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Since the Surveys of 2007 and 2011, I have continued to log appearances of Vintage Twelves (wooden, clinker-built boats) in order to try and answer the question "How many Vintage Twelves are still around?". I am pleased to say that some old boats which have never been seen in previous surveys, continue to appear, together with some old friends briefly seen in the first survey and not subsequently. I must thank the reporting of Ed Willett, who has been reporting the appearance of boats on ebay very diligently.

I had hoped to publish this update in the autumn but a sad event interrupted this intention, but I hope to publish in the next month or so.

If any readers have boats in a shed somewhere that thay have forgotten about, you have time to let me know. Also if you know of an old Twelve that has been recently broken up, please inform me.

Ken Goddard

At Trent Valley we have two, slightly bent, fully rigged, Proctor metal masts to dispose of. One is probably a 'C' section, the other is newer and complete with c/f dangly pole. Both are lying at TVSC. Offers? For arrangements to view contact Ken Goddard, at 01332 521168.

If you are intending to work on your China Doll this winter, or want to lay up your boat - but not on your trailer/trolley - I have in store here a pair of stands profiled to suit this hull. They are NTOA property and were used to carry the Doll which was on display at the 70th Anniversary Celebration at the 2006 Dinghy Show. They were built with a 10 degree sideways tilt for display, but they can be sawn to be level. Anybody interested please collect from Derby. Call me on (01332) 521168.
Ken Goddard

In connection with the 75th Anniversary of the class and our reflections on the heritage of our classic dinghies I offered to the Chairman a couple of years ago, that I would undertake another census of the Vintage Wing of the class and try to establish how many Vintage - ie wooden, clinker-built boats - were still around. I announced this census about 18 months ago and have been monitoring and collecting reports of Vintage Twelve ownership since then.
The census will be conducted in a similar manner to that which I organised in 2004 and the results will be published around the end of March, in time for the opening of the sailing season in our 75 th Anniversary Year.
This is a reminder to any owner of a Vintage Twelve who has not so far contacted me about their boat(s) to email to me by clicking on the email box at the bottom of this page. Apart from giving me your name and the boat's sail number, I should like to know in what area/town the boat is berthed or sailed and, in a word or two, whether the boat is race-capable/merely seaworthy/under restoration or whatever. You could also phone me, on           01332 521168. 
Thanks and good sailing,
Ken Goddard (N.2300 Duodecimal)            
 

Sometime in this spring I offered to undertake a census of all the Vintage Twelves still around (clinker-built, wooden boats). You may remember that I published such a list in 2004; it seemed a good idea to do this again for our 75th anniversary.
Howard Chadwick agreed with this and I have been quietly collecting a list of candidate boats since then, much helped by our Class Archivist Ed Willett and his scrutiny of ebay. When I announced this Census earlier, I asked that all Vintage Twelve owners who read our Discussion Board to let me know of the boats that they owned, even though I had some knowledge of many of them. Unfortunately the response was patchy.
Please could all those who haven't done so, please send to me a 'one line' email of their vintage boats owned to, goddards.peartreehouse@btinternet.com or phone me on 01332 521168.
It is clear from the data compiled so far that the list is going to be a lot shorter than that of 2004, but be aware that that was assembled from up to 4 years work, not one year, as this one. There are reasons for this and I will discuss this when I publish in 2011.
It is clear from what is expected to be a shorter list that the Vintage Twelves that remain will become a an increasingly rare and valuable collection. Keep those old boats in good repair!                             
Ken Goddard N.2300 Duodecimal

It is pleasing to see a good report of Burton Week in Yachts and Yachting and three images. As one who doesn't get around to Open Meetings much these days and doesn't know many of the players, please could someone kindly identify for me the sailors in the 3 pictures, ie the main image of 'boat and sunglasses', the little picture below it of what looks like a DCB, and the out-of-context image on the following page. 
Thanks
Ken Goddard

The annual competition at Trent Valley Sailing Club's Open Meeting for National Twelves, for the Challenge Trophy, has the added attraction of a Trophy for the winner's crew. This is in the form of a silver plated pint tankard and was presented by the well-known yachtsman Beecher Moore after a visit to the club in 1946. It was named after his boat at the time, Laughter (N.493) and was thus named the Laughter Tankard. Trent Valley claims that this is the oldest trophy for crews in the Class.
So, crews, pressure your helms to come and race to win at the Open Meeting at Long Eaton, on Sunday May 9th.
Ken Goddard 

Paul Turner is on the point of sending out Notices for the first National 12 Open Meeting in the Midlands - the prestigious Trent Valley event on Sunday, May 9. Last year, this event and the later Vintage and Midlands Series Open in September, both with 19 entries, attracted the largest attendance of an open meeting in the class, exceeded only by Burton Week and some of the Gill meetings. Are you all coming this year?
Ken Goddard
PS. Network Rail, which owns the access track to the club, alongside the railway, has made a feeble attempt to repair the surface. It's better than it was, but should get us through the year.

