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CentreBoard

November 2003

The Newsletter of Spinnaker Club, Ringwood

www.spinnakerclub.co.uk

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Commodore's comments
You may be aware that the Club is run by committees. We currently have three: the Management Committee, which meets on the third Monday in the month and is responsible for the operation of the Club and its finances; the Sailing Sub-Committee, which meets on the first Monday of the month, deals with most sailing matters and reports to the Management Committee; and a Team Racing Sub-Committee, which communicates by email, and liaises with the Sailing Sub-Committee.
These committees have to address all Club matters so we like to have a good representative selection of Club members on them in order to make balanced decisions. Some of the Flag Officers positions are onerous and take up a considerable amount of volunteers’ time, now aided by part-time paid assistance from our Office Administrator, Treasurer and Senior Instructor/Bosun. But other members’ positions mainly require attendance at the meetings and a small amount of follow-up work. With the AGM looming now is the time for any Club member with an interest in helping on the committees to come forward and contact a Club Officer. We would be pleased to meet you and would hope your involvement would add to the pleasure of your membership. We raised a few smiles last time and I finally managed to chair a meeting that finished early.
If you don’t wish to come forward but have some wishes or concerns about the running of the Club then please write to us. The Management Committee generally has little correspondence to deal with, since Brenda, our Administrator, handles routine matters. We take this to mean that our members are generally content and therefore use our collective judgement in making decisions, such as the recent replacement of the flight of racing Fireflies.
Ian Campbell

New Fireflies

Our new Fireflies are here!
Rondar’s have incorporated Spinnaker’s specifications to help make this flight more user-friendly and above all more reliable over time. Tough, replaceable gunwales, carbon reinforced block and cleat supports, sturdy aft mainsheet fixing point, thicker thwarts are just some of the unique features. As before Spinnaker Club members can book to hire the yellow or blue boats for racing or other organised events.
Jo Newall-Smith

Features in this issue

Spinnaker Team Racing History  click
Steve & Fiona wax historical
Spinnaker Optimist page  click
Nick Bunt’s news for Oppy sailors
Sailability  click
Eric Blyth highlights the year at Spinnaker
Where our water goes  click
Brian Watkins recalls 1986
Spinnaker Laser page  click
Peter May talks Laser

Major events for Winter + Spring

29-30 November 2003
RNVR Firefly National Team Racing Championships 50th anniversary
7 December 2003
AGM, Prize giving for Summer + Autumn series, Buffet
14 December 2003
Final racing before Christmas, Prize giving for Winter Open Handicap Series
1 January 2004
New Year’s Day Race for Millennium Trophy at 12:00 followed by mulled wine and mince pies
22 February 2003
Proposed start for Spring Open Series

Annual General Meeting
The Spinnaker Club AGM will take place at 3 pm, on Sunday, 7 December at the Club.
It has been arranged to follow the last Winter Open Handicap race of the year, so come and check your boats are OK for winter at the same time! There will also be prize giving and a buffet to start the festive season.
The AGM allows you to hear how the club is being run and for you to have your say. It is not usually a lengthy meeting as the objectives of the club are in common accord - to make sailing more accessible, pleasurable and safer whenever possible.
It is a time when your Main Committee is elected and they would therefore welcome your support. Serving on the Committees is generally fun and it is certainly interesting being fully involved in the Club. As a ‘new boy’, I have found all the people very welcoming and I have enjoyed sailing even more as a result of being part of the Spinnaker ‘family’. If YOU would like to be more involved and would consider standing for the Main Committee, contact either David Steele or Brenda Jackson at the Club. Nominations for the Main Committee need to be posted by 22 November 2003
David Steele, Hon Sec

New crew
Benjamin Parry Tylecote, born 16 October, 2:28 am, 8lb 6oz.

Mum - Fiona, Dad - Steve and little Ben are all doing well. Ben wanted to go sailing today, but I said he could only have a bath instead. One thing at a time young man.
Steve Tylecote

Congratulations from all at Spinnaker to Steve and Fiona. Who knows, Ben might well have the genes to become a world class team racer one day! Ed.

