Foxy Tales March 2014

FOXY TALES MARCH 2014
!
TRAINING UPDATE
!
ENDEAVOUR TROPHY
2013
!
PHIL AND THE GROUNDS
TEAM GETTING TO
WORK
FOXY TALES
A welcome message from the Commodore
!
I am delighted to welcome you to the 2014 edition of Foxy
Tales. I would like especially to welcome any new
members who have joined, either during the last year or
who have joined in readiness for the new season.
!
I would like to thank Robin and Pauline Nicholson (our
incoming PRO and continuing Secretary) for co-ordinating
and producing this edition of Foxy Tales. We are much
indebted to their enthusiasm and hard work. Additionally,
I would like to say a big thank you to all other contributors
to this edition.
!
I must, tragically, start with the sad and untimely news of Pete Ballard’s
passing; Pete was a lovely man and a very hard working
member – putting in many hours primarily as safety officer
but also working tirelessly on the grounds and in support of
our training programme. He will be sorely missed by us all
and our thoughts are with his wife Ann and family at this
difficult time.
!
There are a number of welcome new recruits to Council this
year and I would like to extend my thanks to those who, after
many years of valued service, have decided to stand down. I
would, as ever, like to encourage all members to get involved
in the running of our club over the coming year. If you have any great ideas
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FOXY TALES MARCH 2014
for what you’d like from your club then don’t be
shy, talk to me or one of the other members of
council and we’ll get it into action.
!
2013 was another successful year for the club,
one in which the council chose to tighten the
financial belt and improve the reserves. I’m
pleased to report that this was successful and
the club is in a position to invest in a number of
capital projects for the coming season which
currently include renovation of the Bates and
significant ground works to mitigate against
future flooding in the camping areas.
!
During 2013 we enjoyed some keenly fought club
racing and another highly profitable Bass Week.
We also ran 3 National Championships with one
of them being won via a “clean sweep of bullets”
by our own Vice Commodore, Mark. Well done
again Mark. We also hosted a number of very
successful open meetings, all leading to us being
seen as one of the leading clubs in the north of
England.
!
Looking forward, I am optimistic that the season
ahead will give us excellent club racing,
combined with a number of successful open and
social events. JD has been working away
through the closed season to put together a great
sailing programme which will see us extend the
Easter weekend to include a race on Good
Friday with camping from the Thursday evening
– our own, internal, mini Bass Week! As ever, we
will be calling on our membership to support our
events and club racing and I hope I can rely on
you to support your council to make them a
success.
!
Last year saw the start of our new style training
programme for juniors and I’d like to thank Neil
and his team for all their hard work teaching our
new sailors and even trekking around the North
Winter Walks
2014
After a few months of not
being in and around the club I
had the pleasure of seeing
some of you at the winter
walks for a trip up Dodd and
then a squelch up Binsey! A
spot of lunch at the club
afterwards, with good
company, catching up on the
craic, reminded me what a
fantastic place our club is to
be…. A beautiful lake, a great
sport, wonderful people and
socials all mixing together to
provide a happy cocktail to
offset any work woes that may
befall Monday to Friday, or
enhance a wonderful prior
week! Come down and enjoy!
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FOXY TALES MARCH 2014
to various youth events with many of them. It will be great to realise the fruit
of these labours during the coming season with a newly invigorated crop of
youngsters (and some not so young!) out on the water. Please get involved
all. It’s a fantastic sport but gets even better when you start competing with
your friends (and dare I say in an ever so competitive and non-PC way…
even beating them!).
!
Wishing you a hugely successful 2014 and hope to see you on the
water……….. If so, please allow me plenty of room as I’ll probably have my
head in the bottom of the boat trying to open the “Jelly Tot bribe” for my
crew!
!
!
Sailing sec’s pre -season gossip
Welcome to the 2014 Sailing Season, hopefully the predictions of a hot and
sunny Summer will be proved correct and the winds will be firm but fair!
