Dinghy Sailing with Flying Fish

GBR Youth Challenge selected for Red Bull Youth America's Cup trials

GBR Youth Challenge has been announced as the British team challenging for the Red Bull Youth America's Cup. The team will compete at the selection series in San Francisco between the 18th and 24th of February 2013, using the same AC45 catamarans as the America's Cup World Series. They will be competing against 11 other nations for the opportunity to sail in the first Red Bull Youth America's Cup. After the selections teams will go into an intensive training program in pursuit of the ultimate youth sailing goal, to win the youth Americas Cup in San Francisco. The eight sailors that make up GBR Youth Challenge have come together with the aim of winning the Red Bull Youth America's Cup. All have proven themselves to be some of the best young sailors in Britain competing in events of the very highest level including RC44 world championships, TP52 Medcup, Extreme Sailing Series and F18 world championships. Their focus and drive set them apart from the rest as they all have the longing to be allowed the chance to compete on yacht racing’s world stage. The team is led by James French, a talented sailor from the Isle of Wight, who has taken every opportunity to better himself from a young age. He will be joined by Trystan Seal, Peter Austin, Will Semken, Adam Lees, Adam Piggott, Andrew Sinclair and Tom Forrester Coles. A number of the team have come through the British Keelboat Academy a joint RYA and UKSA programme aiming to develop young British sailors. According to James French, "We have been very fortunate to receive financial backing from Team Concise (teamconcise.com) to help us get this far. Team Concise is committed to helping young British sailors. Their main focus so far has always been offshore racing in Class 40's and its amazing to see the success they have already had there. It's a real advantage to GBR Youth Challenge to have another young team with a phenomenal race record assist us with our program." Moving further down along the campaign path the team are looking for likeminded companies and individual’s to join the campaign to help them progress. This is an amazing opportunity for anyone to become involved with, as the possible rewards could be fruitful as well as promoting youth sailing. We are passionate about youth sailing and hope that we can bring together a group of likeminded individuals to move forward and get a chance to compete in the most prestigious event in the sailing world. GBR Youth Challenge For more information please do not hesitate to contact James French. gbrchallenge@gmail.com Editors note The America's Cup has a long history in Britain, the first race being sailed around the Isle of Wight in 1851. Britain has had a long tradition of challengers all the way through from the foundation of the cup. From the outside, the race has changed dramatically, moving from wood to carbon fibre in the search for perfection. Even though the boats are now modern racing machines the essence of the races has not been lost, it is a pure test of skill and tactical calls with the only difference between the two teams competing is the people sailing the boats. After the success of the Americas Cup World Series, stopping in Plymouth for spectacular grandstand racing, the plans were laid down for an opportunity for young sailors to have a route to the top. It is first time that there has been a clear pathway to give youth sailors the experience they need to compete the most prestigious event in sailing. We are proud to be forging a pathway in the first Red Bull Youth Americas cup with the hope that more will follow and be inspired to take up the challenge of representing Britain at the Youth Americas Cup.

Sailing Club Spotlight Chichester Sailing Club

The first races of the Chichester Yacht Club Snowflake open winter series brought a good turnout of more than 40 boats. Race officers Nick and Roger Elliman laid a P-shaped course with a good beat, followed by an exciting reach in front of the CYC clubhouse, much to the enjoyment of onlookers. Winds were fast, variable and gusty, starting around force five but building to six and gusting seven in the second race. Even some of the most experienced sailors were affected by conditions, with many capsizes and retirements keeping the safety boats busy. The fast fleet comprised a good number of RS200s, plus Merlin Rockets and RS400s and a smattering of other fast boats. In race one, Steve and Sarah Cockerill (Hill Head) were fastest on the water in their Merlin Rocket but were pushed into second with the RS200 of George Yeoman and Sophie Ormsby (Itchenor) taking first several minutes ahead of next RS200. Third were Ben and Charlotte Ainsworth in an RS 200 (Itchenor). In race two, there was a general recall as the tide was beginning to turn. The racing was notable for the lively and close completion between the RS200s, who were flying round the course in the conditions. The first four positions went to RS200s. First were Edward Fitzgerald and Rosie Sibthorne (HISC) a few seconds ahead of Yeoman and Ormsby in second. Dicken Maclean and Hannah Young (Island Barn SC) were third. At the end of the races Yeoman and Ormsby were leading the series. In the medium fleet, in race one, the National 12 of William Warren and Sophie Mackley (Shoreham SC) shot out ahead of the fleet to take a good lead, winning on the water and on handicap. Luke South (CYC) put in a good time in his Laser to finish second on the water and tied on handicap with Mark Harper (Solo, CYC). In race two, the conditions led to the second race being shortened because of the many retirements and capsizes. The Solos dominated the fleet, perhaps because of fewer capsizes, although even some of the Solo fleet retired in the difficult conditions. Mike Linney and Giles Dixon were notable in their Laser 2000 for several capsizes but for continuing to be the only two-hander to finish. The first three places went to Solos. First was Nick Peters (HISC), second Ray Collins (Locks SC), third Mark Harper (CYC) - with Peters leading the series at the end of day one. The slow fleet were all under 16. In race one the RS Feva of N Townsend and A Fordham put in a fast time on the water, but were beaten into second place on handicap by Harry Kennedy in a Laser 4.7 (Hill Head SC). Third was Alex Butler in an RS Tera (HISC). Only a few ventured out in race two in the heavy winds. First was Butler, second Billy Venius-Ozanne and Andre Ozanne in an RS Feva (HISC), with Butler leading overall at the end of the day. The next Snowflake races take place this Sunday (Jan 13) - first start 10.30am. Spectators welcome.

