News
UKLA Shop - Anniversary Garments
ILCA 50th Anniversary garments are still available through the UKLA Stitchprint shop until the end of the year.
You can purchase anniversary hoodies, and t- shirts. If you missed out on the free anniversary cap at events, they are also available now though this link:
Available for purchase
New Podcasts!
The latest episode of an Hour with Flower is now out - this time it’s a special feature on the Nationals with National Champion Micky Beckett, newby Sam Petty and Media Officer and Masters Sailor Guy Noble.
@Sam Pearce
Join the Team
MANY THANKS and WELCOME to our new team members! Masters sailors themselves and parents of young and promising youth sailors.
Jane Sunderland our new ILCA 4 rep, mum of three boys - one in each fleet! She is an amazing and energetic supporter of her boys and can be seen volunteering at most events along with Fiona. Contact
Mark Lyttle our new ILCA 7 rep, competitive master sailor and dedicated dad of two sailors. If you have any questions with regards to ILCA 7 fleet from youth to masters - Mark is your man. Contact
Fiona Attwell - our new Safeguarding Officer, mum of youth sailors Carys and Lauren, a teacher with over 10 years experience and previous role as RS Tera Safeguarding Officer. She is available at most events via the race/event team, if required. or can be contacted by email Contact
All our team members are kind and approachable - stop them for a chat at events or drop them a line and ask how you can also help.
Jane
Mark
Fiona
The UKLA is looking for enthusiastic people to join our ever growing team - In particular at the moment we’re looking for people to help with:
Marketing Officer
The National Grand Prix Circuit
Newsletter assistant
Please email Ellie at the office if you can assist in any way - even one morning a month would be great!
Extract from The Laser Book by Tim Davison
Taking A Penalty
If you collide with another boat during a race and are in the wrong, sail clear then make a 720⁰ turn (including two tacks and two gybes). This is a Two-Turns Penalty. You have now absolved yourself, so sail on.
If you hit a buoy sail clear, then make a 360⁰ turn (including a tack and a gybe). This is a One-Turn Penalty. You have taken your medicine, so sail on. Note that in either case you have to keep clear of other boats while you’re spinning.
A One-turn penalty
A two-turn penalty
On a crowded race course there will inevitably be some collisions and someone will be in the wrong and have to take a penalty
You’re going to be doing plenty of penalties as you learn to race, so now that you can tack and gybe why not practise sailing in circles? Lijia Xu famously had to take a penalty while leading the Laser Radial medal race in the 2012 London Olympics. She just got on and did it and still won the race and the gold medal. (Read about this in her amazing autobiography, Golden Lily.) Who better to show you how to do a 720⁰ turn? We show you here just the first turn.
The Laser Book
© Not to be reproduced without written permission from Fernhurst Books Limited.
The Laser Book is written by Tim Davison, author of over 18 sailing books and medalled at Open & Master European Championships. The Laser Book is his first and most successful book and is currently in its sixth edition.
To learn more from Tim Davison, The Laser Book can be bought here (https://fernhurstbooks.com/books/permalink/21/laser_book).
Masters News
@ Lotte Johnson
After a very successful event at Queen Mary Sailing Club (see below), the Masters fleet is looking forward to its final to qualifiers of the season:
3-4 Oct at WPNSA - mixed with the main qualifier. Come and mix with the young hot shots.
16-17 Oct Inland Nationals at Grafham Water Sailing Club. Our final event of the season. Grafham always hosts an amazing event. Remember there is the possibility of winning a holiday to Minorca Sailing at the Saturday night meal. Your final chance to qualify for the 2022 Masters Worlds in Mexico! - ENTRY OPENS 10 September
QMSC Video click here
QMSC REPORT by Rupert Bedell
The Greatest Show on Earth
Back in October 2020, when news first broke of a potential vaccine at the height of the pandemic and there appeared to be light at the end of the tunnel, I made a commitment to get back to doing things I enjoy in 2021. I had dropped out of sailing 2 years previously and sold up my boat due to the usual life pressures and lack of sailing time, but lockdown brought this back into sharp focus, and the urgency to enjoy life now felt suddenly greater. At the top of my list was getting a boat again and returning to Laser Sailing, and in particular competing in the Laser Masters Nationals.
Fast forward 8 months, I finally ticked this off on the start line of the Nationals at Pevensey. But once the regatta was over, the bug had set in, and I was soon looking for the next Masters event.
Thankfully, the opportunity to race Masters at my home club Queen Mary came about in September at the oddly named ‘Spring’ qualifier. To alert my wife of my plans, I made the official entry on the kitchen calendar in tiny writing and sent her an email at 4am in July, so I could be absolved of not giving appropriate notice.
I rocked up to QMSC on Saturday Sept 4th along with 50 other UK Masters with a not-exactly-inspiring forecast, only to be met with a solid easterly breeze of 10-15 knots that promised good racing. Local hotshot Roger O’Gorman was the bookies pre-regatta favourite, after a blistering run of form through the late season which saw him unbeaten in 6 weeks, provided of course, that he could keep a cool head. More on that later.
Race Officer Andrew Craig had the trapezoid course beautifully set with a square line, and the ILCA 7s were away at the first attempt. Before anyone had a chance to settle, unfancied Neil Peters of Pevensey Bay (aka Stick Daring of Round-UK-in-a-Crap-Laser-Fame) had grabbed the lead with an audacious left hander on the first beat, and hared off down the reach with Orlando Gledhill in pursuit. I found myself in the next group with Mike Hicks, Alan Davis & Chris Ellyatt. Stick then made several navigational errors, heading for lighthouses, local caves etc, and Gledhill took advantage with a smart choice on the final beat to establish an unassailable lead. I sportingly declined to point out to Stick that he was heading the wrong way and picked up a few places to round 2nd down the final run, only for Stick and Mike Hicks to re-overtake me on the final leg. Still, 4th felt like a good result to kick off.
However, the real pyrotechnics began in race 2. The wind was a steady 12 knots, with the top 8 very tight and the lead switching several times. Perhaps inevitably with such close competitive combat, conflict was never far off, and at the end of the 2nd beat, the powder keg was finally lit. As I approached the windward mark, the air was suddenly pierced by the sound of fibreglass on fibreglass, and the bellowing of aggrieved middle-aged men in wetsuits. O’Gorman & Gledhill had simultaneously exploded, with both boats marooned together and attached to the windward mark. An entertaining exchange of verbals followed, which began with rules, quickly moving on to personal insults, and finally references to relative size of manhood. I was delighted with this diversion, not least because one of them was clearly going to have to do turns and I would directly benefit. However, no turns were forth-coming and I was left to scrap it out by traditional means i.e. actual sailing tactics.
In the melee, Tony ‘Jazz Lips’ Woods took advantage and established a solid lead to take the win. Roger got his head together quickly, and he and I both made good gains down the final run to slip through in 2nd & 3rd, passing Gledhill, Hicks and Davis in the process. Special mention for Chris Ellyatt, who made a perfect pin end start, did everything by the textbook on the 1stbeat, and managed to round mark 1 in 22ndplace.
I was beginning to think it was one of the most consistent breeze days I could remember on the reservoir, so it was no surprise whatsoever when a gigantic 40 degree left shift on the 1st beat completely shaped the final race. Stick had rekindled his love affair with left, and this time she paid out big time, with a group of boats including Mac Courts and Tim Cook all rounding ahead of the pack. The established order were in a bit of bother generally, with Gledhill, Gorman, Woods and Davis all spread down the fleet. I was somewhere in the teens around the top, and couldn’t get much beyond the traffic finishing 12th. The others made better progress however, with Orlando doing a great job to pull up to 3rd, with Tony 6th and Roger 8th. Now that Stick had a vague idea of the course, he showed he did indeed have the minerals to do the job, and bagged a wire-to-wire win that he had been threatening all day, ahead of Mac Courts in 2nd.
