Paralympics 2012: GB sailors aim to break medal duck by striking gold

They have got here in different ways. Half of the six were born with their disabilities while the others suffered accidents or illness. Some have sailed since they were children, others only took to it in later life. But all six will be looking to make history. Surprisingly, for a nation with a proud seafaring tradition and a fine Olympic record, GB's sailors have failed to win a single medal since the sport became a full Paralympic event in 2000. The class of 2012 are intending not only to win medals but to do all they can to make sure they are gold ones. "We want the gold medal," Hannah Stodel, the tactician in the Sonar keelboat, said. "We only want one medal. Any other medal would be rubbish for us. That's what gets us out of bed in the morning." Three types of keelboat sail in the Paralympic regatta. The Sonar is a three-person boat, and two people, at least one a woman, race in the Skud-18. A single sailor of either sex competes in a tricky little boat called the 2.4mR. Up to 80 sailors will be taking part at the London 2012 regatta from 23 nations. The giants of the sport include Germany, who top the overall medal table, France, the USA, Australia and Canada. But nations not as well known for Olympic or Paralympic sailing such as Puerto Rico, Malaysia and Japan will also be represented. Athletes have a wide range of disabilities and the boats are specially adapted to try to make sure all can compete on level terms. Some, for example, are fitted with foot pedals that control the tiller. Tilting seats or pulley systems are can be used to make sure the sailor is in the right place. Competitors in the small 2.4mR sit down low in the boat with all the controls to trim the sails and steer within arms' reach. A complex classification system based on an athlete's ability to perform tasks on the boat is designed to ensure fairness. The Sonar trio is GB's most experienced Paralympic sailing outfit, having competed together in Athens and Beijing, finishing sixth both times. Stodel said the trio were "heartbroken" to do so poorly at Beijing and thought about going their separate ways. "We should have medalled and we didn't. We let ourselves down, we let other people down," she said. Their "greatest" moment came when they sat down together to discuss their future and decided to stick together and campaign for London 2012. "That's more powerful for me than anything because we committed to each other," Stodel said. Asked to described the team dynamic, Stodel comes up with "random". Born without a right forearm, she began sailing aged three on the Essex coast and became GB's first woman sailing Paralympian. John Robertson, the helm and at 40 the oldest member of the ParalympicsGB sailing team, is a former weapons technician on Harrier jump jets, who uses a wheelchair following a motorcycle accident. He also had sailed since he was a boy. The third member of the team is Welshman Stephen Thomas, who was a keen rugby player as a young man but came to sailing after losing his legs below the knees when he contracted meningococcal septicaemia. A fierce competitor, as he lay in his hospital bed he began dreaming of taking part in the Paralympics. In the Skud-18, Niki Birrell and Alex Rickham make a fascinating pair. Birrell, who has cerebral palsy, was an excellent able-bodied sailor, campaigning in the 470 Olympic class with his brother before concentrating on the Paralympics. Rickham was paralysed after suffering a spinal injury when she dived into shallow water in her native Jamaica. She tried sailing as part of her rehabilitation and teamed up with Birrell just months before Beijing. They came a creditable sixth place and are tipped to go better this time. Rickham's injury means that her body's thermostat does not work properly. She typically wears five layers on top and three below, plus a balaclava. She has to be careful about how much she drinks because it is tricky for a wheelchair athlete to answer a call of nature while on board. The sixth member of the GB team, Helena Lucas, has taken part in both Olympic and Paralympic campaigns. She was born without thumbs but became one of GB's most talented sailors and won a silver medal in the 2006 Olympic test event in Beijing in the Yngling class. "I've grown up just finding my own way to do things," Lucas, who finished seventh in Beijing, said. "I was disappointed but I think I learnt some very valuable lessons." Of course, the regatta is not just about the GB sailors. There are many compelling characters from other nations. Such as the Israeli Sonar team, all of whom were left disabled while serving in the military. Australia's Liesl Tesch will also be worth watching in the Skud. She is a multiple Paralympian medal winner – but in basketball rather than sailing. It will be interesting to see if the Paralympic regatta grips the imagination in the same way the Olympic one did. The Nothe spectator area, a hit during the Olympics, has been dismantled. The Paralympics regatta takes place within Portland Harbour and can be viewed (binoculars recommended) from the shore. Sporting activities, which proved popular during the Olympics, are being staged on Weymouth beach. Though Ben Ainslie and the rest won a total of five medals at the Olympics, the team were a little disappointed to slip behind both Australia and Spain in the medals table. It may be time for their Paralympic counterparts to shine.

Society's collapsing... let's sail to Greece and learn survival skills

A BRISTOL couple have sold their home and all their possessions and bought a boat – to give themselves a better chance of withstanding the collapse of Western civilisation. Naomi Smyth, 30, and Sam Rossiter, 34, have sold their Montpelier home and bought a 22ft yacht – to follow their dream of sailing to Greece. ​ ​The couple will be leaving behind the Bristol sights such as the Suspension Bridge in favour of Greece's Acropolis •••..The couple set sail from Bristol Harbour over the weekend, heading initially for London via the Kennet and Avon Canal. When we caught up with them aboard their boat, Lexia, yesterday, they had only gone as far as the Jolly Sailor Inn at Saltford. "It's not about seeing how quickly we can get to Greece," Miss Smyth said. "It's about taking our time, meeting as many interesting people as we can along the way, and learning as much as we can from them." Miss Smyth, a freelance film- maker, and website administrator Sam, have left behind their Bristol- based careers to make the journey, which they believe will take them at least a year. "We think we should get to Greece around this time next year," Miss Smyth said. "First we travel on the inland waterways to London, in order to get more used to the boat. Then we cross the English Channel and join the French canal network at Dunkirk." The couple will spend the winter travelling slowly through France, before emerging at the Mediterranean in the spring. "We then want to take a detour across to northern Spain for a few weeks, before following the coast of southern France and Italy, before finally island-hopping through Greece." The couple hope to pick up survivalist skills along the way, which they believe will help them to survive in a post-banking collapse world. "A couple of years ago, when we first started planning this journey, people couldn't get their heads around why we would want to visit Spain, Italy and Greece to find out more about living without money," Mr Rossiter said: "But now they see the euro collapsing in those three countries, and they're increasingly starting to get it. "We were very conscious that the skills we had picked up in our careers were all very good for filming documentaries or running websites but when it came to being self-sufficient and living in a post-industrial world, we were hopelessly naïve." The couple bought the boat for just £500 from an internet auction site last year, and have spent the last few months making her sea-worthy. "Our parents are particularly worried about the periods where we will be going out to sea," Mr Rossiter said. "I can't blame them really. I have been on some sailing courses, but it's fair to say that our maritime knowledge is at about the lowest point at which we could realistically take this challenge on. But we're hoping to pick up a lot along the way – that's the whole point of the trip." Miss Smyth said: "It is far more than a gap year. It is also an exercise in seeing how far we can strip down our lives – how few material possessions we actually need in order to have a happy life. Parting with all our possessions was traumatic at first, but once we started giving things away it became addictive and very liberating. "The money we have from selling the house, we are hoping to put to one side, and when we return from our journey we will buy some land and set ourselves up with a more self-sufficient life in the countryside. "This whole thing began because Sam and I were starting to think about settling down properly and having children. But we were both genuinely concerned about bringing children into a world where we didn't have the right skills to look after them if the financial system that we all rely so much on was to totally collapse. "The fact is, it is already happening in Greece. So perhaps we can learn from the Greek people a bit more about what may be facing us in this country a few years down the line – and what basic skills we will need to live more self-sufficiently. "I personally would like to pick up skills like blacksmithing, foraging, food cultivation, and above all food preservation – something that every woman in England knew how to do 100 years ago, but which few people care much about in today's throw-away society." Miss Smyth will make a series of short documentary films along the way, and upload them to the couple's website. You can follow their journey at: www.howtosurvivethefuture.org.

