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Cooked to Perfection is my 8th Twelve. Frances & I had decided to take the step to a double bottomed boat. We had tried a couple of Foolishes and found them lovely to sail and much quicker in light winds than our Chapter. We had struck a deal on a second hand Foolish but this was dependent upon a new build which seemed to have an indefinite end date. We wanted to be sure of a new boat by Salcombe and Burton Weeks so when Mike Cooke said that he could build us one, it suddenly seemed a good idea.

Mike built us a beautiful boat. whilst he was building we were choosing the colour - we settled on metallic blue early on but which one took a lot longer! We struggled over a name for ages then suddenly this one seemed obvious (Mike is none to keen but we think he deserves the recognition!)

The boat has proven to be quick. The double bottom took a little bit of getting used to but is very comfortable. Mike put it as low as he could and we lifted the boom a bit to ensure that he crew has a comfortable ride. The mast is by Angel, it's the first carbon mast I've had and I think I'm still learning how to get the best out of it! The boom is carbon by Aardvark and is so light its almost a treat to get hit by it and delight in how little it hurts! The rudder is standard P&B/Winder, just occasionally I feel one a tiny bit bigger might help. The centreboard is designed by Bim Daser and built by Kevin Driver. I use a mixture of sails. We got Alverbanks when the boat was new because Frances thought their radial bottom panels looked prettier than the P&B offerings at the time! I now have a P&B main as well and still can't decide which, if either, is quiker than the other.

The low front tank is great - it provides bouyancy at the right place and not too much of it as well as a terrific dry storage space.

Hmmmm -  you might do well to try sailing a little bit flatter!!!!!!!!
Hope to see you at an open soon -  South Cerney in a couple of weeks?

Originally owned by Nigel May and took him to some good Burton Week reslts.
Bought by Paul & Cyntia Turner from Spinnaker - my neighbours in the boat park. I was very envious of their lovely boat & when i heard that they were contemplating selling jumped staright in and bouight her very early in 2002 and I promptly got my best Bloody Mary resukt.
We bought some new sails (a realy good set from P&B) and enjoyed a greeat season winning the first open meeting we that we had sailed together in for many years (Avon).
We renamed her "Flawless" as we fancied having a crack at the AC prizes. I see now she has her original name again.
She rekindled Frances' appetite for sailing so much that we ordered a new boat for 2003! We had no trouble selling her - she had been spotted by David at Harwich in 2002 and as soon as we put her on the market the 'phone rang and a deal was struck whereby we used her for up untill hand over at RHYC open.

David Wilkins

Wondered how I'd posted that message!!

I', not sure I want Mr Vincent pimping my boat!

EDIT - Sorry, that was from Mr Cooke on Mr Wilkins computer, not Mr Wilkins - always use the preview...

Briiliant start to the season - well done to Nick, Caroline, Graham and Zoe.

We'll be there too.

Frances & I commissioned Andrew Turner to build us a Final Chapter in 1990  to replace the Cheshire Cat (3139) he had built for us in 1981. We were excited by the new design which seemed to be the answer to our rather above average weight. We new that Andrew could make a pretty boat - this had always been important to us.
Andrew crafted the foils and we kitted her out with a Kappa mast and P&B sails. We got through a couple of masts and themn followed someones advice to change to a Superpar, M8  if my memory serves; I was never convinced that that was a good move as we seemed to loose some speed - the mast never bent aghain though!
We named her Fearsome Flybynight continuing on from Midnight Express (3139) as those of a litary leaning will recognise it was the name used by the Railway Children for the midnight express.
Andrew did us proud - she was certainly well built and very pretty.
She enjoyed the limelight featuring on the front of the newsletter  - a picture taken the day we took her home from the builder.
We enjoyed this boat for many years - sailing her we were almost invariably in the top 3 as we rounded Blackstone at the end of the first beat during Salcombe week - sadly we never quite seemed to be able to hold that position till the end!
Sold in 2001 to Gareth Humphry at Spinnaker who changed the colour from red to blue. We replaced her with a composite Waller Chapter.
Gareth has since sold her and I met the new owners at the dinghy show in 2006 - hope to see them on the water soon!


David Wilkins

Just a bit too far for me to travel Mark, though I've heard its a great meeting.

Good Luck

I'm planning to be there - looking forward to learning from the maestro on Saturday and then of course winning on Sunday!!! Look forward to seeing lots of you there.


Cheers

Have fun on Sunday guys - I think we're away - if not I'll try to get there too.

Cheers

My 5th and first brand new 12

Frances and I commissioned Andrew Turner to build her because he built beautiful boats and at a reasonable price. We named her Midnight Express following on from my earlier Orient Express.

We won the first open meeting we sailed in her at Desborough SC by a comfortable margin - we were delighted. We enjoyed consderable success in her, particularly in 1981 - both in the Thames Area and with a 2nd overall at Salcombe YC Regatta. She moved with us when we left Henley SC  on a job move to the south coast. We joined Spinnaker Club and developed a fleets there where our lovely boat attracted much attention.

We kept her until 1990 when Andrew built us an also very beautiful new Final Chapter.

David Wilkins

My 4th Twelve - the first I had of a "current" design. her full name was "Zephyr of Henley" named thus as her 1st owners David and Sue Giles wanted the name Zephyr but it had been taken previously. They fitted the decks to an Impact hull - they were exceptionally comfortable a I recall  - we took a  template from them for our next boat.

We enjoyed considerable success in the Thames Area in this boat.

One of her 1st outings with David and Sue saw them invert without a pin in the mast foot - the heel came out and a new foredeck was required! My first outing was at the Parkstone plates sailing at the top end of a force 6 (maybe more) - I found her very stable after the China Doll and we won the race with a leg o spare from Mike Hoyle - I was grinning like a Cheshire Cat after that! The next day saw us in a port and starboard incedent with Mike which keft me needing a new foredeck!
I sold the boat to someone from Up River in 1980 - he lost a shroud on the first outing and again the boat ended up with a new foredeck!

We replaced her with another, slightly wider Cheshire Cat at the time that many were moving to Baggies.


David Wilkins

A beautiful 7 plank Doll built by Richard Lovett - I bought her from Steve Culliford inthe mid 70's having admired her at Salcombe Week - I renamed her from "Calamity Jan".

Enjoyed a a good bit of sucess in the Thames Area in her and a 3rd at Hunstanton during NWNW in 1976 beating many of my heroes of the time!

Sold her to a girl from Aldenham when I bought my 1st Cheshire Cat.

David Wilkins

And I thought it was just the Jammy Dodger who was out to get me! I'll be getting a complex soon!
Cheers