Back ashore, O’Gorman and Gledhill decided that they were in fact too angry to protest each other, and instead went home, much to the disappointment of the watching crowd. The overnight results had a slim lead for Orlando, ahead of Stick, Mike, Tony & Roger, with me in 6th. Post-race entertainment was provided by Tony ‘Jazz Lips’ Woods and his marvelous partner Netty on vocals, as the sun set on another great racing day on the reservoir. My decision to indulge in several pints of Whitstable Bay and a few helpings of chili-con-carne, proved unwise when I discovered my train was cancelled and I would have to cycle 15 miles back to Wimbledon to put my kids to bed.
Sunday dawned with a fair degree of belly ache, as a result of the pints + high octane workout. ‘At least I can relax on the train this morning’ I mused. However, my face was not a pleasant one when I discovered further engineering works ensured I would be cycling another 15 miles back to sailing. I arrived 55 minutes later sweating profusely, to discover racing postponed due to lack of wind, and quickly refueled with coffee and bacon. The fleet had been further bolstered by the arrival of El Jefe himself, the Godfather of QMSC, former Olympic hero Mark Lyttle, replacing the presence of Orlando Gledhill, who had to put in a family day and would not be defending his lead. This meant there were a group of 5 that could probably win overall, being Stick, Tony, Mike, Roger and myself. This is what I kept telling myself anyway.
After a fair few horns and toots from the committee boat as the wind played silly buggers, we were underway. It was uncomfortably light airs and hot, and after a short tack right I found a little patch of breeze that I was able to cling to all the way up the first beat. After 21 minutes of trying not to move, I finally rounded the windward in 1st place with a very generous lead. As we drifted down the run, I started to entertain thoughts that even I might not mess this up, and that glory and fame was finally coming my way.
However, Queen Mary can be a cruel mistress. As I rounded for the final beat, there was no sign of that helpful wind patch, as all traces of breeze had evaporated completely. I pointed towards the mark, and sat tight and hoped, and began to sweat. And then like zombies approaching a house in a horror movie, I started to notice boats creeping into my view. In an effort to execute an outstanding roll-tack, I promptly threw the boat on top of me and capsized in zero knots of wind, which on reflection, might not have been the greatest move. Guy Noble soon passed on the left, and rubbing salt into an already salty wound, Alan Davis and Tony Woods waltzed passed on the right.
Guy had now inherited the 30 boat length lead and inevitable race win, and I consoled myself in thinking that if anyone should win, Guy was a general good egg who hadn’t had much luck this weekend, and the win was due. Guy was then overtaken by both Alan and Tony within sight of the line, upstaging my earlier capitulation.
Many hours later, El Jefe and Laser Masters World Hero Mark Lyttle crossed the finish line, but by that stage the human race had evolved and departed planet earth, and no one cared too much. Race Officer Andrew Craig decided we’d had enough and sent everyone ashore for afternoon tea and lashings of ginger beer. Hurrah!
The overall results were super-tight with 4 points separating the top 6, but after much speculation and calculation (most of it incorrect) it was discovered that Orlando had managed to retain his overnight lead and win overall by a single point, despite not turning up for day 2. Tony and Stick were tied for 2nd (Tony winning on countback), followed by me in 4th, Alan in 5th and Mike Hicks 6th.
A great time was had by all, with particular recognition of outstanding race organisation by Queen Mary SC. We also welcomed several newbies to the Masters fleet, in Patrick Johnson, Zoe McCaig and Jacintha Hamilton-Love. Having served their debuts with distinction, hopefully they will agree that Lasers Masters is indeed, The Greatest Show on Earth.
@ Lotte Johnson
ILCA 4 NEWS
European Championships
The Eurilca European Championships took place last week in Travemuende, Germany.
It was a huge fleet, with 250 competitors in the boys division, and 125 girls. This meant the boys were split across four flights, with the girls in two. Unfortunately, most of the GBR team were unable to participate due to Germany’s pandemic travel restrictions for UK residents.
Max Steele, who had been training in Poland since May, was the sole flag bearer at the event. He did very well through the qualification series, at one point being near the top of the gold fleet, and with very low scorings, in medal contention. However, after a day of no wind, and no sailing, the final series got underway in a very strong wind day, in which only the gold fleet was allowed out.
For Max, an unlucky capsize in a forty knot gust, followed by an equipment failure in the following race, lead to him dropping approximately 35 points in the one-discard event. He still however managed to end the event in the top 50 – well within the gold fleet.
Reduced sailing opportunities in North Europe showed, with the top half of the leader board dominated by Mediterranean countries. Congratulations to Athanasios Kyfidis of Greece, who won the event ahead of Massimiliano Antoniazzi of Italy and Alexandros Eleftheriadis also of Greece.
Full results - manage2sail Report (eurilca.eu)
World Championships
With the curtain raisers in Tokyo and Travemunede behind us, attention draws to the World Championships to be held in Dan Laoghaire Dublin 7 – 14 August.
After much uncertainty again about travel restrictions, the GBR team participating consists of:
We wish them all good winds; we will be watching you closely.
UK Nationals and ILCA-fest
With only one day gap for travel, the international team will be joining the rest of the UK fleet to compete for the UK nationals in Weymouth 16 – 18 August, at our ILCA-fest. Newcomers to the fleet will be assigned a buddy from the more experienced sailors to help them with their transitioning into the fleet. The experienced sailors will be asked to provide advice on a wide range of matters such as rigging tips, settings, boat handling and wind conditions at Weymouth. Mentor buddies will be drawn from a hat based on their ladder results and participation at international events.
NATIONALS NEWSFLASH - AN URGENT MESSAGE FROM OUR CHAIRMAN ROB CAGE
NATIONALS NEWSFLASH
We are very short of Volunteers to help us run what is a record-breaking Nationals entry
We will run the best Racing we can, with the volunteers we have, but it might be less than we could do with a full volunteer team.
Step up and volunteer now to guarantee this is UK Regatta of the Year
Please let Sally sally.reynoldson@wpnsa.org.uk or Ellie office@ilca.uk know if you can help.
Thanks
Rob
UKLA Chair
UK ILCA Open & National Championships 2021 - WPNSA
Photo -Sam Pearce
There is still JUST time to enter the Nationals- deadline 6th August!
Plan is to start the event with a Grand Parade of Sail - 260 ILCA’s out of Weymouth Harbour led by a 50 year old boat, kindly restored for the occasion by QM Master sailor Mark Sanken.
If you have an old boat and don’t believe you can get in the first half of the fleet, don’t worry - there will be mentoring, prizes for Silver Fleets and even a Vintage Prize for the highest placed oldest boat.
We’ve organised great food for you every night, but it does need to be booked in advance- please do it now!- you can see menus on the Off Water Programme Page here
NB the first night is a Welcome Evening, with an Italian meal FREE to competitors, provided by UKLA. You can purchase extra tickets for family/supporters, but you must claim your free ticket in the entry portal. This is now a clear process in the portal so please do it.
Please also book the other themed evenings ASAP - We need a minimum of 50 for the caterers to agree to do the themed meals. At the moment only a handful have signed up. Plan is to eat together (remember being able to do that?) about 6.00 pm, then do the Daily Prize Giving, with Q and A with winners, followed by the prize draw, followed by the Social Event of the eve (eg Golden Anniversary Quiz on Saturday.) So you don’t want to miss all that and have to cook for yourself too!
Gala Dinner
Bookings for the Gala Dinner are now available through the portal - just £26! Our special Guest of Honour is Iain Percy - Well known for his Olympic medals in Finn and Star (with crew Andrew Simpson) Iain actually learned his craft in the ILCA (Laser as it was then) and won our Nationals in 1995 (the year of the Olympic Trials) and in 1996. The UKLA’s Official Charity for 2021 is the Andrew Simpson Foundation, and our Gala Dinner will form part of our fund raising for the Charity, so it is extremely fitting that Iain can be there.