Once again the Club is hosting a number of Open Events including the
Flying Fifteen and GP14 Northern Championships, Open meetings for
Asymmetric's, Lasers, Mirrors and Toppers and for the first time we have
been asked to host events for Merlin Rockets, Ospreys, Kestrels and 505s,
all of which have been included in conjunction with Bass Week and the
Fifteen Team Racing. We have tried as far as possible to hold these events
so they have a minimal impact on Club sailors, but if you sail one of these
classes or can borrow one I would encourage you to have a go.
The Club sailing programme has been tinkered with to try and encourage
greater participation. The main changes see the combining of the Mirrors
and Toppers into one fleet competing for the same prizes, numbers in both
fleets were poor last season and this should encourage greater competition.
Hopefully Neil’s excellent training programme will see Topper numbers
increase and Mik’s enthusiasm with the Mirror fleet will see this as a short
term change which can be reversed when numbers improve. Club
Championship Weekend Series will now consist of 5 races with 4 to count,
the 3 races on Sundays will consist of two short races back to back followed
by a lunch break and the final race. This will hopefully lead to more
competitive racing along the lines of Open meetings. Please try and sail in
these events we need our Club Championships to be more competitive. The
long series remain the same but each is only on a Saturday or Sunday, not a
combination of both. The pennants will all be on fleet handicap but split
between mass start and pursuit racing. Fleet Challenges will be run on a
personal handicap pursuit basis, it could more of a challenge for the Race
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FOXY TALES MARCH 2014
officer than the sailors but we will see how it develops. The Night Jar A & B
have been combined into one long series. We have also introduced a Good
Friday Race to encourage you to get your Caravan/Tent pitched early for
Easter.
There are a couple of other events that have been introduced for this
Season.
Firstly we are participating in Bart’s Bash on 21st September at 1100hrs.
This is a worldwide event in memory of Andrew "Bart" Simpson who was a
gold and silver Olympic medallist, an America’s
Cup professional and an all round fantastic man
who was tragically killed in a training accident
on San Francisco Bay in May 2013. Further
details can be found at www.bartsbash.co.uk .
!
Secondly, it has been felt by Council that the
Club has been heavily involved in running
events for others during recent Seasons and
that we should have an event for Club
Members. We have included a "Fun Weekend"
on 12th/13th July when the Sun will shine and
the wind will be a steady force 3/4 Southerly. Camping will be allowed and a
full Social programme organised. There will also be some sailing, including
Topper Mayhem using the Club Boats, Team Racing, Match Racing and I
would encourage all members to come along and participate.
!
Away from Club sailing we will be sending a team to the Southport 24 hour
race after an absence of a number of years, we wish them every success.
There are numerous Open Meetings both locally and nationally that I would
encourage members to participate in, you will have a great time and I can
guarantee your sailing will improve, this also encourages visitors to take part
in our events.
!
Finally please use your Fleet Captains for help and advice and do turn up for
your OD/Rescue duty or arrange a swap, we need members to help out or
racing cannot take place.
!
Have a Great Season!
!4

FOXY TALES MARCH 2014
Subscriptions &
Webcollect
As you may have realised
the club has started using a
new subscription system this
year
called Webcollect.
This system was chosen
because it allows a Direct
Debit system to pay for
subscriptions.
!A t t h e A G M l a s t y e a r
members voted to allow DD
as the preferred method of
p a y m e n t r a t h e r t h a n
standing order. Standing
orders have to be set up
each year by members
sending their standing order
mandate to their bank. This
method was OK but it relied
on members repeating this
process each year.
!
Advantages
With a DD, this process only
needs to be completed once
a n d t h e s y s t e m c a n
automatically process the
DD either monthly or
annually depending on the
choice made. The main
advantage to members and
the administrator of the
membership (me) is that
subs are taken automatically
and less chasing of subs is
required every year.
!The other advantage of
webcollect is that members
have a log on username and
password and can update
their details, address, tel nos
etc. The hope is that social
events will be published for
members to pay, the prize
giving for example.
!
The future
Bass week entries will also
made available via
webcollect and we are
hoping that will ease the
burden of taking Bass week
entries and payments.
!I hope you will use the new
system and together we will
have a more up to date
system that should last the
club well into the future.