Sailing Club Spotlight Marconi Sailing Club

Sailing World Championship event set for Poole

The 2013 International 2.4 metre Class Open World Championships are set to take place in Poole this September with the competition being in of the very few events in the sport where able-bodied and disabled sailors compete together. The Championships will be staged by the Poole Yacht Club from September 6 until 14 with International 2.4mR being the only class where able-bodied and disabled sailors, male and female, compete in the same boats on a level playing field. A best-ever fleet of around 100 sailors is anticipated at the event with a top cast of able-bodied and disabled sailors set to attend, including Britain's 2.4mR London 2012 Paralympic champion Helena Lucas. The 2.4mR is the one-person Paralympic Games boat and typically 25-30 per cent of an International 2.4mR fleet is classified with a range in type and severity of disability, making it an even playing field. "We are delighted to be bringing the 2013 Worlds to Poole," said International 2.4mR class Association secretary Steve Bullmore. "This event always captures the imagination wherever it's staged because the racing is so unique. "You have Paralympic and disabled worlds medallists going head-to-head with top able-bodied athletes in unbelievably tight, tactical and strategic racing. "The 2.4mR is a keelboat but has the fingertip feel of a dinghy. "The sailor sits facing forwards in the 'cockpit' of the boat with all controls within arms' reach, so the sailing isn't physically demanding. "Also the boat is insensitive to different sailor sizes, as body weight is always close to its centre of gravity. "This is why we get such equal and intriguing competition." Britain’s 2.4mR London 2012 Paralympic champion Helena Lucas is expected to compete at the International 2.4 Metre Class Open World Championships in Poole All racing will take place in the famous Poole Harbour, which typically presents tidal, flatter conditions with a South-Westerly prevailing wind. "It's been a lot of very hard work in a very short space of time, but when you're offered the chance to stage such a prestigious event, you don't turn it down," said Poole Yacht Club Rear Commodore Tim Edom. "We're very honoured to be hosts and look forward to welcoming so many world class sailors to compete on Poole Harbour's stunning waters."

GP14 World Dinghy Sailing Championship to be Hosted on Strangford Lough

East Down Yacht Club has announced that they will be hosting the GP 14 World Championship in August 2014. This will probably be the largest ever dinghy sailing championship to be held on Strangford Lough. It is anticipated that there will be in the region of 130-150 boats competing in the event, with entrants from Ireland , United Kingdom, Europe and even as far afield as Sri Lanka. East Down Yacht Club is situated on the Western shores of Strangford Lough about 1 mile north of Killyleagh. The facilities at the Club have recently been substantially up dated with concrete hard standing for all boat parks and surrounding grounds. It also has its own Caravan and Camping facilities on site which together with additional marquee facilities will make the whole event have a very " Championship village atmosphere feel to it ". Many competitors will be living on site or staying in nearby B&B accommodation, but all will enjoy the onsite catering and evening entertainment which will be laid on. There will be 5 days of very competitive racing taking place with daily prizes and culminating in the awarding of the overall Championship winners on the last day. Strangford Lough is well known to many sailors and provides a fantastic venue for such an event, not only for its outstanding scenic qualities, but also for the abundance of wild life which can be observed around its shores and on the water. It provides large expanses of open water which are tidal , but not exposed to open sea conditions owing to the relatively narrow entrance to the Lough.