Editor’s comment
September’s CentreBoard went down well. Readers appreciated the wider perspective of our Club and some were surprised to learn of the sheer amount and variety of things that go on all the time.
I was thinking lately that the range of competition names must mystify the uninitiated: Open, Traveller, Fleet, Nationals, Qualifier, Class, Worlds, Pursuit, Handicap, Regatta, Twisted Tube. Maybe some insider could come up with blow-by-blow explanations and tips on these mysteries.
Twisted what? Sounds like something in a heat exchanger. All is revealed within!
I was pleased to hear from Andy Baskett recently. While they remain keen Firefly sailors, Andy and Lynette have joined the many Spinnaker members who also sail other boats elsewhere. Their cherished Sadler 25, ‘Phantastik Lady’ is a gem and you can read the compelling tale of their experiences at www.baskett.co.uk
As if his own sailing activities did not keep him busy enough, Andy also runs a free web-based yacht crew service, www.crewfile.com, attracting crews wanted/available from all over the world. Recommended, all you ‘big boat’ two-timers.
Yes, Spinnaker is not simply Sundays.
Ed.

Spinnaker Firefly Open
15 Fireflies arrived for the Spinnaker Open on 12 October.

In the bright, blustery conditions race officer Peter May made the best of the entire lake for the 4 races. Crews who had spent hours awaiting wind for the Twisted Tube random pairs the previous day were now rewarded with some exciting conditions. The front end of the fleet in particular saw some spirited battling with much place changing. As usual the age-old friendly rivalry focusing on wooden versus ‘plastic’ Fireflies continued, with boats of both flavours mixing competitively. Tom Clay’s brand new Rondar made its debut following a Formula 1 style launching ceremony, while much older wooden boats, like David Steele’s, proved a strong match.

Results
Overall: Mark Tait & Sally Cuthbert
u 21’s: Andy Cornah & Hamish Walker
u 18’s: Richard Clay & Isabel Gill-Taylor
u 16’s: James Clay & Dom Silman
Jo Newall-Smith

Wednesday afternoon 5:30 racing
This extra Wednesday series ran very successfully for 5 weeks during September and October, with 38 boats taking part in total. Weekly turnout ranged from 15 to 22 boats, with participation for the first time in Club races from Ferndown and Canford Schools. I enjoyed running the racing, and providing advice to various people on race management, course setting and results calculating. I’m hopeful that we’ll be able to run this throughout next summer, prior to the regular Wednesday evening racing. This will be confirmed by the time the 2004 program is issued.
Full results are on the Club website (www.spinnakerclub.co.uk), but briefly, congratulations to Greg Ansell (Firefly), Brian Watkins (Solo) and Dave + Ann Spicer (National 12) who filled the first 3 spots.
Paul Irons

Team racing news
The Team Racing Season has started again.

Spinnaker had the "New Forest Pirates" team competing at the Royal St George Invitation event in Dublin on 11/12 October, where they beat the Ireland 1st team 2-0 in the final.

At the Foot Trophy on 25/26 October at the Welsh Harp the "Pirates" won again beating Royal Thames 2-0. The Royal Thames team is largely made up of Southampton University sailors.

Spinnaker Club are to hold what will probably be the biggest event of the Winter on 29/30 November, when we run the RNVR 50th anniversary event in Fireflies.

Stuart Hudson

Twisted Tube
Stunning sunshine and no wind set the scene for 21 patient crews competing in the 7th Twisted Tube on 11 October at Spinnaker.

This Brown Fintube sponsored event is 2-boat, random pairs team racing. Contestants are randomly allocated a different partner boat in each race until the end of the round robin. Whoever is placed first at the end of the round robin then chooses his partner from those placed 2, 3 or 4. In this way sailors have the chance to sail in partnership with world champion GBR team racers.

As the afternoon progressed the persistent lack of wind obliged race office Mike Greenland to abandon team racing as such.

