Starting the final day, we are not 100% sure if we are going to be able to sail. It depends upon the new centre board.
I had agreed to meet up with Roger first thing in the morning, as he was hopeful that something could be done. The workshop lent us a belt sander, which Roger used to shave off some extra width from the centre board we had been lent. But the difference in width was too much.
We had to abandon the effort, and miss the last two races.
It has been a great time - 2 days of solid Sea training, and four days of sailing in the 2017 Nationals.
Thank you to everyone who helped us, and those who encouraged us to get back on the water.
We have had lots of fun, some drama, and learnt a lot about GP14 Dinghy Racing
Friday, 11 August 2017
GP14 Nationals day 5 - another breakage
After the rest day (day 4), we returned with added enthusiasm, replaced our shredded blue spinnaker with a yellow P&B spinnaker, and focused on getting good results for the remainder of the Regatta.
Unfortunately, Race 6 was fairly uneventful. We did a fairly bad start out of the "gate" - a bit too low from the wake of the gate boat. The conditions were reasonable, and I felt that we had acceptable boat speed, but by the time we reached the windward mark, we were amongst the "usual suspects" near the back of the fleet.
As we reached the top mark, our boom grazed the side of the buoy - penalty. We went high out of the way of the following boats and did a tack and gybe before launching the new yellow spinnaker, but we had lost yet more spaces.
We ended up in 57th place - our worse result so far.
Race 7 we tried to make some improvements. By this time, the wind had strengthened, and was coming down across Looe from the North. It was looking like choppy conditions - not as bad as during our training days, but challenging enough.
This time, we made a reasonable start out of the gate, although we could have still done better.
It was another tough race, with legs getting very tired as we tried to keep in touch with the boats that were ahead of us.
The race was a triangle-sausage-triangle, with a final beat upwind to a finishing line in the direction of Looe.
On the final beat, we decided to "go wide" in order to take advantage of what appeared to be stronger wind conditions on the left hand side of the course. There was at least on WHSC boat chasing us.
As we tacked onto Port to make our final run up to the finishing line, I had left the mainsheet cleated, and we pitched over - CAPSIZE !
We both scrambled onto the boat, which by this time had turned completely inverted. The centreboard was down, so we at least had some sort of leverage to bring up the boat. I had already decided that enough was enough, and our race was over, so I called over a safety boat for assistance, which meant we were retiring from the race.
As Simon and I tried to right the boat, we leant back on the centreboard together - CRACK ! The centreboard had broken totally along the waterline edge.
I persuaded Simon to get into the Rib, and let the safety boat crew sort out the boat. They were able to right it after a bit of effort, having to call over a second boat to help at one time. Then I scrambled onto 13941, dropped the sails, fixed the tow rope to the mast, and prepared to be towed in.
When we got back into Looe, some of the beach crew waded in up to their chest in order to catch the boat and help bring it ashore. The boat was full of water, and we spent some time letting it drain out before inspecting what remained of the centre-board (see photo !).
Unfortunately, Race 6 was fairly uneventful. We did a fairly bad start out of the "gate" - a bit too low from the wake of the gate boat. The conditions were reasonable, and I felt that we had acceptable boat speed, but by the time we reached the windward mark, we were amongst the "usual suspects" near the back of the fleet.
As we reached the top mark, our boom grazed the side of the buoy - penalty. We went high out of the way of the following boats and did a tack and gybe before launching the new yellow spinnaker, but we had lost yet more spaces.
We ended up in 57th place - our worse result so far.
Race 7 we tried to make some improvements. By this time, the wind had strengthened, and was coming down across Looe from the North. It was looking like choppy conditions - not as bad as during our training days, but challenging enough.
This time, we made a reasonable start out of the gate, although we could have still done better.
It was another tough race, with legs getting very tired as we tried to keep in touch with the boats that were ahead of us.
The race was a triangle-sausage-triangle, with a final beat upwind to a finishing line in the direction of Looe.
On the final beat, we decided to "go wide" in order to take advantage of what appeared to be stronger wind conditions on the left hand side of the course. There was at least on WHSC boat chasing us.
As we tacked onto Port to make our final run up to the finishing line, I had left the mainsheet cleated, and we pitched over - CAPSIZE !
We both scrambled onto the boat, which by this time had turned completely inverted. The centreboard was down, so we at least had some sort of leverage to bring up the boat. I had already decided that enough was enough, and our race was over, so I called over a safety boat for assistance, which meant we were retiring from the race.
As Simon and I tried to right the boat, we leant back on the centreboard together - CRACK ! The centreboard had broken totally along the waterline edge.
I persuaded Simon to get into the Rib, and let the safety boat crew sort out the boat. They were able to right it after a bit of effort, having to call over a second boat to help at one time. Then I scrambled onto 13941, dropped the sails, fixed the tow rope to the mast, and prepared to be towed in.
When we got back into Looe, some of the beach crew waded in up to their chest in order to catch the boat and help bring it ashore. The boat was full of water, and we spent some time letting it drain out before inspecting what remained of the centre-board (see photo !).
Then, as we tried to warm up and recover from the shock, people started rallying round, totally spontaneously.
Someone found tools, another person generously offered to lend us a spare centre-board for tomorrow. People lent saws, drills, screws, advice and muscle-power. A crowd of GP14 sailors literally man-handled the boat so that the old centre-board could be removed and the new one trial-fitted. It was too wide, so had to be removed.
The workshop nearby offered to lend us their belt sander tomorrow morning, so we could shave down the centre-board and re-fit it.
I was amazed and very grateful for all the many people who threw themselves into getting us set up so that we could sail again.
Tomorrow, first thing, we try to get the new centreboard shaved down to size. If we succeed, we will take part in the final two races tomorrow.
Watch this space...
Tuesday, 8 August 2017
GP14 Nationals day 3 - ripped spinnaker
Day three (races 4 and 5) started with a similar overcast feel to yesterday.
We are currently 53rd. But the focus must be on doing our best in each race, not on results. My sports psychologist said "control the controllables". So I am entering the day with a positive attitude, and focusing on starting, mark rounding, and tactics.
Both races today were "gate" starts, so we did not have the "black flag" issues from yesterday
Race 4 started in fairly calm wind. We made a cautious gate start. The first leg reminded me of "pond" sailing. Then, as we neared the first windward mark, the wind picked up significantly. We made a good line to the mark, but another boat came in on Port tack and tacked right in front of us - just! That meant they had "rights" - we had to give way. An emergency gybe was needed to prevent us hitting them, and other boats started overtaking us. Then we touched the mark itself with our boom as we sailed past; that was another penalty (an extra gybe and tack) and we lost more spaces.
The rest of the race was a question of "catch up".
One of the WHSC members was on our tail most of the race. As we neared the final reach to the committee boat finish, they flew their spinnaker better than we had, and crossed the line ahead of us.
We finished on 55th - our worst result so far.
For Race 5, Simon noticed that the right hand side of the course seemed favoured, do we determined on two priorities: clear wind (away from other boats) and a strong start on the right hand side of the gate.
