Looking forward to an explosive end to the GUL Series!

Sailing at Northampton SC at 12 Fest earlier this year


The 2015 GUL Series Finale and Inland Championships takes place at Northampton Sailing Club on 7th and 8th November.  There will be three GUL series and Inland Championships races on Saturday, starting at 12.30 on the Saturday, with a briefing taking place at 11.30am. The Inland Championships concludes on the Sunday with two  back to back races starting at 10am.
 
Saturday evening entertainment includes the traditional Northampton Fireworks Party (bring along one large firework to help with the display). There will be food from Elaine’s superb galley and after the fireworks the club will be hosting a disco.
 
For those hardy sailors (and their families) free camping is available for the weekend on site, for everyone else there are a wide range of other accommodation options nearby.
 
For more information about the sailing programme, the social and where to stay view the notice of race here.
 

Results Round-up

GUL Series #7 at Ripon Sailing Club

 

The Vale of York fog cleared to reveal a good mix of 15 boats being rigged on the banks of Ripon Sailing Club ready for the 7th Gul Series open. The wind however had not made an appearance yet and the forecast was not predicting great things to come.

The crews assembled for briefing by the race hut and the first race commenced on time with a very light breeze from the South. The beat up to the first mark favoured those that managed to get clear wind, Howard Chadwick and Cathy Joseph in 2266 making it around the mark first closely followed by Tom and Robert Stewart in 3544, Patrick Hamilton and Gail Kaye in 3502, Philip David and Emma Hampshire in 3499 and local sailor Tim Hampshire and Beth Miller in 3330 completing the first group around. Philip kept well to leeward to put him on starboard coming into the next mark but sailed into dead air and dropped back. Will Mitchell and Lois Spooner in 3479 made the most of the clear air to catch up before the second mark but lost the momentum and dropped back into the following pack. Tom slowly pulled away from the others who spent the rest of the race swapping positions and searching for the remnants of the dying wind.

At the end of the race Tom had a clear lead with Tim Hampshire coming in second and Patrick just getting the better of Howard. Once again Ripon showed that in light winds we can still get close racing between the various ages of N12s; foiling, Admirals cup, double bottomed and Vintage being the order of boats across the line. Unfortunately the wind decided to take a break for lunch along with the rest of the fleet and then failed to make a re-appearance. The race officer postponed the start of the second race and as the wind died to a flat calm it was reluctantly agreed to abandon races. While the Northern Area group took this as an opportunity to have a relaxed area meeting in the sunshine, the younger crews chased each other around the water paddling spare Topper and Q'ba hulls. The rest had a leisurely de-rig, some preparing for the following days race at Yeadon.

Tom did the honours with presenting the Gul awards and thanked the race team, galley and the support from Ripon Sailing club members. Thanks to Gul for their generous sponsorship Tom was able to spread the awards through the fleet, including furthest travelled going to Angus from Scotland and crew Jonathan from Milton Keynes. Club Commodore, Dennis Altoft, presented the trophy and prizes for the open and thanked those that attended for the friendly competitive sailing. The day was rounded off by a meal provided by the club caterers and some fun games for the young and a quiz for the not so young.


A fleet of 8 12s stuck around for the Sunday's racing on Yeadon Tarn. John Cheetham and Natalie Tsang won the day...you can read the full story here. 


At the other end of the country 12s competed for the Chegwyn Trophy in the Salcombe October open meeting. This event was combined with the Solo SW Champinoships and after a race around the estuary on Saturday we were treated to 2 championship style races out in the bay (thanks to Simon Ballantine for providing the committee boat). There was close racing between the fleet of "local" locals and the not-so-local locals, with Christian and Sophie Day taking the trophy. In the Solo fleet, 12 sailor Peter Ballantine sailed brilliantly to beat a strong fleet of Solos including the local experts and national champ. There are already rumours we'll be seeing the Ballantines back at Burton Week in Brightlingsea next summer.


Finally, at least 30 National 12s took part in Bart's Bash at 17 clubs - there were probably more which weren't listed. Mark and Anna Simpson were top of the 12 leaderboard. All the 12 results can be found on the Bart's Bash website. 

Mark and Anna were sailing at Yorkshire Dales where the Bart's Bash race was combined with the 12 open meeting. Ed and Sarah Storey won the open meeting - you can find the full report here.

80th Anniversary Census of Vintage Twelves

In recognition of the 80th Anniversary of the National Twelve Class and as a mark of this achievement, it was suggested that it would be timely to undertake another census of the oldest boats of the class, in the Vintage Wing. This will illustrate how many craft have survived from the early days and are still active. As conductor of this census I ask Vintage Twelve owners to complete the questionnaire below, responding to the request for information under the headings listed.

 

National Twelve Owners Association

80th Anniversary Census of Vintage Twelves

Request for details of Vintage Twelves owned by members and others

Please would owners kindly send to me, on the form below, details of the boats which they own, and any other Vintage Twelves known to them. Remember our definition of a vintage boat is that it is wooden and of clinker construction. Replies can be emailed to goddard.v12census@outlook.com, or mailed to

Ken Goddard, 264 Uttoxeter Road, Mickleover, Derby DE3 9AE

Sail Number……………………………………………………………….. …………………

Name………………………………………………………………………………………………

Where the boat is berthed or stored……………………………………………….

Name of owner……………………………………

A contact address or phone number (This will NOT be published)

Condition of the boat, such as,

1. The boat is basically seaworthy, has raced recently, or could do so with minimal adjustments, or,

2. The boat is subject to an ongoing restoration programme and could return to sailing condition in due course, or,

3. The boat is seriously deteriorated and could only return to sailing after a major restoration programme. May even be a candidate for writing off, or,

4. Is in a museum or in long term storage

Please feel free to add any comments which may amplify the description of your boat …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..

……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

(PS Owners with more than one Vintage 12, please complete a form for each one)

Dates for your diary

• Northampton SC 7-8th November - GUL Series Finale and Inland Championships