By way of deciding a winner, an ‘inaugural’ Twisted Tube fleet race was completed.

Steve Tylecote & Becky Morley magicked their way around the simple triangular course to win the 2003 Brownfin Twisted Tube Trophy, closely followed by Nigel Wakefield & Emily Saunderson.

Alan Guy

Our wind environment
Update on the shelterbelt

After over a year of negotiations, Wessex Water, on the Club’s behalf, have finally received a Licence from the Forestry Commission to fell part of the shelterbelt of pines and cypress trees along the southern shore of the lake, opposite the clubhouse. The shelterbelt has noticeably affected our wind this summer and its removal is part of the management of the lakeshores for the mutual benefit of our sailing and the habitat for the wildfowl that visit us. One of our members is a forester and he his helping us to find a contractor to undertake the felling, hopefully this winter, but I would be pleased to hear of any contact.
Following a lecture at the Salisbury Festival on energy efficient house construction, I am in discussion with Patrick Wilson Architects about the use of the timber in a Wiltshire RIBA project with schools called “Suss it out”.
We also have permission from English Nature and the Hampshire Wildlife Trust to manage the growth of willows around the lake by a coppice rotation and you can see from a quick look around the shores that there is much work to be done, probably more than our annual work parties can manage. Nevertheless work parties can help and we will try to organise a couple during the winter, outside the bird-nesting season.
Ian Campbell
Go to Ian's Our Wind Environment article in the June issue for background. Ed

2004 Questionnaire

Surveys are boring. Surveys don’t concern me. Surveys are just junk mail.

Not so, according to Spinnaker Club members. As mentioned in the June issue the Sailing Committee is again preparing to survey members on an array of issues. If once again over half of you respond (any market survey organisation would see that as a triumph!), the answers will greatly help in planning and running your Club’s sailing activities to best effect. The questionnaire will arrive with your subscription renewal. Please do take the time to complete it there and then! An electronic version will be available for the form-phobic.
Jo Newall-Smith

People come and people go…
The Club now has 382 members, 93 of which are new members. By comparison last year's membership stood at 330.
Brenda Jackson

Fireflies: no future?

Yeah, right! As dedicated Firefly fanatic Richard Thompson, Chairman this year of the National Firefly Association, says in autumn’s NFA Bulletin, “How different it all is since the last time I started as Chairman. No new boats had been produced for some years, we had a builder who didn’t believe there was a future for the class, and many who were sailing feared the same.” In common with most other one-designs, the 12ft Firefly has seen its share of ups and down since 1946, yet right now it would seem builder Rondar can’t turn ‘em out quick enough! Who would go for the latest, sexy asymmetric for lots of money, when they can buy a double/single hander for far less that competes anywhere, on lake or sea?

In addition to the Club’s new flight of 6, we now have Greg Ansell, David Steele and Tom Clay racing new boats. Here we see Fiona christening Tom’s before the Twisted Tube (No Tiggy, she’s not about to go racing, honest!).

Come on all you Firefly owners, spruce up your boats and get yourselves on the Lake!
Jo Newall-Smith

New RIB for old
Spinnaker continues to update its safety boats with the recent purchase of a 4m Avon Adventurer. The engine and controls come from the old RIB, now up for sale. With its distinctive blue hull and white interior this brand new RIB is set to see many years of demanding service on the Lake, provided that it is properly respected and well looked after by all authorised users.
Alan Copestake

Crew kit
For personalised embroidered or printed T-shirts, hoodies, rugby shirts or caps as often seen worn at Spinnaker contact CoucheBébé on 0800 435 4635 or email budgetdigitizing@enterprise.net.
Ed.

RIB for Sale
4m Avon Searider, hull only with jockey console, no controls. Available to view on Club pontoon. To be sold to the highest bidder, starting price £ 300.00. Submit your sealed bid addressed to Alan Copestake c/o the Administrator at Spinnaker Club.
Ed.

