Gul Series 2017 -
Event #2
Graham Camm and Zoe
Ballantyne dominated
the event, taking 3
firsts out of the 4
races. Jon Ibbotson
and Rachel Smith
were 2nd overall,
winning the final
race and taking two
2nd place finishes.
Thomas and Robbie
Stewart were 3rd.
First non-foiler
was Jon Brown,
crewed by Sam &
Maya, finishing in
4th place overall,
beating a number of
foiling boats. |
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Gul Series 3 & 4
If you couldn't make
Salcombe, fear not
as the next two
rounds of the Gul
Series are taking
place in June.
Gul
Series #3 -
Yorkshire Ouse
Sailing Club - 4th
June
Over the last few
years winning boats
have ranged from two
years to over forty
years old and it
makes for
interesting and
exciting racing
throughout the
fleet.
We
have a trophy for
vintage boats, and
the event will be
part of the national
Vintage series, so
dig out your Mk4as
and Mk14s, your
Sparklets and
Starfish and give
them a outing on the
river.
Two
out of three races
are needed to count.
The first points
race, as well as
counting towards the
overall points for
the Naburn Paddle,
also has its own
trophy, the Jubilee
Cup. If wind
permits, this will
be a longer race
down to the southern
extremities of our
sailing water at
Naburn Lock.
Food will be on
offer at lunchtime
and other
refreshments
throughout the day.
For more information
please contact the
Fleet Captain,
Philip David
Gul
Series #4 - Royal
Harwich Yacht Club -
10th & 11th June
Once again it is
time for the N12
fleet to descend
upon RHYC for the
Smugglers Trophy
Open Weekend! This
year we should be
joined by the
Fireflies, Phantoms,
Streakers and also a
handicap fleet,
probably on two
courses like last
year - but we will
have our own start.
On the Sunday
morning, the
Smugglers Trophy
Pursuit Race will
take place, with
N12s starting at
different times and
normally ensuring
ABCMS rules (Anyone
but
Camm/Meads/Stewart)!
There will be a
great social and
there will be free
camping on site.
Entry and the NOR is
available
here.
Bruce Johnson at a
N12 Open Meeting at
RHYC in the 1970s.
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From The
Archives...Burton
Week 1974
Pevensey Bay
Sailing Club have
recently uploaded a
number of videos of
National 12 sailing
in the 60s and 70s
to their youtube
channel. Some of our
favourites are:
Burton Week 1974 at
Pevensey Bay SC
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HmNzTmnD2zI
Burton Week 1969
at Paignton
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wo2rjcD77qs
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Trent Valley Open
Meeting - Report
Paul Turner
writes.......
"It was a real
“train spotters”
Open Meeting at
Trent Valley on
Sunday 7th May;
there were four
original design
National 12s sailing
namely N2399, N2403,
N2750 and N2993. The
N12 anoraks will
immediate be able to
work out which is
which without
cheating! There was
also added interest
with a “shoot out”
between two former
TVSC members who
were also Burton
winners. And a
well-known N12
designer was
re-acquainted with
his last offering.
Race one saw a
general recall, with
majority of the five
boats over the line
– Gerald’s “just in
time” planning had
gone slightly awry,
arriving in the car
park as the five
minute gun sounded.
The wind was
diabolically fluky
as the fleet battled
uphill through the
“Doldrums” at the
Scout HQ to find
even less wind in
the stretch up to
Billystones.
Places changed by
the minute but
Graham crewed by his
son Felix broke
clear of Rob crewed
by sister Ann (they
hadn’t sailed
together for over 30
years, and Rob’s
last appearance at
TVSC was in the
early 1990s!) The
followers had a
great tussle back
down to the Club but
as the fleet headed
back up the river
Rob got past Graham
and held 1st place
through to the
finish; Chris and
Maria were close
behind with TVSC's
Commodore John
(crewed by Ann
TVSC's Vice
Commodore in her
boat) edging Kay and
I into last place
(by 18 seconds).
Race two was
sailed immediately
afterwards
(following what our
Race Officer
quaintly termed a “P
Break”). Rather than
a simple up and down
course to
Billystones and back
to the bottom mark
below the Clubhouse,
Roger set a loop
course, with an
extended “Goddard
Chicane”, which
fooled half the
fleet, who took mark
three the wrong way
round.
Graham
and Zoe (crew 2)
gently pulled away
from Rob and there
was much place
changing behind
courtesy of many
buoy re-roundings.
Two of the three
miscreants did the
necessary but sadly
for Rob, who
finished second
behind Graham, he
realised that he
hadn't and had to
retire. John the
Commodore beat us
(again!) into last
place, but by only
17 seconds this
time.