Sailing Club Spotlight Tamesis Yacht Club

Boat Blunderer sailing a laser dinghy

Hobie Cat 18 - fast and fun

hobie cat sailing

Sailing

Sailing - Different Types of Sailboats

When you learn to sail, you will hear different sailboat terms like monohull or multihull. But just what does this sailing terminology mean? Follow this easy sailing guide to look at the different types of sailboats to help you decide on the best to fit your brand of sailing! Monohull Sailboats - Pros and Cons Pros: Mono means "one" of something, so in sailing, a monohull means a sailboat that has just one hull. Most sailors on the water sail on boats with a single hull. They are easy to sail, cheaper to purchase, simpler to rig, and take up less room when docking or turning. Most new sailors learn to sail on small monos called dinghies. Once they learn how to sail aboard a dinghy, sailors might move up to the larger cruising monohulls. These cruising sailboats heel over less than their dinghy cousins, have more room to move around, and might have a head (toilet and/or shower), galley (small kitchen), and inboard or outboard engine. Cruising sailboats with single hulls have made successful voyages across every ocean in the world. Cons Small monohull sailboats like dinghies heel over a lot. If they heel too much, they can flip over. Larger monohulls heel over too, but most of these will not flip over because they carry extra weight in a "keel" below the waterline. The keel helps to counter-balance a lot of the heeling. In breezy conditions, you will begin to heel a lot and the boat will become more difficult to hold on her sailing course. You will need to reduce sail--called "reefing"--when this happens to keep the boat balanced and easy to steer. Single-hull sailboats can have limited space for supplies like food, clothing, sailing gear, water, fuel. You will need supplies like this if you go cruising for the weekend or longer. The longer you stay out cruising, the more supplies you need. So, on a monohull sailboat, you need to be careful to be extra careful to load the supplies the correct way so that the boat stays "in trim" (in balance and level). Multihull Sailboats - Pros and Cons Pros: Multihull boats have more than one hull, attached by cross members. Catamarans have two hulls with a wide flat area or cabin space between. Trimarans have three hulls. Both boats give you a lot more living space for supplies and living aboard. Boats with multiple hulls tend to heel much less than monohulls because of their wide beam. This gives a much more comfortable ride in most calm to moderate sailing weather. Underway or at anchor, these boats give you more room for sleeping and offer more privacy for friends or guests that come aboard to cruise with you. Below the water, these boats have less depth--of "draft". That means you can poke into coves and shallow waterways where deeper draft boats could not go. And that opens up a whole new cruising world for you. Cats and Tris can skim across the blue green waters in the Bahamas and Caribbean to explore new areas that other boats could not. That's one reason these boats are so popular for island cruising. Cons: Multihulls cost more than monohulls because you are buying two hulls (or three in the case of a trimaran), instead of one hull. Overall maintenance costs can be higher because you have two hulls to take care of. Marinas may charge more for boats with multiple hulls. They take up more dock space than a single hulled boat. Multihulls need more care when sailing. Because they heel less than their monohull cousins, you need to be careful not to carry too much sail. This could cause the boat to become unstable and in extreme conditions, cause the boat to capsize. Reduce sail sooner than you think on windy days to keep the boat balanced and sailing at peak performance. At anchor, multihulls tend to sway back and forth because most of the boat lies above the surface of the water. Two or three hulls present a lot of surface for the wind to blow against. Rig an anchor bridle that looks like a "V" from pontoon to pontoon. Join the anchor line to the apex (point) of the "V". This will help the multihull behave in a windy anchorage. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/6974541

Spotlight on Sailing Gear

Yacht racing and dinghy racing are popular participant sports in the waters around Great Britain. Sailing sports, such as these require special sailing clothes. There are many companies that specialize in producing high quality sailing clothing, like sailing jackets and trousers, as well as footwear and accessories meant specifically for sailors. Modern sailing clothes are generally made of synthetic materials, which are waterproof. Modern sailing jackets are engineered to provide protection from the elements, along with a high factor of comfort. Being the outer layer, the jackets must be waterproof, and they must be able to protect against the winds that are present over open waters. This protection, however, must be done with minimal loss in comfort. The sailing jackets, therefore, are designed and manufactured with a degree of breathability so the sailor does not feel stifled. Anoraks and parkas are also convenient for mariners, especially in colder weather. Sailing trousers are tailored for comfort and durability. Deck work on yachts and dinghies can be hard on these trousers, so they are often compiled of durable fabrics, such as nylon. There are also many brands of sailing trousers that are designed to dry quickly, so that the sailor wearing them is not burdened down by soaked clothing or chilled by the cold waters that may wash onto the deck. Sailing trousers are necessary accoutrements for those participating as yachtsmen and as dinghy racers. Specially designed jumpers and smocks are also important articles of clothing for sailors. Like the outer layer of sailing clothing, jumpers and smocks must also be breathable and comfortable, while maintaining a level of insulation against the outer air. A polyester layer of clothing is also helpful to be worn near the skin to wick perspiration from the body out through the other layers of clothing. Sailing accessories and footwear are also beneficial additions to a sailing outfit. There are multiple varieties of footwear used by sailors that include deck shoes, sailing and dinghy boots, deck trainers, and sandals. As with other articles of sailing clothes, the sailing footwear must be proficient at keeping the sailor's feet dry so that blisters and discomfort can be avoided. Accessories that are useful to yachtsmen and dinghy racers are sunglasses, gloves, and hats. Polarised sunglasses and hats are extremely important for sailors on sunny days, because the sun reflects off of the surface of the water, so it is possible that the eyes will receive damaging UV rays from the sun itself and its reflection across the water, while gloves protect the hands when working with lines on the deck of the vessel. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/6865580

Lazer sailing big air and waves

Tornado Sailing Action

Moth Sailing

Sailability Scotland in the Round Shuna Pursuit

Sailability Scotland’s challenger fleet, including Paul Noble will, will be joining the Round Shuna Pursuit race on 26th August 2012. Clyde Corinthian Yacht Club has kindly allowed them to take part in their well-established event to help raise funds for Sailability Scotland. This is the first time that they have entered such an event to raise funds but they’re keen to step up to the challenge. They will be joining roughly another 50 boats who will also be taking part. The race will be taking place at Craobh Haven and will cover a distance of around 10 nautical miles. Support is already gathering for the challenge as Mark Hampton, Principle at Craobh Haven Watersports, will be allowing the Sailability Scotland sailors to use his facilities free of charge. Sailability Scotland tries to help people with all levels of disabilities to get on the water and enjoy sailing but is looking for people to sponsor Paul Noble and his fellow sailors to help increase opportunities on offer to disabled sailors and to increase the numbers getting out on the water on a regular basis. The Challenger sailors do have their own traveller series with venues for 2012 including Strathclyde Park, Helensburgh, Loch Venachar, Bardowie Loch and Lochaber Yacht Club. They also organise a number of sailing experience days at various venues to increase participation numbers. Despite all the activity they run, Paul is still very much aware that the Shuna Pursuit will be a real challenge to him and the rest of the fleet but is motivated by the impact it could have on their resources and programme. If you are interested in finding our more about this challenge or would like to sponsor those taking part then please get in touch via email: sailability.scotland@tiscali.co.uk