Noble mural
Aesthetics.... Is there anyone who has any ideas?
This is not my strong point. John Noble has done a great mural on the end of our clubhouse which has been noticed by quite a few members. (Can you miss it ?) There must be many ways we can make everything look better.
My first idea is the bins under the white board. They serve a very useful purpose and we cannot do without them, though perhaps they are not the most beautiful bins imaginable. An enclosure would be bad news as it would inevitably end up harbouring rubbish. Do we get some prettier bins, do we paint them, and if so what design or pattern should we have?
Please drop me a line or ring me on 01425 673181 if you have any suggestions on aesthetics or any other ideas for the buildings and grounds to make it all look a picture.
Paul Mathews

Lock up
Please be sure to close and lock the gates if you are the last to leave the car parks. This can apply at any time, not just the end of the day. Clearly it is important that the Club building itself, and the other buildings are kept locked when not in use. Also when nobody is inside the New Boat Store, keep the doors closed to hide the contents from view and help protect them from the weather. If you are unsure about lock codes or procedures please ask!
Paul Irons

Sailing talks
I have been asked to arrange for a speaker on a Wednesday night to provide an interesting talk on boat handling, boat speed and tactics.
Steve Cockerill from Rooster Sailing has agreed to give a talk at the Club. We are proposing to run the talk together with a supper. This event is likely to be held in November or December. Steve Cockerill is currently the Radial national champion, Blaze and RS300 national champion and the Laser standard masters national champion in 2003.
His evening talks normally start at around 7:00 pm and will last approximately 4 hours. Steve uses some excellent high resolution video clips and more than a little enthusiasm to explain how some boats sail faster than others – for no more than better technique – he hopes to upset the Club’s pecking order and inspire sailors to greater achievement. Although Steve has experience in Laser sailing many of his points are relevant to other single-handers, including Solos!
Peter May

Cruising representative
In the September issue the Sailing Committee suggested that it would welcome a ‘non racing’ club member to represent the activities beyond racing and the adopted classes, the main business of its monthly meetings.
Since nobody has come forward – yet – the Committee feels safe in assuming that all is well on the ‘non racing’ front.
Nevertheless, anyone who has any questions or concerns on their use of the Lake outside normally organised Club activities, please do not hesitate to contact members of the Sailing Committee. Suggestions are always welcomed and discussed.
Jo Newall-Smith

Spinnaker RYA status
The RYA flag is sometimes seen flying from the race hut. What does this mean? Well, Spinnaker Club is a RYA Recognised Training Centre (RTC). When the flag is up there is a RYA training course underway. To qualify a club has to prove that it operates its sail and power training to a minimum prescribed standard.
Each year an outside expert designated by the RYA inspects the Club for observance of the minimum levels of instruction, instructor qualifications, boats and equipment. It is a rigorous inspection, yet Spinnaker fills the bill more than adequately.
On the last occasion the inspector was impressed by some 50 boats involved in training on the Lake at the same time. A RTC has a RYA qualified Senior Instructor who runs all power and sail training activities to the RYA syllabus.
The RYA qualifications which trainees gain are recognised worldwide.
Alan Copestake

Boat park

Steps continue to create more boat spaces. The old container at the north end has now gone. Much of the ‘junk’ mentioned in the last issue was taken away in it for disposal. This has helped free up a little more space for boat parking. The space may well be used for another Topper rack like the one installed nearby. Thanks to those who have cooperated to date. There is always more to do, so please do your own bit by helping to keep your Club’s land tidy and organised.

