Messages

I recently sold a DB Chapter in favour of a 40 year old China Doll, and last did a Burton Week in 1989 (I think it was) at Whitstable where the oldest registered boat sailing was N-207...  A back in the class in recent years and was at Annandale earlier this year.
I think we should do as much as we can to combine the activities of all sectors of the class.  
As a Twelve fanatic I love to see the modern top end of the fleet as do my kids who crew for me - it inspires them and would be an experience they'd miss if us vintage yotties kept to ourselves and didn't turn up at events like BW...  It's what the class is all about; and a Twelve is a Twelve...
The only thing keeping us away from BW this year was cost and weather forecast.   It would be the same were it an inland event or any other one (we bailed out of Pitsford last year on account of the weather forecast).
A tank of petrol is nearly £100 these days so travelling any distance for a one-day open meeting is definitely out; and if the weather looks like we could miss a day or lose races then we just wouldn't go.  It's so expensive travelling around the Uk these days if you don't get a decent spell of racing out of it we think twice about going.  So whatever the event we decide last minute...
Plus my crew (the kids) are age 6 and 9 so they're not up to long days in heavy air regardless of whether the boat is.  And they're the reason we went back to a China Doll - it suits our needs better as a family and when we go to Twelve events that's when we get our carbon 'fix'..!
We'd certainly support N12 events more if diary allowed it, if weather played ball and it all costed in...  And mixing it up with modern boats and everything else in between is what the class is all about.  Hosting an event inland or just for vintage boats wouldn't change that... 
WW (N2620)

Considering going to Salcombe for the May open meeting - can anyone advise on best campsites and whether they need to be booked way in advance...?
It is likely to be a late decision dependent on weather forecasts and work requirements around that time.  Any info would be much appreciated...  Assume the launching area is down the concrete slip near the crab / fish quay at the bottom of the hill (near the big car park)?

For any of you who want a flash-back to Annandale - or a view on proceedings from on board N2620 - I've put a short video clip onto the N12 Facebook page...   It was taken from the first day - race 3 I think.  Not one of our finest races as most of you were in front (and the camera is facing aft) but it was still a bit of fun. 

For her age she is pretty remarkable.  Although well used in early life, she was immacultely cared for.  Latterly she has spent many years with little use and being dry stored: The wood is pretty much sound right throughout - only the odd dark spot here and there - and other than some UV damage to the varnish is still in excellent condition.  Her set-up is untouched and until last week the controls were exactly as they were 40 years ago.  Foils are all original too.  I may be biased but she's a perfect example of craftsmanship in boat-building and we count ourselves lucky to get such an immaculately preserved boat of this age.

In terms of racing prowess, she was joint winner of the Lairwell Trophy in 1973 in the hands of G.G.Cumming of Perth SC.  (The Lairwell Trophy was presented in 1972 by the Twelve sailors of Perth SC to encourage the development of the class in Scotland.  Lairwell, downstream of Perth on the river Tay, is home of the Perth Sailing Club.)

In early April 2012 she was given a minor overhaul to get her race ready for her first outing at the Gill event in Annandale.  This involved re-rigging the Proctor C mast, refitting her boom, and providing some basic controls - keeping everything as simple as possible but functional:  Rig tension is via highfield lever, shrouds are fixed, and there are three controls - outhaul, vang, cunningham - and some mast chocks.  A dangly pole will find its way onto the set-up in the coming weeks but other than this she will be preserved with her fine varnished finish and we'll just enjoy racing her... 

She placed 8th in her first outing at Annandale in the Scottish Championships last week with a best placing of 5th, and throughout the series showing particularly well against some of her vintage 'sisters'.  We hope through the remainder of this year to visit one or two more of the Twelve open meetings, before hoepfully having more time in 2013 to travel with her even more. 

Some pics follow and I will add a few more photos when opportunity allows.

'Fair Lady' was built by Wyche & Coppock in October of 1972 - the original measurement certificate is shown below.

As far as I know she spent the first 20 years based in Scotland at Perth SC before being sold to Ian Howlett in 1992.  She was then on loan and eventually sold to Graham Pope of Severn Sailboats in Worcestershire.  Now at the age of forty, she was bought by us (April 2012) and now has a life with the Willett family in south Wales where she will be used for family racing at Llangorse SC and on the Twelve circuit.

Definitely well worth the trip...
Great sailing, superb hospitality and brilliant value for money!  Family Willett will definitely be back next year.  Thanks Annandale, and thanks Gill...!
Tim:  Ref your point about young crews - not only some good achievements but for one or two they were getting into boats they weren't familiar with, with helms they may not have known.  I thought they did brilliantly and completing the series was a great achievement for them and a super advertsiement for the class...  Ben enjoyed the event and the close racing but a little extra reward or encouragement could make the difference between getting him (and therefore all of us) to the next meeting, and the next, and the next... 
See you all again soon.
Will (N2620)

Just bought the boat from Corus SC in south Wales...  It'll stay at Llangorse SC while we're 'at home' where the next generation of 'Willetts' can learn to sail in Twelves...  And my 8yr old son Ben and I hope to travel to a few Opens and the Gill series when time permits.  Boat is pretty well sorted.  Taken out loads of un-necessary string and loose ends, and things appear to work Ok now...  We seem to be pretty Ok in a stright line and need to learn how to turn the corners now!  (See you in Annandale in a week's time I hope...)