Messages

In response:
1) You might well find someone here with a an old spare suit.
2) In the second hand market, anything you can find will be fine.  For this kind of sailing, you won't go far wrong with any known Twelve maker.
3) As 2 above.
4) Don't, under any circumstances, especially in the light of 5 below. If you have arrived in Twelves from a class with a  centre main, learn to tack facing backwards.  It's not at all difficult.
5) See the National 12 Technique Guide elsewhere on this site.  Keep the boat moving, especially through transition points (marks, tacking, gybing).  Don't pinch or pull the sails in too tight upwind.  Sit still and forward.  Learn to roll tack/gybe.  Find a lightweight crew. Practice a lot!
Good luck!
 
Mike D
N3533

Here's TC on the river bank at Nottingham SC in (probably) 1983.  For those who haven't been around in the Class so long, TC's friends in the picture are (more youthful versions of ...) Michael Brookman (doyen of the Class and shown with characteristic 'dish' of tea), Tim Wood (sometime Midland champion and father of Tricia), Neil Crosby (sometime Midland champion and Corrigan Cup winner) and Mike Day (sometime Newsletter editor).  Nb - in my case especially, this was clearly in both senses the pre-Baggy Trousers era ...
 
Mike D
N3533

Tim
 
There's some great footage there and the edit with the music makes it attractive to watch.  What's missing (and this is true of almost all sailing film I see) is the story of the race.  Who's winning?  Who's losing ground? What are the tactical decisions that boats are making?  If you can find a way to cover this, you'll really be on to something ...
 
Good luck!
 
Mike D
N3533

Hotel booked - gosh, how organised!  Now just have to send in entry and hope for warmer weather than at the 70th.
Mike D
N3533

Z at the Fowey Burton, 1995 - one of the days towards the end of the week.  We had an unprecedented (for us) first beat and went round in the lead - and this photo was taken at that point.  I was trying desperately hard not to look back.  Inevitably, the glory was short-lived ...
 
MikeD
N3533

Here's one from the archives - The Fixx at the Paignton Burton in 1991.  This was the first time Anne and I raced together.  At this moment, she had just fallen on the thwart and broken it!
 
Mike D
N3533

This is what they look like: http://www.yachtsandyachting.com/photos/?s=64&PID=58979 - and gosh, there is a lively debate on the Merlin forum.  They do look rather nice, though ...

Mike D
N3533

Jeremy
 
That video is quite brilliant and that you had the presence of mind to smile to the camera afterwards ... hats off!
 
Mike D
N3533

Jon
 
Ian Stables has a new email address - ian.stables@gmail.com
 
Mike D
N3533

Two things:
1. The date for Henley in the fixture list is incorrect (my fault) - it should be Sunday 18th September.
2. I must say that I have some sympathy with Simon's point about Spinnaker - a lovely meeting, though it might be testing to put 25 Twelves on that stretch of water.  Also, Simon, we've been sailing the Twelve meeting at Spinnaker alongside the club racing in the last couple of years and there's the issue of fitting a Gill meeting in every month.  But we should talk during the coming season about whether this might be feasible for 2012.

Mike D
N3533

Alastair
It's a Sunday, so no problems at all.  Just drop your boat by the club and park in one of the nearby side roads.  Are you staying for lunch and if so, have you booked?  If not, please email anne@annemurch.co.uk asap. Thanks.
 
Mike D
N3533

There usually isn't a problem removing the bilge keels.  They were part of the construction rules back then to protect the hull but no-one puts their boats down on hard ground now anyway.  Getting rid of them makes the hull smoother though it's marginal. The main keel is a different matter.  This could be a significant structural component of the hull.  Also, you'll have to resite the centreboard higher in the plate case.  All this work will remove a bit of drag and a bit of weight - but there will be lots more you can do to the hull, foils and rig that will make it go faster than these hull changes.
Mike D
N3533
 
 

Well, that probably limits it to one of two new owners.  We'll wait for a name change to see which - either 'Dead Cat Punkarella' or 'Punkarella Pudding'?
 
Mike D
N3533

I could be up for one.  Re Chadders' comment above, when I was sailing on the river at Nottingham SC in the late 1960s (wearing ripped jeans and an old rugby shirt) Michael Brookman always wore a tie for the frostbite series from October to Christmas.  How standards have slipped ...
 
Mike D
N3533

<div style="color: #000000; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 10px; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: #ffffff; margin: 8px;">That mark rounding photo at post 14 is excellent!  Clearly, Jonno's call for 'room' was not taken all that seriously ...

Mike D
N3533