Time to get those calendars sorted - the only place to be on the 17th / 18th May is the Inland Championships at BCYC!  The Inlands are much earlier than previous years, so will be an excellent warm up for the season.  More details and notice of race to follow shortly, but you can add your name to the entrant list here.

Really looking forward to returning to Bristol - have had some stonking sails there in the past.

Rumour has it that Gavin Willis may be tempted from his retirement National 12 to pit his wits against us all once again after 23 years away.

GGGGG

Certainly one of the best 1960's Silver Tiller Venues, great welcomes, always sunny, great piece of water with scenery to die for too, good lunches and cream teas, dinner at the Bath Arms (Steak & Kidney Puddings.) Nine Pins afterwards, a cross country drive home through romantic villages like Gurney Slade and in towns such as Marlborough Church Bells and Salvation army Bands. In gentler and less frenetic days.

Don't forget it's a Vintage event too - though we'd prefer to start after the main fleet rather than in the hurly-burly push-and-barge!

Hi Pat

I am talking to BCYC about a possible separate vintage fleet start, but it would be useful if I could get some idea of numbers ASAP - get your names on the list!

Yes please to a Vintage flett start! will get my name and The Entertainer on the list!

Dave - you need to add something every now again just to bring it back to the top of the list !!

is there some entertainment organised? If not then I can probably arrange something. let me know asap though if you need me to help out (this used to be my home club and I know a few people...).

Vintage helms need to sign up - to get our own start !

BCYC will be doing a meal on the Saturday evening and we are sorting out some entertainment - more details and notice of race to follow very soon.

We are intending to have a separate start for the vintage fleet, but as noted, this does depend on numbers!

Hey, forget the weight debate for a minute - this is the topic that really matters!  Looks like we'll have a great vintage section turnout, but what about the rest of you?  Sign up today!

Seems >50% of the boats listed so far are either vintage or old/prime of life boats!  Looks like a more representative fleet of the class as a whole so far.  Probably the place to discuss what makes the class what it is.  And also to gather some empirical evidence of the effect of weight of boat and crew on performance.

MM
I appreciate the importance of what you are saying but I must support Dave on this, that this 'string' is more about organizing the Inalands than the crucial debate about weight!

Are you going to attend? Sign up!

It might however be a goog opportunity to weigh the crews and find out what they really weigh!

Any accomodation pointers, web sites, lists etc. 

Will there be a social (makes a difference to whether local accom is an important factor- the one local B&B I found that is OK with dogs is fully booked that weekend.)

Yes, there will be a social on the Saturday night - the club will be doing a meal at £7.50 a head and a band has just been booked.

There is some limited space for camping at the club, also local accommodation list below

Will we be able to camp on site in the carpark?

Dave Lee has disappeared off on holiday...but he first gave me plenty of info on the Inlands, so please have a good look through.

Dave is away and has asked me to keep you all informed about the Inlands.  Well, apart from the great sailing and plethora of prizes there will be a good value supper on the Saturday evening followed by live music by "Moondance" who some of you will remember from the last Looe champs.

And if it's windy don't forget in a south westerly the gusts back at Cheddar instead of veering.  Beware of this on a tight starboard spinny reach!  (Only Phil King has been able to explain this to me.)

See you there!

Dan Alsop

What was his explanation? Only curious.

Deflected by the Mendips?

Heres the situation. I have been offered (and entered) to sail 507 at your inlands at Bristol. Do I need to join your association for the weekend? If so how much and do you offer a guest membership. I normally sail with cvrda in Hornets,GPs etc so some of you will know me.
Thanks 
Rog the boat tart

Roger - see thread on 3124. If you've got Sprite Full again we'd better get an outboard. ;-)

OK, I'm back from holidays now :(  But looking forward to sailing again :)

I've had a lot of email enquiries about the Inlands which I'll respond to in the next few days, but please get your name on the list if you are intending to come.

OK, there have been quite a few queries about camping on the BCYC club grounds!

There is a narrow strip of grass beyond the club house which is only suitable for smallish tents, but there is also a proper camp site just across the road (see accomodation list).

Camper vans may be left in the car park, but the club requests that they are parked at the end furthest from the club house and owners ensure they are not causing an obstruction.

.

.

.

Lots of the big names missing from the entry list, has Matt Biggs and Rob Kennaughs entry scared them all off???

Either way, it will be a superb weekend sailing and BCYC have even arranged their legendary cream tea for the Sunday afternoon!  Please sign up now if you are planning to come.

Why do vintage boats want their own start?I thought inland venues are where mature boats can hold their own against the modern Merlin.