Sailing Club Spotlight Stone Sailing Club

RS Feva sailing 20-35 Knots

2012 British Sailing Team - London 2012

gp14 sailing at Annandale sailing club

49er Sailing Boat

SAIL Boat Review: J/70

Sailing on a hobie cat

It’s just you, a 30-knot wind whipping your body and the open sea. Like a rollercoaster, the sailboat bounces up and down the two-meter waves. You give it a firm grip to keep from falling into the sea, and shift your weight to keep the sailboat from flipping over. A miscalculation could mean the sea swallowing you whole. With your adrenaline shooting up at an all-time high and your brain processing too much information, you don’t have time to think about sharks and other potentially deadly forms of sea life. Or do you? “Whenever you’re in the water, sharks will always cross your mind,” said Jun Villanueva, smiling. Villanueva, hobie cat competitive sailor, has been sailing for 10 years. Although he has never encountered a shark, he becomes animated when he talks about sightings of pilot whales, dolphins, manta rays and sea turtles. Sailing, a relatively young sport in the country, he said, is slowly attracting more Filipinos. On the competitive level, the annual Philippine Hobie Challenge now has 50 per cent Filipinos and 50 per cent international competitors. Sailing is an incredibly strenuous sport. It demands that your entire body be in good shape, and if it’s not, it will be in a few weeks. With just a harness and a hook attached to the boat to keep you from straying too far when you fall—and everybody falls off, just like every boat flips over—you’ll need strong arms and legs and a firm grip to keep your balance as you constantly shift. And, oh those sheets (ropes used to control the sail) are really heavy, too, especially when up against a strong wind. From your upper body to your midsection all the way down to your toes, sailing will give you a complete body workout. Sailing for 10 hours “If you get a lot of wind, you’re exhausted after an hour. During light wind you can go on for two to three hours, depending on conditions. During competitions, there was a time when we were sailing for 10-11 hours,” recalled Villanueva. This year, the BlackBerry 12th Philippine Hobie Challenge held at El Nido, Palawan, last March attracted world-class athletes for the first time, such as World Champions Mick Butler and Natalie Hill. While there are many hobie challenges in the world, none is as unique as the Philippines’. The Philippine Hobie Challenge is a long-distance adventure race, with sailors sailing between islands and natural rock formations, hopping from island to island on a five-leg course. International competitions usually follow the standard, triangle racecourse. In February next year, the course will kick off at the Hundred Islands, Pangasinan, and end at Anvaya Cove, Subic. Although it’s not yet official, Butler, said Villanueva, has expressed interest in coming back. Villanueva said his claim to fame was beating Butler in the first leg this year. Butler, who was probably used to a triangle course, barely made it to the Top 5. He did, however, win the succeeding four legs and still emerged overall champion of the Philippine Hobie Challenge. This year, Villanueva said plans are already underway to get the youth interested in sailing. Youth camps and training centers will be set up, and will be formally launched at ROX, Bonifacio Global City, The Fort, in September. Anyone can sail, he said, as long as there’s genuine interest in sailing. Villanueva said you will get wet a lot and flip over many times. That’s just how the sport is. During this year’s competition, he said his boat flipped over at least three times. Getting the sailboat back up or yourself back on it is not easy, especially if the wind is strong. Scary speed The hobie is designed for racing. It is a very light sailboat with a huge sail. It will ride fast in perfect conditions. How fast? Maybe around 40 km an hour. Sure, that’s not a lot when you’re riding a car. But if you’re on a motorcycle, without a seatbelt, a 40 km per hour ride will give you a different experience. Better yet, try imagining yourself on a bicycle going downhill, hands off the break, until you reach that speed—a little terrifying, isn’t it? “It is scary, especially on your first encounter with the open sea. You look back and you see the land disappear, and all you see is water, and the closest person sailing is about two miles away. It’s disconcerting. You want to hold on to that boat,” Villanueva said. But take all the fear aside, and sailing is one of the best adventures you’ll probably experience, especially in the Philippines. Villanueva said he has been to so many islands in the country that he didn’t even know existed, islands that are undeveloped. Today, some of the remote islands they’ve been to are part of their outreach program, and they donate school materials whenever they can. There are so many things you discover about your country when you’re sailing, he said, and you learn so much about yourself, too. In the end, he said, you just learn to roll with the punches. Sailing is also a serious sport, so proper training is required. “Sailing is a lifetime of learning,” Villanueva said. “There’s the physics aspect—what’s the effect of wind on my sail; the navigation aspect—how do I get from this island to that island. You have to know how to look at the nautical chart, understand meteorology, the effects of tide and current, and so much more.”

Sailing a way of life for some families

Picture a sailing vacation: swimming in tropical waters, lazy days exploring palm-tree-lined islands, eating mangoes and watching sunsets. Sounds nice, right? What if it were not for a week or two, but a year or two … or five? On a boat where your sailing companions are less than 40 feet away, always? Where 80-mile-an-hour winds can make you reconsider your plan? Where at times you must stay awake for 32 hours on a long stretch of open ocean? Where your boat engine breaks down, and a fellow sailor happens to have the needed part and is happy to help you install it? Where the biggest question of the day is do you snorkel, tidy the boat or explore a beautiful island? Now try doing it with kids. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- A handful of brave — and lucky — families live this way. They home-school their kids, believing the world’s ports and people are the ideal classroom. They spend days, sometimes weeks, at sea without contact with anyone else. They rely on a tight-knit, global community of fellow sailors. They wake up in a different marina daily or weekly, snug in their cozy floating homes, wondering what the day will bring. Two families — the Doolittles of the Bay Area and the Maddoxes of Anacortes, Wash. — harbored long-held dreams of epic sailing trips with their families. Not independently wealthy, they waited for the opportunity when money and timing lined up. For the Doolittles, it was realizing the boys were at an ideal age: “Not so young that they wouldn’t remember and appreciate it, and yet not so old they could do anything about it.” For the Maddoxes, it was when Glenn was laid off, with a hefty Christmas bonus. They went for it. And didn’t look back, despite storms that battered their boats, money worries and (at least initially) disapproval from extended family questioning the safety of taking young kids out to sea. The Doolittles Ben and Molly Doolittle, along with boys Mickey, now 10, and J.P., 8, sold their house last September, bought a used 38-foot Catalina, and two weeks later, sailed out of San Francisco Bay. They are midway through a two-year adventure through Mexico, Central and South America and the Caribbean. Currently, they’re back in the Bay Area, taking a short break from the hot, humid El Salvador summer, and earning a little more money from their medical insurance business, which they run remotely on the boat. Next month, they plan to resume the trip, sailing from El Salvador to Costa Rica by Thanksgiving, Panama by Christmas, then onto the San Blas Islands, the Caribbean side of Panama, Belize by Easter, then Key West and home by fall 2013 for Mickey to start sixth grade. While he’s enjoying the break, Mickey said he’s excited to return to the boat where it’s “quiet and you wake up to dolphin pods and sea turtles and whales.” It can get lonely, he said, but he and J.P. scope out the “kid boats” at each harbor in search of friends. In addition to being home-schooled by mom Molly, who used to be a fourth-grade teacher, the boys jot down trip notes and observations in their own blog. Molly Doolittle also keeps one for the family. Molly Doolittle said her favorite part of sailing is being part of such a tight community of sailors who rely on one another. “If someone needs help, there’s no hesitation – you just jump in,” she said. “It’s like a throw-back to when people really helped each other out.” Ben Doolittle, who sailed solo for two years before he met Molly, said he always intended to do a big sailing trip with his family, a pact they made before marriage. "I’m a dad with two kids and a wife, and Molly is mostly at home with the boys," he said. "So my option is living in the U.S. and working all day and having a house, or taking advantage of this opportunity to sail with my family." "You wake up when your body says to, you make coffee and you say, 'What do I want to do today? Is it boat tasks? See local culture or volcanoes and rainforests? Snorkel?'" Ben Doolittle said for him, the sailing is secondary to the travel. “In my mind there is no better way to see the world,” he said. “You have your home, your books and your computer, but every morning you open your door in a new place.” The Maddoxes A year-and-a-half ago, Glenn and Pam Maddox completed an epic, five-year sailing adventure with their two young girls, who were just 2 and 4 when they set out. In five years, they covered roughly 40,000 nautical miles in their new Catalina 440. Only the adoption of another child, a medically fragile boy named Bryan Tian, from China where they sailed to and volunteered, could alter their dream to sail completely around the world. In the spring of 2006, Glenn and Pam, along with daughters Linzi, now 10, and MeiLing, 8, sailed from Tampa, Fla., to Nova Scotia, then down the U.S. coast to Savannah, Ga., then to the Turks and Caicos Islands. From there, they spent almost a year in the Caribbean going as far south as Guayana, then turned around and sailed to Venezuela, Colombia, Panama and through the Panama Canal. From Panama, they sailed to the Galapagos Islands and Easter Island and back to Chile where their scariest disaster awaited: a six-day storm with winds gusting to 80 mph that battered their boat against the rocks. It took nine months — and much of their savings – to fix it. Once deemed sail-worthy, the boat headed to Easter Island and the South Pacific, hitting Pitcairn Island, the Cook Islands, Tonga, Fiji, Papua New Guinea, the Philippines and on to China where they volunteered for three months at the same orphanage the girls came from. That’s where they met their newest arrival, Bryan Tian. The Chinese government would not allow the Maddoxes to adopt him, however, until they had an income and a residence. That ended the around-the-world dream, but started a new chapter in their lives. They headed for home, sailing from Hong Kong to Taiwan, Japan and the Aleutian Islands, the Bering Sea and then down the coast of southeast Alaska, ending in Anacortes in the fall of 2010. Pam got a job, they moved into an apartment and waited for Bryan Tian to arrive, which happened about three months later. Glenn Maddox said the original intent of the trip was to be close to and really get to know their adopted daughters. “But Linzi and Mei-Mei took us on a trip,” he said. “We got to see the world through their eyes and it was amazing to see how well-received they were in all these remote places — like rock stars. The girls made this trip unbelievably unique. We got to live in their wake.” Now a stay-at-home dad, Glenn doesn’t know what the future holds. Bryan has at least one more surgery, and the girls have mostly adjusted to school. They recently sold their beloved boat, “ending an era,” he said, “But Linzi needed braces and Bryan has had $25,000 in surgeries. This is an important time not to be sailing because he has needed so much medical help. But it was pretty sad to say our trip is absolutely done.” The Glesers More common than families on long sea journeys are empty-nesters and retirees. Virginia and Robert Gleser of Modesto, Calif., spend half of each year sailing to and around Mexico, often hosting their eight kids and six grandkids for visits on their boat named Harmony. Virginia wrote a new book focused on maintaining healthy relationships amid the occasional stresses of bad weather and boat breakdowns, and the ever-present tight quarters. Next month, she starts a book tour of "Harmony on the High Seas, When Your Mate Becomes Your Matey," starting with the Oregon Women’s Sailing Association in Portland, Ore., on Aug. 8. Virginia says keys to happiness and success together on the water are appreciation, gratitude, forgiveness and celebration. And one more biggie: “Communication is the No. 1 relationship tool whether on land or sea. But in a boat’s small space, if you fail to communicate what you need and what you are feeling, emotions and tensions can build to uncomfortable levels,” she said. After the book tour, the Glesers plan to head back down to Mexico for six months on Harmony, enjoying warm waters, the camaraderie of other sailors and their grandchildrens’ visits. “We will remain in Mexico at least for now, but maybe when the grandchildren grow a little older they can come with us farther afield, maybe to the South Pacific or the Caribbean,” Virginia said. “Who knows? Our plans are made in sand at low tide.”

