AC or WWE?

I was always slightly resentful of the new Amercia's Cup format, the claim of "Formula One" of sailing was a long held but only latterly truly earned tag line of the Moth class. They may have the helicopters and broadcasting rights but I still have a 2004 boom sticker. Scissors Paper Rock.

When I watched it in Plymouth I was amazed at the speeds of the AC45's, until it dawned that they were reporting in kilometres per hour and not knots. Thats when I knew we were probably faster, and last night as a green light turned to a err flashing blue, and I switched from white wine to red, I knew I was watching a spectacle. It certainly wasn't Formula One though, no not by a long chalk, it was more like WWE or World Wrestling Entertainment for those who don't spend lots of time in gyms.

The start appeared to be everything and for fuck sake how many times do you need to go round a track to know that left is paying? Dont get me wrong, it cant be easy but if you are going to have match racing, a sport thats traditionally been more boring to do than it was to watch then at least let's go upwind first. Confusing for the spectator? Confusing for us all I think. Aleph had the only passing move of the day when they brilliantly hauled themselves past Artemis, and then the race committee canned it, largely I understand because they had technical issues. Who cares if the race committee has technical issues? I still dont know what those were and I'm supposed to have an idea about sailing. I suspect the software was hacked.

Anyway pan to the mystified spectators and they didn't have a clue either. Most of them were looking at USS Midway, which proves one thing, to impress Jo Public in sailing, just make the boats very very big!

However all that being said, I did enjoy my evenings entertainment very much.

Still if they are going to enter our world then its perfectly acceptable in my mind to enter theirs. I've long since fancied a channel crossing and the whole thing has moved on of late. Unfortunately the Abominable No Men have said "Non" to a Dover Calais dash. I pointed out that people do swim it, and that we'd only be about an hour, but it seems that if we get within 300 metres of the shore then its off to jail. Clad in tight rubber... I think not.

So me and and my little Mach2, my wonderful sponsors Abarth, and Thierry Martinez have something else planned for next year, and I wont tell you anything more now as we've got some logistics to do, but it will start from Hayling Island. And its a bloody long way.

S

Please vote for Thierry!

Last year Thierry Martinez, good friend and legendary sailing photographer, who's wonderful images have helped to shape the Moth class over the last 5 years, won the "Yacht Racing Image of the Year" competition presented by MIRABAUD.

His entry was "Walking on Water", a picture of Bora and me having fun together in Dubai.



This year he's up for it again with "Ejector Seat!", his picture of current World Champion Nathan Outteridge being flung out of his Mach2 at the 2011 Moth World Championships in Belmont.



This breathtaking image has appeared in many of the worlds leading yachting magazines and I think symbolises the Moth class today. Now is our chance to repay Thierry for his devotion to the class by voting for "Ejector seat".

To do so just click on the link below.

http://www.worldyachtracingforum.com/yacht_racing_images_of_the_year_2011_voting.html

Thanks
S

Through the looking glass

photo courtesy of Marcus Payne

Six Mach2's raced windward leeward courses on Saturday , Me, Mike Lennon, Ricky Tagg, Ollie Holden, Ian Gotts and Andrea Biagioni raced in a cool northerly with race officer Graham Simmonds managing to run the club racing and do repeat starts for the Moths in nice long one lap races.

I won the first race but drifted backwards onto the Winner Bank before the start of the second race. That didn't do the flap on the main foil much good actually, and I had to come in. Stupid mistake.

Great to see a number of boats out and people putting some effort in.

Financial Times

I think that Greece should default on its debt, come out of the Euro, devalue its currency and become cost effective again for us Brits to go there on holiday. God knows what the Greek God of financial collapse is, but it will soon be "Merkel" if they don't do something soon. Italy cant be far behind and whilst the moth class will make only a modest contribution to their GDP it would still be nice to get the dates and venue for the World Championships published. Apparently it may be Campioni or it may be Malcesnine but at this rate I'm not ruling out Germany.

My own particular Greek Gods of 2011 were "Courseidon" the Greek God of being over the start line, and "Markemis" the Greek God of missing the lay line, and although both need practice, the gymnasium has reared its ugly head and I'm back doing what I don't do very well at all. Still the thing about the gym in the winter is that at least you feel you've earned the right to do well the following year.

Despite no winter World Championship this year sales at Mach2 are still going well with 235 boats now sold, which must be a sign that at least the Moth class is healthier than ever, and although I missed it, I hear that the UK training weekend at Hayling Island was a resounding success. We were fortunate to have Dubai's Chris Graham who has moved back to the UK and living near Hayling Island Sailing club as the coach.

