F 16 race training/ coaching

I will be running 2 coaching weekends at Datchet Water Sailing Club in April (1st-2nd and 8th-9th)

All f16's are welcome, Jonny Foreigners as well, there is no charge for the weekends except for Datchet's standard day sailing charge.

The coaching will be primarily aimed at:

Speed
Starting/ mark rounding techniques
Boat on boat tactics

Please let me know if you would like to attend

It's really good of you to be prepared to organise an event like this, John - Thankyou!

I'll be there, but will there be any water???

Full to the brim at the moment but April is a long way off with all those water guzzling Londoners doing their best to drink it dry.

Spoke to John P today. It looks like we could have 6 or 8 boats for each training weekend.

There is a rumour that we might have a bright, shiny Blade out to play - any truth in that Paul?

Well, there's certainly a Blade on its way, but I don't think it'll be in the UK by those dates

I should be at the Datchet events on my current boat, and hopefully with the Blade at Mumbles

Paul

Speaking of improving, I will be doing one of my Sailing Seminars for cats Apr 23-28 here in Key Largo.
We have been doing these since 1989 and have graduated over 3000 sailors.., most of whom are usually in the winner's circle.
The first year we did our seminars there were 17 students. Of those, 15 have won at least a national championships and one an Olympic Medal.
Same program we used to work with Tornado sailors for 1992 and of those there are 8 Olympic Medal holders from around the world.
Great program from Novice to Expert. Most experts are amazed at how much they do NOT know.
Take a look at the website at www.sailingseminars.com
Your learning curve will go right off the top of the chart.
Rick

Bump,

With all the attention for the gulfport regatta, we musn't let the coaching weekends of the John Pierce and the UK F16's be overshadowed.

So everybody : april 1st-2nd and 8th-9th, Datchet UK. Free coaching by a former UK olympic Tornado squad member

Wouter

Datchet is full to the brim so the training weekends should be an event not to miss. If accommodation is needed let me know and we can sort you out between the locals!

How many boats are we expecting to turn up for these weekends guys?

I'll be there one-up for the first weekend and then with my 12 year old son crewing for the second weekend.

The weather forecast looks reasonable but with showers. I take it that the water will be &*?@^% cold so it's a drysuit job?

I plan on arriving around 9:00am on Saturday morning - will the club be open at that time?

What's the deal with the club? Do we individually buy a day ticket on arrival to use the facilities? Or has anything been organised 'groupwise'?

John ( and all visitors)

We dont know the exact number for training but would keep the groups to 6 boats.

The water is heated at Datchet so bring your speedos. Dry suits are allowed for woosies.

Datchet is full up to the brim.

The club will be open before 9 with bacon sarnies.

Day sailing tickets are needed (includes use of a club rib)and if we use loads of fuel then we will contribute to that as an extra.
Saturday evening we will hit Windsor for food and a live band at Windsor Arts centre.

Look forward to a good weekend.

David

I am planning to come and have a look on Saturday. Never seen a Stealth and interested to compare it to the Taipan and Blade.

Just arrived in the UK and interested to get sailing soon. Don't like the water temperature though. Spent a couple of months in Singapore and got used to shirt and shorts and still being too hot. Though if someone wants a crew then I can sail, but they also need to provide a dry suit! No gear as yet for me.

To get there by public transport, currently in Earls Court. Believe getting the train from Waterloo station and getting off at Datchet best option for me? Are there better alternatives?

Thanks
JC

Try to hook up with John Alani.

He is without crew for this event and should be able to take you along for the whole ride.

Wouter

JC,

Datchet station is not walking distance to the sailing club. (approx 3 miles) If you get there early enough, before 10.00 we could collect you from Datchet station. After then we will probably be getting on the water. My mobile number is 07711 269622 or the saiing club is 01753 683872. The Fohn wind wil be bringing warm rain so we shouldn't get too cold!

Regards,

David

Thanks for the day guys. Good to put faces to names. Keen now to go and buy some sailing gear so I can sail. Though the water temp is ridiculously cold, but I had better get used to it.

Have some photos to upload, but the Internet cafe I am in has some system issues so need to find another one on another day.

Have a very good shot of John Alani doing a massive nosedive which led to a big capsize. I was helping on the rescue boat and we had to pick him up and take him back to his boat.

JC

It's the South of England - it never gets cold down there...Now the Firth of Forth, that gets cold. Not that there was much propsect of capsizing into it today once the wind disappeared half way up the first beat.....

Nice to meet you James. Glad you enjoyed the day despite the weather.

Soon as you've got your gear and can get out to Datchet, give Dave a call and I'm sure he'll try to sort you out a proper ride.

Cannot wait !

I can !

So it was a good one then !

Right up to the front beam and John spat off the back like a catapult all in about 2 nano seconds, quite spectacular.

Is this at all possible with the T-foils ?

What happened to cause this ?

Wouter

The Stealth with T Foil rudders is VERY tolerant of gusts downwind and will accelerate very quickly without burying the bow. BUT, when (if?) the T foils let go, they let go with no warning at all!!!

This particular capsize happened because I was already dealing with quite a large gust when I got hit by a further gust and didn't react quickly enough with dumping the kite. The rudders must have already been very close to their limit of grip on the water...............

John was really pushing things in about 20 knots of wind when a bigger squall hit him. One hull / rudder was already out of the water so the loading on the one hull via the foward drag of the spinnaker, was too much for the bouancy of the hull which promptly submerged virtually the whole hull. 20 knots of momentum slowing to a vitual stop in a few seconds means only one thing. No T foil would have prevented that capsize.

taipanfc

If you cannot find anywhere to upload the images, email them to me at scooby_simon (at) ntlworld.com and I'll put them somewhere for now and link them into a thread.

(10 meg at one time please)

You guys can also upload directly to out F16 gallery, the folder has already been made.

http://f16.beasts.org/gallery2/main...amp;g2_itemId=499&g2_navId=xcfd5792e

You can ask Paul Warren to give you an upload account and just do it. No need to downgrade to lower resolution or make thumbnails. Software will do that; it has already been configured. Afterwards I can fine-tune it so no need to worry about that either.

Wouter