OK Dinghy World Championship Preview

OK Dinghy World Championship is being held in Vallensbaek, Denmark from 21st to 28th July 2012. No sailor has ever won five OK Dinghy World titles. Three sailors have won four titles and two of them called it a day after that. The third sailor in question is the current World Champion Nick Craig (GBR) and he is about to try for a record fifth title at the 2012 OK Dinghy World Championship next week.

Sailing Club Spotlight Rickmansworth Sailing Club

Rickmansworth Sailing Club has received more than £40,000 in funding from Sport England to repair its ageing pontoons and buy two new dinghies. The club, which sails in Troy Lake, West Hyde, was given the grant from the £135 million "Places People Play" Olympic legacy programme. One grant of £32,116 will be used to replace the old pontoons, which are used to get in and out of the boats, with a modern plastic-modular system. The main decking on the access road bridge will also be replaced. A further grant of £10,000 from Sport England will be used to buy two new dinghies. Club commodore, Paul Johnson, said "We are delighted to have been awarded these grants. The new pontoons are safer to use and easier to maintain. "These investments will move our club towards the quality facilities we want to provide for our members and will help attract new members." Martin Smethers, a past commodore and grants officer said: "Rickmansworth Sailing Club is a strong local club and are always looking to attract more members. "Our project is opening up our club and giving people in the Rickmansworth and surrounding areas the opportunity to try their hand at sailing for the first time in these brand new boats. "We’re delighted to have received Lottery funding to make it all happen." The improvements will also benefit organisations such as the U3A, Royal Life Saving Society, Batchworth Dragon Boat Club and local angling groups which use the sailing club's facilities. David Gauke , MP for South West Hertfordshire, said: "This investment is fantastic news. Rickmansworth Sailing Club, has always has a strong sailing tradition both locally and nationally." "This money is an investment in helping young people of today and for securing the future for the Club, allowing them to work on their development plan which is aimed at increasing membership, and providing improved and modern facilities." Rickmansworth Sailing Club one of hundreds of projects across England benefiting from funding during the second round of the Inspired Facilities fund. Seb Coe, LOCOG chairman, said: "This is a fantastic funding project that will deliver a real legacy from the London 2012 Games. "It will provide a whole range of sporting opportunities for young people through improved facilities and will I hope inspire them to take up sport."

13' Inflatable Portable Sail Boat Catamaran.

Team Vodafone Auckland - Noumea 2012

London 2012: Team GB's top 10 sailing hopes for Olympic glory

Ben Ainslie Finn Has one Olympic silver and three golds but remains as determined, focused and fiercely competitive as ever. Admits that at 35 his body is beginning to let him down but his mind most certainly is not. Won a sixth Finn world championship in May. Gold at London 2012 would ratify his position as one of the greatest Olympians Key rival Ainslie says there are 10 or 12 sailors capable of winning on any given day. American Zach Railey won silver at Beijing and will be hoping to cause an upset Medal prediction Ainslie will not be satisfied with anything but gold Paul Goodison Laser Once held the Olympic, world, European and British titles at the same time following his gold medal at Beijing. Goodison also knows what it is like to miss out on a medal, finishing fourth at the Athens games. Passionate and aggressive, he still uses the disappointment of that fourth place to motivate himself in training and competition Key rival Since Beijing he has battled with Australia's Tom Slingsby for top spot. The scrap could be one of the keenest in Weymouth Medal prediction A consecutive gold is not beyond him Alison Young Laser Radial Aged 25, the youngest member of the GB sailing team. In May she finished two points off the bronze medal position at the worlds. Then at the Skandia Sail for Gold regatta in June she showed how quickly she is learning by winning gold at the Olympic venue Key rival China's Lijia Xu will be one to watch. She won bronze in Beijing, the first Chinese sailor to win a medal and has been in good form throughout 2012 Medal prediction A medal of any colour would be a great achievement Bryony Shaw RS:X women's windsurfing The only British woman to win an Olympic windsurfing medal — bronze at Beijing. The decision to drop windsurfing as an Olympic event will motivate all the competitors to make the most of this last chance Key rival Lee Korzits is aiming to become the first Israeli woman to win Olympic gold. Medal prediction Shaw's preparation has been hampered by illness but she will challenge strongly for a podium place Nick Dempsey RS:X men's windsurfing Has experienced ups and downs at the Olympics. Made his debut aged 20 at Sydney in 2000 when he finished 16th. Won bronze at Athens in 2004 but was bitterly disappointed to manage only fourth in Beijing. Took bronze at the Sail for Gold regatta in Weymouth in June Key rival Frenchman Julien Bontemps won silver at Beijing and took first place in the world championships in Cadiz in April Medal prediction Has been training well – could go one better than Athens and take silver Hannah Mills and Saskia Clark 470 women The pair came together only in February 2011. Clark had finished sixth in the 470 class in Beijing and her attempt to find a new partner became something of a soap opera. Mills and Clark won a string of silvers before taking gold at the world championships in May, becoming the first British women to win in the class Key rivals Bound to be a competitive fleet with lots of potential winners but the Australian pair of Elise Rechichi and Belinda Stowell, who have both won golds in the 470 with different partners, will be tough Medal prediction These two could be very popular gold medal winners Luke Patience and Stuart Bithell 470 men Patience is a jovial Scot, Bithell a down-to-earth Lancastrian. Both started sailing aged seven and have worked together since 2009. They showed they were Olympic medal contenders when they won silver at the Sail for Gold regatta at Weymouth Key rivals Australians Malcolm Page and Mathew Belcher are the men to beat. They have been a dominant force since teaming up after Page won gold in the class in Beijing Medal prediction Will struggle to upset the Australians but a silver medal is possible Stevie Morrison and Ben Rhodes 49er Morrison and Rhodes grew up competing against each other in Exmouth, Devon. Went to Beijing as one of the favourites and were bitterly disappointed to finish ninth. The 49er is one of British sailing's strongest classes and the pair are planning to use their failure in China to inspire them to success Key rivals Australians Nathan Outteridge and Iain Jensen are firm favourites. They head the world rankings and have a brilliant record at Weymouth Medal prediction The Australians are in pole position. Silver medal would be a great result Iain Percy and Andrew Simpson Star The elder statesmen of the team, Percy, 36, and "Bart" Simpson, 35, have three gold medals between them. They used to battle with Ben Ainslie in the heavyweight dinghy Finn class. They teamed up in 2007 and won gold at Beijing in the technical keelboat class. Lifelong best friends who love the pressure of elite competition Key rival Weymouth will be the latest venue for the latest round of a long-running battle between Percy and the great Brazilian Robert Scheidt, winner of two gold and two silver Olympic medals Medal prediction They will leave disappointed if they do not take gold Lucy Macgregor, Annie Lush, Kate Macgregor Women's match racing Likely to be one of the hits of the Games. The event is exciting: a series of one-on-one races around a two-lap course, it is likely to be held in front of the main spectator area at Weymouth. Lush and the Macgregor sisters are all making their Olympic debuts but with home advantage are hoping to make a big impression Key rival The American team led by Anna Tunnicliffe-Funk (born in South Yorkshire) were beaten into silver position at the world championships in Gothenburg this month by a Finnish crew but may be the team to beat Medal prediction A new team, first Olympic Games, a bronze medal would be a good result