We hope you will come along to the evening socials - Daily Prize Givings, Q & A with the winners, Prize Draws, 50th Anniversary Quiz, Sports Night, AGM, Jam Sessions etc etc. Before these activities we can all enjoy a meal together:
Friday. Special Welcome Evening with Italian Themed Meal FREE for all competitors, courtesy of the UKLA.
Extra tickets can be purchased in advance @ £10 each
Saturday: Moroccan Night. 2 Courses £10 Tickets to be ordered in advance with LIVE Belly Dancing
Sunday: BBQ. £16 Tickets to be ordered in advance.
Monday: Curry Night. 2 Courses £12 Tickets to be ordered in advance
Tuesday: GALA DINNER. Tickets to be ordered in advance.
We are hoping to bring back all the learning opportunities that we had in 2018/19 - so expect Race Clinics in the mornings/afternoons, Question and Answer Sessions in the evenings and Mentor/Mentee pairings throughout the event.
If you don’t want to be involved with the Mentoring scheme either as Mentee or Mentor please let us know asap and we’ll take you off the list.
We’ve also managed to negotiate a 10% Discount on all Courses/Water Activities with both the Andrew Simpson Foundation and OTC for family members connected to the competitors. This includes scheduled courses in windsurfing, wind-foiling, kitesurfing, SUPing and e-foiling. Passing trade during the event will not receive any discount - it has to be pre-booked at least a month prior to the event.
The Special Code for booking OTC courses is SAIL 10
Click here - Nationals - to find out more about Off - Water Activities, Learning and of course Racing!
UKLA Team
TACTICS MADE SIMPLE by Jon Emmett
An extract from TACTICS MADE SIMPLE by Jon Emmett
THE FIRST BEAT
FIRST BEAT BASICS (BEGINNER)
Your position at the first mark is crucial. After this point it can be hard to make significant place changes. So, in a major championship, simply being in the top ten round the windward mark can make a real difference to your overall regatta performance. For one thing, the front of the fleet tend to fight less amongst themselves and just sail fast, pulling away from everyone else.
With most regattas having many races and few discards, being consistent is very important in order not to get too many high scores.
If you go all the way to one side of the course, then you risk not being able to take advantage of a shift later on because you may have to sail on a header to get to the mark, meaning that you sail more distance than your rivals.
Terry Tacker tacks on every shift: everything else being equal, this is a safe bet
To help you stay towards the centre of the course, or towards the centre of the favoured side of the course relative to other boats, you can alter your mode of sailing. If you are on the left of other boats and you are expecting the wind to go right, you want to foot like Finlay to consolidate your gain.
Finlay Footing consolidates
The class of boat makes a big difference to the way you sail. In a slow boat which turns without losing ground to windward, you would tack on even the smallest windshift (perhaps when sailing on a small inland lake surrounded by trees) as there is potential gain to be had for very little loss. However, with a faster boat which loses more speed when tacking (a twin trapeze catamaran for example), you would only tack when you are sure it is time to.
MEETING OTHER BOATS (INTERMEDIATE)
One of the things about the first beat is that the boats are much closer together and so there tends to be much more boat-to-boat interaction, which means that the opportunity for place changing is much higher. So, you need to make your decision rather than having it forced upon you. Try to think ahead, not only how you are going to get clean wind but also how you are going to keep it! The options are as follows:
1. Ducking Boats
Maybe you are on port for a reason (you want to get to the right-hand side of the course for more pressure or you think a bigger starboard lift is coming). To do a good duck make sure you pass as close to the rudder of the other boat as possible and then head up onto a close-hauled course, like Daisy Duck. You may even want to ease the sails and kicker slightly.
Carry on and duck with Daisy
2. Tacking Underneath
Tacking underneath keeps your options open and enables you to carry on sailing in clean wind (to the left) as, after all, Sophie may be coming across for a reason (starboard may be starting to lift). It also gives Summer the option to tack back if she wants.
Tack underneath with Summer Safe
3. Leebowing
Leebowing is a good option if you want to defend the left-hand side of the race track.
Leo tacks very close to Sophie (who does not need to take avoiding action until Leo is on a close-hauled course).
Leo Leebow leebows Sophie
4. Crossing
Crossing is obviously the best option, but make sure you are well clear of the other boat which is going to let you pass
Here Daisy is on starboard but, rather than risking Charlotte tacking and leebowing her, she waves her across.
Daisy Duck lets Charlotte cross
Layla is on port and has a good lane (clean wind in the way she is going). She does not want to tack under Sophie Starboard (because she wants to go to the right) and she does not want to duck, or she will be in Charlotte Cross’s dirty wind.
Layla Lane does not want to duck Sophie because she will end up in Charlotte’s dirty wind and clean wind is very important
So, to avoid this, Layla slows down (and loses around half a boat length) before accelerating up to full speed to cross close behind Sophie. She can now continue (with minimum loss) the way she wants to go, still in her lane (also with clear wind).
So, Layla Lane slows down, going behind Sophie, but keeping her lane
PLAYING IT SAFE (ADVANCED)
As there are many potential place changes up the first beat (before the start everyone is in equal first place), it pays to have a prudent approach. Keep your head out of the boat and see which side of the race track is winning. If you are not on that side, why not? And can you do something about it?
Peter Planning shows it often pays to take an early loss for a bigger gain later
There is a much higher chance of incidents up the first beat, so it pays to stay out of trouble. Remember, when telling someone they can cross, “Go”, and “No”, can sound very similar! Just shouting back, “Starboard!” or “Keep going”, can be much clearer.
However, unfortunately incidents do sometimes happen (mainly to Daniel): Daniel Danger is an expert in doing penalty turns. The quickest way to do them in most classes of boat is to bear away and gybe first, as it is much easier to keep your speed up (bear away, gybe and head up) than it is to tack, bear away, gybe and head up. Make sure that you have plenty of room to do your turns. You don’t want to hit another boat whilst doing them and have to do another set!
Daniel Danger doing his turns
However, if you cause damage in an incident, you have to retire even if you were the right of way boat. So, don’t hit another boat just to prove a point.
One of the key ideas is to keep your options open. This means that, if the wind becomes shifty or becomes stronger, you can take advantage of it; or, if there is an unexpected change (the wind becomes lighter), you are not vulnerable.
Finlay Footing is footing to stay off the layline and, therefore, he will gain the most advantage from the shift
Finlay Footing is now exactly on the layline
© Not to be reproduced without written permission from Fernhurst Books Limited.
Tactics Made Simple is written by multiple world champion and gold medal winning coach Jon Emmett. Each chapter covers a different part of the race and provides advice for Beginners, Intermediate and Advanced.
To get more of Jon Emmett’s top tips, Tactics Made Simple can be bought here
Cover Photo: Tactics Made Simple
AGM 2021 Agenda and reports
As notified earlier this month, the 2021 UKLA AGM will take place on 16th August 2021.
Please click below to see relevant documents ahead of the meeting:
Draft Minutes of the 2020 AGM
AGM Reports:
The UKLA Team is looking forward to welcoming you at the meeting.
UKLA Nationals garments Order by August 9th
We are pleased to advise that thanks to our great sponsor SailingFast, each competitor will receive a free t-shirt
If you would like additional items, we also opened a shop where you can purchase t-shirts & hoodies directly from our pre-set store.
If you have seen various people in the dinghy park sporting our ILCA 50th anniversary cap and felt jealous - you can now order them as well!!
Happy shopping - orders must be made by August 9th for Delivery to event
Duncan from SailingFast will be available on site during the Nationals - you can’t miss his trailer. Be sure to visit him for any ILCA parts you may need.
Available for purchase
Sponsored top for each competitor
UK ILCA Open & National Championships 2021 - WPNSA
Photo -Sam Pearce
There is still time to enter the Nationals- deadline 6th August! Plan is to start the event with a Grand Procession of 250 ILCA’s out of Weymouth Harbour led by a 50 year old boat, kindly restored for the occassion by QM Master sailor Mark Sanken.