S

Age of Speed

Stuart Jardine is another Olympian who's been attracted to the Moth class! Bet by a friend that he couldn't sail a foiling Moth, Stuart duly took to the skies on Friday, sailing Pete Bartons Mach2.



These days we are kind of used to having Olympics sailors competing in the Moth class, and of course it makes us very proud, but it is not uncommon.

I have to say though that Stuart's case as the latest Olympian to sail a Moth is quite incomparable, and that's largely because we have to go back in time a bit.

You see at the age of 35 Stuart represented Great Britain in the Star class at the Mexico City Olympics and then again in Munich four years later. That's 1968 and 1972. The more numerate of you will have immediately calculated that this makes Stuart 78 years old.

So its been a while since Stuart has sailed a dinghy and its been 20 years since he last capsized! However proving that once again form is temporary and class is permanent, Stuart duly delivered!


Stuart said; “I think it might of been a bit easier if I had done some dinghy racing in the past few years and probably 60 years earlier! My stomach muscles and arms were like jelly after a few big splashes. Then relearning the technique of heeling to windward rather than the other way in keel boats will take a bit of practice. The most noticeable sensation was the complete lack of noise and splashing and speed once airborne - Quite unnerving.”

Notice the reference to "will take a bit" of practice?

Here's another master at work. Andrew McDougall, almost a boy by comparison, winning a race at round one of the KA Sail Victorian GP by thirteen minutes! It makes you think doesn't it?



As Pete Barton said "4 of the top 5 British Moth sailors are in their late 40’s demonstrating that experience and technique far outweigh any requirement for a youthful body. So if there are any wannabe Moth sailors out there that are thinking that they might be too late to start and over the hill at 30 please take note; You might have over 50 years of Moth flying ahead of you – and reach your best after 20 years!"

Couldn't agree more...

A Propper Job

I'm really happy to say that Simon Propper has become the West Coast USA Mach2 distributor. Here is the press release.
S


Mach2 Boats are delighted to announce the appointment of Simon Propper as the brands West Coast USA distributor.

Simon, who has recently relocated to the USA and is based in West Hollywood, has been a Moth sailor for many years. Passionate about the boat, Simon was instrumental in getting the UK foiling Moth fleet started and is now focussing on helping to build awareness, enthusiasm and fleets on the West Coast by representing the Mach2 brand. More here.

Says Simon “having owned and sailed my own Mach 2 for almost two years, I am excited to have an opportunity to promote the boat and therefore the Moth class on the west coast.

There's tremendous potential to recruit new Mach 2 sailors here in what must be one of the world's most Moth friendly climates. Email me for a demo sail in the sun !"


The Mach2 Moth is an amazing a hi tech sailing dinghy weighing only 30kg with a top speed of over 30 knots. This boat is completely addictive, gliding above the water in the lightest of winds with unbelievable efficiency. You must try this in this lifetime! You can race it in a world wide network of class associations, or simply go free sailing for the best buzz in sailing. Don't miss this!


Simon can be contacted at usasales@mach2boats.com

Steambirds

Don't you hate the way the sun goes away, just when you need it most? Last Sunday was very hot with a light little breeze which allowed me to try the one thing I'd been thinking of. Flying without the wand. If you've ever read Jonathan Livingston Seagull then you've probably been persuaded that flight can move to a higher order, a place where things are done by thought. Not so it would seem, at least for me, but with the wand tucked under the wing we silently left the water and I found that a slight tweak on the ride height adjuster had absolutely no effect. In fact (and disappointingly) a very aggressive pull on the ride height adjuster had the same effect as the previously mentioned slight tweak. Few people I think have pichpoled that hard in 7 knots of wind. Still for the rest of it it was a nice sail, and in a bid to chase the sun I'm currently planning to head to the Eurosaf regatta on the Mar Menor next week to if nothing else get a few valuable training days in.

I'm getting to grips with the new Mach2 small front foil. You have a higher angle of attack on take off and I think this means that the difference in take off speeds is marginal. I may take a RIB to Garda and have the other foil on the water, or I may lobby for a rule that says "you launch with it, you use it for the day" . Depends on the economy.

As I rigged the boat on Sunday another cigarette burn in the cover finally pushed me over the edge. At FED week a friend doused the cover with water before the big evening as my boat sits under the balcony like a silver ashtray. New tactic. I'm going to douse it in paraffin from now on. It will cost me far less than it will them.