The "guard" boat hove in sight, and lots of boats headed for an early start, but we held back. Timing was everything. We hit the start line just behind the guard boat, hiked out hard, and started climbing. We overtook one boat by sheer pace, then started calling "Starboard". Boat were ducking our transom. We were mid-course. A tack onto Port, and were chasing the "Pathfinder". Simon said, "we are in the middle of the big boys", as we reached the windward mark, ready to launch the spinnaker.
Twinning lines on. Centrboard. Cunningham. Kicker. Stand up and pull the kite halyard. We are flying in the middle of the fleet. "SPINNAKER'S RIPPED", shouted Simon. There was a horizontal piece of sky in front of us where there should have been a blue spinnaker. The horizontal seam had parted, across the entire width of the fabric. So we had to drop it, and rely on two sails only for the remainder of the day.
On the Beats, we were able to keep our own, but lost position time and again on the reaches.
We ended up 54th.
It's mid-through the Series. We are 57th overall. There have been some great experiences, but results have been disappointing. But we take the "positives" and build on them. Tomorrow is a rest day. Then four more races at the end of the week. Time to rest, smooth aching muscles, and plan for the rest of the Regatta.
We are currently 53rd. But the focus must be on doing our best in each race, not on results. My sports psychologist said "control the controllables". So I am entering the day with a positive attitude, and focusing on starting, mark rounding, and tactics.
Both races today were "gate" starts, so we did not have the "black flag" issues from yesterday
Race 4 started in fairly calm wind. We made a cautious gate start. The first leg reminded me of "pond" sailing. Then, as we neared the first windward mark, the wind picked up significantly. We made a good line to the mark, but another boat came in on Port tack and tacked right in front of us - just! That meant they had "rights" - we had to give way. An emergency gybe was needed to prevent us hitting them, and other boats started overtaking us. Then we touched the mark itself with our boom as we sailed past; that was another penalty (an extra gybe and tack) and we lost more spaces.
The rest of the race was a question of "catch up".
One of the WHSC members was on our tail most of the race. As we neared the final reach to the committee boat finish, they flew their spinnaker better than we had, and crossed the line ahead of us.
We finished on 55th - our worst result so far.
For Race 5, Simon noticed that the right hand side of the course seemed favoured, do we determined on two priorities: clear wind (away from other boats) and a strong start on the right hand side of the gate.
The "guard" boat hove in sight, and lots of boats headed for an early start, but we held back. Timing was everything. We hit the start line just behind the guard boat, hiked out hard, and started climbing. We overtook one boat by sheer pace, then started calling "Starboard". Boat were ducking our transom. We were mid-course. A tack onto Port, and were chasing the "Pathfinder". Simon said, "we are in the middle of the big boys", as we reached the windward mark, ready to launch the spinnaker.
Twinning lines on. Centrboard. Cunningham. Kicker. Stand up and pull the kite halyard. We are flying in the middle of the fleet. "SPINNAKER'S RIPPED", shouted Simon. There was a horizontal piece of sky in front of us where there should have been a blue spinnaker. The horizontal seam had parted, across the entire width of the fabric. So we had to drop it, and rely on two sails only for the remainder of the day.
On the Beats, we were able to keep our own, but lost position time and again on the reaches.
We ended up 54th.
It's mid-through the Series. We are 57th overall. There have been some great experiences, but results have been disappointing. But we take the "positives" and build on them. Tomorrow is a rest day. Then four more races at the end of the week. Time to rest, smooth aching muscles, and plan for the rest of the Regatta.
Monday, 7 August 2017
GP14 Nationals - day 2 - restart,restart
After the excitement of yesterday, day 2 (races 2 and 3) was going to be completely different.
The wind had dropped, was coming more from the North-West, and there was a threat of rain. The sea was calm - almost like being back at the home club !
Simon & I worked out the transit for the gate start, as before, then sailed back to the comittee boat, to discover that it was a conventional line start instead.
We managed to get a reasonable position at approx. 15 seconds before the start, when there was a hoot, and the "race delayed" pendant came up. Pity. It appeared that the wind had shifted, so the mark had to be moved.
At the restart, we again positioned ourselves and started out, only to hear a "general recall", since there were too many boats over the favoured pin end of the line.
The third attempt at a start was a "black flag" - immediate disqualification for boats over the line. We were under (well under..), but we counted eleven boats who were recorded by the committee as over the line. That black-flag start was also a "general recall". So we started again.
By this time, it was 12:30, so we had something to eat before the fourth attempt (also a black flag start). This time everyone got away cleanly.
The actual race itself was fairly uneventful - we were kept it track with friends from the 'Harp on the first beat, but gradually fell back. In the end, we were 2nd or 3rd from the back of the fleet. Not a very encouraging state of play. The only hope was that the score would not be too bad, because a number of good boats had been disqualified.
We spied some very dark clouds on the horizon as we prepared for the next race.
We waited and waited. The drizzle was cold.
The wind had dropped, was coming more from the North-West, and there was a threat of rain. The sea was calm - almost like being back at the home club !
Simon & I worked out the transit for the gate start, as before, then sailed back to the comittee boat, to discover that it was a conventional line start instead.
We managed to get a reasonable position at approx. 15 seconds before the start, when there was a hoot, and the "race delayed" pendant came up. Pity. It appeared that the wind had shifted, so the mark had to be moved.
At the restart, we again positioned ourselves and started out, only to hear a "general recall", since there were too many boats over the favoured pin end of the line.
The third attempt at a start was a "black flag" - immediate disqualification for boats over the line. We were under (well under..), but we counted eleven boats who were recorded by the committee as over the line. That black-flag start was also a "general recall". So we started again.
By this time, it was 12:30, so we had something to eat before the fourth attempt (also a black flag start). This time everyone got away cleanly.
The actual race itself was fairly uneventful - we were kept it track with friends from the 'Harp on the first beat, but gradually fell back. In the end, we were 2nd or 3rd from the back of the fleet. Not a very encouraging state of play. The only hope was that the score would not be too bad, because a number of good boats had been disqualified.
We spied some very dark clouds on the horizon as we prepared for the next race.
We waited and waited. The drizzle was cold.
Since the wind had shifted, the committee re-set the marks before starting the second race (the third race in the series).
The wind began to drop as we proceeded through the course.
Spinnaker gybes were easier, and we managed to fly the kite through the gybe a couple of times.
Coming off the final leeward mark, we decided to "go left" to the finishing line. It seemed that most of the fleet had gone the other way. This would be a bit of a gamble, although we were confident.
At the final line, we had Maciej from the Welsh Harp sneak in above us. Disappointing, but we had had a good overall race.
We had to paddle back to Looe. As we packed away the boats, the threatened rain arrived.
It had been a good day, but it was time to get into the warm.
The disappointment of the previous race had forced us to review what we were doing wrong. So we had a strategy in place for the next race. Again, it was a line start instead of a "gate". We had a reasonable position at the time of the start, only to hear yet another "general recall". This was followed by yet another "black flag" start. This time we had a very reasonable start and headed upwind.
