• Gul Series 2017 - Event #2
• Gul Series 3 & 4
• From The Archives...Burton Week 1974
• Trent Valley Open Meeting - Report
• Tuning Tip - When It Blows - Part 2
• National 12s For Sale
• New Members
• Upcoming Events

Gul Series 2017 - Event #2
 
 

Gul Series 3 & 4

If you couldn't make Salcombe, fear not as the next two rounds of the Gul Series are taking place in June.

Gul Series #3 - Yorkshire Ouse Sailing Club - 4th June
Over the last few years winning boats have ranged from two years to over forty years old and it makes for interesting and exciting racing throughout the fleet.

We have a trophy for vintage boats, and the event will be part of the national Vintage series, so dig out your Mk4as and Mk14s, your Sparklets and Starfish and give them a outing on the river.

Two out of three races are needed to count. The first points race, as well as counting towards the overall points for the Naburn Paddle, also has its own trophy, the Jubilee Cup. If wind permits, this will be a longer race down to the southern extremities of our sailing water at Naburn Lock.

Food will be on offer at lunchtime and other refreshments throughout the day. For more information please contact the Fleet Captain, Philip David

Gul Series #4 - Royal Harwich Yacht Club - 10th & 11th June
Once again it is time for the N12 fleet to descend upon RHYC for the Smugglers Trophy Open Weekend! This year we should be joined by the Fireflies, Phantoms, Streakers and also a handicap fleet, probably on two courses like last year - but we will have our own start.

On the Sunday morning, the Smugglers Trophy Pursuit Race will take place, with N12s starting at different times and normally ensuring ABCMS rules (Anyone but Camm/Meads/Stewart)! 

There will be a great social and there will be free camping on site.
Entry and the NOR is available here.


Bruce Johnson at a N12 Open Meeting at RHYC in the 1970s.

From The Archives...Burton Week 1974

Pevensey Bay Sailing Club have recently uploaded a number of videos of National 12 sailing in the 60s and 70s to their youtube channel. Some of our favourites are:

Burton Week 1974 at Pevensey Bay SC
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HmNzTmnD2zI

Burton Week 1969 at Paignton
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wo2rjcD77qs

Trent Valley Open Meeting - Report

Paul Turner writes.......

"It was a real “train spotters” Open Meeting at Trent Valley on Sunday 7th May; there were four original design National 12s sailing namely N2399, N2403, N2750 and N2993. The N12 anoraks will immediate be able to work out which is which without cheating! There was also added interest with a “shoot out” between two former TVSC members who were also Burton winners. And a well-known N12 designer was re-acquainted with his last offering.


 
Race one saw a general recall, with majority of the five boats over the line – Gerald’s “just in time” planning had gone slightly awry, arriving in the car park as the five minute gun sounded. The wind was diabolically fluky as the fleet battled uphill through the “Doldrums” at the Scout HQ to find even less wind in the stretch up to Billystones.

Places changed by the minute but Graham crewed by his son Felix broke clear of Rob crewed by sister Ann (they hadn’t sailed together for over 30 years, and Rob’s last appearance at TVSC was in the early 1990s!) The followers had a great tussle back down to the Club but as the fleet headed back up the river Rob got past Graham and held 1st place through to the finish; Chris and Maria were close behind with TVSC's Commodore John (crewed by Ann TVSC's Vice Commodore in her boat) edging Kay and I into last place (by 18 seconds).
 

Race two was sailed immediately afterwards (following what our Race Officer quaintly termed a “P Break”). Rather than a simple up and down course to Billystones and back to the bottom mark below the Clubhouse, Roger set a loop course, with an extended “Goddard Chicane”, which fooled half the fleet, who took mark three the wrong way round.

Graham and Zoe (crew 2) gently pulled away from Rob and there was much place changing behind courtesy of many buoy re-roundings. Two of the three miscreants did the necessary but sadly for Rob, who finished second behind Graham, he realised that he hadn't and had to retire. John the Commodore beat us (again!) into last place, but by only 17 seconds this time.
 