There is nothing to stop individual vintage boat owners choosing to enter and race with the modern fleet, but the vintage section expressed a preference for a separate start and slightly shorter races.

They are not competitive on an open water event like Bristol except in light conditions, try restricted water events like Cookham this weekend where they often have a distinct advantage !

Will it be possible to drop boats off on the Friday evening, and if so, how late?

I'd remember or note its not Chew its Cheddar Midland Michief seems to think its Chew. IT'S CHEDDAR.

Sorry if confusion caused over venue.  We do know where to go for the inlands IT IS CHEDDAR but we also have to call at Chew to collect our vintage boat which is being sailed by student daughter (under our sponsorship!).

Can we arrive friday?? how late??. to save the sat morning rush and get a lie in.

Some of the locals will be at the Lamb in Axbridge until closing time on Friday night, so club should be open until shortly after that.

sadly, I will not be able to come to the Inlands as I am in Glasgow.

Do enjoy yourselves.

steve

Tricky conditions yesterday with most people finding more snakes than ladders, but a superb sail today in much brisker winds.  Full report to follow, but top places were

1st 3665 Matt Biggs and Rob Kennaugh
2nd 3684 Andy Davis and Ellie Bremer
3rd 3656 Roger Gilbert and James Stewart
4th 3683 Tom Stewart and Liam Dempsey
5th 3640 Simon and Jilly Blake

Just want to give a mention of thanks to a really well organised event with excellent race management and top sailing conditions! 

Definately one of the best sails I've had for quite a few months and thanks to BCYC for being so hospitable.

full results up anywhere yet?

Full report and results being put together, should be appearing tomorrow fingers crossed.
Thanks
Alex

Alex - Dan Alsop said he was going to try and procure an electronic copy of the results and email to you. I have a paper copy which I can scan for you if need be. Is someone else writing the report? 

I also have a few pics which I can provide if necessary.

ah ha, i need the top 5 boats in each race! im writing the report and i have forgotten who finished where on the saturday. if i could get a copy of the results to check against the report is pretty much ready to go.
cheers dave

On behalf of the vintage wing I'd like to add our thanks to the club for an enjoyable weekend and to all the main fleet sailors for their consideration and extra care sailing with these tender old boats. It was great to see the full range of the class represented at an event from Iska(Merlin 6) with wooden mast and cotton sails through the Proctor designs to the latest Winders and I hope we can repeat the format again, preferably with more vintage boats!

I'll scan them tomorrow at work and email them to you.

cheers!

Fotoboat have some pictures up already

Yes thanks everyone thoroughly enjoyed the weekend. You are a very friendly and welcoming crowd something other classes could learn from.

report

did we ever decide who won the team trophy? there was a suggestion that it would be between shoreham and hollingworth. Any clarification on that? the shoreham boats were Will Warren, Al Warren and Ross Jackson. Who were the hollingworth boats? were there any other teams in contention? 

Also, how is it calculated? Is it on cumulative final positions or is it on cumulative overall points?

Well, if you include the Vintage wing, Shearwater had 4 boats out (6, 507, 1477 and 2121).

But where did they finish, size and numbers are not everything, thoigh after Nantwich try telling Gordon Brown that.

where are the results?

Any chance of some results being posted?

I'm still waiting for someone to send them through.

And Rutland results .

Here's Rutland from the RSC Web site
http://rutlandsc.co.uk/results/2008/20080504_Merlin%20Rocket%20Silver%20Tiller%20Open%20Meeting%20-.htm

Unlikely that any one did notice, as we were one of the last boats to leave, but did anyone find a small yellow waterproof sack and a pair of sailing gloves on the lawn in front of the car park.

I seem to be missing them, and the only place I can imagine, is that I left them on the car park boundary logs as I was packing the boat up.

If any one knows of them drop me an e-mail.

Thanks

I found a pair Rooster sailing gloves and blue mainsail bag at the inlands. No owners yet...

Got em now. See links at bottom of report.

Interesting there was a greater turn out for Rutland than the inlands

Why??

28 boats went to Rutland for the training weekend, bumping the entries on the Sunday from 23 up to 51. Inland results show there were 48 entries (40 modern + 8 vintage), so more than twice as much as Rutland if you don't factor in the training contingent.

That assumes that none of the boats attending the training would have gone to Rutland otherwise!

Made the assumption to make an easy comparison.  I can't believe all 28 boats would have gone to Rutland anyway.  If they had, it's still only three more entries than the Inlands.

There were about 5 regular silver tiller entrants at the Rutland training, so the 'normalised' silver tiller entry would have been around 28-30, which is about right for a popular silver tiller location.