The "to do" list for my boat isn't getting any shorter! I'm new to "to do" lists but after some intense boat work I had hoped it would minimise itself.
Still, some notable additions! I now have an adjustable wand by Phillippe Oligario, and that for me is a nautical version of owning a kettle by Phillipe Stark. Its beautifully built and is the wand of wands. As I sailed last night at a nice warm Hayling Island I really enjoyed the control it gave me. It was easy to fit! Admittedly first time I fired it across the dinghy park, but then changed to a more permanent fixing than super glue. Anyway I really like it and I can see it being more useful in light winds rather than chicken downwind stuff, but we'll see.
Ooh and I now have a new mast coming, and finally I have the correct sail numbers on my sail too, the latter only took two goes. Alzheimer's setting in early probably.
But the coolest thing on my to do list was to buy a bike! And so I'm the proud new owner of a fixed wheel Kona racing bike and after 45 minutes of strenuous cycling yesterday I think that derailleurs really should only be used by the over fifties.
And so I do miss not being at the Mothfest and I hope they are all having a good time, but I'm cracking on and a bit more organised I hope.
PS Mach 2 sailor Geoff Carveth we think has just won the Zhik Laser SB3 World Championships! Hot off the press and barring protests but well done mate!
S
Friday, 20 May 2011
Monday, 9 May 2011
Diamonds are forever
Hey I won a diamond yesterday! The Parkstone Moth Open was kindly sponsored by Moth sailor Rod Harris and his company "Why Jewellers". What a wonderful first prize, my best ever!
Although after Saturdays performance I didn't deserve anything, low and slow I have finally conceded that only better men than me can make the MSL13 go. Probably its my weight and possibly its an intelligence thing, but we don't gel, and certainly don't go fast . And so after a 5/3/5 on Saturday a new MSL10 was numbered up later that evening and I was a rocket ship yesterday.
The UK fleet is healthy and with 25 boats at the event it promises to be a great year for the Brits. I really enjoyed the event and great to see people like Chris Rashley going so well, and also excellent that Andy Patterson, attending his first Moth open meeting for 15 years, got the newcomers prize!
Funniest thing of the weekend was, after a tiring day yesterday sailed in champagne conditions, Chris and I followed Jason Belben back down the harbour into the marina. Only problem was it was the wrong bloody marina!
Fortunately the Nationals are at Jason's home club...;-)
Although after Saturdays performance I didn't deserve anything, low and slow I have finally conceded that only better men than me can make the MSL13 go. Probably its my weight and possibly its an intelligence thing, but we don't gel, and certainly don't go fast . And so after a 5/3/5 on Saturday a new MSL10 was numbered up later that evening and I was a rocket ship yesterday.
The UK fleet is healthy and with 25 boats at the event it promises to be a great year for the Brits. I really enjoyed the event and great to see people like Chris Rashley going so well, and also excellent that Andy Patterson, attending his first Moth open meeting for 15 years, got the newcomers prize!
Funniest thing of the weekend was, after a tiring day yesterday sailed in champagne conditions, Chris and I followed Jason Belben back down the harbour into the marina. Only problem was it was the wrong bloody marina!
Fortunately the Nationals are at Jason's home club...;-)
Monday, 2 May 2011
Son and Air
Years ago I didn't have much tolerance for anything, but if I was drunk I could just about understand the mentality of the cruising sailor. Now I am one and on Saturday I sailed my 50 year old boat around the Nab tower with my Dad. It is, according to the chart, seven miles due south, and because I'm not good at sailing this type of boat I spent 6.90 miles on a port reach and then had to tack to get round it. No matter, it was good fun and I love old wooden boats. I will have a bigger one one day. One that has oil lamps where I can read "Riddle of the Sands" by Erskine Childers, and a toilet, and not a bucket.
But yesterday it was back to Moth sailing and after an ill advised trip out into the bay to watch my friends competing in the Flying Fifteen open meeting I then struggled to get back in again with gearing so low that when the wand swung forward, the flap moved probably in the same way a glacier moves. A fast setting I think on the piste....but not in the Alps..