A
splendid lunch was
served up by Chris
our new steward.
Race three which was
again the four buoy
loop course with
added Goddard. It
was all to play for
for first place with
both Graham and Rob
having a first but
the four lap whiz
round the bay saw
Graham (this time
crewed by his
daughter Anya) romp
away from the fleet
finishing nearly
five minutes ahead
of Rob. Gerald found
a turn of speed
finishing close
behind Rob, with the
Commodore just
beating Chris into
5th.
A most enjoyable
day’s yotting and it
was great to see
lots of assorted
spectators including
the Bloors, the Camm
Family, Frances,
Amanda and lots of
TVSC gongoozellers. 
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Tuning Tip - When It
Blows - Part 2
Carrying on from
last month, we bring
you Part 2 of Tom
Stewart's tips for
windy 12 sailing.
The reach is where
the fun really
starts. Most boats
are designed with
lots of buoyancy
under the mast with
wide sections for
easy comfortable
planing. National
Twelves on the other
hand have developed
to go fast!
This means that
there is no time to
relax on a windy
reach because if you
do you will either
go slowly or worse
the boat will chuck
you in. The one
thing we all know
about windy downwind
Twelve sailing is
that you need to get
back!
When
the breeze is on
this is definitely
correct. 12'6"
behind the bow is
the much talked
about position. This
is actually rarer on
reaches than most of
us like to believe,
most Twelve helms
tend to retreat too
far too soon, and
stay there too long.
Dragging the transom
from when the first
gust hits to the
gybe will put you in
the slow lane!
As
the boat accelerates
in the gust or down
a wave you move
back, but remember
to move forwards as
the boat
decelerates, this
will increase the
length of time you
actually plane.
Steering the waves
and boat balance are
absolutely critical
for a fast downwind
ride.
As the
helmsman holds the
tiller, he or she
will know when the
boat has weather
helm, lee helm or is
about to bear away
down a wave.
Communication is the
key. I talk to my
crew all the way
down a windy reach
about balance both
fore and aft as well
as side to side.
Setting up the rig
on a windy reach is
a matter of how
windy and how heavy
/ fit you are. If
you are struggling
to make the mark do
not power up the
rig! If you need
more power then go
for the outhaul off,
leeward shroud, the
works.
In my
boat the leeward
shroud stays on when
we are scared, or if
we cannot get off
the windward side to
release it (same
probably).
The
best sail trimming
tip for breezy
reaches is do not
over sheet the jib.
The helmsman is
dumping the mainsail
in the puffs, the
jib needs to be
eased the equivalent
amount to prevent
the slot between the
sails being shut.
Sometimes this means
the jib luffing but
this is better than
over sheeting, and
helps the boat
accelerate in the
gusts. Next, the
gybe mark!
.....to be continued
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National 12s For
Sale
There isn't a boat
that is better value
for money! Currently
there are a number
of National 12s for
sale on the NTOA
website & Apollo
Duck, including:
N3127 - Tigress
N3505 - Big Issue 2
N3523 - Paradigm 2
N2881 - Cheshire Cat
This year first
time helms at Burton
Week get half price
entry, so lets try
and bring as many
new faces along as
possible!
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New Members
We welcome these new
members to the NTOA:
-
Nigel Crome of
Christchurch,
Dorset with
N 2323
-
Martin Graham of
Strathaven
with N
3495
(A welcome
return)
-
Alan McGee of
Ashington,
Northumberland with
N 2209
-
Paul Brotherton
of Romiley,
Stockport with
N 2487
-
Ben Eaves of
Redditch,Worcestershire with
N 3168
-
Andrew Harris of
Clutton,
Bristol with
N 3344
-
Toby Pearce of
Scotton,
Norfolk, with
N 3469
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Upcoming Events
27th -
30th May -
Yacht Club de
Carnac - Carnac
2017
4th June-
Yorkshire Ouse
Sailing Club -
Gul Series #3
10th
- 11th June -
Royal Harwich
Yacht Club -
Gul Series #4
18th
June -
Milton Keynes
Sailing Club -
N12 Open Meeting
23rd - 24th June -
Burton Sailing
Club - N12
Vintage
Championships
1st
July-
Stokes Bay
Sailing Club -
Gul Series #5
1st -
2nd July -
Hykeham Sailing
Club - CVRDA
Weekend & N12 Open
15th
- 16th July -
Rutland Sailing Club -
12 Fest &
Coaching
5th -
12th August -
North West Norfolk
Sailing Week
13th -
18th August -
Salcombe Yacht Club
Regatta
19th - 22nd
August -
Weymouth Sailing
Club - Burton
Week 2017
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