N2523 Spider

[National 12 Webmaster]

The life of N2523 Spider. Design: Spider, designed by: David East in 1971

[Mark Barron]

Spider was bought by Mike and Fiona Barron after the Scarborough Burton and sailed at Loch Tummel, see picture in the yearbook in the club section. Not entirely sure where it went after that but Dad always enjoyed sailing it. If anyone knows where it is now I would love to see any pictures.

[edwillett]

Hi Mark
Here is said picture of Mike and Fiona Barron sailing Spider at Loch Tummel in 1973. Let me know if you would like a hi-res copy of it.

Cheers

Ed

[edwillett]

And here is David and Ricky East sailing Spider in the 1971 Burton Week at Whitstable

[Mark Barron]

Hi Ed, Hope you are well, thanks for the pictures
Mark

[Interested Party]

Spider is still about, I am picking her up this afternoon from her previous owner.  She is in the middle of a quick paint and varnishing, a stopgap, rather than a full strip/rebuild, just to keep her going in the short to medium term, but should be back on the water by the end of the month, hopefully.  Pictures to follow.  She will be sailed in and around the Cotswold Water Park (Whitefriars SC).  I will get a picture up in due course.

[Interested Party]

I have cherry picked some recent chat about Spider from the CVRDA:
" You seem to have acquired a very well known 12 in it's day. Think it was built in 1971 to a design by Dave East and did very well at the following Burton Week, placing in the burton cup and winning the Coronation cup crewed by him and his wife Ricky? Think it moved up to Scotland and was owned by Lady Anne Coventry. Illustrated twice in the Nat 12 handbook and used to illustrate the A12 in sailing dinghys of the world 1974/5 ish.  Interesting boat and well worth a bit of elbow grease to keep her going"
"Spider came 6th in the Silver National Cup in 1971 ?"
It would be nice to confirm the above - anyone?
This other bit of info is also very interesting on a personal note.
" I am very friendly with the second owner of Spider who has been very helpful to me in providing shelter for my boats and a place to work although he did suggest once that perhaps I should sell a boat before I bought any more and that was just my 4th boat! Anyway I brought this thread to his attention and this is the email he sent me in reply.
Thanks for that, Angus. I normally avoid social media like the plague, and have not a clue how to reply. You can forward this e-mail if you like.
Mike. 
"I bought Spider from David East after Burton Week at Scarborough. She is a variation of the Whisper design and I think there was one other one built.   She probably did more for my sailing than any other boat I have sailed.   David said she would not point as high as other boats of the time, so that helped me to kick the pinching habit.  At some point in any race she would produce a burst of speed that would take you past the opposition.  Fiona and I were almost unbeatable until Hugh Macintyre bought a Dart.  She was originally painted dark blue with a two pack polyeuretyhane paint which was starting to crack.   I stripped her down to the wood, melting the glass joints in the process, so i had to replace all the exterior taped joints.  I painted her green, a brighter version of what she is now. We bought a Paper Dart in 75 and I sold Spider to someone in the club, but I do not know where she went after that.  She looks in remarkably good shape.
Mike
This probably does not add much to the history but I know Mike thougt highly of this boat as it is the one he talks about most although he owned several 12s after her including a couple of design 8s. He now sails flying 15s and is still diffcult to beat. Fiona is his wife."
Angus"
Spider's previous owner, Sami, who had started to refresh her, had to give her up after the loss of her workshop space.  I will continue to get her back sailing, in the same vein.  This will only be a refresh and not a full strip and rebuild - i.e. making good locally, fresh coat of paint and varnish only where required.  She has a couple of 'war wounds', there is no doubt, but nothing that will detract from her function - she is in generally solid condition. 
The deck is in generally good condition, with no splitting or anything, although I have put in a couple of small veneer sections, where a skim of filler  was evident. I do not like seeing filler, and prefer to see wood, even if it is a different colour from its surroundings deck.  The colour of the deck generally, is faded, but the previous owner and I agree, did not want to try and sand away the faded top layer and risk taking breaking through the top veneer.  The deck and certain other parts of the boat have been painted at some point, but the paint has been stripped back - 99% successfully.  So presentable, but not perfect.
Spider now has a painted gloss white hull, thanks to Sami.
The floor (garboards) have some minor cracks in the top veneer will be stabilished and then a fresh coat of floor paint.  No stripping back is necessary and there appears to be no rot.  Caught just in time.  The sides inboard just need a jolly good clean and, perhaps a coat of varnish. 
Spider will be recovered more in accordance with the CVRDA ethos, i.e. I will be fixing what needs to be fixed, using the historic equipment/fittings that came with the boat, rather than upgrading or modernising.  Wheeled kicker with metal triangle thingy? Original mast and boom, cleats, etc. 
Cheers

[Interested Party]

Spider's now Cherry Red and has a new owner, Tom, who is also at Whitefriars Sailing club.

[Neil]

Hi folks ... My brother and me, with some help from our dad!, bought Spider in approx 1977.. @Loch Tummel. We were there for a family holiday sailing our newly built Mirror having just learnt to sail and came back for Spider a few weeks later after pleading with dad to lend us the money! She was then based at White Rose Sailing Association Nr Boroughbridge N Yorks for maybe 3 years where we enjoyed club racing and balmy summers on the river.