Magic Carpet Ride

Amazing Sailing Videos of When It's "Fresh to Frightening"

sailingpanic - we love reaching

Sailing Club Spotlight Carrickfergus Sailing Club

MEMBERS of Carrickfergus Sailing Club have vowed to continue normal activities “as far as possible” after a fire destroyed the clubhouse at the weekend. Fire and Rescue crews were called to the scene at 11.40pm on Friday after being alerted by staff departing for the night. The blaze was attended by crews from Carrickfergus, Whitehead, Glengormley, Belfast and Lisburn fire stations, as well as an aerial ladder platform from Knock fire station. A spokesperson from the Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service confirmed that while the cause of the blaze is still under investigation, it is thought an electrical fault was to blame. “We will be using offices that a few local organisations have offered us for a few days, and then hope to arrange a temporary premises,” said Roger Woodward, Commodore at Carrickfergus Sailing Club. “However, we are keen to emphasize that all the club’s sailing, racing and cruising activities will continue in the meantime. We have a sailing course for children that will continue as planned next week as we have very kindly been offered the use of the facilities at the Sea Cadets building. “As I understand it, when the building was being locked up on Friday night, staff heard the smoke alarm going off and returned to see that a fire had started. The barman Karl Brannigan was absolutely excellent in following the proper procedures to get staff evacuated and the fire crews contacted,” Roger added. “I arrived at the club myself at about five past midnight, and at that stage the flames had already spread considerably, so the main focus of the crew had to be preventing them from spreading further and igniting other buildings such as the boat shed. However it was clear to see that the club was lost at that stage. “We’re very grateful for the support we’ve received from the local community; the Mayor and Mayoress came to club at about 1:30am on Saturday morning which was much appreciated. We hope to continue with our activities as far as possible and focus on supporting the efforts our member Ryan Seaton in the Olympics this summer.”

Sailing: Foxall in need of trouble-free finish with his Ocean dream on the horizon

The six boats competing in the Volvo Ocean Race are sailing their final day at sea today as the 39,000-mile contest reaches its final destination on Galway Bay, eight months after departing Alicante. The overall lead is held by French entry Groupama 4, skippered by Franck Cammas, with a 10-man crew that includes Ireland's Damian Foxall, but success hinges on avoiding incidents. "We've seen it all during this race -- masts coming down, rudders breaking, we don't want any of that in the last 36 hours of the offshore section of the race," Foxall said. "It's going to be harder for the other guys to take it away from us." The fleet is expected to reach Galway sometime between midnight and 6.0 tomorrow, depending on wind conditions on the 540-mile leg from Lorient in Brittany. Groupama's overall win is widely expected, though it relies heavily on a strong performance in this final leg in which they must place fourth or better. American entry Puma, skippered by Ken Read, is the principal challenger and needs to win this leg plus have the French boat finish worse than fourth. Thousands In that scenario, the outright victory of the 39,000-mile race would depend on next Saturday's short In-Port race to be held off Salthill where tens of thousands of spectators gathered in 2009 when the previous race stopped off after crossing the Atlantic from Boston. However, if Cammas and his crew do win tomorrow, next Saturday will still decide the In-Port series that has been sailed in each of the other nine ports around the world since last October. A win for Groupama would be the first Volvo Ocean Race victory for Foxall, who comes from Derrynane and had a childhood dream of competing in the then Whitbread Round the World Race. He will join Cork sailor Justin Slattery, bowman on Ian Walker's Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing team, as a winner of this race from 2006. Slattery and Walker haven't fared as well this time after their boat had to miss two stages of the race due to damage. "It's going to be quick trip to Galway, we're really looking forward to it," said Slattery shortly before departing Lorient yesterday. "It can't come soon enough." Live position reports on www.volvooceanrace.com will update the estimated time of arrival into Galway in the course of today.

Sailing is really boring ??