This time we were more focused. We had a number of Welsh Harp boat numbers around us, as we tried to keep with the "pack".
This time we were more focused. We had a number of Welsh Harp boat numbers around us, as we tried to keep with the "pack".
The wind began to drop as we proceeded through the course.
Spinnaker gybes were easier, and we managed to fly the kite through the gybe a couple of times.
Coming off the final leeward mark, we decided to "go left" to the finishing line. It seemed that most of the fleet had gone the other way. This would be a bit of a gamble, although we were confident.
At the final line, we had Maciej from the Welsh Harp sneak in above us. Disappointing, but we had had a good overall race.
We had to paddle back to Looe. As we packed away the boats, the threatened rain arrived.
It had been a good day, but it was time to get into the warm.
Sunday, 6 August 2017
GP14 Nationals - day 1
Sunday 6 August - the first day of the 2017 GP14 National Championships at Looe, in Cornwall.
The wind is expected to be 11 to 15 knots, south westerly, so a bit of a swell from the tide effect. The sun is shining. What's not to like? Today is going to be fun!
The wind is expected to be 11 to 15 knots, south westerly, so a bit of a swell from the tide effect. The sun is shining. What's not to like? Today is going to be fun!
Thanks to all the people who sent best wishes via Facebook, WhatsApp and Text.
By now, all the Welsh Harp sailors were around, so there was time for some group photos before we headed out for a full Practice Race, to be followed by race one.
By now, all the Welsh Harp sailors were around, so there was time for some group photos before we headed out for a full Practice Race, to be followed by race one.
Today was also the first trial of my secret weapon - a couple of washers tied into the Genoa sheets to prevent them pulling through the cleats ( which is what happened yesterday ).
As we headed out, we did a test spinnaker hoist and gybe. Just as we gybed the kite, we noticed the pole downhaul snagging the Genoa sheet - black mark to the person who had done the rigging this morning (me!). We soon fixed that, and prepared for the gate start for the Practice Race.
Either by accident or design, the line of the gate start was a transit from the committee boat to the western edge of Looe itself. So we could get a reasonable start, although we could have benefitted from being another boat length nearer the gate boat. Then we were off. It looked like there were a few other "pond" sailors with us.
As this was the Practice Race, we kept to the right hand and centre of the course, and arrived at the windward mark with a gaggle of other boats. For some reason, the spinnaker was really difficult to hoist and we had a foot of halyard from the mast (it should be one inch). We chased a few other boats and gybed ok round the spreader mark. Then a quick drop at the leeward mark, and a quick tack out of trouble to get back up the Beat. At the top mark and "spreader", the spinnaker was again difficult to hoist, so we had to let off the rig tension to get the kite up. That cost us distance. Then a massive tug to put the rig tension back on, and we were back in the race again.
We finished the practice race with half a dozen boats behind us. A reasonable result to start with.
A quick sandwich, and it was the gate start for the first race. Again, we were about a boat length too low, but made good progress up the Beat, keeping our eyes on the other 'Harp sailors around.
This time the spinnaker reaches were easier on the hoist, and we got in a couple of reasonable gybes. But we seemed to loose pace downwind, although maintained our position on the Beat. The wind seemed to be getting stronger, and the waves were about 3 feet at times.
This was a triangle-sausage-triangle course. On the last triangle, we dropped the kite before the gybe at the wing mark - I'd rather finish than capsize in the first race! The final downwind leg was great surfing - one wave seemed to carry us for ages, and I was convinced we were going to fall off the front of it
The final Beat to the finish line, we were part of a collection of four WHSC boats all vying for position. I was on Port, and aimed for the committee boat at the right hand side of the finish line. Just then, another boat came in on Starboard, so we had to tack off and he beat us to the line. Pity. Maybe I should have ducked him instead, but a tack had been the safest option. We had finished.
The biggest News Story of the day occurred as we were back on the beach: I had dropped the sails when I fell backwards in the boat, grabbed the mast to steady myself, and dragged it on top of me - the "gate" was open, and the forestay bungee snapped. It was the quickest dis-masting ever!
There was no lasting damage - except my dignity - and we soon replaced the bungee ready for the next race.
We had given a reasonable account of ourselves. But we know we are capable of doing better. We shall see in races 2 and 3 tomorrow.
Saturday, 5 August 2017
Nationals Practice in Looe (2)
The second days practice was meant to focus on gate starts.
It ended up being a lot more than that.
The coach was Niki Birrell. Niki is a para- Olympian, and he clearly knows about a huge amount about sailing.
Yesterday, we heard about sailing "in the groove" - that state where the boat sails fast and everything is being managed properly in a routine manner. I think it is fair to say that for the first 20 minutes today we were decidedly NOT "in the groove". Maybe I was thinking too much about my lunch, or maybe we just needed to get our "sea legs" back again. Some small mistakes were made. However, we did finally settle down.
Wind was again 11 to 15 knots, although more Northerly, and with shallower waves compared with yesterday.
We started out with a "follow my leader", having to hoist and gybe the spinnaker on demand.
The next exercise was a set of windward / leeward races, with a conventional starting line.
By now, we had a routine for the Beat in these conditions:
So we pushed hard upwind. Then Niki appears behind us in the coaching RIB. He shouts out "more kicker!". What ?? Can my new EXE sails handle that leech tension? Come to think of it, the effect of the kicker is to bend the mast, and mine is probably 10 years old. But we rammed on more kicker - Niki was right, of course.
Then we did some (slightly chaotic!) gate starts, with one of us acting as the "pathfinder".
At the end of the session, I felt we were getting ourselves "in the groove". The boat was feeling fast. We won't be able to win any prizes, but I am confident we can give a good account of ourselves in the coming week.
The end-of-day de-brief was a really helpful way to consolidate lessons learnt.
Tomorrow is a full Practice Race, followed by the first race of the 2017 National Championships.
GP14 no 13941 looks impressive in her race sponsorship stickers and tally number "7".
We are ready.
Yesterday, we heard about sailing "in the groove" - that state where the boat sails fast and everything is being managed properly in a routine manner. I think it is fair to say that for the first 20 minutes today we were decidedly NOT "in the groove". Maybe I was thinking too much about my lunch, or maybe we just needed to get our "sea legs" back again. Some small mistakes were made. However, we did finally settle down.
Wind was again 11 to 15 knots, although more Northerly, and with shallower waves compared with yesterday.
We started out with a "follow my leader", having to hoist and gybe the spinnaker on demand.
The next exercise was a set of windward / leeward races, with a conventional starting line.
By now, we had a routine for the Beat in these conditions:
- Kicker: on hard
- Cunningham: on hard
- Outhaul: tight out
- Boom in as tight as possible
- Hike out hard
- Work the waves
So we pushed hard upwind. Then Niki appears behind us in the coaching RIB. He shouts out "more kicker!". What ?? Can my new EXE sails handle that leech tension? Come to think of it, the effect of the kicker is to bend the mast, and mine is probably 10 years old. But we rammed on more kicker - Niki was right, of course.
