing in the brain, but with the pound buying over 2 Turkish Lira it's not at all a scary process. We didn't hold back - we hired beach towels, ordered a 'fridge pack' (beer, wine, coca cola), had meals in the hotel on non-inclusive nights, drank lots, bought rounds for others... and still didn't spend £400 between us! So, whilst on the face of it, the holidays can look pricey (around £700 each for a week) once there you really don't need much at all. Something i really liked was Nielsons approach in the community - they train local people to work in the hotel, teach English, build people up to RYA Instructor levels - all at their purpose built academy that they don't charge for. Free education, free RYA courses... now THAT is ethical/responsible tourism in my book. Anyway, we're already planning next year - Emmas' 'big' birthday! - so why not come and join us next June? Hey, someone has to give Emma a run for her money in these regattas! Nielsen Ortakent can be found on this link: http://www.neilson.co.uk/Beach-Turkey-Ortakent-At-a-Glance.aspx Photos courtesy of a bloody good time!
Lee (LN 409 'All the Gear') & Emma (LN101 'Sprite'). New Website Class Survey Results – to Date We have a Class Survey running on the new website, on this occasion to gauge feedback on the site and how well, or otherwise the new features work (results to date are above). We need to decide before the AGM whether to revert to the old site format, or stay with this new site, so we would very much appreciate if you could spend a few minutes completing the survey, which is under the About Tab on the main menu. You need to have registered on the website before you can see the survey but registration is a very simple process. In the future we can use the survey software for surveys about Class and boat activities and even the odd little Christmas quiz.
RESULTS To DATE Worse Same Better N/A or Not CA Member Questions Responses Overall look and feel. How does the new site More difficult and awkward to use than the 1 com pare with the old one. does is generally look and old site feel? About the sam e as the old site 3
Better and easy to use than the old site 5
Navigation. It is easy to find things on the new The new website is difficult to navigate website, or do you get lost? If you do get lost can you find your way back to a good starting point? It is okay, a bit confusing at tim es 5
Better to use, navigation is easy and well 4 laid out Do you like the integration, with the Forum , Blogs and No, I prefer these to be separate Mem bers Pages all being under a single log-in and accessible from the main menu bar? It makes no difference, either way is okay
Yes, the single log-in m akes things easier 9
Could the main m enu bar be laid out better? Are No, the m enu bar and dropdown lists are things generally under the right headings? confusing It's okay, most things seem to be in the 6 right place Yes, it's fine everything is in a logical place 3 and easy to find Is the sidebar and the lists of latest changes helpful The sidebar is not very helpful, it would be and a quick way of keeping updated, or is it to better rem oved com pletely cluttered and confusing. Is the oder of things about right? It is okay, I use it a bit, but it is not 1 essential and not very well laid out Yes, it is helpful and generally laid out in 8 the right order Did the registration process work okay and did it No, it was difficult and I had problems m ake the process easy and straight forwards to registering on the website complete? Yes it worked fine, but it was not very ease to use Yes, Everything worked fine and I found it 9 easy to register Does the new Forum look easy to use? Can you read No, this is a difficult forum to use and I 2 and post easily and find your way around okay? preferred the old one
It is fine and about the sam e as the old 6 one, people will soon get use to it This one is better and easier to use, I 1 prefer this forum W e have new feature on this website, Blogs, Class No, these just clutter up the site and serve Calendar, Surveys etc. Do you like these and feel no useful purpose. it would be better to they are helpful? remove them They are okay and may be useful on 2 occasions Yes, these are useful additions to the 7 website and will be helpful in the future. They make the site m ore interesting
If you are a CA Member, does the content and layout No, this inform ation should be accessible 8 under the CA members tab seem about right and to every registered user useful for Association M em bers? It is okay, but only for those already 2 interested in the Class or existing Association Members Yes, it's a good advert for the Class and 7 helps show people the Class is well supported and fun to be part of RESULTS 3 34 52 1 Bala was a blast! ...but I totally hate camping! Recently, Manor Park Sailing Club headed off to Bala for their annual club 'awayday'. It's a hugely popular event, simply based around having a great social weekend of sailing, barbe- cues and chat. Thing is, it means camping. Now, I'm not a wuss or anything, but camping? In Wales? Over a Spring Bank Holiday weekend? Surely that's inviting RESULTS To DATE Worse Same Better N/A or Not CA Memberdisaster? Questions Responses Anyway, myself, Emma and 'All the Gear' pulled away from Overall look and feel. How does the new site More difficult and awkward to use than the 1 com pare with the old one. does is generally look and old site home under bright sunshine and with hopes high of a great few feel? days of sailing AND kayaking (we'd sent our kayak on ahead About the sam e as the old site 3 with other club members) ...Then the trailer unhitched itself whilst cruising through some Better and easy to use than the old site 5 local roadworks. Emma was quicker than a McLaren mechanic and in no time we were Navigation. It is easy to find things on the new The new website is difficult to navigate website, or do you get lost? If you do get lost can you hitched & running again (had to make a bolt for it as this was a freshly laid road surface find your way back to a good starting point? It is okay, a bit confusing at tim es 5 that the trailer had just dug in to!!!)
