Burghfield Winter series- back by popular demand!

[grazz]

Light winds? Graham will be on babysitting duty then, I'm taking to the water (that is if Clare has forgiven me for stepping on her nose when we capsized last time)! 
Zoe

[jeremy c (Guest)]

This Sunday is the third day of the Winter series and current forecast is for an 8-10mph westerley. Due to there being no racing on the last date (lack of wind) the series qualification has been adjusted to 6 races to count. With four days remaining and 8 races possible there is still plenty of time for anyone to join in the series.
 
Hope to see you there on sunday, ..... but wrap up warm!
 
Jeremy

[jeremy c (Guest)]

Was at the club earlier today ad there was a bit of ice on the lake about 6mm thick! Suspect that after tonight it might be a bit more widespread tomorrow, so had the idea of building model ice yachts as a back up, so if anyone reads this before tomorrow, bring some suitable bits of stick and bamboo with you if you come!
 
Jeremy

[Jeremy C]

Finally..... some wind is forecast for this weekend and we have once again some sailable water! The lake is once again Ice free so  what more could you ask for? Last weekend we were experimenting with ice oppie sailing on 40mm thick ice- an interesting and entertaining exercise complete with google video!

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=1639954052980412506


The currrent forecast for this sunday is for 16-19mph westerley running down the lake, a great direction giving a long beat and good courses, so if you are free it would be great to see the series get back on track. Below are some images of the last outing for it.... at least the 12 spirit of development is as strong as ever, even if the wind failed to arrive for us to put them through their paces!

Hope to see you there to revive the more sensible side of sailing!

[Crusader 3244]

Wow, what a superb vid,  a real rib-tickler! 
Have you considered sending tht off to the local tv news or you've been framed?


If you could get that vid running by projection to a big screen on th N12 stand at the LDE it would be a huge draw
(As would the vid of Grazz quite literally kite-boearding his 12 off the back of a huge gust (40+ mph) at Ripon Gill last year. Sadly I don't think anyone captured that; he was moving to ******* fast!)

I'm sending the link off to some of my non-sailing friends.  "This is an example of the rescourcefulness of N12 sailors"  Link !

TTFN

[Crusader 3244]

Jeremy, I especially like the elegance of geometry and design of Trick Cyclist 2.
In fact I was just emailing an old friend  (no-longer sails)  who asked if had been out today?   "Not blinking likely; it's too cold!"  But I have sent two of your pics to show the resourcefulness of fellow 12ers.

I wonder how successful was the model 'TC2'  and should I incorporate the latest trend in mast-rake when tuning my 12?

-Chris

[Jeremy C]

Seven boats arrived to a bright and sunny day with a gentle force 2 to start the morning. This steadily increased throughout the morning, at times providing some quite heavy gusts. It was great to see a some new faces to the series as Andy and Adele made the trip borrowing 'Bart' from a frustated Caroline Martin who is currently unable to sail. Andy Mckee also finally managed to get his new purchase (N3466) launched and proved that as a recent returnee to the class he has not forgoten how to sail a Twelve.
Race one started after a short delay and a good course was set enabling some great reaching moments as parts of the course favoured the twelves. Its such a great feeling to scream past an RS 200!!!! With the battle set at the front between Graham and Zoe and Jono and Charl, Jeremy and George meanwhile had their hands full with Andy McKee and Pip snapping round their heels on the beats and runs but managing to gain breathing space on the reaches.
Rosie and Tom (in Jayseas) were having fun with Andy and Adele as the heavy weather built up it was proving to be a challenge for the lighter sailors. By the end of race one Graham had secured the lead, leaving Jono in second, Jeremy third and Andy fast getting a handle on his boat in fourth.
 
Race two and a slightly more dimished fleet hit the water and as the gusts came through on the run to the startline it felt like it might get a little too lively! The wind however, back off a bit and the race got underway in a westerley 3-4. Andy McKee made a great start but got trapped underneath a local Blaze sailor on a header which left him playing catch up as Graham, Jono and Jeremy headed for the windward mark. By the end of lap one it was still prety tight with the four leading boats in close contact with each other, but the gaps soon widened. Whilst Graham and Jono continued to battle at the front, Jeremy lost third place to Andy on the second beat with a bad Island decision leaving Andy clear to the windward mark. New to the boat Andy made a slight footing error on a gybe downwind which ended in a little visit to the lake (only just unfrozen!) and allowed Jeremy to slip past. By the end of the race Graham had manged again to keep Jono at bay, and though Andy was fast catching Jeremy the race ended too soon leaving Jeremy in third. Rosie and Tom came in in fifth after a similar excursion to Andy, testing out the water temperature!
Even most people having tested the water temperature it was unanimously agreed that it was another fantastic day and more than made up for the lack of sailing on the last two events. With the loss of these two weekends it was decied to add another event to the series, extending it by two weeks as everyone had such a great time!. The final date of the series is therefore now the 22nd February 2009. Hopefully, Alex Bale who has come along on every occasion will see some lighter winds so that he his son can enjoy a bit of the fun too as he sadly had to sit out this weekend.

