Solo Specific 2015 the National Solo Class Magazine by Members, for Members
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1 DECEMBER Solo Specific 2015 The National Solo Class Magazine by Members, for Members The N.S.C.A is Sponsored by 1 2 SPEED SAILS SPEED SAILS 2013/14/15 Solo National Champion • Sailboats Speed MK5.5 - built by • Championship winning package and Rondar Race Boats setup as standard! • Latest vacuum bagged PVC cored • See www.sailboats.co.uk/solo for epoxy laminate construction details and our new video Tel: 01604 678430 www.sailboats.co.uk Unit D Spinney View | Stonecircle Road | Northampton | NN3 8RF 192-Solo Class Magazine 2015_11 final.indd 1 2 19/11/2015 11:19 3 Solo Specific Contacts N.S.C.A. Officers and Committee 2015-2016 Title/ Name Address Telephone Email Address President 74 Tumulus Rd, Saltdean, 01273 304421 [email protected] Will Loy East Sussex, BN2 8FS Vice President vicepresident@solosailing Vacant .org.uk Hon.Treasurer 8B Huggins Lane, North 01707 259665 [email protected] David Walford Mimms, Hatfield, Herts. Membership 6 Tor Bryan, Ingatestone, 07802 484103 membership@solosailing Phil Sturmer Essex CM4 9HJ .org.uk Hon. Secretary 4 Snowberry Court, 01376 347366 [email protected] Robert Lawrie Braintree, Essex, CM7 9FT Chief Measurer 98 Norwich Rd, Chichester, 01243 789162 [email protected] Gordon Barclay West Sussex, PO19 5DF Technical Adviser 17 Shaggy Calf Lane, 01753 529170 Jim Gates Slough, Berks, SL2 5HL Newsletter Editor 74 Tumulus Rd, Saltdean, 01273 304421 Will Loy East Sussex, BN2 8FS [email protected] Coaching 93 Eaton Rd, Appleton, 01865 863595 [email protected] Tony Thresher Abingdon, Oxon, OX13 5JJ 07729104117 Midland Area Rep [email protected] Nigel Davies Northern Area Rep 5 Field Hurst, Barkisland, 01422 820212 [email protected] Nick Hornsby Halifax, HX4 0OJ Eastern/T Valley Rep 28 Bassett Gardens, North 01992 523262 [email protected] Godfrey Clark Weald, Epping, Essex. 07713 871802 [email protected] Western Area Rep Vacant in 2016 [email protected] Nick Fisher Southern Area Rep [email protected] Alex Powell Sea Series [email protected] Andrew Thompson [email protected] Webmaster [email protected] Paul Dowman Championship Venues 53 Seaview Avenue, West 07919 171493 [email protected] Steve Ede Mersea,Colchester, CO58BY Committee Members [email protected] Chris Brown [email protected] Claire Clark Scottish Area Rep Crab Apple Neuk, Sea 07939 062156 kevangibb@ardnastangestates. Kevan Gibb Rd,Drumeldrie, Upper co.uk Largo, KY8 6JD Welsh Area Rep Vacant GM and Vet Rep 16 Abinger Avenue, Cheam, 020 8224 7624 [email protected] Peter Fryer Surrey, SM2 7LJ 3 3 4 Solo Specific Contents In This Issue Advertisements 3. Officers and Committee 2. Sailboat.co.uk 4. Contents 4. Winder Boats 5. Preditorial 6. Paintcraft 8. Treasurer’s Report 7. Rooster Sails 10. 60th Anniversary Event 8. Rain and Sun/ Kevin Gosling Dinghycraft 12. Solo 6000 14. Edge sails 13. Major Events 2016 25. North Sails 15. The Invisible Muscle by Jon Clarke 28. P+B 18. National/ Nation’s Cup 15 30. Creation Covers 24. North Sails Super Series 15 32. Clamcleat 35 Milanes Foils 26. Lightweight Tips part 2 by Brenda Hoult 38. Boatyard at Beer 27. Mr Blue Sky goes to Scotland by Malcolm Mackley 46. C2 Marine 29. The Salcombe Experience by Paul Playle 47. Noble Marine 32. Harken Inland Championship 15 48 HD Sails 34. Northern Area/Team Trophy 35. Thames Valley/Eastern Area 36. Coaching Matters 37. Midland Area DISCLAIMER 38. Western Area The views expressed in this magazine are 39. Gold Rush by Andy Davis those of the contributors and not necessarily 42. EOS 15 those of the Officers and Committee of the 43. Another Season by Pete Mitchell N.S.C.A 45. Plastic Refurbishment by Nick Bonner Contributions to: [email protected] 4 5 Solo Specific Committee Preditorial Welcome to the fifteenth edition of Solo Specific, the N.S.C.A magazine for Class members. I had to double check my fingers and thumbs old school while calculating the number of issues we have produced since the change from A5 to A4 format. Many thanks to all contributors of those and this issue, one of the greatest strengths of the membership is the ability to share your experiences and knowledge gained from sailing the National Solo. I was lucky enough to be voted in as your Class President at the annual A.G.M in late July and as the title suggests, now hold the two most influential positions on the committee (evil laugh). That said, the treasurer holds the keys to the N.S.C.A vault so I guess he holds the power. You