Later Mike Lennon and I made the long beat to the top of the harbour and hung around near Itchenor waiting for the killer gust that would make us ballistic in the flat water, It never came and the closest I got to any sort of decent speed was actually earlier coming in over the bar with a 25.5. Still it was a good chance to get more time in, and I'm starting to get some speed out of the new boat. Whether it will be enough for Parkstone Open Meeting this coming weekend I doubt. Still I will do my best. I've a new smaller main foil on order, but as Mach 2 sales soar past the 200 mark I doubt that it will be ready in time for any imminent UK events.
Today was windy, and I stood by proudly watching as my youngest son went out in his Tera as the wind topped thirty knots. Well done TP! Great sailing!
But yesterday it was back to Moth sailing and after an ill advised trip out into the bay to watch my friends competing in the Flying Fifteen open meeting I then struggled to get back in again with gearing so low that when the wand swung forward, the flap moved probably in the same way a glacier moves. A fast setting I think on the piste....but not in the Alps..
Later Mike Lennon and I made the long beat to the top of the harbour and hung around near Itchenor waiting for the killer gust that would make us ballistic in the flat water, It never came and the closest I got to any sort of decent speed was actually earlier coming in over the bar with a 25.5. Still it was a good chance to get more time in, and I'm starting to get some speed out of the new boat. Whether it will be enough for Parkstone Open Meeting this coming weekend I doubt. Still I will do my best. I've a new smaller main foil on order, but as Mach 2 sales soar past the 200 mark I doubt that it will be ready in time for any imminent UK events.
Today was windy, and I stood by proudly watching as my youngest son went out in his Tera as the wind topped thirty knots. Well done TP! Great sailing!
Tuesday, 26 April 2011
Come fly with me
Yesterday the skies turned blue both literally, and in the case of others, metaphorically in yesterdays pursuit race where the Moths started 14 minutes after the International 14's and won with ease. We flew past boats, some of which were a bit surprised to see us so soon, but for me it was an easy relationship between the old and the new, and great fun for my first race in my new boat.
9 Mach 2's were on the beach as Hayling resembled Benidorm in the hottest Easter for 100 years. All of Mike Lennons practice is paying off and he overtook me on the 20 odd tack first beat up Emsworth Channel as I struggled to change gears as the wind died at the top and shifted around. He was gone as I rounded the windward mark. I was half dead.
Still it was nice to race again, my first race since the worlds and I did settle down a bit. I've had a nice long rest but its time now to rev it up a bit. I'm using this part of the season to try some new things, I'm pretty familiar with the MSL10 rig and so I'm currently using an MSL13 with a medium mast and also very little gearing Moth squad style. I find it fast when you are set up, harder to sail (newbies take note) and it does make the Ride Height Adjuster much more critical and I'm a bit late on that string right now. Anyway Mike won. I pulled back a lot, he nicked it on the line but I'll take that. He deserves the win, I don't yet.
I'm looking forward to getting my new smaller front horizontal that should be along soon enough and hopefully in time for the Hayling open, an event where the Abarth stunt plane will perform in front of the club on Sunday lunch time!
Hopefully I can raise my own game before then.
S
Monday, 11 April 2011
Wednesday, 30 March 2011
Fly me to the moon
Its hard when you are flat out at work and your new baby sits in the garage. The willpower it takes to ignore it until the day is done is immense, it's as hard as climbing a wall that is leaning towards you, or as hard as kissing a woman who's leaning away from you actually.
Anyway here she is and tonight I will be burning the midnight oil to see if I can make the weekend. We'll see, but last night the boat went together very well. The only drama was that I managed to cycle over the wand (don't ask) although not half as funny as Andrew who managed to drive over his Pro Start (doubly don't ask)
My boat is a standard Mach 2 albeit with some comfy non standard toe straps, which optimistically I've moved out a couple of inches more. Oh and I've mounted an outboard on the stern.
Silver Abarth graphics go on next week.
S
Thursday, 24 March 2011
Travamunde! Warmer and Cheaper!
I hinted that I would like to see an event where sailors were put first. An event where there was so much to do that it became a welcome break from the computer, indeed an event where "Log On" referred to adding wood to the BBQ, a "Mail server" was actually the bloke at the pub who brings out the lunch, and "Off Line" was what happened when your wet sailing kit snapped the clothes peg.
Well it seems that the folks at IMCA Germany have the same philosophy and from what I now know about the "Nordea Moth European Championships 2011" there will be so much to do that there will simply be no need to walk around, in a Bora-esque fashion, with a Macbook Pro clamped to your ear.
