Messages

oops I seem to have started a war, so may I now offer the olive branch of peace.
 
if we cannot change this year's series, and if the programs have gone to print, then this is the case, may I suggest at one of the 3 big events, we have a "youth at the helm" race.  either the inlands, the summer event or the nationals themselves.  this would allow us to test the theory, and could see some hilarious scenes as some of our top sailors frantically run around finding a youth to borrow to steer their boats.  The local club might well be a source of willing participants too.
 
In fact the more I think of this idea, the better it seems. imagine a young local sailor being approached by the guy winning the event to see if he wants a ride, not only in the boat, but helming it. it would be the perfect way to get them to try the boats out, with the best kit, the best crews, and the most fun.  could be a massive publicity coup.
 
Laura, I am sure Graham camm owes you a favour for you crewing at grafham....:K)

I have an off the wall idea for the youth series for next year, and that is to not limit the age of the crew.
If you couple it with having qualification at events that are not part of the gill series, we may well see some of our family teams swapping positions in the boats.
If you look, we had 23 family boats and only 7 juniors.  if all those 23 let the crew have a go at the wiggle stick it would greatly increase the attendances and challenge, and give the crews a different perspective in experience.

I will be sailing both at Shustoke sailing club outside coleshill and Olton Mere in Birmingham. Both clubs go right through the winter.
Olton has a fleet of AC boats, Shustoke unfortunately has no 12s at the moment, but does have a winter membership from now till march at only £57.00, and if a few boats are interested, I am sure the class could be reintroduced.
Olton sails 2 races on a sunday, shustoke 3 races on both saturdays and sundays.
If either interest you, drop me a mail.

an apology that I cannot be there in token gesture, due to training to be a DI.... hopefully it will allow me to influence the next generation of sailors to become addicted to national 12s (mwahahahaha)...
Have a great weekend all. just watch out for that bright red china doll, its quicker than you think!

Today, Olton mere went on a road trip to shustoke (my other club) and took a load of lasers up to their open meeting. out of 6 mere boats, 5 were sailed by N12 sailors, and the other by a very game N12 taxi driver (thanks paul.) 2 crews (naomi and maria) and 3 helms (chris Troth, Tom White and me, Kevin.) the crews both suffered gear failure but came mid fleet in the youth section. Chris was heard crying "this doesnt feel like a moth" as he battles round the course in drifting conditions. Me and tom took the first 2 places, above most of the top flight of the midland laser circuit. Both of us now proud owners of swanky expensive padded laser foil bags.... with no laser foils to put in them!!
I just cannot believe its taken a hop to lasers to get my revenge on tom after he trounced me at trent valley.
 
on another note.... another 12 has arrived at Olton, Rob yearsley has taken ownership of a tigress, and on past history is about to make le shed look like a shed again, although the end result is a piece of history might well be coming up for grabs.  does anyone out there want to take ownership of one of the origional soap dishes?

Looking at 3 from olton as it stands coming down. Youth fleet on tour once again with another having been recruited as a crew. Beware Le Shed if the wind is light!!

I am sure Tom is not too worried about the C/board.  he must have took 2 inches off it on the bottom of the lake in the last month!

I will be there in Gordon, battling for the 4 planks.

How can you miss a bright pink 12!!!!
I took my Ent up there as part of the shustoke crew (I know, traitor) and managed to get a 3rd in the slow fleet. it was windy, and wet, and a hell of a lot of work, but really great fun. highly reccomended.
 
Looking forward to being back in Gordon for the 2 opens next weekend though.

May I be first to thank Redesmere for an excellent day.  It was great to see such a mix of boats, from modern to vintage, and a healthy amount of all.
 
Everyone from Olton Mere thoroughly enjoyed it, and to see both youth helms get 4th positions in races was amazing. Especially as tom white borrowed my cheshire cat and managed to thoroughly embarass me having never sailed it before. Cheers tom.
 
It was also great to see a vintage, an AC and a DB each take a position in the top 3. Events like this and trent earlier in the year are a great advert for the class, and amazingly inclusive.  Hopefully, olton mere and trent valley next month can continue the trend (I am having the cheshire back tom)
 
A final and big personal thanks to the redesmere repair crew who through the dilligent supply of power tools, perfect bolts and expertese managed to get boats fixed and out on the water between races!! I honestly thought ripping my hatchet board out of the fitting was going to be terminal!!
 
also worth a mention is the hospitality to our dedicated pit crew. they were made to feel truly welcome, as they took over a corner of the bar, emblazoned in club colours supporting the 5 teenagers out there on the water. mothers, fathers, brothers and associated friends all enjoyed the day.
 
I look forward to the official writeup, and the view from the front from our hosts.

On ebay 18/08/09
 
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/National-12-sailing-Dinghy_W0QQitemZ120458739334QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUK_Sporting_Goods_Sailing_Boats_ET?hash=item1c0be67e86&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14

we are looking at 3 boats coming from Olton Mere. I will bring up Token Gesture, Tom is bringing le shed and Chris is bringing his tart. Crews and tows have been arranged...

hmmm that sounds an offer that is too good to resist.
as long as you do not mind the next big issue 2 being pink, I have a feeling that the youngsters from olton mere might be up for the challenge. we have a love for the class, a tried and tested boat builder who is recruitable (for several pints) and far too much enthusiasm.  also a few dads that might think splashing out on the raw materials is a hell of a lot cheaper than buying an off the peg DB boat for the up and coming.
let me canvas the opinions, and also ask that there is the promise of the advice on the end of the phone when it all goes tits up.....

Yes, I know it is the middle of summer, but I just thought of the idea, and I am not going to try to remember it in 4 months time when it might be more timely, so I will bring it up now.
 
In order to promote the class to general sailors, it is good to have a high attendance at non class events. If we had an additional prize within class for ourselves, then it might encourage more people within the N12 fleet to travel.
 
the type of events I am talking about are on the whole fairly well attended by the N12 fraternity.  I can think of 5 off the top of my head. Bloody Mary, Steve nicholson at Northampton. Hoo freezer, Tiger trophy and Shustoke gauntlet.  There are probably more.  If we made a 2 to qualify, best 3 results, prizes for AC, youth, vintage and those modern fangled thingys....
 
I just think it would be amazing to turn up mob handed with fleets of 10+ boats to each event, and get out the general vibrancy and feel of the class to all those disbelievers in the sailing fraternity.  Even if all we achieve is to show how to drink a bar dry, have a good time and loose with dignity.

I open the floor to derision, I mean discussion.

OK... and I just had a really insane thought..... what about making the bloody mary the first event of the gill series?

http://www.britishpathe.com/record.php?id=678