may have seen my posts on the website on my views and targets prior to the A.G.M, these were my own views and not those of the committee, I just wanted to give the membership a chance to understand the direction I would like to steer the class. I also hoped that others would come forward with their own ‘manifesto’, I am always happy to support ideas better than my own. While the clubhouse at East Lothian Y.C. North Berwick was packed to the rafters there was no repeat of the scene from the 1960 Stanley Kubrick epic when everyone stood up and claimed they were Sparticus. At this point I must thank Roger Gravatt for all his efforts over his term as President and wish him well on his return to normal life! While I acknowledge that I now sit at the top of a pyramid that is the N.S.C.A there would be no ‘point’ if there were no foundations and these bolders are the fleet captains, the regular club sailors, the open meeting attendees and most importantly the committee volunteers who devote much of their own time ensuring that the class runs smoothly. I would not have put my name into the hat had I not had the confidence in the ability, skill sets and enthusiasm of the ‘team’. I thank you. We have dealt with a number of issues at committee level and these I outline below. Website Progress Roger Gravatt did the hard work on this and with Paul Dowman, the website builder volunteering to stay on as Webmaster we have some guaranteed support system in place. We did not want to go live with the site until those committee members that need to input info were completely happy with usage. Paul promises that the user friendliness for members will be a significant improvement on the old one with more benefits than I can mention or comprehend. Strategy Meeting Your committee will be attending a ‘strategy’ meeting in February to discuss objectives, targets and cunning plans to ensure the NSCA is ahead of the curve, pushing the envelope and all that sort of thing. if you have had that ‘Einstein' moment when all becomes clear and the way forward for the Class is as clear as ODL without the fibre, then please feel free to discuss on the forum or with any committee member. Rule Observance We now have our Class Judge in the guise of Steve Watson. if you have attended any of the ‘majors’ this year and pushed the limits on rule 42 you may have met him personally. Steve is actually a very friendly chap and only to pleased to advise on any rule related question you may have. It is hoped Steve will be in attendance at most of next years big events and the education that he imparts should make racing fair for all. Coaching Tony Thresher is your co-ordinator and has at his fingertips an abundance of coaches that can be utilised to ensure you get the most from your Solo. Get together with some club members and arrange a training day at your club, I guarantee you will all learn at least one useful nugget of information which could project you to the front of the fleet, at club, open and even national level. Nationals and Nation’s Cup This one is for the strategy meeting but we are hoping to have a stronger connection with our Dutch friends so we can co-ordinate Nation’s Cups at some fabulous venues including Garda and Quiberon which have been widely praised by those that have been there. Age categories I had hoped to adjust the age criteria and titles but after some considerable discussion I saw the light and agreed to no change. There will be Rooster rash vests for Veteran/Grandmaster and junior event leaders at 2 day events next year. We are also discussing a change to Junior age criteria which may be reduced to 18 and a heavily reduced entry fee to promote growth of the youth element of our Class. International Presence As you will see in the news item on page 6, there is some interest in the Solo in Portugal. It will be interesting to see how the fleet grows in Lagos, a lovely venue for sailing and maybe a future Championship venue? 60th Anniversary Events Next year is our 60th Anniversary, a fantastic achievement and Jack Holt would be a very proud man, if a little bemused at how popular his baby had grown. The main celebration will be the 60th Anniversary Party at Draycote Water in August. More on this on page 10. Solo 6000 Following lengthy discussions it was decided that the Association should give something back to the members to thank you all for making the Class so successful and for keeping it at the forefront of UK singlehanded sailing. There were several ideas punted including a burgee for every member.