Then we did some (slightly chaotic!) gate starts, with one of us acting as the "pathfinder".
At the end of the session, I felt we were getting ourselves "in the groove". The boat was feeling fast. We won't be able to win any prizes, but I am confident we can give a good account of ourselves in the coming week.
The end-of-day de-brief was a really helpful way to consolidate lessons learnt.
Tomorrow is a full Practice Race, followed by the first race of the 2017 National Championships.
GP14 no 13941 looks impressive in her race sponsorship stickers and tally number "7".
We are ready.
Friday, 4 August 2017
Nationals Practice in Looe (1)
What a great day !
We arrived at Looe fairly early, having stayed with relatives nearby the night before.
So far, it looks like there are a dozen or so boats - no doubt others will arrive tomorrow, ready for the first race on Sunday.
The sea-front is looking crowded already.
We arrived at Looe fairly early, having stayed with relatives nearby the night before.
So far, it looks like there are a dozen or so boats - no doubt others will arrive tomorrow, ready for the first race on Sunday.
The sea-front is looking crowded already.
Some of us "pond sailors" signed up for some sea training. Today's training was led by Jules Ford, who is a former GP14 sailor and is now a professional coach.
The objective was to learn to sail in high winds and waves. The wind was 11 to 16 knots and the waves less than a meter, so ideal conditions to practice in.
The first challenge was to navigate down the concrete slipway at Looe and along the river to the open sea. After some "No, after You" discussions some brave souls ventured out and we were heading for the English Channel and a westerly breeze.
The first exercise was a simple windward / leeward course, learning to adjust the mainsail settings as we hit the top of the wave, and to surf down the waves with the spinnaker flying downwind.
As we were in the open water, there was plenty of opportunity to practice each technique. The beats just seemed to go on forever. Surfing was also fun - the boat gives you areal kick when the wave catches you and forces you forward.
Simon & I had a great time - trying to time the attack to each wave-top, and make sure we didn't lose out in the troughs. I still have a terrible tendency to "pinch", though. Give that there were a dozen boats, we had some interesting fleet racing at times.
The next exercise was practicing lay-line approaches. We went wide of the mark and tried to judge if we would get to it, or have to go higher. A bit of anxiety built up as we appprached each buoy.
Simon & I had a great time - trying to time the attack to each wave-top, and make sure we didn't lose out in the troughs. I still have a terrible tendency to "pinch", though. Give that there were a dozen boats, we had some interesting fleet racing at times.
The next exercise was practicing lay-line approaches. We went wide of the mark and tried to judge if we would get to it, or have to go higher. A bit of anxiety built up as we appprached each buoy.
The weather persisted, and we did an exercise of "hardening up" to order. Our boat speed seemed reasonable in the beats, as we were (just !) keeping up with our opposition boats from the Welsh Harp.
For the final session of "follow my leader", Szymon Matyjaszczuk took over as crew from Simon. We had to match speed with other boats, then head up into a Beat on a whistle.
We also had a game of "river banks" - two power boats who attempted to squeeze the fleet together in order to simulate close-quarter boat-on-boat situations.
All too soon it was over, and Szymon suggested we fly the spinnaker home. We screamed in on a plane with three sails, then had to wait whilst other boats vacated the slipway.
Back at the club, Jules went through the lessons learnt, fielded questions and played back some of the videos from the session.
For the final session of "follow my leader", Szymon Matyjaszczuk took over as crew from Simon. We had to match speed with other boats, then head up into a Beat on a whistle.
We also had a game of "river banks" - two power boats who attempted to squeeze the fleet together in order to simulate close-quarter boat-on-boat situations.
All too soon it was over, and Szymon suggested we fly the spinnaker home. We screamed in on a plane with three sails, then had to wait whilst other boats vacated the slipway.
Back at the club, Jules went through the lessons learnt, fielded questions and played back some of the videos from the session.
Tomorrow's training is on gate starts. Can't wait !
I think I will sleep well tonight.
I think I will sleep well tonight.
Sunday, 30 July 2017
Poole Regatta - practicing waves
The Poole GP14 Open Regatta this year was forecast to be strong winds. The forecast proved accurate, so there was a fair proportion of capsizes, including ourselves.
For myself, the objective of the day was to gain some experience of high winds and tides, in preparation for the Nationals next week. The first decision was whether or not to use the new EXE sails, which had been specially purchased for Looe. The sails were ready, so we kept them on. Why hold back?
Winds were forecast at 17 knots, gusting 21 knots. It hit us as we left the harbour, and we planned on a reach towards the racing area.
We were late to the starting area, so were behind the fleet for the first race [lesson one: try to get to the starting area on time!]. Nevertheless, I was pleased with our progress up the beat.
At the first windward mark, the two lead boats were flying spinnakers, and the rest were planning on just two sails. We decided not to fly the kite this time.
It was great to have such a huge sailing area, and the chance to get a "feel" for a GP14 at (relatively) high speed [lesson two: use the kicker to control sail shape when on a fast reach]. Gybes were exciting to start with, until we got into a rhythm and could flatten the boat in good time as the boom went acrosss.
There were boats capsizing all around us, so it was encouraging to realise that we were still sailing onward. We finished the first race with a huge sigh of relief - we had survived and were still upright!
After a quick snack on the water, we were into the second start. My assessment was that the line was fairly square (no obvious bias upwind on one side or the other) so we made a timing start to the middle of the line. We were among a gaggle of boats heading left, so we tacked into clear air onto the right hand side. We recognised a couple of good boats on that side of the course, so we weren't doing too badly. As we went up the Beat, we kept close to the centre line, and were in a mid-fleet position at the first mark.
More fast reaching - more salt spray in the face, and more thoughts of "oops, that's not a good idea", as the wind and waves combined to push us off course.
Gybing at the wing mark, we corrected, only to find that the boom had fallen out of the goose-neck, so we had to hove-to and fix it [lesson three: tie the boom to the mast in high winds, or put on sufficient kicker to hold in the boom]. Then we were off again.
Going downwind in strong waves can be great fun - it's perfectly legal to position the boat into a wave front and get a boost from the wave power. I don't often get a chance to practice this, so it was a valuable opportunity.
On the next Beat we were within a few boat lengths of the windward mark when it happened. We were tacking onto starboard, but I ignored the fact that the Jib was still cleated [lesson four: give the crew time !]. Capsize !
Lucy was over the windward side in a flash, as I tried to retrieve the rudder, which was drifting off in the direction of Poole Yacht Club [lesson five: get a special clip for the rudder before Looe next week ]. Although Lucy got the boat up quickly, the problem with the rudder meant that we drifted downwind as I struggled to re-fit it, and disentangle the mainsheet. We had lost half the Beat by the time we were stabilised. And the lead boats were a lap ahead and threatening to overtake us. It felt like time to give up. We were both tired. It was no shame to have capsized in those conditions. So we retired and headed in, still struggling with a lifted rudder that refused to behave itself.
Heading back to dry land, the wind was getting stronger, and it appeared that the last race would be called off. In the end, the third race was run, but with only six boats, as gusts of up to 30 knots were recorded at the clubhouse weather system.
