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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?

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

my old cheshire cat suffers from swamping and I am thinking of adding additional buoyancy to give it a bit of a lift.

I was thinking that if I got some expanding foam, like the stuff to fill round windows etc, I could build some bouyancy stuck directly to the hull, shape it and paint it up to seal it., and protect it from the sun. this would allow me to shape bouyancy around the bags at the back, leaving a shaped channel to the transom flaps.

I know it would not support being stood on, so installing beneath and around the bags, and posibly around the mast step at the front of the boat. wherever my feet are not going to go. The thought is that it will give a few extra poinds of lift (maybe 10-20 kg) where I most need it low down, at very little cost (buying a buoyancy bag would probably double the value of the boat) and very little extra weight.

Firstly, is there anything in the rules preventing me doing this,
secondly.  has anyone tried this before?
 
I am doing a number of other things to help the problem, such as new slot gasket but the additional bouyancy will also aid bailing when we tip it in marginal conditions.
any help appreciated.

Dissipation has just been donated to OMSC, and last weekend in a force 5, we were taking pleasure cruises for anyone who wanted to have a go. this included kids and maniacs.

It took less than £50 on the insurance, and a few donations of bits, along with a little time to go pick the hull up to get this going.
could this be a way of both revitalising the class, and ensuring any boats that are standing idle in boat parks are used, and encourage people into the fleet?

for small puddles and river sailing, the old 12s are superb. it does not matter how old or decrepid they are, you get a 12 year old out in one, they love it. beats a cadet or an enterprise any day.
 
I put this appeal out to the class. are there any boats languishing in your boat parks, can you spare a couple of afternoons? could you get that boat out and show what they can do. what they feel like and just how much fun they are. it will save the boats that are abandoned, and will gve a new blood into the class.
 
If we are proactive about it, it will encourage an AC class, and, most importantly, get people out in the boats, then we can breed the next generation of sailors who will win the bloody mary, the endeavour trophy and most importantly, come off the water with a smile on their face.

I have a set of salis that have another boats number on. and not enough time to get them renumbered.
boat is 2947, sails are 3455.
what is the rule with sailing in inlands with the wrong number, or an adapted number so that it is identifiable? or do I have to use an old set of sails?

On Saturday September 6th, Olton Mere have our open meeting. We are a small club but with a healthy fleet of ACs racing every week. the regulars out on a sunday, and by regular I mean 2 in 3, are moolshallow, foxy, Gordon and le Shed.
We have a cheese and wine the night before, and a pig roast on the night, with floor space on club premesis in the attached cottage for anyone who wants to attend either event.
the club is just south of Birmingham, and it would be a pleasure to welcome any visitors.
Kevin