Hi David(s),
You are so right about clubs, this has been a problem for so long now I think it will be ver difficult to rectify. I would love to be sailing a 12 regularly at a local club, my children are now keen Cadet sailors, they deserve to have their chance to sail their own boat as I had at the same age so that takes priority. I think there must be a number of people in similar circumstances who try and fit the odd morning or evening of dinghy sailing in around other commitments. My nearest club is Twickenham (as you know), unfortunately the 12's have pretty much died out there. We are now sailing at Tamesis where there is a small but keen Cadet fleet unfortunately no 12's (they died about 10 years ago). The Merlin fleet at Tamesis is very strong with a mix of people who mostly sail away and thoes who almost never travel, this is key because there is never a mass exodus when a big open meeting is on or a for championship week. One of the big differences is that old Melins are more competitive inland than the new ones.
Very interested in this discussion. At Desborough a couple of weeks ago we had 7 12s out for a standard club race in the middle of the holiday season and not a double bottom amongst them. That level of turnout has not been unique this season and it has definitely been a self-perpetuating growth. Club members have seen a regular nucleus of 12 sailors on the water over the last year or so and this is attracting them back into the class. Only 1 sailor (me) travels to OMs.
We have also had a big influx of new members (well... big in the context of a small club), most with families, limited sailing experience and mostly without boats. We are having to think of ways to get these new members on the water and to keep them at the club. These guys could be future 12 sailors.
One idea we have had to keep the fleet strong is to offer a Winter Membership that would allow regular OM sailors in the London area to join for our winter series and enable them to keep sailing after Grafham. The winter really is the best time to sail on the river - less traffic, higher water levels, no leaves on trees etc. Hope to have more details about this shortly.
Mike
N3274
Hello David C,
Good to hear from you and to note that you're still viewing this site!
A few thoughts - in the not too distant future your girls should will be able to sail a 12. When they get to this size you and Rosemary get back in your's and suddenly there is the nucleus of a fleet for Twickenham where there are still a couple of 12's, or you could add to the impressive numbers sailing at Desborough. Or how about your girlls sailing with their parents in 2 Twelves?
I note your point about Merlins but I'm not convinced that in most conditions experienced on rivers that a new Twelve is quicker than an equally well equiped older model. You know well enough that the biggest influences on speed on a river are good boat handling (making half a length in a good tack x 100 tacks = 50 lengths), concentration, course and understanding which bit of the sail to be using when the wind is hitting it fom opposite directions!
Hope to see you back in the best class of all, soon!
Cheers
David
Hi David W,
...or we could start a fleet at Tamesis (Will is a member too) however, I don't think my girls will want to sail with an old has-been! The other problem is they think non-spinnaker boats (as well as parents etc.,) are un-cool!
One thing I forgot to mention is that the RYA have a lot to answer for. They are very keen to cream-off the best youngsters and move them into 420's, Lazers, 29ers and 470 etc, to the detriment of the national classes. I notice one of the Martin girls (sorry can't remember which) has moved into 420's and as we might expect is up the front of the fleet.
I might dust off the old boat once or twice next year (it's her 30th birthday) ... if I can still remember how to sail a 12.
Thanks David for pasting my post, you no doubt remember the beery conversation at Salcombe that led to the post.
It is already interesting to note that there are clubs with 12 activity from this post, notably Desborough and Spinnaker. Lets hear from the others! Clubs need to beat the drum about the existance of 12 fleets, the round ups at the end of the Newsletter's (in Mr Day's editorship!) were a great tool to guide people to 12 clubs.
Ultimately the success of a club 12 fleet relies on dedicated fleet captains, who I suspect have become battle weary. Perhaps we need 2006 to be N12 CLUB EFFORT YEAR, lets get organized get all the stray 12's in each area to try to promote 12 racing at a common venue, push personal handicap racing?? Wednesday night racing, 1st Weekend of the Month racing, have club racing weekend timetabled in the 12 calender? Could clubs waive joining fees to help stimulate fleet racing?