So let's get down to it.
How about an entry fee of only 200 Euro's? Not bad eh? Especially not bad when everything else is largely free. No paying extra for your pizza to be cut up here boys.. Read on..
Saturday starts with a "Dash for Cash" which is near the shore and in front of an estimated 4000-8000 spectators who watch you from amongst the food and drink stalls situated at the viewing area. Oh and the prize money? 1500 Euro's shared unequally between the first three.
Later, in the specially designated "Moth Hanger" (a place where you can get breakfast every morning) there is a welcoming party for the Moth sailors.
We have the practice race to deal with on Sunday, and then in the evening we are off to another (again free) official opening party with beer and food. .
Monday through to Friday see's three races a day. Good to finish on a Friday actually, but let's not concern ourselves too much with the racing, we have our own course, and a race officer who sails an International 14 and knows what he's doing, and that's good enough for me.
Monday night is the opening ceremony on a square rigger moored in Travamunde, and then on Tuesday Manfred Schreiber's company "CTM" will sponsor the evenings entertainment. On Wednesday there is a pasta party....
In fact every evening there is a social event ending with Fridays prize giving dinner, and with great sponsors, that means there will be 3-4000 Euro's worth of prizes up for grabs (including a KA sail)
The Moths will be located on the east side of Travamunde which is a bit out of the way of the rest of the event, we have our own area which is great for launching. There are good showers and if you want to camp then it's only 400 metres from the boats.
Here is the link to the website. Download the brochure under "Invitation" (oh you may want to click on English first ;)
http://www.imoth.de/euro2011/
It's the Nordea European Championships and it sounds like a hell of a lot of fun!
Now, I understand a great social programme doesn't define an event in itself, it is a European Championship after all and people will try hard. I do realise Olympic sailors can't drink, and accordingly to those dedicated full timers the above might not mean much, but dont worry you are not forgotten! I will go and buy several copies of "My Life in Accountancy" to keep you entertained at night!
Anyway I better start practising, and with a few days to go until the new boat arrives this means I will be in the pub by five!
S
Well it seems that the folks at IMCA Germany have the same philosophy and from what I now know about the "Nordea Moth European Championships 2011" there will be so much to do that there will simply be no need to walk around, in a Bora-esque fashion, with a Macbook Pro clamped to your ear.
So let's get down to it.
How about an entry fee of only 200 Euro's? Not bad eh? Especially not bad when everything else is largely free. No paying extra for your pizza to be cut up here boys.. Read on..
Saturday starts with a "Dash for Cash" which is near the shore and in front of an estimated 4000-8000 spectators who watch you from amongst the food and drink stalls situated at the viewing area. Oh and the prize money? 1500 Euro's shared unequally between the first three.
Later, in the specially designated "Moth Hanger" (a place where you can get breakfast every morning) there is a welcoming party for the Moth sailors.
We have the practice race to deal with on Sunday, and then in the evening we are off to another (again free) official opening party with beer and food. .
Monday through to Friday see's three races a day. Good to finish on a Friday actually, but let's not concern ourselves too much with the racing, we have our own course, and a race officer who sails an International 14 and knows what he's doing, and that's good enough for me.
Monday night is the opening ceremony on a square rigger moored in Travamunde, and then on Tuesday Manfred Schreiber's company "CTM" will sponsor the evenings entertainment. On Wednesday there is a pasta party....
In fact every evening there is a social event ending with Fridays prize giving dinner, and with great sponsors, that means there will be 3-4000 Euro's worth of prizes up for grabs (including a KA sail)
The Moths will be located on the east side of Travamunde which is a bit out of the way of the rest of the event, we have our own area which is great for launching. There are good showers and if you want to camp then it's only 400 metres from the boats.
Here is the link to the website. Download the brochure under "Invitation" (oh you may want to click on English first ;)
http://www.imoth.de/euro2011/
It's the Nordea European Championships and it sounds like a hell of a lot of fun!
Now, I understand a great social programme doesn't define an event in itself, it is a European Championship after all and people will try hard. I do realise Olympic sailors can't drink, and accordingly to those dedicated full timers the above might not mean much, but dont worry you are not forgotten! I will go and buy several copies of "My Life in Accountancy" to keep you entertained at night!
Anyway I better start practising, and with a few days to go until the new boat arrives this means I will be in the pub by five!
S
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