Reports

Sheppey time 2012 !

One of my favourite venues – Isle of Sheppey Sailing Club. An ISO event. And windy !

Like a lot of events with many classes in the last couple of years, the turnout was low. Just three ISOs, a Buzz and interestingly, an Alto.

Saturday was blowing the proverbial old boots. F6 gusting F7 - at which racing was abandoned.

Bob and Gary in ISO 814 decided to give it a crack and went screaming off in a cloud of spray. Beating upwind, bore away big time and popped the kite. Big gust hit with some massive acceleration toppling the crew, slicing upwind and a big splash……….. Boat back upright and some more 2 sail reaching followed by another couple of swims and in we came. Enough fun for one day !

Essex Yacht Club ISO Open Meeting, 19th/20th May 2012

Travelling Adventures by Ali the Crew

Stick and I set off from Winchester at 7.30am, we arrived at the Wharf in Leigh on Sea at 10 and walked along the seafront path to the Essex Yacht Club to sign in for the ISO Open Meeting. In total there were six ISOs prepared to sail. We walked back to Serenity, rigged then dashed back to the clubhouse on HMS Wilton to change. We missed the race briefing.

ISO 2012 - when the going gets tough, the ISO gets going !!

2011 was a great Dinghy Show for us but a dog of a year for all classes with recession, cost of fuel, earthquakes, nuclear reactors, Tsunamis and just top it out, the Euro crisis made beer at the Open de France astronomical !! Mon Dieu ! But the ISOs were there. (well done again Dave & Rachel - Euro Champs 2011).

However, all that is now behind us and it is now 2012. London Olympic Year, loads going on at the UK's Mecca of sailing, Weymouth, loads more going on in Stratford, which has been transformed from a gloomy dump of a wasteland into an area of beauty, sport - and yes even the odd bit of politics.

2011 ISO Europeans, Quiberon, France.

Going to an ISO Europcup: because we went with two boats from the Netherlands we drove together with a trailer with 2 boats on it, when we were leaving I posted a tweet where is said: sailing Europeans you take a totally full Renault espace 2 boats, 3 masts, 3 booms, 3 daggerboards, 3 rudders, 5 gennakers, 3 jibs and 3 mainsails. It was for us almost 15 hours to drive to get to Quiberon.

Essex ISO Open

Calling all ISO crews, if your helm should read this and start moaning please defend my efforts and perhaps sympathise. I was talking to Juliette Daniels the other weekend and she was agreeing with me that if we should ever be asked to do the race report we would have no idea what to put because we have little idea of what other boats are doing. Unfortunately Sticky, who was supposed to write the report, has gone to Bangalore for two weeks and apparently is snowed under with work, he gave me such a sob story that I've been made to feel guilty and offer to write something. I have said I will as long as he doesn't alter or amend it although he is allowed to add something at the end.

Read more: Essex ISO Open

Italian Nationals 2011

We decided to have our nationals this year on Lake Como, home of the italian Laser 4000 fleet, really interesting place wher to sail with conditions that closely math the one of Malcesine (strong wind in the afternoon).
It was a challenge for the class because the iso class there is just starting, but the response was quite good, with 10 isos on the start line (john Mater representing UK with 1179).
5 races, Sun (I had my face and arms burned), winds in the range of 15-18 kts, good hospitality, it is worth having a thought about possible future international event...

Bexhill Asymmetric Open Meeting - Sunday 5th June 2011

Serenity, Sticky and Miss Revitt traveled to Bexhill SC to their Asymmetric open meeting. With no sailing on the Saturday, we made a leisurely, 11am start and took the A27 along the south coast. Bexhill is an Edwardian Seaside town on the Eastern region of the South coast. We arrived around 14.30 and as we wheeled the boat down the ramp from the promenade we were greeted by some of the local sailors who helped us pull the boat to a spot amongst the club boats on the beach.

28th - Long distance Race

On Saturday the intention was to race to Lymington and back however, with 25+ knots and wind against tide, it was decided to moderate ambition. Instead Cousin Trestec, Pink Poup, Serenity and a club Kestrel attempted a long windward/leeward course to a fixed mark. Bob and Gary in Cousin Trestec didn't make the start after getting splashed and losing all visibility due to spectacle malfunction. With greater experience of sea sailing Pink Poup and Serenity made it up the beat.

ISO/ Buzz Easter Eggon – KGSC - 9th / 10th April 2011

The forecast was for very light airs, which we assume accounted for the low turn out for the first event of the season. But would it be a low weekend ?

The promised KGSC welcome took shape with teas, coffees and the bacon butties without which no sailing event would be complete ! Things were already on the right track.

The inland airs strengthened with the rising sun. Clear blue skies and a good F2 Easterly awaited the competitors. Did I say good ? KGSC on Easterlies – famously shifty !!