Vice commodore’s prep for Bass Week 2014
!
Bass Week 2014 takes place from Saturday 2 to Sunday 10
August and we hope to see more club members at our family
regatta again this year.
!
The Bass Week planning team have already started the
preparations for this year’s event and we are keen to hear of
any suggestions to improve the week for members and visitors
alike.
!
Jonathan Denwood has the sailing programme in hand and
this year we are also holding a Merlin Rocket and Kestrel open
meeting during the week. Mark Ninnim is working hard to
secure sponsorship for the races during the week; Claire
Duncan and her team are busy organising a fun packed social
programme, training plans are being finalised and Mike Cowan
and his team have plans to improve the grounds.
!
Bass Week forms will be on our website shortly and after the
success of the online booking and payment facility last year,
we will be using this again.
!
To take advantage of our early booking discount, you must
book and pay by mid June. Remember that Bassenthwaite
Sailing Club members get another 10% off the total price so
make sure you deduct this from your total entry fees.
As ever, the success of Bass Week relies on club members
helping out before and during the event. We will be having a
working party on Tuesday 29 July 2014 to make the last
preparations in the club house and grounds. Those who help
out at the working party can enjoy the benefit of pitching their
tent or caravan on Thursday 31 July.
!
If you are willing to help during the week with the bar, cleaning,
race office, reception or rescue, please don’t wait to be asked,
make yourself known to the committee chair person.
Remember, many hands make light work and we want
everyone to enjoy the week, so please muck in.
!
If you are unable to take part in Bass Week, it is advisable to
take your boat home (if possible) to make room for visiting
boats. Any boats not entered for the event will be moved into
the back field.
!
We hope that you can join us for Bass Week 2014.
!
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FOXY TALES MARCH 2014
!
Mik’s Mirror Mutterings
It’s strange how Club Fleet numbers vary in cycles lasting for several
seasons. The Fifteens went through a barren patch and last year their
number were such that moorings and on-shore spaces were getting in short
supply. The Geeps also took a dip but numbers are now looking healthy
again.
Last year, after a number of successful seasons, it was the Mirror Fleets turn
to reach a nadir with Pam’s “Bluebell” often being the only red sailed boat on
the water.
To me, the main reason for the lack of enthusiasm in the Class would seem
to be that we are aiming at the wrong market. Clubs with successful Mirror
fleets – and there are many – concentrate on the Mirror being a “starter
boat”. Elsewhere, children are introduced to sailing at an early age either
with two youngsters, be they from the same family or not, team up. Or a
parent and child sail together. The stable Mirror is the ideal dinghy to fulfil
this role.
It’s not unusual with families with several youngsters to own two Mirrors and
I know of a family with three children who race three boats consecutively
with other youngsters crewing. The inter-sibling rivalry seems to drive them
to the front of their home fleet and often leads to entry into the MCA’s zone
and national squads. The aim here is to get them a top result on national, or
even international, events.
Both girls and boys are capable of climbing to the top of the results sheets
but it seems, certainly of late, to be the former who become the successful
ones at a national level and above. It has been suggested that this is due to
boys becoming more adventurous in adolescence and their choosing to
move too rapidly to modern high speed options from RS or wherever. Either
way, by their mid to late teens many of these successful youngsters will
move on to another competitive class leaving an opening for those following
on.
At Bass we have three excellent modern design Training Mirrors and a
policy of letting Members use these on race days at a minimal cost. So the
foundations are there for us to follow suit. It needs parents and our Trainers
to kick start the process.
In the coming season it is very likely that there will be a number of other
Mirrors to race against with Andy, Roy and possibly Robin taking to the
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FOXY TALES MARCH 2014
water with their daughters on a regular basis. Pam is also talking of sailing
with a young relation this season and I would hope to be out single handing
whenever I can.
So, we have the potential to start following the Fifteens and create a
sizeable fleet sailing and competing on a regular basis. As Mirror Fleet
Captain I will offer any new starter help with rigging and tuning and,
wherever possible, make sure there is someone around to give Mirrorspecific
advice. Don’t hesitate to ask! But, do get your youngsters into our
RYA training programme and ask the Trainers to let them learn in one of
Bass’ Mirrors.