Should we have done the third race? Maybe. But at the time we needed a rest. I guess my final lesson to myself is to remember that there may always be another race...
We had had a great time. Lots of lessons for the future, and a real encouragement in the lead up to the GP14 Nationals next week.
Can't wait !!!
For myself, the objective of the day was to gain some experience of high winds and tides, in preparation for the Nationals next week. The first decision was whether or not to use the new EXE sails, which had been specially purchased for Looe. The sails were ready, so we kept them on. Why hold back?
Winds were forecast at 17 knots, gusting 21 knots. It hit us as we left the harbour, and we planned on a reach towards the racing area.
We were late to the starting area, so were behind the fleet for the first race [lesson one: try to get to the starting area on time!]. Nevertheless, I was pleased with our progress up the beat.
At the first windward mark, the two lead boats were flying spinnakers, and the rest were planning on just two sails. We decided not to fly the kite this time.
It was great to have such a huge sailing area, and the chance to get a "feel" for a GP14 at (relatively) high speed [lesson two: use the kicker to control sail shape when on a fast reach]. Gybes were exciting to start with, until we got into a rhythm and could flatten the boat in good time as the boom went acrosss.
There were boats capsizing all around us, so it was encouraging to realise that we were still sailing onward. We finished the first race with a huge sigh of relief - we had survived and were still upright!
After a quick snack on the water, we were into the second start. My assessment was that the line was fairly square (no obvious bias upwind on one side or the other) so we made a timing start to the middle of the line. We were among a gaggle of boats heading left, so we tacked into clear air onto the right hand side. We recognised a couple of good boats on that side of the course, so we weren't doing too badly. As we went up the Beat, we kept close to the centre line, and were in a mid-fleet position at the first mark.
More fast reaching - more salt spray in the face, and more thoughts of "oops, that's not a good idea", as the wind and waves combined to push us off course.
Gybing at the wing mark, we corrected, only to find that the boom had fallen out of the goose-neck, so we had to hove-to and fix it [lesson three: tie the boom to the mast in high winds, or put on sufficient kicker to hold in the boom]. Then we were off again.
Going downwind in strong waves can be great fun - it's perfectly legal to position the boat into a wave front and get a boost from the wave power. I don't often get a chance to practice this, so it was a valuable opportunity.
On the next Beat we were within a few boat lengths of the windward mark when it happened. We were tacking onto starboard, but I ignored the fact that the Jib was still cleated [lesson four: give the crew time !]. Capsize !
Lucy was over the windward side in a flash, as I tried to retrieve the rudder, which was drifting off in the direction of Poole Yacht Club [lesson five: get a special clip for the rudder before Looe next week ]. Although Lucy got the boat up quickly, the problem with the rudder meant that we drifted downwind as I struggled to re-fit it, and disentangle the mainsheet. We had lost half the Beat by the time we were stabilised. And the lead boats were a lap ahead and threatening to overtake us. It felt like time to give up. We were both tired. It was no shame to have capsized in those conditions. So we retired and headed in, still struggling with a lifted rudder that refused to behave itself.
Heading back to dry land, the wind was getting stronger, and it appeared that the last race would be called off. In the end, the third race was run, but with only six boats, as gusts of up to 30 knots were recorded at the clubhouse weather system.
Should we have done the third race? Maybe. But at the time we needed a rest. I guess my final lesson to myself is to remember that there may always be another race...
We had had a great time. Lots of lessons for the future, and a real encouragement in the lead up to the GP14 Nationals next week.
Can't wait !!!
Saturday, 29 July 2017
Poole - round the island - only once !
One week to go before the GP14 National Championships, and I'm down in Poole for some last-minute Sea experience (waves and tides).
Poole was the first event I ever "travelled" to, and is a social event for people from the Welsh Harp Sailing Club.
This year, I had Lucy crewing for me.
Saturday Round-the-island is a team event. We were randomly allocated to teams of three. The best two scores count towards the team. There are usually two races: one clockwise, and the other anti-clockwise. This year, we were drawn alongside Roger and Szymon from the Harp, and James & Richard from PaperCourt. A great team to be part of.
The first race was started with the tide flowing in, so our logic was to start at the port side of the line, going into the main channel - the tide would give us some extra momentum. It seemed like a good idea, although we had second thoughts when we realised there was only one other boat with us, and the rest of the fleet was on the starboard side of the line ! Nevertheless, we were in the top half of the fleet by the windward mark.
The course was clockwise round Brownsea island, so we had a long spinnaker run, where I keep us inshore, to negate the tide pushing against us. Some great spinnaker work by Lucy, and we kept near the shore and overtook a couple of boats, keeping Roger and James in sight all the time. We were making good progress.
As we got near to the far end of Brownsea Island, Lucy told me the advice she had been given - stay clear of the lea of the Castle. We had a gaggle of boats behind us. I saw Roger bear away from the lea of the Castle. I stayed on. Maybe we would be OK? We slowed down, by which time it was too late - we were caught in the lea of the castle. Boats started overtaking us. And more. We tried the 'kite, but to no avail. We ended up going backwards. The Brownsea ferry told us they were moving out in five minutes. We weren't sure we could clear the area in time.
We finally go clear, with the entire fleet (apart from 3 boats) disappearing away ahead of us.
The rest of the race was a matter of trying to catch up, and fending off the boats trying to catch us.
After rounding the far end of the island, we flew the spinnaker round "Piccadilly" and on home, arriving in 16th place.
The rain was coming in hard, and the wind dropping as we got back to PYC.
The afternoon did not look promising with the rain and no wind. At three PM the call was made - racing abandoned for the rest of the day.
They totalled up the scores from the first race; allowing for our discard, Roger & James had scored third place for the team. So Lucy & I had a third place prize to share with everyone.
I was delighted for Lucy - great bit of work was rewarded. We both had a laugh on account that we had benefited from Roger & James efforts! But we'll take it, with pleasure !
Tomorrow is the Open Event itself. Looking forward to it - the weather is forecast to be strong !!
Poole was the first event I ever "travelled" to, and is a social event for people from the Welsh Harp Sailing Club.
This year, I had Lucy crewing for me.
Saturday Round-the-island is a team event. We were randomly allocated to teams of three. The best two scores count towards the team. There are usually two races: one clockwise, and the other anti-clockwise. This year, we were drawn alongside Roger and Szymon from the Harp, and James & Richard from PaperCourt. A great team to be part of.
The first race was started with the tide flowing in, so our logic was to start at the port side of the line, going into the main channel - the tide would give us some extra momentum. It seemed like a good idea, although we had second thoughts when we realised there was only one other boat with us, and the rest of the fleet was on the starboard side of the line ! Nevertheless, we were in the top half of the fleet by the windward mark.
The course was clockwise round Brownsea island, so we had a long spinnaker run, where I keep us inshore, to negate the tide pushing against us. Some great spinnaker work by Lucy, and we kept near the shore and overtook a couple of boats, keeping Roger and James in sight all the time. We were making good progress.