If you have an old boat and don’t believe you can get in the first half of the fleet, don’t worry - there will be mentoring, prizes for Silver Fleets and even a Vintage Prize for the highest placed oldest boat.
We’ve organised great food for you every night, but it does need to be booked in advance- please do it now!- you can see menus on the Off Water Programme Page here
NB the first night is a Welcome Evening, with an Italian meal FREE to competitors, provided by UKLA. You can purchase extra tickets for family/supporters, but you must claim your free ticket in the entry portal. This is now a clear process in the portal so please do it.
Please also book the other themed evenings ASAP - We need a minimum of 50 for the caterers to agree to do the themed meals. At the moment only a handful have signed up. Plan is to eat together (remember being able to do that?) about 6.00 pm, then do the Daily Prize Giving, with Q and A with winners, followed by the prize draw, followed by the Social Event of the eve (eg Golden Anniversary Quiz on Saturday.) So you don’t want to miss all that and have to cook for yourself too!
Gala Dinner
Bookings for the Gala Dinner are now available through the portal - just £26! Our special Guest of Honour is Iain Percy - Well known for his Olympic medals in Finn and Star (with crew Andrew Simpson) Iain actually learned his craft in the ILCA (Laser as it was then) and won our Nationals in 1995 (the year of the Olympic Trials) and in 1996. The UKLA’s Official Charity for 2021 is the Andrew Simpson Foundation, and our Gala Dinner will form part of our fund raising for the Charity, so it is extremely fitting that Iain can be there.
We hope you will come along to the evening socials - Daily Prize Givings, Q & A with the winners, Prize Draws, 50th Anniversary Quiz, Sports Night, AGM, Jam Sessions etc etc. Before these activities we can all enjoy a meal together:
Friday. Special Welcome Evening with Italian Themed Meal FREE for all competitors, courtesy of the UKLA.
Extra tickets can be purchased in advance @ £10 each
Saturday: Moroccan Night. 2 Courses £10 Tickets to be ordered in advance
Sunday: BBQ. £16 Tickets to be ordered in advance.
Monday: Curry Night. 2 Courses £12 Tickets to be ordered in advance
Tuesday: GALA DINNER. Tickets to be ordered in advance.
We are hoping to bring back all the learning opportunities that we had in 2018/19 - so expect Race Clinics in the mornings, Question and Answer Sessions in the evenings and Mentor/Mentee pairings throughout the event.
We’ve also managed to negotiate a 10% Discount on all Courses/Water Activities with both the Andrew Simpson Foundation and OTC for family members connected to the competitors. This includes scheduled courses in windsurfing, wind-foiling, kitesurfing, SUPing and e-foiling. Passing trade during the event will not receive any discount - it has to be pre-booked at least a month prior to the event.
The Special Code for booking OTC courses is SAIL 10
Click here - Nationals - to find out more about Off - Water Activities, Learning and of course Racing!
UKLA Team
Sailing Secretary's Notices -Next Year and Beyond
By Keith Videlo
Next Year and Beyond
Your UKLA Committee have been working hard over the last few months to plan for next year’s
sailing program and beyond. Next year’s calendar is already beginning to take shape with some
exciting venues already booked. We are pleased to announce the Nationals for 2022 will be at South
Caernarvonshire Yacht Club, Abersoch. A fantastic location in North Wales promising wind and sun.
In 2023 Hayling Island S.C with host our Nationals.
Below is list of dates for your diaries so you can start planning:
2022
Qualifier at Stokes Bay S.C. – TBC March 2022 (ILCA 6 & 7)
Qualifier at WPNSA – 19/20 March 2022 (All 3 Rigs)
Qualifier at WPNSA – 26 / 27 March 2022 (All 3 Rigs)
Master Nationals at Stokes Bay S.C. 1 – 3 July 2022 (ILCA 6 & 7)
UKLA National Championships – 6 th to 12 th August at South Caernarvonshire Yacht Club (All 3 Rigs)
Qualifier at Hayling Island S.C. – 17/18 October 2022 (All 3 Rigs)
Qualifier at WPNSA – 15 / 16 October 2022 (All 3 Rigs)
Qualifier at WPNSA – 22/23 October 2022 (All 3 Rigs)
UKLA Inland Championships at Grafham Water S.C. – 5/6 November 2022 (All 3 Rigs)
2023
UKLA National Championships – 20 / 25 August at Hayling Island Sailing Club (All 3 Rigs)
The ILCA Sailing Festival 13th August - 27th August
By Guy Noble
Photos Georgie Altham and Sam Pearce
UKLA launch The ILCA Sailing Festival - incorporating The ILCA Open Nationals, The ILCA Club Regatta and The ILCA Transition Week. These three consecutive events offer something for every ILCA/Laser sailor. Great Racing and a packed programme of on-shore entertainment.
Over the last few months it has become apparent that many of our local sailing clubs have seen a resurgence of interest and enthusiasm for dinghy racing. UKLA, The official Class Association for the ILCA (formally the Laser) dinghy, has experienced an unprecedented surge in demand for organised events - 244 entries for the UK Nationals in August at WPNSA is an example.
UKLA are doing their best to fulfil this demand. During the month of August we are putting on three exciting events. With the umbrella title ‘The ILCA Sailing Festival’ these three events are designed to please most the community of Laser/ILCA sailors.
The UK was to host the ILCA under 21 worlds in August, this was to follow on immediately after the UK Nationals. However due to Covid issues and travel restrictions this event was moved to Poland. As a consequence UKLA had a slot of about 10 days booked with WPNSA which we are now free to put on our own national events.
It took about 10 minutes for the committee to come up with two fantastic additional events that would fill this slot. Directly after the UK Nationals there will be The ILCA Club Regatta followed by The ILCA Transition Week for sailors entering the class.
Open UK ILCA Nationals 13th - 18th August 2021 WPNSA
This event has been held for over 50 years - many National champions have gone on to do great things in the international sailing world including the likes of Sir Ben Ainslie, Paul Goodison and Ian Percy and many more. I can’t think of any other sport where you can rock up and pit your wits against the top professionals in the sport. Held at one of the U.K.’s premier sailing locations, WPNSA, the nationals is one design dinghy racing at its absolute best. However it’s not just about the racing, impresario Tony Woods has put together a program of on shore entertainment that wouldn’t be out of place at a major inland festival - As one of the committee quoted „you could go to the Nationals, not sail and have a brilliant time!”.
The ILCA 4, 6&7 Club Regatta 20th - 22nd August 2021 WPNSA
Many competent club sailors are not always attracted to the cut and thrust of a big National Championship - too demanding and too scary. This is where the club regatta comes in. The idea is to take your average club sailor and gently guide them through the experience of sailing in one of the worlds Premier locations. With coaches on hand and impeccable race organisation each competitor will be able to get both on the water and post race guidance. The regatta is for three days, Friday the 20th will have practice races with the Saturday and Sunday the regatta proper. Although there will be individual winners the emphasis will be slightly more towards the performance of the clubs. The club trophy will be for Best performing club over the two fleets.
So maybe your club can get three or four people together and come and do this fantastic new event. For more details and a full detailed program check out the UKLA website. You will need to become a member of the UKLA. Programme and NOR’s are available on the website. Entries are open…
The ILCA Transition week. NEW. 23rd - 27th August 2021 WPNSA
Following on from the club regatta UKLA are putting on Transition Week.
A second group of sailors have been somewhat neglected in the past - those who are sailing the Optimist, Topper and other junior classes who are considering, or have, brought an old Laser or a new ILCA (identical of course) and want to know more about racing it and more about the Class Association.
Since UKLA first advertised this week we have been inundated with enquiries. These have not just been from young sailors but also from parents who would like to know more about racing this iconic class. With this in mind the transition week will be packed with useful information and racing guidance for both competitors and parents.
The full program and NOR’s are available on the UKLA website. Entries are now open.