Better to use, navigation is easy and well 4 Then it started raining. laid out Do you like the integration, with the Forum , Blogs and No, I prefer these to be separate A reasonable drive through the countryside saw us arrive at the site & we soon found Mem bers Pages all being under a single log-in and the MPSC contingent down near the lakeside. Superb plot and some 10 boats already accessible from the main menu bar? It makes no difference, either way is okay arrived. Looking good. Yes, the single log-in m akes things easier 9 With 'The Palace' built, Friday was a social evening - especially as the 'breeze' was
Could the main m enu bar be laid out better? Are No, the m enu bar and dropdown lists are now up to at least Force6 - whitecaps on the lake made me re-appraise my idea of a brief, things generally under the right headings? confusing It's okay, most things seem to be in the 6 casual evening sail! right place Beer, wine & food flowed and soon it was time to 'sleep'....in a tent. In a gale. At the Yes, it's fine everything is in a logical place 3 and easy to find side of a lake. Is the sidebar and the lists of latest changes helpful The sidebar is not very helpful, it would be and a quick way of keeping updated, or is it to better rem oved com pletely Oh the joy… cluttered and confusing. Is the oder of things about right? Saturday unveiled itself as a grim, windy, horrible day that frankly offered nothing in It is okay, I use it a bit, but it is not 1 the way of 'holiday' pleasure. Emma, in her wisdom, had booked a morning White Water essential and not very well laid out Yes, it is helpful and generally laid out in 8 rafting so headed off for that as I began to prepare. Wind? - F5 to 6. Waves on the lake? the right order Did the registration process work okay and did it No, it was difficult and I had problems - oh yes! Lots of boats on the water? - not one! m ake the process easy and straight forwards to registering on the website complete? No-one was brave enough to be the first out (and over!) ...there must have been a Yes it worked fine, but it was not very ease to use hundred dinghies of various classes on the campsite - not one was looking to go out! It Yes, Everything worked fine and I found it 9 really was that grim. easy to register Does the new Forum look easy to use? Can you read No, this is a difficult forum to use and I 2 Anyway, all dressed up & nowhere to go, I had a final cup of tea and went for it. and post easily and find your way around okay? preferred the old one Grabbing 409 by the throat, we were the first boat to set sail that day… and oh my god! It is fine and about the sam e as the old 6 one, people will soon get use to it What a rush!!!! With the big breeze at least staying consistent, we simply blasted across This one is better and easier to use, I 1 prefer this forum the lake in spectacular style! A ball of spray with a splash of pink at its core, we were off!!! W e have new feature on this website, Blogs, Class No, these just clutter up the site and serve Ash Burton joined us in his RS600 - and took an age to overtake me! 'All the Gear' Calendar, Surveys etc. Do you like these and feel no useful purpose. it would be better to they are helpful? remove them was planing with, apparently, most of the centreboard visible as we skipped across the They are okay and may be useful on 2 occasions water like a skimmer! Yes, these are useful additions to the 7 Roger Teale was next to join in in his Vago - and promptly capsized over at the far website and will be helpful in the future. They make the site m ore interesting side. This saw me in 'rescue' mode standing off for nearly 20 minutes as Roger struggled If you are a CA Member, does the content and layout No, this inform ation should be accessible to right the boat. Eventually, he swam/drifted the boat ashore before a team of MPSCs under the CA members tab seem about right and to every registered user useful for Association M em bers? 'Thunderbirds' joined to help him sail back and have more fun. It is okay, but only for those already 2 interested in the Class or existing Can I also point out that, by this time, I'd not actually tipped over myself!!! a Association Members remarkable achievement. Yes, it's a good advert for the Class and 7 helps show people the Class is well And then I tipped over. supported and fun to be part of RESULTS 3 34 52 1 More boats joined in, the wind got up more so the windsurfers came out....then a mad Hobie cat...... this was turning into fun of the most massive kind! 