As we got near to the far end of Brownsea Island, Lucy told me the advice she had been given - stay clear of the lea of the Castle. We had a gaggle of boats behind us. I saw Roger bear away from the lea of the Castle. I stayed on. Maybe we would be OK? We slowed down, by which time it was too late - we were caught in the lea of the castle. Boats started overtaking us. And more. We tried the 'kite, but to no avail. We ended up going backwards. The Brownsea ferry told us they were moving out in five minutes. We weren't sure we could clear the area in time.
We finally go clear, with the entire fleet (apart from 3 boats) disappearing away ahead of us.
The rest of the race was a matter of trying to catch up, and fending off the boats trying to catch us.
After rounding the far end of the island, we flew the spinnaker round "Piccadilly" and on home, arriving in 16th place.
The rain was coming in hard, and the wind dropping as we got back to PYC.
The afternoon did not look promising with the rain and no wind. At three PM the call was made - racing abandoned for the rest of the day.
They totalled up the scores from the first race; allowing for our discard, Roger & James had scored third place for the team. So Lucy & I had a third place prize to share with everyone.
I was delighted for Lucy - great bit of work was rewarded. We both had a laugh on account that we had benefited from Roger & James efforts! But we'll take it, with pleasure !
Tomorrow is the Open Event itself. Looking forward to it - the weather is forecast to be strong !!
Friday, 28 July 2017
Welsh Harp - Victor Trophy - New Sails!
The Victor Trophy at the Welsh Harp on 15 July was an opportunity to try ourselves against the rest of the Southern Travellers, and see how we were progressing towards our ultimate goal of doing the Nationals in August.
I must say that 13941 is as ready as she could be. We had a new split mainsheet installed recently, and the new sails from EXE are looking (and sailing) very good.
From my point of view, I don't think a change of sails should affect my sailing ability - I have far too much to learn about tacking on headers etc. for some new "cloth" to make a difference. However, I must admit that I feel, and perform, better with these new sails. Is it psychological? Probably - but I'll take it anyway.
Simon & I are also improving bit-by-bit - the spinnaker gybing is becoming second-nature, and we can fly through most conditions now. We probably need to improve our tacking a bit, and as always it is a matter of consistency. But progress is progress.
We had a reasonable start on the first race, and were mid-fleet up the first beat, but fowled Richard Lord on a port/starboard encounter. There was no contact, but I felt obliged to do 'turns', which meant that we were pushed back to the gaggle of boats who were sticking together (in some cases literally!) at the first and second marks. So we fell back and ended up with our normal 24th place out of 25.
After lunch, we again had a couple of reasonable starts (note to self - improve your starting at Poole in a couple of weeks time), and kept with the mid-fleet crowd.
The second race we were 19th and managed to be 18th in the final race, close behind George Rogers of Tollesbury in 13939.
Progress is slow, but keep working...
Next stop is Poole on 30th July - harbour sailing in a triangle-sausage course. Looking forward to it.
I'll try to send regular updates from this blog as we gear up for the Nationals in August.
I must say that 13941 is as ready as she could be. We had a new split mainsheet installed recently, and the new sails from EXE are looking (and sailing) very good.
From my point of view, I don't think a change of sails should affect my sailing ability - I have far too much to learn about tacking on headers etc. for some new "cloth" to make a difference. However, I must admit that I feel, and perform, better with these new sails. Is it psychological? Probably - but I'll take it anyway.
Simon & I are also improving bit-by-bit - the spinnaker gybing is becoming second-nature, and we can fly through most conditions now. We probably need to improve our tacking a bit, and as always it is a matter of consistency. But progress is progress.
We had a reasonable start on the first race, and were mid-fleet up the first beat, but fowled Richard Lord on a port/starboard encounter. There was no contact, but I felt obliged to do 'turns', which meant that we were pushed back to the gaggle of boats who were sticking together (in some cases literally!) at the first and second marks. So we fell back and ended up with our normal 24th place out of 25.
After lunch, we again had a couple of reasonable starts (note to self - improve your starting at Poole in a couple of weeks time), and kept with the mid-fleet crowd.
The second race we were 19th and managed to be 18th in the final race, close behind George Rogers of Tollesbury in 13939.
Progress is slow, but keep working...
Next stop is Poole on 30th July - harbour sailing in a triangle-sausage course. Looking forward to it.
I'll try to send regular updates from this blog as we gear up for the Nationals in August.
Thursday, 29 June 2017
Tollesbury - High Winds and Low Mud
Tollesbury Sailing Club has a reputation of being one of the friendliest clubs in the Southern Travellers Circuit.
Simon & I made our way there by separate routes, to be greeted by hot bacon rolls as we unpacked 13941.
The forecast had been 15knots, with gusts. Unfortunately, the changing facilities at Tollesbury were being re-done, so a quick change in the car was necessary. There were 16 GP14 taking part, so it was going to be an interesting event. I decided to stay with the P&B sails that had done sterling service during the last year.
We (literally) shook the mud off our feet and ran out over the very narrow channel which was bounded either side by very sticky mud. The tide was high, so staying in the channel was going to be a key. In high winds, we were able to test fly the kite, and after a bit of a hairy moment we dropped it professionally and decided that we might forgo the spinnaker, at least for the first part of the first race.
We had a reasonable start on the first race, which turned into a round-the-mud-flats type of procession, with two upwind legs off on different directions. We were mid-fleet at that time, and there were a couple of capsizes around us - we had clearly been right to be cautious about the kite. Just then, Edward and Szymon came screaming by with a fully powered-up spinnaker, and a boat that looked like it wanted to fly vertically - the two of them were as far back as it is physically possible in a GP14. We decided that we would let the youngsters enjoy themselves, and try to focus on our own game.
We were able to maintain place around 5th or 6th, the boat was very flat, and Simon was continually calling out tactics and other boats. Our secret weapon was a new split-sheet mainsheet that had arrived by post a few days earlier; this meant that I could haul in the main really tight in a beat, and keep the boat flat without pinching. It was tiring work, as well as continually adjusting the
Near the end of the last lap, we were being reeled in by one of the Tollesbury boats, who was chasing Ricardo who had also just overtaken us. Maybe we should have used the kite earlier? Either way, a credible 9th place.
Race 2 was a total change of course: a long reach out towards the entrance to the Tollesbury fleets and the River Blackwater. This time we did fly the kite. However, before getting there, I chose the wrong way up the beat, and was in the way of a local boat on starboard - quick corrective action, but by that time we had lost a couple of places. Nevertheless, we got the spinnaker up, and were able to gain a few places down that wonderful reach.
At the far end, we had problems dropping the kite and the genoa got tangled, so we again lost a couple of the places we had gained. On the final beat back to the finish, we had Richard Lord ahead of us, and my optimism says we were gaining. The end result was another 9th place.
The Tollesbury Race Officer was clearly determined to keep us on our toes, because the final race was another round-the-houses, with the chance for some quick reaching legs. This time we had a good start, and were among the middle of the pack most of the time. 13941 was up on the plane, even without spinnaker. She was also very responsive to the helm at that speed. It was a great sensation. With a couple of other boats struggling, we managed a 6th place - a really satisfying achievement.