23/8/21
Briefing. 1100
Boat handling and Speed clinic. 1200
Practice Race 1 & 2 (in harbour). 1430
Coach Debrief After racing
24/8/21
Briefing. 1000
Boat handling and Speed clinic. 1030
Practice Race 3 & 4 (in harbour). 1400
Coach Debrief After racing
Evening BBQ
25/8/21
Briefing. 1000
Boat handling and Speed clinic. 1030
Practice Race 5 & 6 (in harbour). 1400
ILCA Pathway presentation by Duncan West of RYA (for Parents). 1400
Coach Debrief After racing
ILCA Pathway presentation by Duncan West of RYA (for Sailors). 1700
26/8/21
Briefing. 1000
Pimp your ILCA. 1030
Race 1 & 2 (in harbour). 1300
Coach Debrief After racing
Rule 42 Presentation. 1700
Evening Indian Food
27/8/21
Briefing. 1000
Pimp your ILCA
Race 3 & 4 (in harbour). 1200
Coach Debrief & Pack up.
After racing - Prize giving TBA
The UKLA is the biggest class association in the UK and one of the biggest in the world and we work hard to give our membership the best possible experience while sailing this amazing racing dinghy. We put on extraordinary events as described above, have nationwide training sessions almost every weekend somewhere in the country, produce informative training videos, provide entertaining and informative podcasts, support a great charity - the Andrew Simpson Foundation and much more. But it only happens because of the volunteers and the membership so please support us - join today and try out one or all these events.
SUPER GRAND PRIX 2021 - Celebrating the Golden Anniversary!
The Super Grand Prix events continue to go from strength to strength with Castle Cove on 7/8 August. Sign up here! Training Day FREE for Castle Cove members and a mere £5 for non members! Amazing value thanks to the UKLA - obviously you have to be a ,member of UKLA to take part!
Sadly the Pagham YC event had to be cancelled due to Covid, but the Pennine SC event was a success despite a lack of wind on the Training Day! See the photos by Nokomis Brindley of the Pennine SGP below:
NB- The UKLA will be sponsoring the Super Grand Prix in 2021 so you’ll get top quality coaching and racing for a fraction of the usual cost!
Don’t forget you must be a member of the UKLA to take part in a Super Grand Prix.
As well as the UKLA subsidising the coaching costs we are very excited to have 4 sponsors involved - Noble Marine, Ovington, Sailingfast and Southeast Sailboats. Thank you to all our sponsors.
Following the success of our Super Grand Prix events in 2019 we are hoping to continue the experience in 2021 (Covid permitting!) For this special Golden Anniversary year the UKLA is planning to fund some of the coaching costs, including paying for a coach on the Sunday. The Sunday coaching would be for all racers- briefings/de briefings and on the water support. We want to give something back to our valued members, and it therefore goes without saying that to take part in a SGP you must be a UKLA member!
Photo credit Georgie Altham
The Super Grand Prix (SGP) is a fun weekend event consisting of top quality coaching, evening social and competitive racing. Developed to encourage club sailors to take the first steps to an open meeting, and provide a bigger, more sociable event for everyone.
Primarily aimed at club sailors, but not exclusively so, valuing diversity in the fleet, encouraging all ages, gender and rigs to come together to celebrate everything that is the ILCA, with the emphasis on fun. Helping to grow and sustain a healthy club base across the regions, building confidence to take an active part, create ambassadors, whilst helping sailors develop skills and ability to get the most out of ILCA sailing.
There are currently three broad regions - South, Midlands and North.
SUPER GRAND PRIX 2021
SOUTH:
22/23 May - Queen Mary SC
7/8 August Castle Cove SC
MIDLANDS
16/17 October - Staunton Harold SC
North
29/30 May - St Mary’s Loch
3/4 July - Pennine SC
Masters Nationals at Pevensey Bay Sailing Club - ILCA 6 report
UKLA 2021 ILCA Masters Nationals - Pevensey Bay Sailing Club 9th-10-11th July.
By Matthew Knight - Photos ©Lotte Johnson
ILCA6 report
Friday started well, with much anticipation as the 40 ILCA 6 sailors rigged for the first day of the nationals with 3 races scheduled. However, as the fleet set out into a 12 - 15 knot breeze from the south/south east a misty fog set in over the track taking the shine off the morning. The day would be all about clear air and boat speed, with only small oscillations and pretty constant breeze across the course. With a strong outgoing tide against the wind creating some good waves, the first race got underway, with Ben Elvin (Stokes Bay) picking up where he left off last October at the Nationals, taking the first bullet. Jon Emmett (Weirwood) followed closely in second, with these two showing the fleet how it’d done with terrific speed upwind and down.
During the second race the fog cleared and a sunny afternoon ensued. A clear pattern in the racing developed, with Jon Emmett taking wins in races two and three, with Ben Elvin in second. Ian Jones (Dovestone) was ‘best of the rest’ with 2 thirds and a fourth, along with Terry Scutcher (Shotley) who scored 2 fourths and a third. Ann Keates (Parkstone) turned in strong performances in the last two races of the day with an 8th and 5th, to be the first Lady, sitting in 8th overall at the end of the day.
The top four had established themselves at the top of the order, with a clear points lead over the fleet. Their ability to get off the start line well, find clear air and having good boat speed and handling in the solid conditions proved a recipe for success.
The last challenge of the day was hitting the beach and getting up the bank across the pebbles to unrig. This was all made manageable by the amazing volunteers at Pevensey Bay Sailing Club. A few post-race beers sponsored by Duncan at Sailing Fast soon had the sailors only remembering the good parts of their days and looking forward to tomorrow.
Saturday dawned with a total contrast in the weather; the sun was replaced by rain and the wind had disappeared. The race officer kept the fleet ashore and decided to abandon racing for the day early in the afternoon as the forecast wasn’t promising. The sun did briefly reappear in time for the evening BBQ and competitors were treated to superb hospitality from Pevensey Bay. Nick Harrison gave a speech about the background and aims of the Andrew Simpson Foundation and there was a free raffle with sponsors prizes from South East Sailboats, Vaikobi, Ovington and Sailingfast - a Wildwind holiday was the main prize won by Naill Peelo. Neil Peters ‘Stick’, legend of the class led the fundraising activities and £1700 was raised for the foundation through the generosity of the competitors.
Sunday the fleet set afloat in a light southerly that completely died, before filling in and settling at 6 - 10 knots with flat water on an incoming tide (for the first 2 races), making lay lines an interesting call. The first race of the day (race four of the regatta) saw the majority of the fleet head right to better pressure, again the same three proving that they are good at sailing the ILCA in all conditions, with Jon Emmett leading the way from Ben Elvin, Ian Jones while Ian Gregory (Frensham Pond) scored a 4th – his first of two for the day. Max Hunt (Whitsable) showed his light air prowess with a 5th, lifting him up the leader board.
The top three prevailed again in race 5, with Ian Jones teaching some of the top end of the fleet a lesson in downwind sailing as he tore through the fleet to get up to third.
Race 6, the last race of the regatta saw the tide change to outgoing, and the breeze softening. There were more holes across the course which made good starts imperative – without being over on the black flag, and clear air imperative. This race saw the biggest shake up in the placings at the first mark, but the cream always rises to the top and this race was to be no exception. Ian Jones took home the win, while Jon Emmet came from well down at the first mark (by his standards) to finish second, again teaching lessons to everyone down the last run by allowing for the tide and not pointing anywhere near the mark, but sailing to it fast in a straight line). Gareth Edwards (Queen Mary) was 3rd, and Ann Keates finished 4th .
Jon Emmett won the regatta overall, with Ben Elvin in second. Ian Jones was 1st Master in third overall, Terry Scutcher was 1st Grand Master in 5th, Ann Keates was 1st Great Grandmaster and 1st Lady in 7th and Mike Kinnear was 1st Legend in 20th. Queen Mary Sailing Club won best Club and also had the most entries with 21 boats over both fleets.
