Messages

You are absolutely right about the weight thing and it kind of ties into Phillips post about crews not doing much.  The upside is you can sail with your kids but the downside is your wife is probably too big!  The all up weight has definitely dropped.

At 60kg I am an enormous crew in comparison to much of the fleet which is very sad really becuase I am not a big person.  A massively contentious idea would be some kind of equalisation method...


Jane

If there is little to excite your crew then you are sailing the 12 wrong!  It doesn't matter what the conditions or the boat - sailing a double hander is about team work and there is always something to challenge both the helm and the crew.  Turn it into a single hander and destroy the class IMHO.

The same can be said for class racing versus handiap, I enjoy sailing against boats to which we are evenly matched to see genuinely if we can sail better.  Handicap racing just has a feeling of inevitability about it.

Jane;

Sounds like the start of an interesting and necessary conversation.  I was an avid 12 sailor for a long time attending every Burton Week from 1991 until 2003.  Sailing for me has been hit hard by the arrival of a small person in the family.

Time is a massive pressure with Dave sailing at least two other classes.  One day Open Meetings have some merit in my opinion, easier to find childcare for one day and at least leaves another day to do some chores!  

Northampton Sailing Club (our home club) is currently under going a period of discussion relating to a similar issue.  Turn outs for club racing are good but declining and it is thought this is because they are very fragmented with often no more than two boats of the same class on the start line.  There is campaign to only allow up to 10 classes at the club to encourage a stronger core that will build.  It may not work (it may not happen still to go to vote) but I think it is an excellent idea.  How do we make the 12 one of those classes?

My opinion is that we move the focus away from open meetings for a few years and pick say fifteen clubs around the country to be 12 centres and work hard with them to  build fleets.  When I first began sailing 12s didn't come from a vast number of clubs but a vast number of 12s came from a few clubs!  The Gypsy used to hotly contested.  I think this strategy will be painful in years one and two but bear fruit after that.

Who is going to help me campaign Northampton Sailing Club to ensure 12s are on that list?

Jane W
Caretaker 3468 (sadly really cannot afford a competitive 12 of our own)

Hello

I don't think 12:1 sounds sufficient, Dave has just put 32:1 on his kicker on the Scorpion.  A lot of the newer boats do use line on the lowers - it has a special name that escapes me but it basically doubles back on itself and with a few well placed stitches holds well.

Call Dave or Tom at P&B - they will know all of the technical terms and what purchase etc to use.

Jane W

Sumo Wrestling also available during afternoon of Sunday so no problems with arranging a bout with your crew!  I can let you in on Friday night if you want to give me a call - number in book.

Jane

HI Sam

Yes you can camp at the club for FREE!  Saturday night is a disco.  Sunday night for those not going to the dinner there is food at the club and a SUMO contest.  Sumo suits supplied so no need to bring your own.

Jane

Dave & Jane Wade sailing 3468 (kindly on loan from the Thornton family) will be there to sail on all three days - Sedgebrook Hall for dinner on Sunday and small person to put to bed Saturday so no food at the club.

Jane

HI

Access to the club on Friday night will be with a passcard only.  I live about 3 miles from club and 1/2 mile from Sedgebrook Hall.  You can either call me and I will let you in at the club or the Sedgebrook Hall car park is big enough to keep the boat attached to the car.

Jane Wade

We are coming!  Dave's home club.

Jane
N3468 (Caretakers!)

Hello

Always use red for the kicker.  Bit of a joke with the people I have crewed for but I always think 'red' for danger!  Other than that make it easy and use a different colour for everything.  I think the only thing that can double up is windward and leeward shrouds.

Mr Wade has just said never mix your colours which I think means if it comes off the mast blue make sure it is still blue when you get to the cleat!

Best of luck with the restring.

Jane Wade
Caretaker 3468

Apologies just bumping this up again.  

Hello All

I realise this is not in any way connected to N12's or sailing but I work in the Events Industry and we hold a Proms concert at the Royal Albert Hall each year.  This year the concert is on Thursday 11th May and I am able to offer FREE tickets.  If you are interested in attending please email me:
jane'dot'wade'at'europeanevents.co.uk.

No catches just free tickets!

Jane  
Caretaker N3468

If it is going to be windy - does anyone need a crew?  Aaah just one catch no-one to look after the little person!

Jane  

In which case it is progrip because that is what we put on there when we had it!

We had the same problem with the Winder foolish we had.  It is a horrid job getting it off but really the only neat and tidy option.  Then replace with the same stuff - which is called progrip and goes on with contact adhesive.