!
Mark and Joe at the Endeavour Trophy 2013
!
Getting an invite to the 2013 Endeavour Trophy after winning the 2012 and
2013 RS Vareo National Championship was fantastic!
!
The Endeavour Trophy known as the ‘Champion of Champions’ is an
invitation only event made up of a guest list hand picked from National
Champions of selected fleets.
Choosing a crew for the event was a no
brainer and my old RS 400crew; Joe (Zeffer) Roberts quickly accepted and
even changed his holiday to the Falklands for it.
!
Before the event, Joe and I only had one weekend to practice sailing
together again, so we travelled down to Notts County SC in our newly
acquired RS400. The weekend wasn’t without it faults but we came away
happy with our performance.
!
We arrived at Burnham on Crouch in Essex on the Friday morning ready for
the pre event rigging and racing and to receive our boats. The then
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FOXY TALES MARCH 2014
Endeavour Trophy 5 time’s winner Nick Craig was at the front of the queue
waiting for his sails, maybe that was a hint to his position over the weekend!
!
We spent the morning getting soaked whilst figuring out how to rig a topper
Xenon from scratch. After fine tuning it with some changes identified whilst
strolling by Nick’s boat, we were ready to go.
Following the briefing, we
launched our boats with mast floats as it was so windy and took part in some
small training races whilst being filmed.
!
After the training session was cut short due to too much wind, we were debriefed
on our performances with some good tips to help us race faster and
for coping with the challenges of racing at Burnham on Crouch. Our hosts
for the weekend were later introduced to us and we followed them home
only to find that they had moved into their caravan to let us use their house!
!
Saturday morning arrived and we went on to sail 5 back to back races. The
first 3 races were in a nice steady breeze which suited us and we came
away with some good results. The breeze started to drop in the afternoon
“5 time’s winner
Nick Craig was at
the front of the
queue waiting for
his sails, maybe that
was a hint to his
position over the
weekend!”
so the course was moved closer to the shore to
avoid the strong tide. These conditions weren’t so
favourable for us and like many, we ran aground
whilst hugging the shore to stay in the slack tide.
After the 5 races, we were lying 17 th overnight.
!
On Sunday morning we set out for race 6 in very
wet and windy conditions and were happy with our
best performance so far, finishing in 9 th place.
After a long break waiting for a large barge to pass,
the wind eased and the next 2 races were ran in
quick succession with a couple of good results for us.
!
After completing all 8 races, Joe and I sailed back to the club with a seal
playing in our wake feeling very happy with our weekend’s performance.
This was cut short after we discovered our 9 th position did not count. We
had missed a gate on one of the laps after it had been shortened for the first
time that weekend, resulting in a ‘did not finish’.
!
We finished 20 th overall and were very happy to have had the opportunity to
take part in such a prestigious event and are looking forward to next time!
!
!
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FOXY TALES MARCH 2014
Phil adds another GP14 to the fleet
!
At this years RYA dinghy show sailing club member Phil Hodgkins, was
showing off his brand new GP14.
Phil has been sailing GP14’s
since the age of 11, starting out at
Bassenthwaite sailing club. He
has been racing GP14 at National
and World events ever since,
recently achieving 9th at last
years nationals. With the 2016
worlds in Barbados and his eye
on a top 3 result he has been
working hard to create the
ultimate GP14. Developed in
partnership with local boat builder
Steve Beresford, the hull shape
has been fully optimised using
Computer Aided Design and
tested using the latest in
C o m p u t e r F l u i d D y n a m i c
software. The shape has been
developed to reduce drag and
improve handing. Each hull is
individually manufactured from
high quality FSC approved marine
ply and hardwood timbers. The
boat is bonded together using high
quality epoxy resin to produce a light, stiff and durable racing dinghy. For
accuracy the hull panels are CNC cut and then constructed in a female jig to
ensure a perfect shape every time. The internal layout has been designed to
be sympathetic to the original design, whilst incorporating a modern
elegance.