Prince Charles drops in to sailing academy

PRINCE Charles cracked open a bottle of Dorset beer on a visit to the Olympic Sailing venue – and poured it all over a boat. He raised cheers with his impromptu royal seal of approval of the new Team GB 49er Skiff, while enjoying a ‘whistle-stop tour’ of the Weymouth and Portland National Sailing Academy yesterday. The sun shone as the prince toured at the invitation of triple Olympic gold-medallist Ben Ainslie, who is an ambassador for The Prince’s Trust. He was also met by the Lord Lieutenant for Dorset Valerie Pitt-Rivers, the High Sheriff Jeremy Pope, Portland mayor Sylvia Bradley, Councillor Jenny Collinge, sailing academy chairman Edward Leask and chief executive John Tweed, and RYA Olympic manager Stephen Park. Ainslie said: “It’s great for Prince Charles to see what’s taking place down here and the activities, not just for the Olympic sailors but for the youngsters coming down to use these facilities more and more. “It’s really getting exciting, there are so many international teams training and preparing, as there have been for a long time. “You can feel the excitement and tension building up.” Britain’s 49er sailor Stevie Morrison said it was a ‘real honour’ that Prince Charles had toasted their new vessel, which will be sailed in the Games. Ads by Google Custom flags made in UK Custom flags printed to your design Fast delivery. Free art assistance. www.MrFlag.com Yacht Charter London 2012 Support Team GB In August From Your Own Chartered Yacht In Weymouth Bay www.leopard3.com/Olympics2012 Stevie’s crewmate Ben Rhodes, of Exmouth, said: “He used a bottle of Palmer’s Dorset Gold ale. “We’ve called her Lovely Rita after the Beatles song, we thought it was about as British a name as it could be. Also, Ben calls his boats Rita so we thought we’d get in with that action too.” He added: “Prince Charles was really nice, he told us about when he was here in the Navy.” Portland Paralympian John Robertson said: “This was the first time I’d met Prince Charles, he’s a nice chap.” Weymouth’s Olympic windsurfer Bryony Shaw said: “He told me about all the times he used to do windsurfing back in the ’80s. “He seemed really interesting.” Charles also met a line-up of athletes from Australia, New Zealand, Canada and America. Australia’s 470 sailor Amanda Clark described the Royal visit as ‘pretty incredible’, which highlighted how the Olympics brought about ‘good will’ and the chance to meet very influential people. She added: “I’m so happy he came down to support sailing and to christen the boat for the British, that’s just so cool.” PRINCE Charles helped students leave a lasting flavour of 2012 under the new Dorchester Sports Centre. After attending a Prince’s Foundation reception in Poundbury, Charles was met by cheering children at the sports facility. The prince helped pupils from the Thomas Hardye School to bury a time capsule under the new £8million centre. The school’s history department ran a competition of ideas and chose six Year 9 pupils to put together the final product. Hannah Roberts-Baker said: “It was really exciting getting to meet Prince Charles, I thought he would be really prim and proper but he was really funny and friendly.” History teacher Gemma Cambell said: “They all got into it and some of the ideas they came up with were really interesting. The capsule includes a student film depicting a day in the life of a young person in 2012, photos of animals that could become extinct or landmarks that might be eroded, music lyrics, favourite recipes, a TV guide and a plaque from West Dorset Warriors swimming club. The new centre on Coburg Road is being developed by West Dorset District Council in partnership with the county council and Thomas Hardye School. District leader Robert Gould said: “The time capsule will not only provide future generations with a snapshot of life in 2012, but is a fantastic way to show the excitement surrounding this development.” The Prince then hitched a ride back to Poundbury on an electric bus. His final engagement of the day was a visit to the anaerobic digester at Rainbarrow Farm near Martinstown, which is supplying 750 Poundbury homes with electricity and will soon be providing gas for around 4,000 homes. PRIME Minister David Cameron hopes to get to Weymouth and Portland to catch some of the action during the Olympic Sailing events, the Dorset Echo can exclusively reveal.

Young adults off on sailing adventures

Sixteen young adults from throughout Shetland are all set to experience life at sea for an exciting adventure as they join the tall ships Swan, Europa and Alexander von Humboldt II as sail trainees. Ten trainees left Lerwick onboard the Swan on Sunday to sail across the North Sea to join other traditional sailing vessels from Scandinavia taking part in “Nordic Sail”, with the Swan being the only visiting boat. Forming in Hals, Denmark, the 29-strong fleet will race to Uddevalla, Sweden, with the event ending with a second race to Risør, Norway, before the Swan heads back to Shetland, returning on 9th July. The trainees on the Swan are Vaila Henderson, 15, Robbie Jamieson, 15, Lauren Johnson, 16, Ryan Leask, 16, Thomas Meadows, 18, Callum Mustard, 18, Ailish Parham, 16, Michaela Peterson, 15, Ellie Simpson, 15, and Erin Simpson, 17. Nordic Sail is renowned for its friendly atmosphere and is organised by the Sail Training associations of Norway, Sweden and Denmark. Over 400 crew will be taking part in the event between 28th June and 7th July 2012, with activities organised in each port for the visiting crews, similar to a Tall Ships event. The other six trainees are due to take part in the the Tall Ships Races, presented by Szczecin and organised by Sail Training International. Jack Jamieson, 20, Daniel Lawson, 19, and Scott Sandison, 18, will be setting sail on the Europa from the Netherlands as part of a European Youth-in-Action programme on the race between St Malo and Lisbon from 7th to 21st July. Kristen Jeromson, 21, Michelle Robertson, 23, and Emma Rochester, 18, will be joining the newly built Class A German tall ship Alexander von Humboldt II on the leg between Lisbon and Cadiz before returning to Lisbon as part of the Cruise-in-Company from 21st July to 2nd August. All of the Shetland trainees will work closely with the crew of their allocated ships, undertaking tasks such as watch-keeping, setting sails and other domestic duties which they will share with other trainees. Sail Training Shetland chairman Peter Campbell said: “This year will see the total number of young people participating in our annual sail training schemes reaching eighty since the charity’s formation in 2009. “We are delighted that we have again been able to recruit a spirited group of young people from around Shetland. I am confident that all of our trainees will take away something positive from their experiences and will be great ambassadors for our community. “We would also like to take this opportunity to thank all our grant funders, sponsors and supporters for their generous and valued support.”

Wild Camping by Sail Boat.

Liveaboard life: self-sufficient w/ solar, sails & VHF radio

Sailing in the Surf

Discovery 50 Cat

Sailing Club Spotlight Sunderland sailing Club

DOZENS of sailors took to the waves to mark the centenary of a Wearside yacht club. Members of Sunderland Yacht Club, in Roker, marked its 100th anniversary with an “impressive spectacle” involving 25 boats. Teenager Luke McGill, an instructor at the club and RNLI crewmember, also carried the Olympic torch on board the lead craft as the procession made its way up the River Wear. Alan Dixon, commodore of the club, said: “The day went really well. The weather could have been better for the public, although it was cracking for sailing, but we were given a great reception. “Everyone thoroughly enjoyed themselves and we were really proud of Luke.” Mr Dixon said the River Wear was one of the earliest sailing centres. In 1837, it featured the first of the borough races, which included all water-based craft and preceded the formation of the first yacht club on the river in 1856. After a decline in membership, a new club was formed in 1905, the Sunderland Motor Boat and Yacht Club, which changed its name to the Sunderland Yacht Club in 1912. Sailing stopped at the club during the First World War, but was formally started again in 1935. It then opened its first clubhouse at the North Dock. After relocations and redevelopment, the club settled at its current site at Old North Pier. Luke, 18, from Fuwell, said he was “proud and privileged” to carry the torch. “While it is me, physically, carrying the torch in the relay, I was there to represent all of the volunteers who do such great work for the RNLI, yacht club, and the Royal Yachting Association,” said the St Aidan’s School sixth-form student.

Sailing Club Spotlight Herne Bay Sailing Club

FOR the third year running Herne Bay Sailing Club hosted a group of deaf and hearing impaired youngsters for an open day in aid of the National Deaf Children's Society. Also involved were Me2, an organisation that encourages hearing impaired kids to participate in sport. . Although the wind was too strong for sailing, organisers Claire and Nathan Hudson insured a fun-packed day was had by the 30-strong group of youngsters. Bay club members volunteered to help out and there was food, hospitality and a wonderful day of thrills with some of the children venturing out in kayaks and, later when the wind had increased, in the club's safety boats. As the wind dropped off a little in the afternoon Clive Woodward took parties of children and staff out sailing in his 16 foot Devon Dabber to cruise the surf. THERE were classic sailing conditions for Whitstable Yacht Club's annual championships. Scheduled to run over three days and six races, and with a forecast of brisk Easterlies, it was always going to be the fittest and fastest that would triumph. The weather lived up to the forecast with a strong breeze and big waves on both Saturday and Sunday, but unfortunately too much wind on Monday prevented a grandstand finish. That meant the championship was decided over four races which gave Dick Ledger and Tom Bruton (F18 catamaran)a clear win with two first places and a fourth. In rough conditions which led to a number of capsizes, their performance in the fastest boat on the water was outstanding. Throughout the fleet there was some amazing sailing, especially from the cadets in their Toppers, a class won by Dryston Harnett. Also battling through the wind and waves, offering a gutsy performance in tough conditions, was first lady Donna Hender in her Wanderer. The sailing was followed by a Diamond Jubilee street party. Result: 1 Dick Ledger & Tom Bruton (F18), 2 Phil & Karen Emery (Merlin Rocket), 3 Tudor Owen & crews (505), 4 Charles Campion (Laser), 5 Matt French (Laser Radial), 6 Sergei Samis (Musto Skiff). Whitstable Yacht Club have reduced membership fees by 40 per cent to encourage newcomers to the sport. Details from www.wyc.org.uk or the club office on 01227 636921. FOLLOWING a successful open day, it was back to racing at Hampton Pier Yacht Club as race four of the summer series took place. In light and fluctuating winds the race officer set two courses to accommodate the three fleets that were sailing. The fast fleet was led from start to finish by Mark Whetton and crew in the Fireball, but with Richard Gower and Howard Barker (Trio) and Peter Bell (Laser) never far behind it was down to handicap adjustments to determine the winner. First were Gower and Barker, with Bell in second and Whetton in third. The medium fleet was won by Frank and Glynis Oliver (Versa) with Dave Farmer (Comet) in second and Ken Smith (Xtra) in third. In the slow fleet it was another victory for Simon Govier (Mino) with Andrew McGregor and Lee Gannon (Mirror) racing home a comfortable second. Next Saturday sees a day of general sailing followed on Sunday by race five in the Summer series.