'All the Gear' really was on fire! "Get to the back, keep it flat" - I kept that mantra, kept upright and kept a smile on my face! However, confession time ...I wasn't brave enough to go for any big gybes or to take a look at any real downwind work, just simple fast reaches and hard upwind stuff ...brilliant fun though. I came back ashore (capsizing 5 feet from the edge as I tripped up getting out - stylish!). I thought I'd been gone for, what? an hour or so? - I was told I'd been out for close to three hours!!!! Immense! 409 absolute- ly loved it! Bouncing over the waves, planing incredibly, 'sounding' purposeful ...man, i LOVE my boat! So I went back out for another hour! Wind was up to steady, high F6 gusting Lee has no pictures of “all the gear...” sailing at Bala, but this gentle 7 by now and picture of Flying Dutchmen looks nice, and shows Bala in Stratos National some breeze! Thanks to the FD website for the photo. Champ Andy Meek came out to play. Is the Laser 'hum' tuned into every boat they make? - 3 sail reaching near me and I could hear the big boat singing as they blasted past - huge smiles from all three (yes three) onboard, with Andy’s partner Jude pointing, open-mouthed, at me as 'All the Gear' and I headed in the opposite direction. Afterwards, Jude said that she was amazed. She'd simply never seen me going so fast in a boat in all the time she's known me. That was cool. Anyway, eventually I came back in. Emma had had a whale of a time rafting & had been kayaking whilst I was sailing, but in the wind that we'd got, she was too nervous to take the helm of 409, so we packed her away for the day. Then I caught pneumonia. Then the wind came up even more. Then it started to rain. Then I packed up and went home.
I hate camping :-) Lee (409: 'all the Gear’) and Emma (101 - 'Sprite'). http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=804Ard2dNLM&feature=related
The above video clip from youtube shows Lee demonstrating some interesting manoeuvres which somehow Rooster Sailing missed on their otherwise excellent series on boat whispering... Lightning 368 National Championships, Northampton SC, 20/21 August This time last year I was slightly timorously writing a few lines for David Machin about looking forward to my first Lightning Nationals. Little did I know at the time that this year I would be writing a follow up piece to offer to myself for inclusion in Flash. So, how did last year go? Much cider has passed under the bridge since then, but I seem to recall enjoying myself in the bar, playing table football, eating great meals, camping near a hedge for more convenient cider passing, chatting a lot. More surprising (at least for me - I’ve always tended towards getting uptight and frustrated on the water) I enjoyed the sailing. I was impressed how polite people were, and this in turn made me want to sail like a gentleman. When our eventual champion put in a perfect close covering tack on me up one beat, I thought - oh, maybe not everyone is so kind - but he then promptly apologized and tacked off, having thought he had given me more room! So, what to expect from this year? Same venue, which is beginning to feel like home to many of the fleet, so on the water we know to expect one windy day and one calm one (OK, I know really the weather isn’t the same from year to year on a given weekend...), and we can make the same mistakes as last year trying to find the next buoy! On the land, we can expect the same warm welcome, amazing breakfasts, spicy curry dinner and lots of cold drinks from the bar to wash it down with! With luck the table football table will still be there to prove I have the eye-hand co-ordination of Bruce Lee. Or not. So, what handy hints can I think of to pass on (and attempt to remember myself) when out there on the water? Before you travel, check your boat over. replace anything that doesn’t work, or looks like it will break soon. Main halyards are a classic example, and kicking straps! Leave plenty of time to launch, wash the mud off your boots and boat, and sail to the startline. The far end of the lake is a surprising distance away, and in light winds it can take 15 to 20 minutes to sail down there and get ready to start. Try and be on the startline at the start. Last year I had a 100% record of being absolutely nowhere near the start in any of the races. Giving a 5 boat length head start to Louis, Caroline and the other fast’uns isn’t a winning move... Dirty Wind! Find clear wind. Going up the beat, if you find yourself eating the dirty wind off the boat in front, don’t just sit there, get A clear. In the diagram, you really, really, don’t want to be boat ‘B’.