The longest beat of the day up Woodrolfe creek took the boats back to the "hard" for a well earned BBQ and some excellent cakes provided by Val and Clare at the club. I gather that they are in the process of rebuilding their GP14 fleet with several new teams sailing here this season - it was great to enjoy their company, on and off the water.
All in all, this was a great confidence boost.
There are a few more club events, then we need to get ourselves to Poole for a final sea trial before the Nationals in August. Can't wait !
Simon & I made our way there by separate routes, to be greeted by hot bacon rolls as we unpacked 13941.
The forecast had been 15knots, with gusts. Unfortunately, the changing facilities at Tollesbury were being re-done, so a quick change in the car was necessary. There were 16 GP14 taking part, so it was going to be an interesting event. I decided to stay with the P&B sails that had done sterling service during the last year.
We (literally) shook the mud off our feet and ran out over the very narrow channel which was bounded either side by very sticky mud. The tide was high, so staying in the channel was going to be a key. In high winds, we were able to test fly the kite, and after a bit of a hairy moment we dropped it professionally and decided that we might forgo the spinnaker, at least for the first part of the first race.
We had a reasonable start on the first race, which turned into a round-the-mud-flats type of procession, with two upwind legs off on different directions. We were mid-fleet at that time, and there were a couple of capsizes around us - we had clearly been right to be cautious about the kite. Just then, Edward and Szymon came screaming by with a fully powered-up spinnaker, and a boat that looked like it wanted to fly vertically - the two of them were as far back as it is physically possible in a GP14. We decided that we would let the youngsters enjoy themselves, and try to focus on our own game.
We were able to maintain place around 5th or 6th, the boat was very flat, and Simon was continually calling out tactics and other boats. Our secret weapon was a new split-sheet mainsheet that had arrived by post a few days earlier; this meant that I could haul in the main really tight in a beat, and keep the boat flat without pinching. It was tiring work, as well as continually adjusting the
Near the end of the last lap, we were being reeled in by one of the Tollesbury boats, who was chasing Ricardo who had also just overtaken us. Maybe we should have used the kite earlier? Either way, a credible 9th place.
Race 2 was a total change of course: a long reach out towards the entrance to the Tollesbury fleets and the River Blackwater. This time we did fly the kite. However, before getting there, I chose the wrong way up the beat, and was in the way of a local boat on starboard - quick corrective action, but by that time we had lost a couple of places. Nevertheless, we got the spinnaker up, and were able to gain a few places down that wonderful reach.
At the far end, we had problems dropping the kite and the genoa got tangled, so we again lost a couple of the places we had gained. On the final beat back to the finish, we had Richard Lord ahead of us, and my optimism says we were gaining. The end result was another 9th place.
The Tollesbury Race Officer was clearly determined to keep us on our toes, because the final race was another round-the-houses, with the chance for some quick reaching legs. This time we had a good start, and were among the middle of the pack most of the time. 13941 was up on the plane, even without spinnaker. She was also very responsive to the helm at that speed. It was a great sensation. With a couple of other boats struggling, we managed a 6th place - a really satisfying achievement.
The longest beat of the day up Woodrolfe creek took the boats back to the "hard" for a well earned BBQ and some excellent cakes provided by Val and Clare at the club. I gather that they are in the process of rebuilding their GP14 fleet with several new teams sailing here this season - it was great to enjoy their company, on and off the water.
All in all, this was a great confidence boost.
There are a few more club events, then we need to get ourselves to Poole for a final sea trial before the Nationals in August. Can't wait !
Monday, 5 June 2017
Southern Championships - Some Progress
I have to be an optimist. Not the dinghy, you understand - that's a small kid's bathtub, in case anyone did not know - but the glass-half-full type of optimist.
Why? Because, try as I might, I cannot progress beyond the back half of the fleet.
Last weekend, I had the privilege to race with Simon Carman, who has kindly agreed to crew for me at the GP14 Nationals in Looe in August.
As an optimist, I took comfort from the fact that we made 12th place out of 17 in our second race, and that the boat felt fast. Simon's a great crew - he spots technical things that I miss, and he is happy to call tactics, which means I can focus on getting the boat moving.
But on the pessimistic side, we are in last place in most of our races, and I wish I understood why.
Maybe we don't keep the boat flat enough?
Maybe it is my irritating habit of 'pinching' into the wind when I don't have enough boat speed?
Was I using too much kicker? Or not enough? Was the boom in enough during the beats, or was I stalling the sails by pulling them in too tight?
Someone please tell me.... !!
With our experience, we should be mid-fleet by now. It's very demoralising being relegated to the back markers.
But I need to be an optimist.
Brightlingsea was a great place to sail. We had 2 races on Saturday, and then three back-to-back on the Sunday. Glorious sun, 10 knots wind, and enough swell and gusts to get us planing on the reach during the end of Sunday. A chance to get valuable sea experience in advance of the Nationals.
WHSC was well represented - it seems that the club is really getting out-and-about these days, so it is good to have company.
Apart from the time when my watch stopped, we were able to get some good starts, and were pushing through the fleet to the first mark.
It was great to be able to fly the spinnaker through the gybes - a skill we are beginning to master. The spinnaker launches and drops worked well, although there was one occasion where we were seriously threatened by a group of Merlin Rockets who were a lap ahead, and gunning for the same leeward mark as us!
In short, I think we are beginning to work together as a team. I just don't want to let the team down. Any suggestions on how to make the boat go faster, please send answers on a postcard.
A few more sea races, and the Nationals is looming up.
P.S. Thanks to Hannah for the photo.
Why? Because, try as I might, I cannot progress beyond the back half of the fleet.
Last weekend, I had the privilege to race with Simon Carman, who has kindly agreed to crew for me at the GP14 Nationals in Looe in August.
As an optimist, I took comfort from the fact that we made 12th place out of 17 in our second race, and that the boat felt fast. Simon's a great crew - he spots technical things that I miss, and he is happy to call tactics, which means I can focus on getting the boat moving.
But on the pessimistic side, we are in last place in most of our races, and I wish I understood why.
Maybe we don't keep the boat flat enough?
Maybe it is my irritating habit of 'pinching' into the wind when I don't have enough boat speed?
Was I using too much kicker? Or not enough? Was the boom in enough during the beats, or was I stalling the sails by pulling them in too tight?
Someone please tell me.... !!
With our experience, we should be mid-fleet by now. It's very demoralising being relegated to the back markers.
But I need to be an optimist.
Brightlingsea was a great place to sail. We had 2 races on Saturday, and then three back-to-back on the Sunday. Glorious sun, 10 knots wind, and enough swell and gusts to get us planing on the reach during the end of Sunday. A chance to get valuable sea experience in advance of the Nationals.
WHSC was well represented - it seems that the club is really getting out-and-about these days, so it is good to have company.
Apart from the time when my watch stopped, we were able to get some good starts, and were pushing through the fleet to the first mark.