It is good to read of Louisa's pride of ownership in her newly acquired Twelve. In reply to her question, "how many female helms are there sailing Twelves?", at Trent Valley, over the last three seasons, we have had a lady owner sailing regularly, Ann Britton, N.3192, and she is making very promising progress in mastering the skills needed to sail our fascinating boats.        
Nearly four decades earlier we had at Trent Valley another lady owner/helm, the expert Jean Gill, who won lots of races and prizes. We hope that Ann will establish her own reputation in due course.
As far as I am aware, the Money Cup at Burton Week is the only trophy in the class which is specifically awarded to lady helms but I wonder whether there are any Open Meetings in our calendar which have  awards for lady helms. Can Caroline Martin advise?
Ken Goddard, N.2300         
                                         

Would the new owner of N.783 Pip, who showed pictures of her on the boat database, please get in touch with me. I have some minor information on her which may be of interest.
Ken Goddard, Tel. 01332 521168

Yes, it's the Trent Valley annual Open Meeting, on Sunday, May 10. (a one day meeting this year). In addition to the spectacular main trophy, we are creating this year a special trophy for Admiral's Cup boats. First Gun at 1055am. Please telephone me for more details. Please come!
 
Ken Goddard, N.2300
Tel. 01332 521168

I was dawdling around central Lancashire yesterday - as one would - and thought that I should take a look at the waters of Leigh & Lowton S.C. where this year's Summer Event is being held. It's on Pennington Flash near Leigh (but don't inadvertently head for the P.F. picnic site).
I was pleasantly surprised how large the Flash is, and the potential excellence of the venue. No islands; not too many trees and those only on the south bank; a nearly flattened colliery spoil heap on the north bank which will cause no trouble and a generally flat countryside. The event is also a Gill Series meeting so the water is clearly big enough to satisfy Kevin Iles' fastidious requirements.
From the Midlands and South, head up the M.6, get off at Junction 22, head north on the A.579, cross over the A.580 and you're almost there.
'Looks like a very good venue! I hope to see there!
Ken Goddard,
N.2300, Duodecimal

I am in the process of reviewing the National Twelve Handicaps for Club Racing (see P.9 of the Annual Booklet), with a view to recommending amendments. In the process I have analysed 11 races at 4 major events, on reasonably open water, in the last 18 months, to find out what Yardstick numbers boats in the various sail number ranges are actually sailing to.
I am about to publish my report but I thought it would be desirable to add roughly what the wind strength was in certain of these races where I have not already had information. These races are as follows,
Ripon Summer Event 2007 - Races 3 & 4 (on the Sunday)
Hykeham Summer Event 2008 - Races 3 & 4 (on the Sunday)
Burton Week 2008 - Races 7 (the Burton), 8 & 9
Can any participants (or helpers) with good memories, e-mail to me what they may remember of the wind conditions? (click on the tab at the bottom of the page)  
Thanks
Ken Goddard (N.2300 "Duodecimal")

The Warlock design was of GRP construction with a foam sandwich hull. She was designed and built by Don Woof and 32 were built. Probably the only really successful boat was N.2571, which won the Points Championship in 1972 and high placings in the Burton and Points Trophy in the years 1971-73, sailed in all by Chris Edwards.
32 boats were built but no present member of the NTOA apparently has one. Only 5 boats are recorded on the DataBase; three of these entries are of boats having been broken up and two mention being owned in early years. Where are all the other 29 now? Being of GRP, one would think a few would have lasted to the present day. Has anyone seen one?
Ken Goddard 

It sounds as though the NTOA stand at the 2008 Dinghy Show was well thought of. My colleague Paul Turner has made a suggestion that next year it might raise interest if a beautifully preserved/restored older Twelve was also on the stand. I agree with this. From my own previous-year experience of the stand, a lot of former Twelve owners visit the NTOA stand, possibly with their young offspring, and remind themselves of what fine sailing they had with the class. An beautiful boat from earlier years would I think attract attention.
It is kind of Tim Gatti to offer N.341, but I don't think there are so many that remember that far back. A fine example of a Proctor Mk.8 or a China Doll is more likely to stir appreciation. Here's another suggestion; I hear that the famous Bouncer, N.2993, (rediscovered by me at Olton Mere!) has been beautifully converted to be double-bottomed. This boat, straddling the years from amateur construction to today's DB speedsters might be an interesting choice.
Ken Goddard (N.2300)