**** Out-of-luck.... <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif" alt="" />

So what about the other events? Thoughts on the ones we had? Any you'd like instead/as well? What are people's views?

I think we had a pretty good set this year. The only one that didn't work so well was ECPR due to the fact that we split between the long and short races, and due to mixed attendance of the first day. It's a great race and I'd like to do it again next year, but perhaps not as part of the TT series.

As for other venues, Alan and Jan expressed some interest in having us at their club - is there an open we can tag on to?

How about another south coast event? Perhaps the Stokes Bay open? I think the Solent is about as close as we can get to being equally (in)convenient for most of the circus.

Paul

If you really want a MAD weekend you can't go far wrong attending a Tresaith Open (See link below) Theres a beautiful beach, 1 shop, 1 pub and 1 campsite but usually they erect a marquee on the beach for their bigger events. I think that the logistics would be a problem for some but those who made the effort would not be disappionted. It's also their 20th Annversary next year. Hurricanes and GP14's have held succesful TT's there.
http://www.tresaithmarinerssc.co.uk/tresaith/index.htm

P.S Tresiath 2002, spot the odd one out.

Ah yes <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" /> At first I thought you were referring to the poor sod who seems to be a little behind in rigging his boat...

Sounds like a great spot - I'm game.

Paul

Paul, have you checked out where it is on a map yet? As you can see from their web site they're a few years behind the normal world. Also, in true Circus Style you do any penalty turns at the Bar afterwards!

Looks like a bit of a drive, but as long as the bar's still open when I get there, we'll cope. I've done Pwllheli before and that was well worth the drive.

Paul

Hi John. Firstly, you would have probably struggled a bit at Grafham with your son crewing on the Saturday as your weather prediction was about right. Sunday was the chalk and cheese, not really enough wind!! Anyway, here are my thoughts for next years events: May, Mumbles Nations Cup & TT. June, Coppet Hall, Saundersfoot staying at the Pierce's Big Top, TT?. Aug/Sept, Weymouth/South Coast TT. Sept. Datchet, F16 Inland Nationals & TT. Oct, Grafham TT. Isle of Sheppy TBC
The only slight problem with the above is that most Clubs have already planned their event programme for next year so we will have to tag onto an Open. i.e Weymouth and Isle of Sheppy. But this shouldn't be a problem and is often enlightening. I know this is going to be premerture but in 2008 we should try and organise an event North of the Border so my Celtic cousins don't feel too left out.

OK, how about this (BTW looks like I may be collecting the new ship around 9th Nov from JP's)

May: Mumbles sounds good (will have to work on a pass)
June: I'll try but we are real busy already
July: ECPR ? problem would be that we all need to sail the same course, and I enjoy the challenge of the full course - Not sure everyone does.....
Aug / Sept: OK, but can t be outside the School holidays as the SC is a madhouse during (so late Sept would be good). (I always struggle getting sailing in in Sept as wedding anniv is the 5th and Wife's birthday is the 17th.

Inlands at Datchet sounds good, leaves the Grafham cat open for people to sail in the HCap fleet or do the single handed champs (that will happen again next year at the open we hope).

Another thing, if we made the inlands a week or two before the Grafham open, for those that are travelling from the north, I am sure I could sweet-talk Grafham into letting you drop your boats off on the way past for the Cat open. (I would have to check, but I am sure something could be arranged).

Sounds like a good set of races, but we might want to remove Grafham from the points series because if we end up split across fleets scoring will be a pain. On the other hand, based on this year, racing 2-up probably isn't worthwhile - the fast handicap fleet consisted of 1 tornado, so maybe we could just take the TT score from the singlehand event? It's certainly a great event to do, whether we score it or not.

I enjoyed Eastbourne a lot this year - anyone fancy that again?

Paul

If the single handed F16's wanted to sail in the Fast Hcap, that would not be a problem for the club (might be for the OOD as it will confuse things).

I, and it is a bif IF, there were more F16's than F18's Spitfires or Hurricanes, then there would be a VERY strong argument putting the F16's on their own start. We would need 20 (probably) who wanted to sail together to make that happen (and less Spitfire/F18/Hurricane).

Or make Grafham the F16 single handed Nats. (yes, I know it's not really the done thing, but the Dart 18's do it). (Runs for cover.....)

I've put up a draft list of events on the website http://www.formula16.org/content/view/35/53/lang,en/. The two big questions are:

1. John - can we do something near the Big Top in June?

2. Which south coast event(s)? I think this comes down to which date fits around Zandvoort and the other events. Based on this year, Eastbourne was the end of July, Stokes Bay was beginning of September, not sure about Weymouth.

Paul

Hey guys, why do we have to depend on a club, why not just choose a beach, turn up on mass, sail, party, camp, sail and then go home. John would supply the committee boat / s if we have to one or two of us can miss a race or two to be safety cover, use small inflatiable buoys as markers, what a load of fun 20 boats ( if you include the FX1's and A's ) could have and we get to cherry pick the best beachs. The only downside is if the weather goes pair shaped but if we pick the date we can get usually get good weather. The upside is that everyone works together, sails together, parties together and those to me are the best most memoriable weekends.