A splendid lunch was served up by Chris our new steward. Race three which was again the four buoy loop course with added Goddard. It was all to play for for first place with both Graham and Rob having a first but the four lap whiz round the bay saw Graham (this time crewed by his daughter Anya) romp away from the fleet finishing nearly five minutes ahead of Rob. Gerald found a turn of speed finishing close behind Rob, with the Commodore just beating Chris into 5th.

A most enjoyable day’s yotting and it was great to see lots of assorted spectators including the Bloors, the Camm Family, Frances, Amanda and lots of TVSC gongoozellers. 

Tuning Tip - When It Blows - Part 2

Carrying on from last month, we bring you Part 2 of Tom Stewart's tips for windy 12 sailing.

The reach is where the fun really starts. Most boats are designed with lots of buoyancy under the mast with wide sections for easy comfortable planing. National Twelves on the other hand have developed to go fast!

This means that there is no time to relax on a windy reach because if you do you will either go slowly or worse the boat will chuck you in. The one thing we all know about windy downwind Twelve sailing is that you need to get back!

When the breeze is on this is definitely correct. 12'6" behind the bow is the much talked about position. This is actually rarer on reaches than most of us like to believe, most Twelve helms tend to retreat too far too soon, and stay there too long. Dragging the transom from when the first gust hits to the gybe will put you in the slow lane!
As the boat accelerates in the gust or down a wave you move back, but remember to move forwards as the boat decelerates, this will increase the length of time you actually plane. Steering the waves and boat balance are absolutely critical for a fast downwind ride.

As the helmsman holds the tiller, he or she will know when the boat has weather helm, lee helm or is about to bear away down a wave. Communication is the key. I talk to my crew all the way down a windy reach about balance both fore and aft as well as side to side.
Setting up the rig on a windy reach is a matter of how windy and how heavy / fit you are. If you are struggling to make the mark do not power up the rig! If you need more power then go for the outhaul off, leeward shroud, the works.

In my boat the leeward shroud stays on when we are scared, or if we cannot get off the windward side to release it (same probably).
The best sail trimming tip for breezy reaches is do not over sheet the jib. The helmsman is dumping the mainsail in the puffs, the jib needs to be eased the equivalent amount to prevent the slot between the sails being shut.
Sometimes this means the jib luffing but this is better than over sheeting, and helps the boat accelerate in the gusts. Next, the gybe mark!

.....to be continued

National 12s For Sale

There isn't a boat that is better value for money! Currently there are a number of National 12s for sale on the NTOA website & Apollo Duck, including:

N3127 - Tigress
N3505 - Big Issue 2
N3523 - Paradigm 2
N2881 - Cheshire Cat

This year first time helms at Burton Week get half price entry, so lets try and bring as many new faces along as possible!

New Members

We welcome these new members to the NTOA:

• Nigel Crome of Christchurch, Dorset with N 2323
• Martin Graham of Strathaven with N 3495 (A welcome return)
• Alan McGee of Ashington, Northumberland with N 2209
• Paul Brotherton of Romiley, Stockport with N 2487
• Ben Eaves of Redditch,Worcestershire with N 3168
• Andrew Harris of Clutton, Bristol with N 3344
• Toby Pearce of Scotton, Norfolk, with N 3469

Upcoming Events

27th - 30th May - Yacht Club de Carnac - Carnac 2017

4th June- Yorkshire Ouse Sailing Club - Gul Series #3

10th - 11th June - Royal Harwich Yacht Club - Gul Series #4

18th June - Milton Keynes Sailing Club - N12 Open Meeting

23rd - 24th June - Burton Sailing Club - N12 Vintage Championships

1st July- Stokes Bay Sailing Club - Gul Series #5

1st - 2nd July - Hykeham Sailing Club - CVRDA Weekend & N12 Open

15th - 16th July - Rutland Sailing Club - 12 Fest & Coaching

5th - 12th August - North West Norfolk Sailing Week

13th - 18th August - Salcombe Yacht Club Regatta

19th - 22nd August - Weymouth Sailing Club - Burton Week 2017