I have tried to push 12's in the Chichester Harbour area, which has been a struggle, but I would be prepared to have another go.
Lets turn the tide. Any other ideas?
Regards,
David
3461
Some time ago Mr Meadowcroft came up with the idea of having a 'club sailing weekend' once a month actually scheduled into the fixture list to satisfy the exact drivers we are talking about.
Earlier this year Terry Cooke and I had a discussion about marketing the class and overall direction. There is a fantastic platform next year at Sailboat and it should not be missed. This is a niche market class so will always see lower numbers than something such as an RS200. I competed in the RS200 championships - not a particularly refined boat but good fun and sailing around with 100 boats was also great. We cannot compete with that head on so need to tap into those who like refined and truly skilled sailing but are not put off by the uniqueness of the 12. Putting that into action is possibly the single most important thing the class can do. We are very limited as to the size/stature of people that can sail the boat (as much a we might try to deny this) but should actively be seeking them out.
There is a lot of work to do on this area and very little time to turn things around. Critical mass is the key and without it I think my previous gloom and doom post could be all too true.
Jane W
Hmm... Seems like the needle got stuck on Jimmy's reply... :))
The general problem to my mind seems to be competition with other classes. Question: how do you make the National 12 sexier? Answer: it depends upon how you market it. The key word is publicity. This however, requires time (mostly voluntary) and money. We as a class group should identify all those things which make a 12 (and skipper and crew) stand out from the rest. How about a questionnaire to be sent around to all N12 association members asking their opinion? A competition for the best caption would motivate many. Any sponsors out there? (Gill, Holts, Gull, etc. - come on you people!) Although newly bonded to Nuttyshell (N3130), I have a deep-filled sense of personal pride and satisfaction to have a boat which sets itself apart from the 420s, lasers, &Co. (and not just because of her 25 years of age!). Remember, it's not a question of going fast to have class! (Please don't use that as a slogan!)
Hi,
A few years back Gavin, Graham, Meds, Myself and a few others rang around many of the members of the association to ask about their 12 sailing habits. The theme that came through to me was that for most people twelves were not the only thing in their life competing for their leisure time. Also once you have broken the habit of sailing on a regular basis, something elso comes along tp fill that time.
The key to success must be to recognize the change in demographics and needs since the 60's. 70's. 80's. 90's.
A lot has changed for us in this time, in the 60's and 70's we were the pre-eminant class, clubs only sailed "proper boats" and youth sailing, i.e. club raced cadets fed kids into 12's and people liked building or maintaining their boats in the garage in winter. We have an opportunity to celebrate this glorious past next year.
In the meantime the class has to adapt to the sailing world as it is now and may be in the future. Answers on a postcard please!
David Cameron Greening
N3461
There were seven N12's at Up river at the weekend.
Dave Greenings comments (August 31st) about Winders are incorrect. Pinnell and Bax are sole traders of the P&B Feeling foolish.
However the good news is that if you want an off the shelf measured, tuned, pick up and play boat then they are available from P&B. We have one boat on order and ther is room to build more for an early 2006 delivery. If off the shelf boats are the answer for trhe class then P&B and previously Storrar and Bax have now produced two if ythe class wants them come and buy them. They have won 5 out of the last seven champs. They are available in a club spec,
Hi Tom,
I stand corrected, I was misinformed by a Yorkshireman!
It amazes me that the P&B product has not taken off in the same way as the Winder Merlin or the RS200, these are really smart and maintenance free boats, fully sorted with an undisputable and proven track record.
Assuming that these boats are as refined as the class can get, it makes me think that in order to improve class turnouts, we either have to fundamentally change the boat, and by fundamental I mean a big change like Assymetrics, or fundamentally change the racing and social package of the class starting from the grass routes up. i.e. club racing. And this completely relies on the existance of boats in clubs and class captains with lots of energy and enthusiasm.
David
N3461