Next event is in two weeks time on the 1st feb so hope to see you all there!

Jeremy

[Jeremy C]

Rounds nine and ten of the series are due to be sailed this coming sunday (1st Feb). The wind is looking great again- 17-22mph easterly blowing straight down the lake ! Should be a good one! Could be some fun Gybing around the  mark just in front of the clubhouse for those who just want to watch! Perhaps we'll see if we can get some video  and photography sorted out. 
Hope to see you there, though might want to wrap up warm!
 
Jeremy & George:)

[sam293]

weather forecast still looking good 20mph ish wind still and we might even get  bit of sun.
il be there in the front of bart with a guest helm

[Jeremy C]

With the forecast of freezing temperatures and glacial winds adding to the cold it was little surpirse that there was a slightly diminshed turnout for yesterdays races in the series.  Four boats made it to the startline in the morning, Graham and Clare, Andy and Pip, Chris and Sam and Myself and George. The wind was strong and easterly requiring a long beat up the lake and three gybes on the downwind leg with the final one in full and easy view of those brave enough to be stood on the clubhouse balcony. The onlookers weren't dissappointed as we struggled to keep the boats going in the strong and heavy gusts. Waring round unfortunately became the order of the day at times as there were a few water over the foredeck moments had by all. By the end of the first lap it was only Graham and Clare who had managed to stay upright but a quick recovery from a swim by myself and George put us into second place. Andy and Pip were gaining ground whilst Chris and Sam (having borrowed Bart from Caroline) were having a few sticky mud moments. By the end of the Race Graham had it by one minute in an increasing wind with George and myself holding second, Andy and Pip in third.
Derigging on the shore became a bit on an issue as ropes had frozen up in the spray and over lunch there was much debate about whether to go out for a second race. However with the wind dropping a bit, warmth from the clubhouse, and being hardy 12 dailors! three of the four returned to the water for the afternoon race, perhaps foolhardidly....!!
As soon as we got to the water the wind started increasing and though the sun came out there was little difference in temparture noticed and fingers remained numb. To prve how cold it was even Graham (not known for wearing silly things like gloves!) muttered about how he really ought to buy some having borrowed a spare pair! Andy and Graham had a battle up the first beat and it was andy who rounded the first of the gybe marks ahead but unfortunately was soon to be swmming again as a visciuos gust blew through allowing myself and george to pass.  Having slowly recovered, he started to make inroads into the boats ahead but at the start of the final lap of three,  the wind really started to howl and the lake became seriously covered in white caps, with the wind becaming increasingly shifty and lumpy. With 40 degree swings and gusts from all over it became a battle for survival as we all headed for the windward mark, but Graham , as ever mastered the conditions the best and stretched ahead, leaving Jeremy in worst shape and Andy clawing his way back at an ever increasing pace. On the last trip down the lake both Jeremy and then Andy came a cropper at the penultimate gybe mark  (which in retrospect perhaps we should have worn round!). The race for second place became who could right their boat the fastest with Andy losing out as his mast hit the mud. So overall, Graham took the bullet, ourselves in second and unfortunately Andy and Pip didn't manage to finish. Though we all might have been a little mad to have gone out in the conditions, at the end of the day non of us regretted it and it was a suparb though incredibly tiring blast!
Caroline managed to get some video which shows amongst other things, just how much god must have been on my side when it came to gybing so come back soon to have a peek once we have got it loaded! If we're lucky I might be able to get a few pics too to post here from some of the more sensible club members who stayed ashore!
Next event is on the 15th Feb and with an extra date added on the 22nd there is still time for some fun.
 