!
The boat, with its Paintcraft finish, Allen fittings and Seldon spars, was well
received by visitors to the show and members of the GP14 fleet. The boat
looked amazing and the workmanship and attention to detail speaks for
itself. The future of wooden GP14’s is in safe hands. The new boat will be at
many events during the years and is available to interested parties for test
sails. To support his home club Phil is also able to offer a 10% discount on
rope, fittings and repairs and is always willing to offer advice.
!
!
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FOXY TALES MARCH 2014
Love 15 - Graham Kirkpatrick
!
As you may know I have been around at Bass for a long time having sailed
from the age of nine, first in a Cadet dinghy and then graduating to a GP
which I raced regularly until the mid sixties.
!
Before owning a GP I crewed for my good friend Eric Twiname both at the
club and championships around the UK. He was a brilliant sailor who
progressed to writing sailing books including ‘Start to Win’ and racing rules
books. He was a fine pianist, he wrote and produced plays for BBC radio
and ran his own civil engineering and building company as a chartered Civil
Engineer. Sadly no longer with us his legacy lives on in our prize winners list
and the ‘Eric Twiname Trust’ managed by a former member Bruce Aitken.
!
By my late teens my sailing competed with vintage car trials, chasing girls
and jazz clubs. At twenty one, after seeing an attractive girl up to her knees
in mud pushing an Austin Seven, I fell hopelessly & madly, etc. So at the
tender age of twenty two I married that girl who became my much better
half, Judith!
!
Andrea eventually arrived, by coincidence, whilst the club was holding a
spring dinner at the Castle Inn some twenty five miles away. A phone call to
the Castle resulted in Wills mum Florence shouting across the dining room
‘it’s a girl’! Much cheering was heard at my end and so ‘Roger Roger’ was
introduced into the club from day one.
!
The hankering to sail again took hold with holidays and day trips ending up
near water! It was at Bowness on Windermere that it happened! I was
walking through a Shepherds boathouse when I first saw her! I gently
stroked her then felt her wonderful buttocks! I was smitten! I fell hopelessly &
madly all over again! I just had to have her!
!
So at twenty five my love affair with fifteens began and by the following week
my first fifteen had taken to the water at Bass. After her came various
fifteens, several new, and for many years I sailed regularly at the club and at
open meetings around the UK.
!
The fleet grew rapidly to over fifty boats making us for a time the largest UK
fleet. Initially they were moored afloat for the season with around thirty near
the jetty and twenty moored near Dubwath Beck. Those days we all had
dinghies to get to our boats so there were dinghies everywhere. Below the
race office was a very full oar store!
!
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FOXY TALES MARCH 2014
TRAINING
UPDATE
We are a R YA
Champion Club
licensed to provide
Youth and Adult sailing
courses from Start
Sailing to Start Racing,
P o w e r b o a t D r i v e r
courses and First Aid
courses.
!
• These courses are
provided free to
members, though
there may be boat
hire, logbooks or
course books to buy.
!
• If you are interested
in taking part in
these courses please
contact :
neil.garrison@btinter
net.com.
!
LASER FLEET
NEWS
Neil is kindly running
Laser ‘Masterclasses’
on a Thursday evening
in the clubhouse.
!
Sessions include:
!
• Boat preparation
• Starting
• Upwind & Downwind
techinque
• Tactics and Rules
!
If you are interested in
coming along please
contact Neil as above.
!
BOATS /
GROUNDS
UPKEEP
P h i l , To g & t h e i r
teams have been
working hard over
the winter preparing
for the new season.
The main work has
included replacing
the balcony on the
race office. If you
have any free time
and can help out
during the season
then please
approach Phil or
Mike Cowan.
By the eighties dry sailing was the norm so fifteens were
kept ashore making them easier to maintain and remain
more competitive. We ‘fifteeners' created a fund for a dory
and a ferrying service was started between races. Thus the
club site became less cluttered as dinghies were no longer
needed.
!