Giant sailing yachts return to Falmouth

For the first time since the world was last at war, Falmouth will see the return of a class of vast sailing yachts this month. The “J Class” was established in 1929 and serves as a rating for large sailing yachts designed between 1930 and 1937. Measuring as much as 140 feet in length and weighing up to 200 tons, there were only ever ten of these elegant giants built during the design’s heyday – mostly because of the immense expense involved in their construction and maintenance. Now, after years of the original yachts laying largely forgotten - rotting away in mud berths or being broken up for scrap - four of the J Class will make a triumphant return at a specially designed five day regatta in Falmouth from June 26-30. Commodore Peter Collet from the Royal Cornwall Yacht Club (RCYC), which is hosting the event, said: “We feel particularly privileged and we are very excited about it. “The history of the J-Class is all around us here and there will be, in this club, an exhibition of memorabilia that will explain it all to the public during the event.” David Pitman is secretary of the J Class Association, which was formed in 2000 to oversee the revival of the class and organise races. He said: “The ‘J’ is probably one of the biggest sailing boats that you will see in the world. They need 30 crew and have more than 10,000 feet of sail. “The last race we had they sailed for four hours and finished within 15 seconds of each other, so it’s very, very close racing and this is a wonderful opportunity to see them in UK waters. “Once you see the boats close up, you will realise just how special they are,” he added. The four yachts to feature in the Falmouth regatta will be “Velsheda”, which was originally built in 1933, “Ranger”, which is a replica of the last J Class to successfully defend the America’s Cup, “Lionheart”, based on an original design from 1937 and the recently launched “Rainbow”, which is a replica of a 1934 yacht of the same name. Races are billed to start at 11am and will last for approximately three to four hours. Although the starting point is dependent upon wind direction, the finish line is envisaged as taking the four sailing yachts between Pendennis Point and the Black Rock marker at the mouth of the Carrick Roads. John Pickup, principal race officer for the RCYC, said: “That means if you are stood on Castle Drive around about four o’clock in the afternoon you will see these boats coming in at speed and quite close together. It will be quite a sight.” Spectators are encouraged to go out on the water and see the “J’s” up close, but must not manoeuvre in front of the boats and should try to avoid the starting “box,” that will be marked out by boats flying “J” flags at each corner. Mr Pickup said: “People who go out there have to understand that this is a great sport to watch, but these are massive lumps of material that can’t turn easily and certainly can’t stop. “We are really desperately keen that spectators should get out there and see what’s going on, but while all four boats are managed be professional skippers, who are very experienced and know the rules, they will find it completely impossible to deal with two boats converging on their bow.” Race commentary will be available on Channel 69 UHF. For more information, contact the RCYC on 312126.

Virtual sailing gives competitors the edge

Simulating weather and water conditions before a race could give sailors the advantage they need to win, new research reveals. The study, carried out by the Yacht and Superyacht Research Group (YSRG) at Newcastle University, UK, with the Yacht Research Unit of the University of Auckland and the Italian super-computer centre CILEA, looked at how accurately we can predict the way a yacht will behave during a particular race using parameters such as sea conditions and currents. Modelling the way each factor impacts on the yacht at every stage of the race, the team - led by Newcastle University's Dr Ignazio Maria Viola - has shown that it is possible to use a virtual simulation to steal an advantage over your competitors. Dr Viola, who over the last ten years has worked with several Olympic Sailing teams and America's Cup teams, explains: "Until now, competition-level sailors would have to carry out physical tests to accurately choose the best boat for that particular race. "What we have shown is that by simulating the conditions we can predict with the same degree of accuracy as the most reliable of these tests how each boat will behave across the course. "At the highest competitive level every second counts and using this information, competitors can choose the boat that can potentially win them the race and give them an edge over the rest of the field. Ultimately, however, whether they win or not is down to the sailor and how he or she performs on the day." The team modelled the resistance on the hull in a range of scenarios, racing virtual crews in state-of-the-art yacht designs, comparing the results with data from model-scale towing tank tests. The research, published this month in the leading academic journal for yacht engineering, the International Journal of Small Craft Technology (Transactions of the Royal Institution of Naval Architects), shows for the first time that simulation can be used to precisely measure water resistance against a boat's hull. The new method, developed by Dr Viola, can now be employed by any sailor, yacht designer or researcher to test the performance of a boat under different weather conditions. Newcastle University Yacht and Superyacht Research Group is the most published and largest research-focussed group in Europe. Currently working with America's Cup sail and yacht designers, the team are world-leaders in the numerical modelling of sailing yachts. "Virtual races could be the key to helping Britain finally clinch the America's Cup," explains Dr Viola, who has also just completed tests on a new candidate for the 2016 Olympics. "The America's Cup is the oldest trophy in the world and the most expensive to win with each challenger spending tens of millions of dollars in designing, building, and sailing its boat, which represents the state-of-the-art of the worldwide marine industry. "First held in 1851 at Cowes, on the Isle of Wight, America held the title for 132 years. Since 1983, however, the Cup has been successively won by Australia, USA, New Zealand and Switzerland, before finally being brought back to the USA in 2010 with the San Francisco Yacht Club's victory of the 33rd America's Cup. "The race will be won by the team with the most skill but our research shows that we can use virtual sailing to remove other unknowns."

Sailing Club Spotlight Snettisham Beach Sailing Club

SCORES of people took to the water to have a go at sailing during an open day. Snettisham Beach Sailing Club welcomed more than 65 people to its site in May. The club was hoping to attract more members during the event and to generate a greater interest in the sport. During the day, visitors were able to chat to members. They were also taken out to sea during the early sessions and later sailed on a water filled former gravel pit. Training centre principal Katie Daniels was pleased with the response to the open day. She said: “We were really happy with the turnout. “We had a barbecue running all day and there were lots of interested smiling faces. “We think we have now got eight to ten new members with more people following it up. It was very successful.” The club has also recently been awarded a £10,000 Sports England grant for a training boat. Members are also running a six-week course to help children lean to sail. Sessions cost £60 for six weeks and all of the equipment is provided.

Loch Awe sailing in a Heron Dinghy

Start Boating - I love Sailing

Blind sailors ready for yacht race

Three visually impaired sailors are to race a small yacht from London to the Olympic sailing site of Portland, in Dorset. The trio are crewing the James Cook on behalf of Action For Blind People (Action) in the Small Yacht Race 2012, set up by the Ocean Youth Trust which aims to get more people out on the water. Stephen Ball, 23, from Southport; Brett Johnson, 22, from Oldham; and Danny Grant, 25, from Wakefield; are working with five other crewmates, many of whom are also blind or partially sighted on the challenge. Stephen has virtually no sight, being only able to see the outline of objects. Action is helping him to find assistive technology to allow him to live more independently. He said: "This is a once in a lifetime opportunity. I'm really excited about the challenge, learning new skills and teaming up with the crew, hopefully sailing to a famous victory." John Turnbull, from Action, said: "We've got a team of eight enthusiastic young people, ready for a challenge and determined to win. At Action, we aim to help young people with sight loss develop socially, learn news skills and increase their confidence. Team building, fun and a competitive environment are perfect ingredients to make this happen and in an Olympic year, the event allows them to prove that sight loss isn't a barrier to living your dreams." The five-day race, celebrating the jubilee and Olympics, involves three stages; team initiation, preparation of the yacht, and the race itself. Away from the yachting challenge, Action is working with teammates Brett and Danny to help them gain greater independence. Brett is partially sighted, suffering from a condition called nystagmus, which makes reading and walking a great challenge. Danny has had practically no sight since birth and is only able to recognise bright light, but no specific shapes or outlines. The race starts on June 11. To support the charity visit www.actionforblindpeople.org.uk/donate.