It was great to be able to fly the spinnaker through the gybes - a skill we are beginning to master. The spinnaker launches and drops worked well, although there was one occasion where we were seriously threatened by a group of Merlin Rockets who were a lap ahead, and gunning for the same leeward mark as us!
In short, I think we are beginning to work together as a team. I just don't want to let the team down. Any suggestions on how to make the boat go faster, please send answers on a postcard.
A few more sea races, and the Nationals is looming up.
P.S. Thanks to Hannah for the photo.
Tuesday, 31 January 2017
GP14 Nationals - here we come !
We're booked in.
The GP14 Class Association just announced that they sold their 70-boat allocation for the 2017 GP14 Nationals in 29 days! This makes it now officially the most popular since 2004, which was a couple of years before I joined what is now the Welsh Harp Sailing Club.
This year, the National are at Looe Sailing Club, in Cornwall, on 6 Aug - 11 Aug 2017. I hope to stay with relatives in Cornwall that week. I suspect that bookings will be hard to come by in Looe that week.
This will be my second Nationals. The first ever time was in 2015, in Brixham, Devon, when the fleet was about 45 boats, and the sailing was in Tor Bay. This time, the fleet will be significantly bigger, and the venue is more open. The World Championships were held there a few years ago, and the waves were the stuff of legend.
Joining me in 13941 will be Simon Carman. Simon has crewed for me a couple of times this year already. He has previously done some sea sailing as a youngster, and is just returning to the sport. So he has loads of experience and confidence. Although we were back of the fleet at the club racing the last couple of outings, I think we will gell together well as a team. His wife, Gill, also sails, but it is Simon who is the real "competitor".
Our plan is to build on our teamwork on Saturday morning practice, and club racing. We are also hopeful that we can do Tuesday racing during the summer as well. It will all be time on the water, which will help us get our techniques honed. For sea experience, I want to go back to Tollesbury this year, and maybe Poole, which is the week before the Nationals.
I've been back at the gym, with help from Andy Howell, who has been a Personal Trainer for me for a number of years. The emphasis for the next few months will be on cardio and building "recovery time".
The Welsh Harp Sailing Club has had an amazing turnout for the Nationals this year. A total of 12 boats are signed up. The list includes some of the best sailers in the club:
I think that makes WHSC the biggest club represented at the Nationals this year.
The social events will be something to look forward to, as well.
I intend to keep a blog going as we head towards the big event...
The GP14 Class Association just announced that they sold their 70-boat allocation for the 2017 GP14 Nationals in 29 days! This makes it now officially the most popular since 2004, which was a couple of years before I joined what is now the Welsh Harp Sailing Club.
This year, the National are at Looe Sailing Club, in Cornwall, on 6 Aug - 11 Aug 2017. I hope to stay with relatives in Cornwall that week. I suspect that bookings will be hard to come by in Looe that week.
This will be my second Nationals. The first ever time was in 2015, in Brixham, Devon, when the fleet was about 45 boats, and the sailing was in Tor Bay. This time, the fleet will be significantly bigger, and the venue is more open. The World Championships were held there a few years ago, and the waves were the stuff of legend.
Joining me in 13941 will be Simon Carman. Simon has crewed for me a couple of times this year already. He has previously done some sea sailing as a youngster, and is just returning to the sport. So he has loads of experience and confidence. Although we were back of the fleet at the club racing the last couple of outings, I think we will gell together well as a team. His wife, Gill, also sails, but it is Simon who is the real "competitor".
Our plan is to build on our teamwork on Saturday morning practice, and club racing. We are also hopeful that we can do Tuesday racing during the summer as well. It will all be time on the water, which will help us get our techniques honed. For sea experience, I want to go back to Tollesbury this year, and maybe Poole, which is the week before the Nationals.
I've been back at the gym, with help from Andy Howell, who has been a Personal Trainer for me for a number of years. The emphasis for the next few months will be on cardio and building "recovery time".
The Welsh Harp Sailing Club has had an amazing turnout for the Nationals this year. A total of 12 boats are signed up. The list includes some of the best sailers in the club:
- Tomasz Szkola
- Steve Cooper
- Maciej Matyjaszczuk & Jim Dimond
- Edward Coyne & Szymon Matyjaszczuk
- Andy Wadsworth & Andy Shrimpton
- Roger Walton & Helen Allen
- Lesley Kaye & Nick Masters
- Richard Connett
- Ruslan Scutelnic ("Scooter") & Alexandru Scutelnic
- Lydia Evans
- Alistair Lambert & Karen Wilson
I think that makes WHSC the biggest club represented at the Nationals this year.
The social events will be something to look forward to, as well.
I intend to keep a blog going as we head towards the big event...
Saturday, 21 January 2017
Bloody Mary 2017 - The Drifting Regatta
After a fairly uneventful period of sailing, the new year 2017 started off with the Bloody Mary at Queen Mary Sailing Club. It's a great venue, always well organised, and this year there were 244 boats attending.
Hannah and I were able to get some practice in the Wassal handicap race on 1st January (we did manage to stay ahead of the final Merlin Rocket), but this was a much larger, and longer event.
I had tried to learn lessons from Last Years Regatta, where the winds were fairly strong and the course was very complex. So we arrived really early, got the boat together in good time, and were able to pick up on course notes, which were duly gaffer-taped under a piece of waterproof plastic, just in case...
This year, the Welsh Harp Sailing Club were out in (almost) force, with 4 boats from the club, including Steve Cooper, who ended up 44th in the entire fleet. Most of us were in the photo in the QM clubhouse beforehand.
We had problems with the spinnaker last year, so extra attention paid to rigging was required...
The weather forecast had been for slight winds, disappearing to virtually nothing after an hour or so. But a glance out of the window suggested that the wind was strong enough to be exciting - maybe we were in for a repeat of the last year?
The "Blue" group were launched (boats about 20 mins behind the first gun), and we managed to get orientated and try the line. At the 24 minute gun, we had good speed, and were close to the start, just ducking one boat and then heading off to the right hand side of the course.
I'd set up the "RaceQs" GPS system, and we were later able to review our first beat against Maciej - it looked like we had better boat speed at times, but were not able to point as high, so the other GP14 were beginning to pull away ahead of us.
The first beat was exciting, then it was time to launch the kite. We managed to keep position on the first downwind leg, heading to the red and white flag on top of mark number 2. But the wind was beginning to drop. The wind dropped. And dropped. There was no wind. And the RS200 asymmetric spinnaker boats were lighter than us and catching up.
We did manage to get round the second mark, and headed back upwind for the next beat, but we had had the best wind of the day - the "drifting regatta" was here for the day.
There were seven more marks in the next two hours.
By mark number 4 we were able to throw up the kite again. Although there were a few boats overtaking us, we did seem to have some good boat speak - in the circumstances. But, of course, being a heavy boat, the GP14 was not ideally suited to the conditions. The lighter boats had the advantage.
The winning boat was a Firefly,
We ended up 188th place out of 244 boats that took part.
Not ideal conditions, but we took part. It was a great day - hopes for the rest of this year !
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