Road trailers must be taken off site or kept under a boat in its allocated space. They must not be kept in the aisles between boats or anywhere on the north or south car parks and roadways. If a road trailer is left in the wrong place without explicit agreement, it will be removed.
Paul Irons

Ben Hinks
Having retained the RYA National Youth Hobie 16 title in April for the second year, Ben Hinks with Ben Mansfield became joint winners of the senior National title at Pwhelli, scored 1st place in the Gold fleet at the Hobie Europeans, were reselected to the National Youth Squad, retained the Travellers Trophy for the second year and now rank as the UK No. 1 team (Youth & adult fleets).
This year they’ve competed in major championships in Belgium, Holland, Austria and France. They recently returned from Quiberon in France where they were invited to attend the ISAF Youth replacement cat selection trials to forward their opinion and views as competitors after evaluating the designs being considered – something they really enjoyed!
Remaining goal of this season is for selection to represent GBR at the Worlds as both senior & youth team in New Mexico in May 2004. Announcement expected soon!
Mike Hinks

Power Boat and Safety - update
Spinnaker has run two RYA Power Boat Level 2 courses this year, and one Safety Boat course.
Unfortunately the second safety boat course had to be postponed because both RIB’s broke down! In order to drive the Club’s RIB’s you must be qualified to at least RYA Level 2.
The extensive practical and theory training is spread over two days for both the power boat course and the safety course.
While there is no charge for gaining these qualifications, Spinnaker Club does expect newly qualified members to form part of a pool of Club safety boat drivers.
The next power boat and safety courses will be held in Spring 2004 – watch for notices and join up!
Alan Copestake
Having done both this year I can say with enthusiasm that they’re surprisingly challenging and really great fun! Ed.

Spinnaker Dinner Dance

Club social and dinner in March

Simon Walworth, a National 12 sailor, has offered to organise a dinner for the Club on a Saturday in early March. Some of you may remember the successful dinner dance that Hugh and Victoria Conway organised a couple of years ago and I hope that you will spread the word to encourage new members to join in and meet socially away from sailing. We will be discussing possible arrangements over the next couple of weeks so any suggestions are welcome.
Ian Campbell

Beginners’ race training
Held on the first Saturday of the month, these sessions have been particularly successful in 2003. Numbers have been better than ever with typically over 12 boats in the morning’s mixed session, and 15 Toppers and Picos in the afternoons. A high proportion of sailors went on to join in Spinnaker’s popular Wednesday Evening Series. All agree that the racing essentials that they gain during these well run Saturday training sessions give them the confidence and knowledge that they need to get the most out of their sailing. The first beginners’ training in 2004 will be on Easter Monday.
Alan Copestake

Trophies

If anyone has any Spinnaker Club trophies, cups, shields, plates, etc. in their possession that are due/overdue for return could you please contact me so that I can make arrangements for their collection.

I am currently working to complete an inventory of all club trophies. I have unearthed several whose precise origins are unknown. If you can cast any light on what event/achievement any of the following might have originally been awarded for I would be very pleased to hear from you:

Mary's Bell
SC Night Pursuit Shield
Spinnaker Plate
Mallard Trophy
The Ladies Cup
SC Crews Race Cup
The Buxton Trophy
The Eric Webster Memorial Trophy

Chris Stott tel. 01725 518417 email chris@stott3197.fsnet.co.uk

Solo training day
Saturday, 18 October saw a bright sunny day, with plenty of wind for Solo Training. The session kicked off with some shore based rigging tips and guidance before going afloat to do some up and down wind tuning exercises. Ian and I hailed advice and instructions from the RIB, and owners swapped in and out of boats so they could get a look at their own boats. A pasta lunch (thanks Tracey!) was followed by some mark rounding practice, practical demos and then some test starts on differing biased lines and a de-brief in the clubhouse. Everyone had a productive and enjoyable time.
Paul Irons

Work parties
Watch for notices about work parties this winter. See Ian’s update on the lake’s shelterbelt in this issue. Come with the family if you prefer. Enjoy a productive, fun day out. Even just an hour or two would be a useful contribution.
Ed.

Class vs. Handicap

A big thank you to John Clarke for co-ordinating the petition on Class racing.

Two points are apparent:
1) It seems that a clear majority of Solo and Laser sailors want more Class racing;
2) There is a clear absence of any signatures from any other boat/class.