Overall it was a great regatta and based on the chat in the boat park a good learning experience for all. Race officer Paul Jackson and his team put together a long weekend of superbly run races - thank you. Off the water there seemed to be a never ending stream of amazing volunteers from both UKLA and Pevensey Bay sailing club - thank you! Thanks also to Alison and the organising committee. Last but not least a big thank you to all our sponsors.
Sponsors of UKLA ILCA Masters
Sailingfast – Duncan brings his battle buss down from Scotland for most the big events, which is so ridiculously well equipped, you could replace everything on your boat. Although based in Scotland they will get anything to you super fast. He also supplied many of the prizes for the draw on Saturday evening. Check out his website : https://sailingfast.co.uk
SouthEast Sailboats – Max brings bespoke quality at affordable prices to the class. His passion for detail has made his products a must have for anyone who wants quality. He also supplied many great prizes for the event.
website : https://southeastsailboats.co.uk
Ovington Boats - Chris Turner lives dinghies and has been a significance presence in the boat building world for decades. OB are now the official UK builders of ILCAs. A very smart new Ovington ILCA Dinghy was on display at the Masters event.
website : https://www.ovingtonboats.com
Vaikobe - a brand born on the waters of Sydney Harbour, out of a passion for all ocean sports. Across the team, we paddle, Surfski, SUP, Wing Foil and Sail. Sailing has been a passion within the business right from the start. The senior management team at Vaikobi comprise more than fifty years of marine industry and sailing experience between them.
website : https://www.vaikobi.com
Noble Marine - Ian MacManus (the man behind the name) has crafted a very competitive and excellent insurance product for all Laser/ILCA sailors. A very personal service and a extremely useful website help make this the ‘go to’ company.
website : https://www.noblemarine.co.uk
Masters Nationals at Pevensey Bay Sailing Club - ILCA 7 report
UKLA 2021 ILCA Masters Nationals - Pevensey Bay Sailing Club 9th-10-11th July.
By Gareth Kelly - Photos ©Lotte Johnson
ILCA7 report
A mixture of champagne sailing in a classic race venue, slobbing out in front of the telly and tense light wind racing provided the ILCA Masters with the ultimate test - who can conquer such a broad range of conditions?
The ILCA7 fleet held it Masters National Championships at Pevensey Bay over three days from Friday 9 July to Sunday 12 July. Unfortunately, the event was not a Euro Masters event as originally planned and UKLA and Pevensey Bay SC was unable to welcome overseas competitors due to travel restrictions. 45 ILCA 7s entered the event and it was good to see a growing northern contingent. A special mention to Keith Driver who travelled from Cramond Boat Club in Scotland.
Friday started with near perfect conditions, 12-15 knots from the southwest, sun and the tide pushing the fleet upwind throughout the day which resulted in long enjoyable downwind legs surfing on the waves.
The first attempt at race one was recalled with the tide pushing the fleet over the line. The second attempt was successful following the introduction of the U flag, this resulted in several OCS disqualifications being posted on the committee boat at the finish. Queen Marys Mark Lyttle was in the lead around the first mark and opened up a large gap through working the waves downwind. Second was Stokes Bays Nick Harrison also known for his expertise in the waves and third was Gareth Kelly from Leigh and Lowton who later discovered that he had picked up 5 penalty points as he had forgotten to tally.
Despite the tide still pushing the fleet upwind, race two was away first time. However, some of the fleet on the left hand side of the course headed to the outer loop windward mark by mistake. Mike Matan thought he was leading until he was advised by a fellow competitor to look over his shoulder. Again, Mark Lyttle was out of the blocks quickly this time followed by Orlando Gledhill also from Queen Mary. Orlando had missed race one due to work commitments so was carrying an early discard throughout the weekend. Tim Law was heard whooping down the last run as caught a gust and surfed into third place.
The final race followed a similar pattern to race two, with Mark Lyttle and Orlando Gledhill battling it out with Gareth Kelly third.
Saturday dawned with a total contrast in the weather; the sun was replaced by rain and the wind had disappeared. The race officer kept the fleet ashore and decided to abandon racing for the day early in the afternoon as the forecast wasn’t promising. The sun did briefly reappear in time for the evening BBQ and competitors were treated to superb hospitality from Pevensey Bay. Nick Harrison gave a speech about the background and aims of the Andrew Simpson Foundation and there was a free raffle with sponsors prizes from South East Sailboats, Vaikobi, Ovington and Sailingfast - a Wildwind holiday was the main prize, won by Naill Peelo. Neil Peters ‘Stick’, legend of the class led the fundraising activities and £1700 was raised for the foundation through the generosity of the competitors.
Sunday looked better with a light southerly breeze forecast. As boats were being rigged the wind was building and it looked like a good days racing was on the cards with three races planned. On arrival at the start line the wind dropped to nothing for an hour but then reappeared and racing then got was underway with a gently but steady southerly wind.
Mark Lyttle again won race four and was looking untouchable. Andy Le Grice from Warsash was second followed by Orlando Gledhill.
In race five, it was Roger O’Gorman, another Queen Mary sailor, who took the honours followed by Chris Whalley from Parkstone and Nick Harrison third. Nick was building a steady series. Orlando unfortunately scored big in this race which effectively ruled him out of a chance overall with no discard. In the final race, it was Oxford’s Alan Davis who won with Roger O’Gorman second and David Binding from Weir Wood third.
Overall, the event was dominated by Mark Lyttle followed by the consistent performance of Nick Harrison and Alan Davis in second and third. It was therefore a Grand Master (age range 55-65) first second and third overall. Great Grand Master (age 65+) Tim Law who was finish fourth follow by Masters (age 45-55) Orlando Gledhill and Gareth Kelly in fifth and sixth. Apprentice Masters (35-45) Roger O’Gorman and Chris Whalley were seventh and eighth. This goes to show, with an age range of around 30 years between the top 8 and the success this weekend going to…. let’s say those with experience… that age isn’t a barrier to competing in ILCA 7 masters events.
This was my first Master Nationals and I would encourage those who don’t normally attend to give it a try, or if you prefer lake sailing the UKLA has a Masters event at Queen Mary in September and the Masters Inlands Championship at Grafham Water in October. The next main event will be the UKLA nationals at Weymouth where masters and club sailors will get chance to compete against the British Sailing Team sailors as well as those in their own age bands.
Overall it was a great regatta and based on the chat in the boat park a good learning experience for all. Race officer Paul Jackson and his team put together a long weekend of superbly run races - thank you. Off the water there seemed to be a never ending stream of amazing volunteers from both UKLA and Pevensey Bay sailing club - thank you! Thanks also to Alison and the organising committee. Last but not least a big thank you to all our sponsors.
Sponsors of UKLA ILCA Masters
Sailingfast – Duncan brings his battle buss down from Scotland for most the big events, which is so ridiculously well equipped, you could replace everything on your boat. Although based in Scotland they will get anything to you super fast. He also supplied many of the prizes for the draw on Saturday evening. Check out his website : https://sailingfast.co.uk
SouthEast Sailboats – Max brings bespoke quality at affordable prices to the class. His passion for detail has made his products a must have for anyone who wants quality. He also supplied many great prizes for the event.
website : https://southeastsailboats.co.uk
Ovington Boats - Chris Turner lives dinghies and has been a significance presence in the boat building world for decades. OB are now the official UK builders of ILCAs. A very smart new Ovington ILCA Dinghy was on display at the Masters event.
website : https://www.ovingtonboats.com
Vaikobe - a brand born on the waters of Sydney Harbour, out of a passion for all ocean sports. Across the team, we paddle, Surfski, SUP, Wing Foil and Sail. Sailing has been a passion within the business right from the start. The senior management team at Vaikobi comprise more than fifty years of marine industry and sailing experience between them.
website : https://www.vaikobi.com
Noble Marine - Ian MacManus (the man behind the name) has crafted a very competitive and excellent insurance product for all Laser/ILCA sailors. A very personal service and a extremely useful website help make this the ‘go to’ company.
website : https://www.noblemarine.co.uk
British sailor takes on world’s best to raise funds for Just a Drop
Twenty-six-year-old British sailor David Paul is set to join the crème de la crème of the
sailing world when he tackles the gruelling La Solitaire Du Figaro yacht race this
summer—all to raise funds for international water charity, Just a Drop.
