First Race starts (not before 12:30hrs) Sat 20th March @ Datchet
Just think in two weeks the temp could be as high as 10deg C and the wind chill above 0deg C.
Can't wait.
http://www.dwsc.co.uk/cat_fleet.html
http://www.dwsc.co.uk/page75.html

Great! Enjoy the first sail!

Don't forget the F16 events calender...

Sorry guys; I'm working and also broken at the mo...

Have fun!

Guys, I'm flying very early Sunday 21st for a bit of ski-ing so will only be able to fit in the Saturday and a few beers after if work commitments will allow.

Wayne

Lucky boy; where are you going?

St Anton, Austria. Its been about 30 years since I was there last, so should be interesting. Understand it has become a bit of a party town and expensive - ish. Its a lads trip of 8 so should be fun.

St. Anton is heaven. Probs my Fav resort! Loads of good skiing; go to Rendle if it's crappy conditions and the new Galzig Bahn is a thing of marvel!

Let me know if you want some good info; been about 7 times - love the place!

Hi,

Planning to be there. Just looking at accomodation options. Is thee any camping on site this year?

John

Hey John. There is always camping space at Datchet for open events. See you there.

I just realized that the six nations France-England game is that Saturday evening @19:45. I supposed we'll watch this on the big screen at the club...

I'll bring my french flag, 'cause England is going down!

Too right Pepin, the poms are going to get whipped. I am going to enjoy watching that! The lions teams seem to have gone backwards while France just keep flying. They should be playing in a 5 nations with NZ, Aus, SA and Arg. That's a five nations I'd pay to see.

On the TT, I'm hoping to make some UK regattas this year, should be at the ECPR as it coincides with a trip I've got to make to UK anyway. I'm keen on long distance, but in general will only make weekend regattas.

Any others that will have a few F16s at?

There is a TT program on the formula16.net forum.

Have just phoned the club and they confirmed that we can camp should we be mad enough.

MP, could you let me have the dates of the Mumbles events this year, hoping to make more of an effort this year? Thanks.

Will I recognise you GBR6, it's been a long time.
Here is a list of key dates;
May 22nd-23rd Gower Challenge, medium distance race (24 miles min-40 miles max depending on conditions) on Sat followed by 3 round can races Sun.
June 19th-20th Welsh Cat Champs and F16 TT
July 31st-Aug 3rd Mumbles Week
BCYC Pursuit Race TBC it'll be a Sat midday start for the Opi's and mid afternoon start for the F's and T'S, Club racing on the Sunday.

You'll recognise us Mark, our sterns still look the same....
Thanks for the info.
Actually helped pull a F16 out of the water at Datchet the other weekend (Pepins?), bit blooming light, has the class ever thought of making them heavier? Sorry, I'll get me coat.

If it was during the WWU, yeah, it was me. I was the only F16 there... I haven't sailed since then however.

Next time I'll bring some lead to make you work more.

Pepin - you're too kind sir!
MP, Gower challenge looks like a possible maybe. Hopefully catch up at the weekend.

I'll be there, question is which do I race F16 or A'Class. I haven't been on the 16 since last October but really missed the Spi yesterday, got a right kicking from a F18 on every downwind leg to the extent that I just have to have a dose of fly the Spi medicine.

If you know of any F16 in need of a lightweight crew (maddison jnr) give me a shout. We can discuss the Glaws/Blues result in the bar.....

I Might be after one for the Piers Race depending on how well my recovery goes. I have set myself some tests before I will sail single handed in "open water" and I'll know more in a month or so; ECPR is last weekend in June this year (I think)....

Anyone got any results yet?

On Saturday the first race was *windy*, perfect time to get to grip with a brand new main sail that was delivered to me two hours before the start (that's ironic BTW...). Race 2 to 4 were with patchy wind, with gusts galore. One moment you are on the trapeze trying to hold the boat down, and then, as suddenly as it started you are teabagging.

On Sunday the day started by a long postponement for lack of wind, but we were able to sail two races in the afternoon in medium wind, enough to lift a hull downwind, but not enough to trapeze upwind.

Only six F16 showed up: Chris and Georgina on a Viper, Paul solo on his brand new Falcon, Mark came all the way from Wales and John from Rutland, both on Stealth F16. Of the 10 F16 in the club parking lot only two showed up, Pete and I, Pete on yet another Stealth F16. I'm going to have words with the slacking club members...

Paul missed the first race as he was not fully rigged yet, and then abandoned the second and subsequent races because his trampoline got out of the beam track. John was hit by an A-Class on the start of race 1 and had to go ashore to tape the holes but he came back for race 2. Something happened to Chris and Georgina as well in the first race: I saw them on the start line, but spotted them ashore later on.

In race 3 Mark missed a mark (sic) and retired, while I just quit in race 4 as I was running dead last at the first windward buoy by a mile and figured out it was a good plan to beat everyone to the bar instead (priorities!).

Pete, Mark and John decided to start packing at noon on Sunday after waiting three hours for the postponement flag to come down, so they missed the two Sunday races. I can't really blame them, I almost did it myself.

In the end Chris was way faster than any other boat, always finishing before the spitfires which started 5 minutes before us and beating the A class sharing our start (which are Not slouch sailors themselves). The results speak for themselves: Five bullets. Definitely a better sailor than the rest of us...

The results are now on line.

Missed you last weekend ,even though I only completed 3 races after taking an ilegal shortcut in another race I had a great time. The PRO (Barry, a Dart 18 racer) did a first class job on Saturday and was extremely keen to get 4 races in, to the extent that both the Spitfires and Handicap classes were started before the 18's had completed their race. He also probably made the correct decision on Sunday but after waiting 2hrs from the scheduled start time my patience had run out and I decided to go home. This was shortly before the AP came down. I managed to get home by 16:30 so gained a few brownie points....... Not as many as you I would guess.
Hope to catch up with you soon, Bala is out of the question for me so I might see you at Rutland!!

Picture of my new sail, on Sunday morning:

I watched from the shore, and I don't think you missed a lot. I think the wind finally kicked in as the last few boats came ashore - typical.

What's happening at Bala?

Paul

Pics from the event. The photographer was here only on Sunday so a lot of low wind for the first race and a little bit more for the second.

Some extracts:


Chris and Georgina happy to finish first, again.


Yours truly chasing the pack of Spitfire (they started 5 minutes before us). I had to yell to get mark room... Those kids, no respect for their elders

I like this one too: look the reservoir is on an incline so I had to fly a hull to stay flat

Hi Paul
Bala consists of a three day Event; http://www.balacatamaranclub.org.uk/Sailing__Events_2010/Bala_Open_2010/bala_open_2010.htm
I guess you could say Bala is the Welsh equivalent of Garda only better.

If you Open the Bala SC Gallery page there is a Photo of a Stealth with a GP Main. Who is this person, is their sail No 551 or 561? I guess it has to be 551

561 - there's a couple more photos in the 2009 Open gallery. Sailing 2-up with a full set of GPs by the look of it.

Paul

Sounds interesting - we're thinking about trying to make it to this. Hopefully Bala 1st May, Rutland 15th and Gower Challenge on the 22nd. Should be a good month

Paul