Those are the bare facts. We should bear in mind that around 91% of all boats sailing in the 13:30 race are either Solos or Lasers, so the ‘absence’ mentioned above only equates to 9% of the sailors. This is perhaps not surprising since the petition was clearly aimed at existing ‘class’ sailors.

I would like, therefore, to request the views of this minority, i.e. those who are NOT Solo or Laser sailors. Think about racing in a fleet without either Lasers or Solos to compete against. What would your views be on this? (And we’re restricting our thoughts here to Summer Afternoon racing, extending Class racing further into September and October, and perhaps re-introducing Class racing for the 3rd race).

I’d like to think we have sufficient Optimists and Fireflies in the Club, who might sail regularly enough, to enable them too to have sufficient numbers out to have a decent race. Is that a reasonable expectation or ambition? If not, why not? What do we need to do to achieve this?

Then what about the others: The Toppers, Mirrors, GPs, Laser 2000s, Enterprises, N12s? Any thoughts from any of you?

The bottom line is, if by extending Class racing, we ruin the racing for the non-class boats, we have to take this into account before making any changes. Perhaps doing this might encourage those with non-class boats to buy one, which after all is something the Club has stated to be an aim. Yet as things stand this is really only a viable proposition if considering a Solo, Laser, Oppie or possibly a Firefly. Any thoughts on this?

An associated question from the Sailing Committee is the 3rd race on Sundays. Why are the turnouts regularly well below those for the first 2 races? What can we do to attract more people? Again, any thoughts, ideas or suggestions to any member of the Sailing Committee please.

Paul Irons
This item refers to John Clarke’s letter in the September issue of CentreBoard – Ed.

Teaching

2003 has been one of the busiest summers ever for teaching at Spinnaker. New sailors aged from 6 to 65 have enjoyed taking their RYA Level 1 or Level 2. Freshly qualified RYA Instructors, Jo Bailey (full time) and Matt Moseley (part time) worked to help meet the unprecedented demand for learning to sail. Striking has been the high number of youngsters who following their basic training moved on to join in regular Sunday morning Oppie training. So encouraging has this been that as an introduction for 2004 there will be sessions especially for beginners’ Optimist racing on the second Saturday of the month. Watch for notices!
In 2004 we will also be seeing John Clarke acting as a RYA qualified power boat instructor.
Alan Copestake

Junior Team Racing

Jo Newall-Smith and I are keen to promote interest in Junior Team Racing.
If you are under 19, have sailed to Open Meeting standard and would like to get involved, please contact me and I will put you on my email circulation list.
We are aiming to have at least one training session a month next year.
Tom Clay  rosie-clay@manor-house5.freeserve.co.uk

Solo training

Many thanks to Paul Irons and Ian Campbell, for giving up a valuable Saturday on 18 October to instruct others in the dark arts of sailing the Solo.
The conditions were perfect, and all who took part enjoyed the day. It is planned to have another session on Saturday, 24 April 2004. All current and aspiring Solo sailors are welcome. More details will be available nearer the time.
Hywel Morris

Junior Regatta

After a few years absence it has been decided to run a Junior Regatta in 2004.
It will be open to any sailors 19 years old or younger. There will be no restriction on the type of boat sailed and there will be lots of prizes.
The date for this exciting event is Monday, 3 May 2004, the first of the two May bank holidays. Please mark the date in your diaries and encourage friends and family to come along and make it a great family day out. Bring the grandparents as well if you like.
Hywel Morris

Event Sponsors

Diary dates

Contributors in this issue

Alan Copestake
Alan Guy
Brenda Jackson, club administrator
Brian Watkins
Chris Stott
David Steele
Eric Blyth
Fiona Coates
Hywel Morris
Ian Campbell
Mike Hinks
Nick Bunt
Paul Irons
Paul Mathews
Peter May
Steve Tylecote
Stuart Hudson
Tom Clay
Jo Newall-Smith, Editor

Views expressed in this newsletter are not necessarily those of the club's committees or of their individual members.

Last updated 14 November 2003

nov2003.html 14 November 2003
© Spinnaker Club, Ringwood 2003