Dubbed the World Championship of offshore sailing, the 2500-mile single handed offshore
sailing race is considered one of the toughest in the world and among the largest events on
France’s sporting calendar.
A rookie to the event, David will be one of only two Brits taking part in the yachting
spectacle which attracts Olympians, World Champions, European Champions, national
champions, Vendee Globe and The Ocean Race winners—no mean feat for the young man
from Ealing who first learned to sail as a youngster during the school holidays at Hillingdon
Outdoor Activities Centre.
As a nine-year-old, his first ambition was to beat as many grown-ups as possible, but he
soon found himself competing in regional, national and now, international racing. His first
experience of long-distance offshore racing took him from the UK to the Netherlands during
which he discovered the thrill of night sailing, and the adrenalizing combination of
adventure and sport.
“I discovered the race La Solitaire du Figaro during that first offshore race when we were
overtaken by a French boat. Rather than trying to catch the passing yacht, the people I was
sailing with merely responded with, ‘They’re a Figaro sailor. We can’t stop them’. Pretty
quickly I went into research mode about this race and I was determined to be a part of it.
“The French are so dominant in this form of sailing that the standard of racing at La Solitaire
du Figaro is significantly higher than at any other international offshore sailing race. As such
only the bravest or craziest non-French sailors decide to take them on in their home
waters,” David said.
Inspired by the hours spent on the water training in his 10-metre Figaro racing yacht, David
felt he wanted to take the opportunity to raise awareness about Just a Drop and the work of
the charity to bring clean drinking water and sanitation to impoverished communities across
the globe.
“The irony of water in the world we live in is that we are surrounded by it, yet we cannot
drink it. When we race, this is especially apparent. We are surrounded by water, yet we can
only take 4 litres of drinking water for each day of competition. That makes you fully
appreciate clean water as a resource,” David said.
“As such, the idea to take Just a Drop to one of the biggest sailing races was born. In helping
to provide clean water to thousands who desperately need it, Just a Drop have undertaken
a huge challenge. In my own little way, I have taken on a huge challenge myself. By
partnering with Just a Drop, I believe we can help each other in achieving these goals.”
Currently based in Lorient, Brittany to make the most of training opportunities, David is
hoping to raise as much as he can for Just a Drop from La Solitaire du Figaro supporters both
sides of the Channel.
The race, which is made up of four stages, will start on August 22 in Saint-Nazaire and work
its way down the Spanish coast then up to Lorient. The second leg will see competitors
follow the French coast north and around the famous tidal section at Riaz. David will have
the opportunity to test his skills in home water when the third leg of the race heads to the
south coast of the United Kingdom before returning to France and the final leg on
September 12 across the Celtic Sea to the Fastnet Rock off Southwest Ireland then back to
where the race started.
“I am incredibly excited to be competing against some of the best sailors in the world. Quite
thrilling for a guy who learnt how to sail as something to do in the school holidays. And to
be raising money for such an important charity at the same time, it doesn’t get any better
than that!”
If you would like to assist in David Paul’s Just a Drop fundraising efforts, visit
https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/davidpaulsailing and make a donation.
Note to Editors
For more information visit: www. https://www.davidpaulsailing.com/
For Facebook posts, please tag: @David Paul Sailing
For Instagram posts, please tag: @DavidPaul_Sailing
For sponsorship, branding, marketing, please contact dsp94@hotmail.com
50th Anniversary BIG Monday at Parkstone YC by John Keates
There’s four months still to go before the Eve of St Crispin, but when Parkstone’s Ilca and Laser
sailors invited their friends from Poole Yacht club to join them for our traditional Big Monday, this
happy band of brothers (and sisters!), 62 in number, (an all-time record, beating the previous one of
54), faced weather conditions that threatened to be more suited to the fields of Agincourt than
Poole Harbour. Thunder and Lightning was never very far away and during race two it was dark
enough for the ribs to switch on their nav. Lights! And then there was the wind, always making its
presence felt but never to be relied upon, a bit like some politicians I could name.
Luckily for us, the race team led by Bob Jennings was well up to the job. The fact that Race 1 started
in 7 knots from the south east and finished in 10 from the south west gives you an idea of how much
they needed to be on their toes. None of this would have bothered Peter Gordon in the standard rig
and Natalie Annels in the radial, both of whom stormed to victory in that race.
For those of you reading this who don’t know, Monday races are started by using one of the
competitors as a gate-boat. On this occasion Colston Nichols offered his services, using a Rooster 8.1
rig to separate him from the rest. As Nigel Hawthorne might have commented, in ‘Yes Minister’,
taking up such an office when faced with over 60 boats trying to cut past his stern, all within a gap of
75 seconds, was indeed a brave decision! Most people seemed to have managed the task of starting
without mishap, although reports have reached the ears of this scribe that one, Iain Reid, wasn’t
quite so successful. Although he manged to avoid hitting the gate boat he did come into contact with
several fellow competitors and also made the schoolboy error of mucking up the Fleet Captain’s
start; worse still, like Margaret Thatcher, Iain was not for turning, (at least not enough to exonerate
himself!).
Considering the number of boats sailing in a relatively confined space, there were few other mishaps
in race 1, apart from the abrupt wind change which caught out a lot of people who had sailed to the
right on the second reach in order to avoid the worst of the tide. Changing fortunes resulted in these
podium placings; Standard fleet: 1 st , Peter Gordon, 2 nd , Jon Gorringe and 3 rd , Hywel Roberts; Radial
fleet: 1 st , Natalie Annels, 2 nd , Henry Keegan and 3 rd , Robbie Phipps.
Underneath a lowering sky but rising wind, a nifty course change was desired by competitors and
achieved by an experienced race team. Race 2 started uneventfully, and with a slightly more
consistent wind strength and direction some of the more familiar fleet leaders began to show their
quality. Mark roundings for the leaders were, as usual, fairly calm affairs, but for the majority it was
a perilous business. Those who desire greater evidence of such a claim will have their wish granted if
they were to visit Simon Foster’s Face Book posting where they will be able to enjoy magnificent
footage of the race if not of our ‘trouser-less’ cameraman! Although darkness was now approaching,
there was still sufficient light for almost everyone to enjoy the sight of Harry Cowell capsizing in knee
deep water. Mind you, the spectacle did not last long; the Red Bull F1 team would have been
impressed by Harry’s righting speed. The enjoyment of the spectators was swiftly followed by much
raising of centre boards! Those of you who have had the pleasure of recording the finish of single-
handed dinghies most of which have 6-digit numbers will appreciate the fine efforts of the recorders
of this night. It’s my far simpler task to note the podium finishers in each fleet. They were; Radials:
1 st , Eve Kennedy 2 nd , Ann Keates and 3 rd , Rob Penson; Standards: 1 st , Giles Kuzyk 2 nd , Chris Whalley
and 3 rd , Neil Davies.
Over sixty boats on the water for a Monday night’s sail is difficult to beat for impact, but there were
some other statistics of note. Some might consider it old-fashioned of me to mention it but the fact
that we had 17 lady single-handed sailors racing is worthy of note in my book. Natalie Annels (1 st and
4 th ) and Jon Gorringe (2 nd and 4 th ) had the lowest combined scores in their respective fleets. Colston
Nichols had an even lower combined score (1 st &1 st ), but he was, as he always has been in my
opinion, in a class of his own! Arguably more impressive, given the very contrasting nature of the 1 st
and 2 nd races, we had two sailors who managed to finish in exactly the same place in their fleets,
David Pratt in the Radial fleet (12 th ) and Richard Strang in the Standard fleet (28 th ).