Ten Heavy Weather Sailing Tips You Need to Know

1. Make Up "Zero-Prep" Energy Bags Use small Ziplock type bags to hold high energy snacks. Combine nuts, dried fruits, tasty seeds like sesame or pumpkin, banana chips, and dried coconut for a super snack. Press the bag tight before you seal to keep air out and your energy snack will last longer when stored aboard your sailboat. 2. Top Off Your Trusty Thermos Purchase two large thermoses. Before the rough stuff arrives, fill one thermos with a hearty soup or stew. Fill the other with coffee, tea, or hot chocolate. That way, you won't need to worry about boiling water in choppy seas for a nutritious meal or drink. Secret Tip - Purchase a thermos with a spigot-top conversion kit and mounting brackets. Install the brackets in a spot near your boat galley. Fill the thermos, screw on the top and close the spigot. Mount the thermos "bottoms-up" in the brackets. Now you have a safe, fast, easy way to pour soup or your favorite beverage in any sailing weather! 3. Eat Before the Weather Arrives at Your Boat Fix a light meal with pasta if you expect rough seas when sailing. Stay clear of greasy, fried foods. Concentrate on foods that you boil, broil, or bake. Pasta has a good reputation as a "tummy tamer" when it comes to sea sickness. It's economical, easy to digest, nutritious, and provides good energy for sailing in rough weather. 4. Lash and Stow Below Check the galley for loose pots, plates, and silverware. Wrap silverware in towels to avoid clanging. Store pots in cabinets. Stuff towels or pieces of foam between stacks of dishes, glasses, or pots and pans to keep things in place and noise to a minimum. 5. Keep a Clothes Change Handy Pull out a full change of clothes. Fold and stow in an oversized Ziplock or waterproof bag outside of your sailing duffel bag. You want this change of clothes ready in an instant so you won't need to hunt around for it. Include underwear and socks. If you get soaked when sailing, you will want to slide into a set of dry clothes right away. Do this now to save you time and effort later. 6. Clear the Decks for Clean Decks Studies of past heavy weather sailing races show that those racing sailboats with clean, uncluttered decks had an easier time. Take a tip from the racing crowd. Check the outside decks from bow to stern. Neaten up sheets and lines. Turn cowl vents around to face astern to prevent water intrusion below; in extreme conditions, remove the cowl vents, stow them below, and screw covers in their place. Keep decks clean for safer sailing in any weather. 7. Add extra Lashings Check all lashings on deck-stowed Jerry jugs (cans), propane bottles, life raft canister, dinghy, and anchors. Double or triple lashings with small diameter line. Seas that break aboard can break weak lashings like a knife going through butter. Make lashings strong and robust to keep deck-stowed gear in place. 8. Seal Ports and Hatches No matter what the manufactures tell you, expect ports and hatches to leak. Heavy weather or squalls can bring high winds, seas, and horizontal driving rain that will find any nook and cranny. Use strong, waterproof duct tape to seal around ports and hatches on the inside your cabin. This will keep water out and dryness in for greater crew comfort in heavy weather sailing. 9. Set Up Sails Now Hank on your storm jib or trysail now with sheets run, halyards cleared, and all ready to hoist. If you decide to delay on the hoist, stop off the sail along the deck with sail ties or next to the mast (in the case of a trysail). This way, your storm sails will be ready to set in a matter of seconds when you need them. 10. Rest and Hydrate Often Heavy weather sailing saps energy like few other activities. Get as much rest as possible between watches. Remember to keep hydrated with water or non-sugar energy drinks like Gatorade or Emergen-C. These beverages replace critical electrolytes and minerals that you will use to keep your balance, hang on when heeling, or move about when changing sails or standing watch. Remind your sailing crew to rest and hydrate for greater comfort. Follow these ten heavy weather sailing tips to get ready before the tough stuff arrives aboard your boat. These tips will help keep your sailing crew safe and sound and provide them with more comfort--wherever in the world you choose to cruise! Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/7046795

49er Sailing Perth

Moth Sailing

ISAF Sailing World Cup heads to Weymouth

Skandia Sail for Gold, the sixth of seven ISAF Sailing World Cup Regattas, is being held from 4 to 9 June 2012. Over 700 sailors from 60 nations will compete at the host venue of the London 2012 Olympic Sailing Competition in Weymouth. Skandia Sail for Gold will feature many of the Olympic sailors as they enter the final stages of their preparations for the London 2012 Olympic Games. Thirteen teams have entered the Women’s Match Racing Competition at Sail for Gold which is lining up to be a dress rehearsal for London 2012 with those named all competing alongside teams who are fully expected to be announced before the final entry deadline of 9 July 2012. ISAF Rolex World Sailor of the Year Anna Tunnicliffe (USA) is undoubtedly the favourite for top honours at Sail for Gold as she enters on the back of four consecutive regatta victories, including the US Women’s Match Racing Qualification Regatta. Silja Lehtinen (FIN) finished fifth at last year’s regatta but has since had a lull in form. But she has winning form in Weymouth following her gold medal at the 2011 Weymouth and Portland International Regatta. World 2 Lucy Macgregor (GBR), World 3 Claire Leroy (FRA) and World 4 Ekaterina Skudina (RUS) will also join the party in what will be a highly competitive display of Women’s Match Racing. Australia’s Tom Slingsby is undefeated at Weymouth and Portland and he will be looking to continue that run to reaffirm his position as Laser favourite. One of the surprise packages of the 2011-12 ISAF Sailing World Cup has been Charlie Buckingham (USA) who has consistently strung together impressive results in four of five regattas sailed so far. But with a highly competitive 96-boat fleet in Weymouth the Laser Standings leader will find competition stiffer. Beijing’s 2008 Olympic bronze medallist Lijia Xu (CHN) is starting to peak at the right time in the Laser Radial and is undefeated in the 2011-12 World Cup series. Xu also claimed the 2012 Laser Radial World Championship silver medal and has thrown a spanner in the works with many expecting Marit Bouwmeester (NED) and Evi Van Acker (BEL) to run away with the Laser Radial honours at London 2012. But as Sari Multala (FIN) also hits the right note, and Paige Railey (USA), a dangerous competitor, the Women’s fleet will be hotly contested in Weymouth ahead of London 2012. The Star fleet will feature 20-boats with a wealth of World Championship and Olympic experience spread across the fleet. Iain Percy and Andrew Simpson (GBR) and Robert Scheidt and Bruno Prada (BRA) rekindle their rivalry that has been fascinating to watch this year. The Brazilians had the better of the Brits at the Trofeo S.A.R. Princess Sofia MAPFRE in Palma, Spain as well as the Star Worlds in Hyeres, France so victory at Skandia Sail for Gold will set a benchmark ahead of the Olympic Games. Ben Ainslie (GBR) will be the man to beat in the 45-boat Finn fleet having taken the honours in Palma and at the Finn Gold Cup in Falmouth, Great Britain. Ainslie has dominated the Finn in 2012 and his rivals will find him tough to beat at Sail for Gold. The Women’s Match Racers get the regatta underway at 10:00 local time on Monday 4 June at the Weymouth and Portland National Sailing Academy before the Medal Races bring the regatta to a close on Saturday 9 June.