Sport Nationals

[Bob Carter]

Hi,
I hear that there are still a few rooms free accommodation for sailors taking part in the Sport Nationals at Instow next weekend. So if you are interested give Keith Heason a call. The full programme is as follows:

Sprint 15 Sport Nationals @ NDYC
Programme

Thursday 26th June 2008

17.00 – 21.00 Club Open for registration, meet & greet


Friday 27th June 2008 (HW 12.44)

07.30 – 08.30 Club Open for breakfast & registration
09.00 Official Race briefing at club
11.00 1ST Race. Race 2 ASAP after Race 1
19.00 BBQ - with “Exmoor Border Morris Men”
Extra tickets £5.00


Saturday 28th June 2008 (HW 13.50)

08.00 – 09.00 Club Open for breakfast
10.00 Race briefing at club
12.30 3RD Race. Race 4 ASAP after race 3
19.00 3 Course Dinner at NDYC
Menu
· Starter – Field Mushrooms with Goats Cheese
· Main – Salmon with New potatoes & Fresh Veg
OR Vegetable Lasagne with seasonal leaves
· Dessert – Cold Desserts

Extra Tickets £10.00
Entertainment & speeches provided by Sailors


Sunday 29th June 2008 (HW 15.00)

09.00 Club Open for breakfast
11.00 Race Briefing at Club
13.00 5Th Race. Race 6 ASAP after race 5
15.00 – 15.30 Prize Giving & Farewells


For further details please contact
Keith Heason on 0772- 395-9894 or 01271 861047

[Bob Carter]

PS If you need some spares from Windsport you could get Brian to bring them and save the postage.

[George Stephen]

As I do, I made a late decision to go to the Sport Nationals at NDYC Instow. I got the last free bed on the Wednesday morning, in the lovely home of Dave and Marilyn Warren. They also put up another 2 sailors, whose performance in the bar was as high as their top class sailing results (2nd and 4th), but their orienteering in the small hours proved less successful, with a 4 mile detour one night.... quite sobering! But they still got to bed earlier than one of them had when he arrived in the early hours of the Friday morning - I doubt he'll ever again rely on a lift from the Class Chairman!

As usual NDYC were the perfect hosts, just like the members and their wives who provided the free beds for the weekend. We said our thanks at the time, but I want to echo our thanks to the galley slaves (excellent food and service for 60 people - taken in their stride!), to the bartenders, to the safety boat team (not forgetting the bosun and his team whose unseen work meant that all the safety gear was in the good order needed in the conditions), to the Race Officer and his team (especially the beachmaster who made every effort to ensure that no-one forgot to tally on and off, but there were still contributors to the RYA...), and to all those who were also involved in the planning and preparation - especially Keith Heason and Tony Pratt.

But their perfection as hosts came in the form of laying on strong breezes for Friday and Sunday, and just a bit less strong on Saturday. It was fantastic sailing for all who could manage it. If you didn't go, you missed one of the best ever Nationals, and you'll have to put up with those who did go talking about it for years to come!

In this latter respect I think James Hurst, a novice Grafham sailor who seemed to have a permanent ear to ear grin, has top bragging rights. He achieved his excellent result on an old Spark that had sufferred from some earlier years ownership by a then novice sailor who still doesn't believe in preventative maintenance (otherwise known as checking the gear for signs of failure and replacing it before it fails in a race). Yes that previous owner is that man who always says that you should carry on board a few bits and pieces so that you can make running repairs, and have some more in the trailer box or car. Now we all know why given his reluctance to spend a tenner on a replacement main-sheet cleat that was clearly a gonner from being left sandy and salty! If Nick still has that cleat block, I'll show him how to bodge a repair for the occasions when neither Steve Sawford nor Brian Phipps is at the event!!!

I have to confess to retiring from both races on the Sunday - I'm clearly past my prime. But I have managed to avoid tearing the dodgy muscle in my dodgy shoulder again, it just kept me awake driving home last night!

[Peter Lytton]

I think George has done an excellent job, penning a witty summary of what was an excellent event- even if I did also retire from the Sunday to conserve the repair on my elbow. (I also suffered on the drive home)
All too often at events, it is as if the club want your money, and don't want to do a lot for it. Not so at NDYC- Breakfast, Lunch and evening meals all catered for, not forgetting entertainment and free T shirt. Free accomodation, plenty of breeze, cheap beer- what more can you want?