B If you can, tack off. If you can’t tack without hitting boat ‘A’ (bottom picture), then bear away a little, get some boat speed up and increase the distance between the 2 boats. If things go really well, you could find yourself going fast enough to pull
B ahead and become boat ‘A’ in the middle picture! More likely is A that you create enough room to be able to tack. When you tack back, ensure you aren’t putting yourself back in the same situation with another boat - find yourself a nice clear lane! On a reach, if you end up just to leeward of someone, A you’ll never overtake. Make sure if going to leeward you leave as big a gap as you can. If going to windward, either go a long, B long way to windward, or expect the boat in front to luff up to stop you going there, and force you below. That’s because the boat in front doesn’t want dirty wind, either! Positions are reversed on a run - try and avoid being A B blanketed by the boats behind. Alter course so you have a gap behind you. Don’t be ‘B’! Keep an eye out for windsurfers screaming back and forth across the lake - somehow they always seem surprised you are there... Look out too for boats being taught by the sailing school - remember it is no good bearing down on them shouting “Starboard” - they won’t know what you are talking about. This advice also goes for when you meet Wayne and Lee on the course, by the way... Above all, when your arms are tired, your legs on fire, and everyone around you has nailed the gybe but you ended up in the drink, remember that the showers are warm and the beer is cold. You could be in the office catching up with 500 unread emails, at home unblocking a drain, or waiting in a mile long queue to get on the next ride at Alton towers with the children. Swimming round an upturned Lightning might seem like a fun thing to be doing at that point! And when you do nail the gybe? You’ll feel like the king (or queen) of the world! Rupert Whelan Silver and Gold Fleets After some discussions on the forum towards the end of 2010, for this year’s Nationals we have decided to introduce a Silver Fleet. Essentially this is to encourage Lightning sailors who haven’t won anything over the last couple of years or who are new to the Lightning Class. You can get into the gold fleet (the ones that always win, you know who you all are - there is a list below!) if you win an Open Meeting or have a top 4 place at the Nationals over a rolling 2 year period. We have some very nice pieces of crystal up for grabs this year for the top 3 in the Silver Fleet, they are even better than the normal prizes! I believe Wayne and Lee also have something up their sleeves for those at the rear of the pack. What we want to encourage is for everybody to have fun, and have an opportunity to be recognised for all your sailing achievements. The current Gold Fleet in alphabetical order is:-
CHRIS ABELA JOHN CLARIDGE ROBERT CLARIDGE BEN HARRIS MAL HARTLAND SIMON HOPKINS ALEX JONES CAROLINE KEY LOUIS SAUNDERS HUGH SPENCER RUPERT WHELAN PAUL WHITE PENNY YARWOOD National Champion Louis Saunders
Caroline Key Ln 406 ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING of the Lightning 368 Class Association which will take place on Saturday 20 August 2011 at approx 5 p.m. at Northampton Sailing Club, Pitsford Reservoir, Brixworth, Northamptonshire, NN6 9DG
AGENDA 1. Apologies for absence 2. Minutes of the 2010 AGM 3. Matters Arising 4. Chairman’s Report 5. Secretary’s Report • Treasurer’s Report 7. Election of Chairman 8. Election of Officers and Committee Members 9. Advertising / Website 10. Any Other Business
Any Other Business Matters to be discussed under Any Other Business should be notified to the Secretary on or before Saturday 13 August 2011.
Election of Chairman, Vice Chairman, Officers and Committee members Any member wishing to nominate a person for election as an Officer or Committee Member should use the form below. Please note that the nomination requires seconding by another member and signing by the nominee in order to be valid, but due to the far flung nature of a class we will permit seconding and Nominees signature to be on the day, but the nomination must be sent in advance. Please return this form to the Secretary not later than Saturday 13 August 2011
LIGHTNING 368 CLASS NOMINATION FORM ______(MEMBER’S NAME)
Hereby nominate______(nominee’s name)
For election as______
Signed______dated______
______--(seconder’s name) Hereby second the above nomination
Signed______dated______
Nominees signature of agreement to the above______
Hon Sec. Caroline Key, 30 Oakfield Road, Carterton, Oxfordshire, OX18 3QN JOHN CLARIDGE BOATS LIGHTNING 368 SPECIALISTS NEW BOATS NEW SAILS POD MODIFICATIONS REPAIRS SPARE PARTS MASTS AND BOOMS RUDDERS AND STOCKS Web: www.johnclaridgeboats.com email: [email protected] Telephone: 01590 674821
John Claridge Composites Ltd. Sadlers Farm Workshops, Lower Pennington Lane, Lymington, Hampshire, SO41 8AL