! The Official Magazine of the U.K. Sprint 15 Association autumn2012www.sprint15.com 2012 NATIONALS Action from Brightlingsea & Instow UK BOAT PRODUCTION Factory Floor Field Trip 2012 TT SERIES Circuit News CHANNEL CROSSING MY FIRST NATIONALS TIPS TRAINING NEWS HISTORY LESSON COMMENTS IN THIS ISSUE YOUR CHAIRMAN WRITES...... 3 from the ED 2012 NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS As I write this, the curtain has just come down on yet another memorable summer season, concluded only yesterday with a superb Sport Naonals at Instow 26 turnout of 32 boats at Graam. Excepng Carsington which had a low turnout, due I suspect to a poor wind forecast, this means that Naonals at Brightlingsea 20-21 the summer series averaged 25 boats at each event. Impressive stuff. Indeed, there are quite a few classes who would be pleased if those WINDSPORT SUMMER 2012 TT SERIES sorts of numbers turned out for their Naonals! Talking of which, our wonderful 82 boat turnout at Brightlingsea has Seasalter TT 4-5 put us in the top ten for 2012 Naonals’ aendances across all U.K. classes, not just catamarans. In the catamaran class alone, we were first and third respecvley for Naonals and Sport Naonals, split by Marconi TT 16-17 the Dart 18’s in second with 51 boats. This is surely testament to the appete there sll is for a brilliant lile boat and an enthusiasc class Stewartby TT 31 fraternity. It is all the more poignant that the enthusiasm is being maintained in these challenging economic mes when we are all NEWS & ANNOUNCEMENTS being careful with the pennies. Which leads me nicely to the maer of subs, details of which are in 2012 AGM Report 18 this issue. In short, aer 22 years at the same level, they’re going up. There, I’ve said it. Not too painful, was it? Even less painful, when you consider that the increase equates to not much more than a couple Membership Subscripons 19 of skinny laees at Starbuck’s. When you factor in inflaon the actual increase is less than the cost of one skinny lae! Which is beer TRAINING, TIPS & REGULAR FEATURES value? I do hope that you’ll think the answer to that is a ‘no brainer’ and amend your standing order as requested. It’s you, the members Netley Teach-in 6 that make the class what it is and, right now, we need you. Without your support, it’s prey certain I’ll be out of this unpaid post as this Undercover Invesgaon 10-11 parcular publicaon will probably cease to be affordable in its present guise. So, please, please keep me in a job. In those immortal words - “You know it makes sense.” 2012 Naonals Cartoon Fun with Phil 25 Which leads me nicely to this issue’s contributors, both regular and new. I’ve had so much stuff, this issue could easily have run to Tips from Phipps 27 around 60 pages. Unfortunately the constraints of me and cost prevent such luxury. Consequently, I’ve had to be a bit selecve, More 2012 Naonals Cartoon Fun & Capon Compeon 34 concentrang on those arcles that are more date sensive than others to get a good balance. So, if you’ve sent me a contribuon that’s not in here, my apologies for not including it this me around. Baen the Hatches 35 But, rest assured, it hasn’t been forgoen and will appear in the Spring 2013 issue. In the meanme, a big “thank you” from me for all FEATURES your support and keep the arcles coming. Hopefully I’ll see some of you out and about this winter. For the An Eight Nurofen Trip 7-9 moment may I wish you good sailing whether in compeon or for pleasure. Class Struggle 12-15 George Love : 1825 : “Fly-by-Wire” Cover Photo : My First (Naonal) Race 22 Robert England fends off a chasing pack at The Sport Naonals by Mike Bentley Mascot Mania 23 WHO TO COMPLAIN TO: Form D15’s Naonals Field Trip 24 Chairman Nick Dewhirst [email protected] 01227 282625 Nore Race 2012 Excursion 28-30 Secretary Keith Bartlett [email protected] 01243 778087 Top Helms & Champions 32 Howard Treasurer [email protected] 07973 388553 Hawkes The Great North Run 33 Events Erling [email protected] 01938 856012 Secretary Holmberg Northern Rep. Ed Tuite Dalton [email protected] 01788 816116 Southern Rep. Erling [email protected] 01938 865012 Holmberg Magazine Editor George Love [email protected] 01773 747731 Technical Rep. Bob Carter [email protected] 01438 354367 & Publicity Events Calendar 36 Sprint 15 Class Logo Design by Paul Smith ---------Magazine Text Proofing by Carol Smith Webmaster Martin Searle [email protected] Magazine Logo by George Love--------Website: www.sprint15.com autumn2012www.sprint15.com02 YOUR CHAIRMAN Writes........ Following our 80 plus attendance at this available, we don’t have to worry about trusting kids with year’s Nationals, we can claim to be the leading cat our own gleaming gelcoated cats. class. In terms of championships, this makes us the Second, at the top, the feedback I get both in the UK and biggest cat class and one of the top ten dinghy classes from abroad is that the new cat event at the Olympic overall. Regatta promises to be a bigger success than the sailing We all know the reason – infectious enthusiasm. I establishment may anticipate. caught the cat bug from Jim Jeffery a quarter of a Here in the UK, past performance suggested that the century ago and have passed it on to so many of you only interest in the new elite boat would be from a couple that all sorts of good things get done by lots of people of Olympic contenders and the few professionals that the without asking the Chairman’s permission or being RYA supports would have to go abroad to get serious approved at committee meetings. competition – but it looks like there may be a dozen Normally people are ‘volunteered’ to join within a year, so there may even be a UK circuit our committee, but so enthusiastic is our jointly with the feeder Spitfire class. membership that when Keith said he Abroad, I hear that ISAF has was thinking of retiring – no hurry, reserved the first 100 for Olympic sometime in the next year - David teams, but Nacra has taken orders Groom jumped at the opportunity before for another 100. Even unlikely places I even had time to target a single are signing up, as I hear from Israel. suitable victim. Apart from sailing the sexiest boat in However, with leadership comes the Olympics, the other attraction is responsibility. While I would be the first sailing it with a member of the to say that I hope none of us ever grow opposite sex. The Mixed Multihull up, act our age and practice new roles Event will join Tennis and Badminton as couch potatoes, we did collectively as the only three sports where sexual behave irresponsibly on the first day segregation will not be practiced at the of racing. highest level of sport. Black flags were a novelty for us as Our class was the training ground for enthusiasm coupled with low winds the front half of our last Olympic duo. and following tide caused such mass Young Howden got more cat racing in infringements that the ROD had to larger numbers earlier in his career than call us back repeatedly. anyone else. There is a shortage of There is no problem with that. It happens in big fleets. It female helms so lend us your daughters. is what happened at other marks around the course, Third, talking of Israel and reminding ourselves that our which let us down – mass rule infringements as many sport is not just for youngsters, plans are afoot for an barged in on port at the windward mark and more rafted international regatta only for seniors. It will be by up ten abreast at the next two marks – mostly without invitation as capacity is limited to Tel Aviv cat sailors giving room or doing their turns afterwards. willing to sail with a foreigner for a couple of weekends in Sorry guys we let ourselves down and ROD quite rightly April. warned the fleet that the race committee would be taking The local cat fleet is mainly weekend sailors aged 40-70 the initiative in protesting our errant cats for the rest of whose boats range from Hobie 16 to Nacra 20 Carbon. the events. The idea is to pair up visitors with locals for a weekend On behalf of the fleet I was given a serious dressing club racing at the beginning, spend five days as tourists down from an international judge and told that we have and then for the pairs to compete in a regatta that got ourselves a reputation as numpties. My reply was includes a long distance race to Lebanon the next that is the price of encouraging newcomers – which so weekend. many other fleets have forgotten. The club’s facilities include a guest accommodation At the end we thanked ROD with a 100 strong chorus of block right on the beach next door. The event is likely to “Sorry Sir, we won’t do it again”. Please live up to that be in April outside the Israeli Passover holidays. They promise of sportsmanship. have 100 cats and initial polling suggests that 20-30 may be willing hosts. If interested, email me as I am the one As the leading cat fleet, we also have a role to play in organising the invitations.