It would be great to have a good enry on the 15th if possible as Reading Unviersity are having their annual team racing event and are expecting upwards of 150 students at the club from Unis round the country over that weekend so it would be nice to show off the 12 to these people and perhaps let them out for the odd testsail to encourage the youth scene.
 
Jeremy
 

[Crusader 3244]

Nice report Jeremy! - with no heating, tradesmen in almost every room save for this one, and doors open, your account is making me feel decidedly cold! While 30 years ago I had the enthusiasm to team race in such wind-chill conditions a 40 yard walk to the car on Sunday convinced me it was definately a day to stay indoors; and was enough to prompt me wonder how fellow yotties brave (should that be 'daft') enough to give it a blast were fairing.
As it was I hadn't even enough energy on Sunday to want to substitute even a real sailing fix for a virtual one surfing on YouTube; and there's no way Mrs P would have been content to linger even in the warmest of SC clubrooms. On the other hand a trip to a real pub serving a selection of real ales and with real fires went some way to removing the chill.
Well done and RESPECT to anyone who ventured out anywhere on Sunday!
-chris.

[Jeremy C]

As promised a few pics of last sundays challenging conditions!

[Jeremy C]

This coming sunday (15th) is the pen-ultimate weekend of the series with the final day the following sunday (22nd). Forecast for the weekend is for 9-12mph of wind from the northwest and a stunningly warm 9 degrees C! After the recent rains , the lake is a little bigger (we've almost lost 1/2 of one of our islands!) so hope to see a few people there taking in the expanded waters!
Don't forget that we have  a largge bunch of students to tempt into that class as they have a team racing event at the club to so the more who can amke it the better the advertising!
 
Kevin is planning to com along with Alpha Male as a newbie to this years series so don't think its too late to enter.
 
Jeremy

[Jeremy C]

With the lighter winds forecast and a distinct improvement in the temperatres seven twelves made it to the startline of race 7 in the series. It was great to see a diverse group of boats , 4 DB's and three Ac's making up the fleet. With George feeling unwell I was left to single hand it so, though I raced, the results will not appear in the series. Graham and Zoe made a great start with Andy and Sam snapping close at their heels from the outset. Unfortunately both Kevin and Tom were late for the start (Tom having broken his main halliard on the beach) which left the fleet a bit spread out. Rosie and Chris decided to come and play in Rosie's China Doll for a change (leaving their numinious safely under wraps) which meant the balance of boats Between DB's and AC's made for a good race with local sailor Alan adding to the numbers. The wind remained reasonably constant, but with some big lifts available round the islands. By the end of race one Graham and Zoe had it by a clear margin, Andy and Sam second and Kevin running third.
 
Race 8, saw a slighly depleted fleet with Rosie and Chris and Alan staying ashore, so five boats made it to the startline (this time all in good time). Again Graham and Zoe had the best start and led away from the line, with the fleet splitting to round the islands for the first mark it was a while before we could see who had chosen the right route. Graham rounded first with Andy in second, and Kevin not far away taking third. An altercation with a local blaze left Andy having to complete a 720 leaving the way clear for Kevin to snap up second place. Graham pulled ahead in the light conditions and though Andy worked hard he could not make much inroads into Kevins lead. So at the final flag, Graham once again took the bullet, Kevin in second and Andy thrid. Though I was not completing in the series I had great battles with Graham and Zoe at the front as I took advantage of the lack of crew in TC, managing to get into first place in both races but not by the required 2mins on handicap by a long shot! ( At BSC we operate an adjustment of 40 on PY for boats being sailed without crew).
 
Overall it was another great days sailing with the lighter conditions giving us all a bit of respite from the previous events pain and cold swims!
 
With only one more weekend of the series remaining (next Sunday -22nd Feb) and a current interesting forecast (though it is very early to be accurate) it should be another blast and a chance for those who come, to sample the varied wind conditions at the lake in preparation for the first of the GILL series events to be held at BSC at the end of March.
I'll come back later in the week with a more up to date forecast.
 
Jeremy

[Jeremy C]

well the earlier forecast of the week of 20+mph winds has receeded to a more gentle 10-12mph from the northwest, so with the 10degrees of air temp and a nice wind the final eventof this years winter series should prove to be a battle. With two boats vying for the top spot and a further two with all to play for the final place in the top three it should be an interesting day.
 
Prize giving will be held in the clubhouse after the days racing. As ever, hope to see you there!
Jeremy (hopefully with crew this time as the hiking last week was a bit too painful at times!)