N3453 E-Mail

[National 12 Webmaster]

The life of N3453 E-Mail. Design: Final Chapter, designed by: Michael Jackson in 1987

[ifoxwell]

Hannah and I have just bought Email so I’ll attempt to fill in her history, the little I know about it. If any one knows any more or can correct any of the mistakes I’ve made (this is just what I can remember from the stories told to me) then please do so. 

She was original built by Nigel Waller and bought by Ewan Stamp in 2000. All Carbon, very light and stiff and clearly professional turned out.

Ewan lent her to Stuart Hudson for Burton week that year who ruffled a few feathers by turning up in a new boat, in a class he didn’t really know and sailing with Ewans daughter promptly won quite a few races... ultimately finishing second overall. (which I’m told is still the best position achieved by  Chapter at Burton week!)

She was generally sailed by Ewan and his wife at Royal Harwich Yacht Club I believe, making the odd guest appearance at other events in the hands of various other sailors before being sold to Peter Nicholls who bought her for his sons to sail in about 2005. 

They sailed her for a couple of years before University, other interests and the fact that they had grown a bit too big for her resulted in her being put into storage. (Note storage in this instance is a heated garage normally reserved for classic sports cars!) Which is where she sat until May this year when we responded to an add on the class association website and decided to purchase her.

She was looking a little rough around the edges but nothing serious so we are currently cleaning her up, repainting the deck etc,  re-rigging some parts and completely re-roping her.

More to come when we start adding to the next chapter in her history.

Ian and Hannah

Note the picture is from the day we bought her

[ifoxwell]

We have owned Email for about a year now, sailing her most weekends, so I thought I’d update the database.

By the summer of last year we had a working T foil fitted to her (http://www.national12.org/blahdocs/blah.shtml) which once we got it sorted has been working well, and has certainly added another dimension to our N12 sailing.  

Lifes little problems have continued to prevented us from entering any N12 open events but she has performed well in all the handicap races we have entered.

For example we won a very well attended, light wind, Medway Marathon last year and have just had a second place in this year’s South Kent race, the other long distance open event held on the river Medway, which was run in a gale. The Sheppey weather station recorded it as a solid F5-6 gusting F7 and email handled it beautifully, she certainly is well built.

Unfortunately, as it always seems to be on these windy days, the pictures don’t do the conditions justice.