I just wish I was under 23 in full time education (in more ways than one).

[Robert]

I would like to endorse everything that both George and Peter have written. This was the best event I have ever attended. I can't remember any better sailing, even though I decided early on Sunday that it would be unwise for me to try and do more. I shall look back on this one as a benchmark.

Thanks very much to Keith and his fellow workers, especially regarding the free accommodation initiative which helped me out enormously. If this practice were extended to other events I think that we would have even more attendances than at present.

[robinl]

Its worth repeating myself. A brilliantly run event. Lots of fun was had.

Thanks

Robin

[Robin Newbold]

It was an excellent event. I was pleased to see so many new Sprint 15 helm's too. Sulking, having retired from the last race and heading in, I was pleased to see my Am; Eric Evans (1888) had taken advice and was still battling away around the course, with no tiller extension, which had snapped after ignoring my first piece of advice: DON'T CAPSIZE.

Also I would like to thank Lila and Barry for letting Robert, Peter and myself stay in their house throughout the weekend.

I will remember this event for a long time, or at least as long as it takes to get the sand out of my clothes, sailing kit and anywhere else it managed to find its way into.

[Gordon]

I just wish to add my thanks to every one at North Devon YC for putting on the outstanding Sport Nationals.
Everything was brilliantly organised and the food and hospitality was just the best.

And as for the racing, it'll be one of those events that people will want to boast 'I was there at Instow in 2008'. A fantastic competitive event in truly challenging conditions.

Plus there was a star performance from Chairman Nick Dewhirst on Saturday, not his sailing this time, but his speech after the dinner was a winner.

Really enjoyed it.

Gordon

[Carl from Gurnard]

Events like this show why our boat and our association have been so successful.

I can not believe there has been a sailing event anywhere that has been so well organised and so appreciated and enjoyed by its competitors.

Apart from the wind being a bit extreme, the weekend was perfect.

[Derek James]

I would like to add my thanks to all involved in organising and delivering such a great event ! It really was the most memorable event that I have attended and the location / wind / sailing / company was spectacular .
Like a number of others I had to retire after race 5 on Sunday due to equipment failure , my only regret is that I didn't get to sail the last race !
In my exhausted state after the event , I managed to leave all of my sailing gear in the changing rooms at NDYC
Thanks to team Carsington - George - for picking up my smelly bag on the Monday and delivering it to Coventry in the afternoon , with mates like this who would want to be in any other class association .
Long live the Sprint 15 !!!!!!!!!!!!!

[ray.gall]

A massive big thanks to Keith and all at NDYC, an absolutely fantastic organised event and as Gordon has previously stated you will want to tell your sailing mates "I was there at Instow 2008".

Just can't think why more helms don't want to sail our fabulous boat in Sprint Sport mode!!!

I know from team Carsington that we will all return in 2010 and with a little more encouragement hopefully bring even more helms down to North Devon.

Thanks again NDYC and to all combatents for a superb championship.

N.B. As I packed away late Sunday evening I found on the beach a jib halyard, if the owner wants to contact me we can arrange repatriation

[Martin Searle]

Bah Humbug,

Well teach me for breaking my boat a couple of weeks before! I would have liked to have gone. Especially now I'm 1 stone per foot of boat again the heavier stuff would have suited me.

Hulls are now with Steve Sawford for repair so I'll be back in action soon.

C'est le vie,

Martin S.

[Erling]

I can only agree with everything that has been said, from Thursday to Sunday it was just good company, good sailing and good socials.
PS Ray the Jib Halyard is mine but I won't need it to next year when hopefully we will be at Gurnard for a repeat of last years event.

[George Love]

As the current editor of 'Newsprint', I am extremely worried that I am completely lost for words of a superlative quality to do justice to a description of this event. I can only echo the sentiments already expressed and say that I am looking forward to putting the Event Report in the next issue of the Mag.
I cannot think of a single way it could have been done better. Keith and the team at NDYC have set a new benchmark and how fitting is that in this 30th year - truly outstanding! Can I have some more, please!?

[Kevin Dutch]

I completely agree with what everyone else has said, what a fantastic weekend. I have seen that the photo's that were being taken by cj-nautical-imaging on the saturday and sunday have been posted on their website.