Does anyone have any details for this such as start time, entry fee etc?

It's very well hidden on the NSC website!

Ta

I've hunted the P&B site as well.....no mention!
Its not far off, so you'd expect a NOR somewhere....

28th I believe

sorry 24th

thanks i know the date but was after the other details.

A little info available now I see:

11am is first start for non-asyms
£15 fee

Any one know if the vintage handicap system will be used at this event?

It's a PY event so i'd turn up and ask. I suspect they will.

im guessing that u have borrowd my crew again chris

keep teachin him well

his spinneker sailing has improved quite alot recently

ta m8

c u at blithfield in feb

Taxi and Rob going, Mike and I are going.  Should be good - see you there!

We're heading up too, forecast looks bob on for Merlins, 10-12knots.

Trio's toooo
Looking forward to some glass sharing!

How did you all do??

I think you will find Glen and Olly were winners

Can confirm that Glenn/Olly won the symetric class and held the Fireballs at bay in race 2. Also a strong presence of Merlins in the top 10. 
I can see an adjustment to the class's handicap being brought forward by the new live PY system. Merlins have featured highly in all major events since it kicked off. Going to need more mid fleet sailors attending events if you want to hold the handicap near where it is. The other ones that look as if they will be hammered are the Phantoms (Many sailors near the front) and Cherub (thanks to Pete/Roz in the mini Beeka4 sailing off 930 but would be competitive off 810 - 820).
BFN
Barnsie

Isn't this going to be a problem for those of us who sail off the Vintage handicaps at our home clubs.  My handicap at basic + 80 points for sailing a 62 and 58 year old Merlin has gone down year on year against the Laser due to the top of fleet boats but for sure my boat isn't getting any faster!!

It should be no problem for sailors who sail from their own clubs in handicap fleets - IF you can get your results secretaries to upload the club results to the RYA website. It is designed to take the major formats such as SailWave.

The idea is that it is easier for clubs to submit results, and so the data will be broader than the old system.

In the old system - you might already know this - the handicap only changes when a club bothered to submit a change they have made to their local PY for a class. I suspect very very few clubs change the PY and I wouldn't be surprised if the gradual reduction (which took 18 months to filter through on average) was mainly driven by a very small handful of clubs racing the Merlin at a lower PY.

e.g. Shoreham off 982 and Whistable off sub 1000 I believe

Dohh here we are again on PYs. As Sailing Sec at Shoreham all I ever here about PYs...

Have no fear we were back far enough on Saturday so the top boats won't affect the current Merlin PY.

You can't take much from saturday at all from a handicap point of view. If you were lucky enough to be on or over the start line you were always going to be in the top few at the first mark. Like wise if you were either lucky enough or assertive enough to be able to get onto port and actaully cross the line. You couldn't lay the pin end boat on starboard tack in either race.

Then there was the massive windshift towards the end of the first race that bought a large group of boats from absolutley nowhere to the top 20.

It was just one of those days!

A great event with a record turn out. Although the Merlins did really well to take the 1,2, spectating from the shore one had to think that the leading National 12 would be a threat and it so nearly was - they came through in the end to take 3rd overall behind Glen and Alex Jackson.

The move of the weekend?

Alex coming in on the starboard layline, with Glen coming in on port, taking under him, then squeezing up to lay the mark.  Just as well there was no on the water judging, else the new Rule, 18.3, could well have been applied.

I've done the podcast for the event, once I've uploaded it you'll be able to hear from Mr. Truswell just how close this was!!

Re the handicaps..... in the two person boat fleet it went Merlin, Merlin, National 12 whilst in the singlehanders Phantoms took the top 3 places. Andy Couch, who was on a 'hat trick' of big wins, only managed 3rd.

Of course, with the Steamer in the bag and now this, Mr Truswell is also 'on a hat trick' now.

D

Always wanting to understand these things, then 18.3 applies if Glen tacked in the zone (I guess the zone by default was 3 boat length unless changed by SI), and by squeezing up, meant Alex had to sail above close-hauled.
(If the tack was well outside the zone then 18.3 could not apply)

Woudl a judge be required? If Alex felt he was pushed above c/h then he would protest, wouldn't he?

okay, here 'tis.

Glen's words of wisdom are about 5 mis in to the broadcast.

D

Better still, add the link!!!

Doah!

 
http://bearfacemedia.co.uk/Stevenicholsontrophy.aspx

D

Glen taked under me well outside 3 boat lengths, it was cheeky but legal,....the little rat

Better still - make the link clickable

Alex,

it was an interesting call.

I had a front row seat as I'd moved along the shore to be  close to the mark..... then when I saw that the other boat was coming in to the top mark on port, I could see that the rule 18.3 situatio might occur. So I guess I was actually watching for it! As you say, the actual distance is best judged by those that were closest - but it did look a tight call.

It is the gaining of positional advantage that really makes the more so attractive - and the fact that you got forced to squeeze up meant that the other boat was already bearing away and speeding up when your boatspeed was at its lowest.

I'm sorry - a real bummer - had the camera to hand but was so engrossed in the action between you two that I didn't 'take the shot'! No career in photo journalism for me then!

D

By the way, as far as I can tell the 'new' rule 18.3 is the same as the 'old' rule 18.3, as the boat that tacked can not force the other boat to sail above close-hauled.

A question for the experts, when does being squeezed up but still sailing change to 'above close-hauled'?

Close-hauled isn't a defined term, but if it means the best course to maximise VMG to windward (effectively what we all want to achieve) then being squeezed is a problem! If it means the closest angle to the wind without your sails backing then being squeezed a bit isn't a problem.

has anyone idea where full results can be found

3rd round windward mark with 29 stone aboard. I always thought it was the garwood holding the salmon back but now i'm not so sure!!

Tosh
Try the link below which takes you to a results page then click on Complete and you will see them.

slightly better is

Whatever - you still came 20th and 7th Merlin.

Diet over winter????

Cheers mate (I think?)