My love affair with fifteens continued until the late nineties
by which time fleet numbers were declining and the
attraction had begun to wane. A hankering to own a sea
going boat became stronger and so I sold my ninth fifteen
to buy a 30ft yacht. She also had good lines and firm
buttocks! Similar in many ways to a fifteen but with a roof
and, Herb, a cooker! Happy times were spent sailing her
around the western isles.
!
But the hankering to sail again at Bass returned and so a
tenth fifteen was bought, an old classic, which I share with
Alan. We just had to have a boat to play with to keep our
hand in so to speak. It’s simply more fun being on the
water than just watching! This coincided with an upturn in
the fleet with past helms buying fifteens again, others
joining the fleet and boat numbers taking to the water
increasing.
!
After a few years I was again racing regularly and thinking
of yet another boat. Hearing of a little used fifteen nearby
carefully stored for years I had to see her before someone
else did. Quickly buying her, my eleventh fifteen appeared
at the club. Being an early Ovington 9 her buttocks are
bumpy but she is quick when pointed in the right direction!
!
And so my love of fifteens is as strong as ever although I
have to admit it is harder for me to get my leg over the side
nowadays. But there was hope as Mike has a folding
ladder and I saw how easy it was for him to get his leg over
nowadays. I must have one for the start of the season!
!
With a new ladder I intend to race most weekends,
Thursday nights and do some open meetings. Regaining
the bug I want to race regularly again. But the attraction is
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FOXY TALES MARCH 2014
CLAIRE’S
SOCIALS
We are fortunate this
year to have 4 nights
of camping over the
Easter break and I
have a wine tasting
quiz lined up for the
Friday to start the
weekend off.
!
On Saturday we are
having a bring and
eat (anything goes!)
followed by a Mr &
Mrs Quiz so please
make sure you sign
yourselves up. On
Easter Sunday we
will be having the
traditional egg hunt
and egg dump. In
the evening we will
be having a belated
St Patrick’s night –
unusual but it will be
fun! The dress code
is to wear something
green and I will try
my best to ensure
the Guinness is on!
!O n M a y b a n k
holidays we have a
variety of activities.
We are having a
racing tactics and
pizza night as well as
a party night (think
dancing, party games
etc). The second
balk holiday will be a
W o r l d W a r O n e
commemorative
weekend with fancy
dress, ration food
bring and eat (will
have to think about
that!) hi-tea after
sailing and a good
old quiz.
not all about sailing. It is being part of such a brilliant club
with great members. Simply put it is just great being part of
a big like minded family!
!
The moral of this story is that Fifteens are terrific boats to
sail appealing to young and old alike. Looking good on and
off the water they are exhilarating to sail. Surprisingly fast
in light airs they excel in a breeze. Like many things in life
the more effort you put into them the more rewarding they
are to sail. With such good lines older fifteens can give new
ones a run for their money! A newish boat is not essential
as you can for little money buy an older boat that can still
offer exhilarating competitive sailing.
!
I want others to have a chance to enjoy a great boat so if
you are interested I can organise a taster session. Please
contact me or any fifteener if you fancy having a go. Ask for
me at the club, ring or email me. Or hover around us when
we are rigging our boats for a chat. You’ll be welcome. And
as you pass a fifteen just take a good long close look at her
and you may just be smitten as I was many years ago!!
!
(NB ‘Buttocks’ is a nautical word referring to the underwater
profile of a yacht!!!)
!
Boat Maintenance - Neil Garrison
!
This winter Bassenthwaite Lake has not risen to the same
level as it did in November 2009, however, the amount of
damage that the small flood and hurricane force winds
have done to the boats left at the sailing club over the
winter is probably similar.
It really surprises me that members spend thousands of
pounds on sailing boats and then simply forget about them
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FOXY TALES MARCH 2014
over the winter. A little effort and small storage fee could see these boats
safe and sound.
I am perhaps lucky that I have a house with a
garage and large sheltered garden to store my
boats but I have seen and tried several other
ways to look after your boat.
In the times when all sailing dinghies were made
of wood sailing clubs used to let members store
boats inside the clubhouse or stacked up inside
outbuildings, like the boathouse. Alan Jones has
this winter somehow got his laser inside our
club. Most people used to take their boats home
to store in a sheltered spot in their garden.