A record-breaking night like this doesn’t happen by chance. Thanks to the efforts of our Fleet
Captain, Chris Whalley, the regular Monday night sailors were joined by sailors from our youth
section, helms from our Thursday ladies’ group and six sailors from Poole Yacht Club all of whom,
incidentally accredited themselves well with finishes ranging from 7 th to 27 th . Doubly impressive
when you consider that Gate boat starting was a new venture for them.
As a reward for coping with the trickiness of returning to shore in very shallow water amongst
capsizing and gybing boats, and at least one very experienced lady sailor (who is far too close to me
to name), losing her tiller in one of the above-mentioned manoeuvres, returning sailors were
rewarded with a free drink. The speediness of return was largely helped by the policing efforts of our
Commodore who decided to direct traffic after his own capsize! Thirty lucky souls of those returning
to the club were also booked in for a sailor’s supper organised by our energetic and highly efficient
social secretary, Fiona Wall.
So, definitely a night to remember. Those of us who were forced by circumstance to miss this event
may appreciate the words Henry V might have uttered on the eve of St Crispin:
“Laser sailors of the UK now abed shall think themselves accursed that they were not there and hold
their sailing credibility cheap while any speak that sailed with us on Parkstone’s Big Monday!”
John Keates
p.s. full results can be found on PYC’s web-site under club racing results/ilca/Monday/spring series
An Extract from OPTIMIST RACING by Steve Irish & Phil Slater
UNDERSTANDING CURRENT
A great number of venues you will race at will have current caused either by tide, river flow or the wind. This can be very confusing for sailors, especially if they normally sail inland.
The first thing to do is to research the venue. Is it likely to have current? Look on the internet to find tide tables. This will give you the high and low water times and the rise and fall of the water. Consider any river flows by looking at Google Maps. Or is it a big expanse of water that might have wind-driven current?
Is the current likely to be the same across the whole of the course or is it likely to vary? If it is going to be different across the course, you may be able to use the current to your advantage or there might be only one way to go that will pay.
Current Uniform Across Course
Let’s assume the current is going to be uniform across the whole course for the race. This means that, as long as you stay inside the laylines upwind and sail a straight-line course between the marks downwind, you can concentrate on your normal wind and boat tactics – tacking on shifts, sailing into gusts and avoiding dirty air.
This sounds easy but many sailors get this wrong and overstand marks, sail big loops down reaches and on the wrong gybe down the run.
Let’s think about the main factors to consider depending which way the current is flowing relative to the course / wind.
Wind Against Current
· Beware being over the start line. The current is pushing you over. Get a good transit and don’t get on the line too early.
· The beat will feel shorter and you will need to tack before the usual laylines as the current is pushing you up towards the windward mark.
· The waves will be steeper and closer together than normal. Be prepared to modify your technique to cope with this.
· You can shoot the windward mark since the current is pushing you up, so a late tack in can be a good tactical move.
· The run will feel longer as you sail into the current and the fleet will be very close and bunch up as it rounds the windward mark. The big priority is to try to keep your air clear.
· Make your turn late on the leeward marks since you will have to be careful not to get swept into them by the current
· Try not to get pushed high on the reach by the current else you will end up running into the mark with the tide against you. Not very fast! Use a front or back transit to sail the direct line. If there is no transit, look at both marks to make a judgement as to whether you are still sailing the direct route.
With wind against current, the beat will feel shorter and you need to tack earlier for the laylines
Wind With Current
· The current is pushing you back from the start line. Get a good transit and don’t get too far away from the line. You will have to keep sailing to stay on the line. There is often a big line sag in the middle of the line. The beat will feel longer, and you will need to overstand the normal laylines as the current is pushing you down.
· Beware of getting too close to the windward mark. The current is pushing you onto it. Never try to shoot the windward mark.
· The run will feel shorter as you sail with the current. This will mean that the fleet will spread out as it rounds the windward mark. Try to stay in the middle of the run else the current will sweep you past the mark and you will end up reaching to get to it.
· Make your turn early on the leeward marks since you will have to be careful not to get swept past them by the current
· Try not to get pushed low on the reach by the current or else you will end up beating into the mark with the tide against you. Not very fast! Use a front or back transit to sail the direct line. If there is no transit, look at both marks to make a judgement as to whether you are still sailing the direct route.
With wind with current, the beat will feel longer and you need to tack for the laylines later
Current Across The Wind
· The current will be pushing you towards one end of the start line. Beware of starting at the end the current is pushing to. It is very easy to get there too early, then you will end up in a raft on the pin or the committee boat.
· The beat will probably have a long and a short tack. Watch your laylines – one you will have to tack earlier on, the other you will need to overstand.
· Be aware of the current flow on the windward mark – it will either be pushing you hard onto it or sweeping you past it.
· The run will have the tide across it, so it is likely to have a favoured gybe for the whole run. Try to get a transit on the leeward mark and sail a straight line to the mark.
· If the leeward mark is a gate think about which mark is better for the current. Will you get caught in a leebow from another boat when you round the mark or will the boat in front get swept wide and open up a lane for you.
The reach will either have the current behind you or you will be sailing into it. If sailing into it, this will close the fleet up and make the reach feel a lot longer. The opposite is true if the current is behind you.
With wind across current, if the windward mark is laid directly upwind, one tack will be longer
Current Varying Across The Course
The current can vary in strength or direction across the course. If this is the case, the import factor is to ensure you sail in the least adverse current or the strongest advantageous current.
How can you predict where the current is strongest or where the direction might change?
Venturi Effect
This is the effect where the flow of water increases as it is squeezed or compressed through a gap such as between a shoreline and an island.
If the current is squeezed into a gap, it will get faster
It could be that it is just compressed trying to get around a headland. Remember this will also cause a change in direction of the flow. In extreme circumstances a headland can cause the flow to sweep around it and then swirl into a reversed flow (a back eddy).
The current can be compressed going around a headland – which will also change its direction and possibly cause eddies
Shallow Water
Current flows slower in shallow water because of the friction with the sea or riverbed. So, if current is flowing along the shoreline, it is likely to be slower inshore and faster out to sea.
The current flows slower in shallow water
However, if a current is passing over a shallow bank it will speed up because of the Venturi effect mentioned above. So be careful, not all shallow water is slower moving!
The Venturi effect can happen over a shallow bank, increasing the speed of the current
Bends Around Land
Current will try to take the easiest route around shorelines or islands. This will bend the current direction and might mean the current is different at the top of the course to the bottom.
Once you have predicted how the current will be flowing on the course it is important that you check exactly what it is doing on the course.
A good visual clue as to changes in current strength or direction are tide lines. Where different current flows meet you will probably see either a disturbance in the wave pattern, a difference in water colour or maybe a line of seaweed or rubbish floating in the water.
A change in the water surface can show a change in the current
To tell the direction and strength of the current look at any fixed objects such as a mark, lobster pot or the anchored committee boat. Look at how the water is flowing around it.
You can see the direction and strength of the current against a buoy
To be more accurate use a sponge or an almost full water bottle and throw it into the water next to the object. How far does it drift in one minute and in what direction? Don’t forget to retrieve your bottle or sponge!
This is where your coach can also be useful. They should have a tide stick so they can get readings around the course and feed them back to you before the start. This will help you make the best strategic and tactical decisions about the current.
© Fernhurst Books Limited: Not to be used without permission.
Optimist Racing is written by top coaches Phil Slater and Steve Irish, who have coached from a regional level to Britain’s sailing stars, including Ben Ainslie and Hannah Mills (who writes the foreword to the book).
To learn more from top coaches Steve Irish and Phil Slater, Optimist Racing can be bought here (https://fernhurstbooks.com/books/permalink/151/optimist_racing). People who sign up to Fernhurst Books’ newsletter can get 25% off the cost of the book.