Although you could not protect from frost,
putting the boat upside down on a few bricks
allowed ventilation and putting the cover over
the top kept most of the wet out, so you could
expect to find an undamaged boat in the spring.
Now that my boats are all glass fibre I have much less worry about frost and
I don’t even mind a little water inside, but I still put plywood sheeting or poles
under the cover so that water does not puddle, causing the cover to collapse
and I regularly check to see they are emptied of water.
You will have noticed that most cars nowadays are far larger than garages.
This provides the ideal home for your boat, unless the garage is only built for
an Austin 7 or old mini I have also seen some complex systems for raising
boats into the roof space above cars and wedges to hold them up.
A few weeks ago I visited a huge hen house on Caldbeck Common, used by
many members, and I think that this could be a future winter residence for
my boats. The charge at £5 per week per boat is negotiable if you have
many boats .
During the sailing season I see several other ways that members are risking
their boats;-
(a) The most important thing is to make sure that your boat will not blow
over, damaging your boat and others around it. The club provides tie
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FOXY TALES MARCH 2014
downs at each side of a berth . This must be securely tied to the mast to
provide good security. If the rope is not square to the mast the boat can
move, loosening the rope and allowing your boat to turn over. Securing
the bow to a tree or stake will also prevent your boat twisting out of its
main tie down.
(b) The lake level can rise very quickly after heavy rain, resulting in the
boats closest to the lake floating away to the other side of the lake and
getting damaged on barbed wire, even if it is securely attached to its
trolley and trailer. If your boat is on the bottom row I suggest that you
look regularly at the web cam on the club web site or environment flood
warnings. The club grounds seem to flood 24 hours after the Keswick
Caravan site flood warning is issued.
(c) Put your sails up just before going out to a race and take your sails
down between races and roll them up. Even on very calm days we get
gusts from different directions that can pick up a boat with its sails up
and cause significant damage.
(d) I am aware that sailing in very strong winds gives sailors a high dose of
the drug adrenaline and this is fun. We should however be aware that
this is when most damage happens to masts, fittings and sails. The
strains on masts and sails during huge rainy gusts are well in excess of
the design strengths and it is no surprise that sometimes breakages
happen. As prudent sailors we should be aware of the strength of our
boats and our abilities. At sea pushing a boat or crew beyond its
capabilities often ends in disaster. We should learn from this.
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Most boat trolleys and trailers come from the factory in a silver/grey metallic
finish and they almost all look the same. It is therefore no surprise that the
kids sometimes pick the wrong trolley to put their topper on.
In order to try and make it easier to identify the training trolleys I last year
painted all the trolleys black with red and white stripes. It would be good if
other members put a pit of different coloured paint on their trolleys and
trailers. This might avoid other people accidentally borrowing your trolley.
Putting the class and sail number and telephone number would also help. I
notice that one laser trolley is painted in fluorescent orange paint . If you go
to some of the larger open events with 100 plus boats you will find that
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FOXY TALES MARCH 2014
competitors will try lots of different ways to recognise their trolley/trailer.
Some even paint the standard red plastic wheel s different colours. During
the NSSA one Laser trolley even had a bunch of plastic flowers tied to it.
The benefits of painting your trolley and trailer are simple. It makes it easier
to find, and it makes it last longer.
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Need some further advice on boat upkeep this Winter? Then look no further
than our Bass process map courtesy of Ian Campbell:
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FOXY TALES MARCH 2014
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Start as you mean to go on
Don’t forget the rigging and tuning day is Saturday 23rd March
2014 followed by the beginning of the racing season the next
day with the Starters Prize.
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Come and find us, follow us and like us…..
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https://www.facebook.com/groups/193131860889503/
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@BassSailingClub
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Check out our website: http://www.bassenthwaite-sc.org.uk!
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The next edition of Foxy Tales is due to be published in July, so
please let send any articles/news etc to Robin Dawson -
robbid@hotmail.co.uk by the 15 June 2014
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