Sailing Beginner Terms - Sails

In this article of sailing beginner, I am going to be discussing sailing terms associated with sails. In general there are three general types of sails known as the Mainsail, Jib, and the Spinnaker used for downwind sailing. The main sail is typically triangular in shape and the top of the sail is known as the head where the halyard rope is attached for raising it up on the mast. The bottom of the sail is known as the Foot. The Tack is where the sail is attached to the boom and is located on the bottom luff side of the mainsail or the side closest to the mast. The Clew is where the sail is attached to the boom and is located on the bottom leech side of the mainsail on the opposite end of the mast. As mentioned the Luff is on the mast side of the mainsail and runs the length of it. The Leech is the opposite side of the mainsail and runs the entire length from the bottom or the foot to the head or top of the sail. Although there are various kinds of sails, the mainsail is the workhorse of them all. It allows the sailing boat the ability to sail up or down wind. With that said, as a sailing beginner, you may want to use just the mainsail initially when tacking upwind. Otherwise it can be overwhelming to control two sails at once especially in high winds! The mainsail can also be reefed in high winds, which is nothing more than reducing the area of the sail. More about reefing in my next article. So in essence the mainsail is the most versatile of the three general types of sails because it can be used in all sailing applications, techniques, and adverse weather conditions. The next type of sail used is known as a Jib and this is what I have on my Renken pocket cruiser. Jibs are located in front of the mast, triangular in shape, and are the main source of propulsion when going upwind or sailing into the wind. The Genoa is similar to the jib, but overlaps the mainsail when in place, unlike the jib's leech side that remains in front of the mainsail. The Gennaker is a hybrid of both the genoa and a spinnaker that was developed in the 1990's and is used primarily for racing. Most common of the three are jibs and most likely as a sailing beginner, it's most likely the sail you will use of the available headsails. Also as a word of caution, please be careful using the jib when sailing in high winds, especially if you are sailing perpendicular to the wind. Just recently while sailing, I was deceived into thinking that the wind was not all that bad and raised my jib sail while sailing downwind. It was smooth sailing up to that point until I was forced to make a starboard turn because I had to navigate around a point of land on my port side. I steered my sailing vessel into a port jibe or gybe, and all of the sudden a gust of wind of over 15 knots hit me so hard that I was just short of taking in water on my port side. At this point, my adrenaline put me into high gear and I put as much of my weight on the starboard side almost sitting directly on the side of the boat, and was contemplating on jumping on the keel if I was able. It was either that or jump ship! In this case, I made the split decision to stay aboard. So with my hands white knuckled to the tiller pushed away from me, I was able to counteract the force of the wind and upright my boat. Mind you this is a 1,200 pound sailboat with a keel that weighs over 400 pounds! And I was single-handed sailing that day, but I was able with much difficulty to retrieve the jib while I had my Renken in irons while in the middle of the lake. The last most commonly used of the three general types of sails is the spinnaker. The Spinnaker also called the Kite or Chute is used for sailing downwind or when the wind is behind you. Much like a parachute, the spinnaker fills up with air and creates a maximum amount of lift, thus propelling the sailing boat forward while going downwind. Since a spinnaker can be twice the size of the mainsail, it takes more effort to raise and to retrieve it. I hope that this gives you a general idea of the sailing basics associated with sails. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/7315151

Weymouth and Portland to host Open Handicap regatta

The host venue of the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic sailing events is set to launch an annual event inspired by the Games. Weymouth and Portland National Sailing Academy's (WPNSA) Open Handicap regatta is set to take place during the August Bank Holiday weekend. It will combine coaching, fleet sailing and racing. The event will take place on the same stretch of water used during the 2012 Games, close to Nothe Fort. 'Lasting legacy' Three races, inclusive of all classes, will take place on both Saturday 24 and Sunday 25 August. Competitors will also have access to support from Olympic coaches on Friday 23 August. An all classes pursuit race, run under the RYA Portsmouth Yardstick scheme, will be held on the Bank Holiday Monday. John Tweed, chief executive of WPNSA which has developed the event with SailRacer, said: "There will be a WPNSA Regatta Cup awarded and the event will not be one-off, but be part of a programme to ensure there is a continuing and lasting legacy in Dorset and the United Kingdom." SailRacer will stream the event online to allow spectators to follow the live action. Chartered boats will also be provided by SailLaser, the onsite sailing school, to allow those who do not own boats to take part in the racing.

Sailing Club Spotlight North Lincs and Humberside Sailing Club

The honour recognises the club's growth over the past year, which has been North Lincs' first as a recognised OnBoard club. RYA Humber OnBoard Development Officer, Liz Wrigglesworth, said: "This is the first year the award has been presented in the Humber area. "I chose North Lincs & Humberside Sailing Club (NLHSC) to receive this award in recognition of all their great work in their first year as an OnBoard club." "Over the past year, the club has run over 400 first experience dinghy sailing and windsurfing sessions and recruited 17 new, regular young sailors. "Their regular youth training evenings have proven to be a big hit with local youngsters, as they learn to develop their sailing skills in a boat or on a board." She added: "North Lincs & Humberside Sailing Club are very worthy winners of this award and they should be proud of all they have achieved during 2012." In accepting the award, Vice Commodore Angelique Lansley, paid tribute to the club's volunteer instructors and helpers. "We are absolutely thrilled with the award and never expected to receive it in our first year as an RYA OnBoard club." she said. "We couldn't have done it without all the hard work from our very dedicated volunteer instructors and helpers. "We ran weekly windsurfing and dinghy sailing sessions for youngsters in the area, which were well attended as well as our 'Sportivate' project, which encouraged even more youngsters to give sailing a try. "Our sail week in the summer was also a tremendous success and having good coverage of the sailing events during the Olympics definitely inspired some to have a go! She added: "Next year is all about looking at what we learned this year, making some improvements, where we feel we can, and making sailing and windsurfing accessible to even more youngsters." Run by the RYA, OnBoard is a grass-roots programme which introduces sailing and windsurfing to young people aged eight to 18, through schools, youth groups and training centres. Over a ten year period, OnBoard aims to introduce a minimum of 500,000 children to sailing and windsurfing nationwide, converting around ten per cent of them into regular participants. For more information and advice on how to get involved in sailing, visit the Royal Yachting Assoction website at www.rya.org.uk or log on to the NLHSC's site at www.nlsail.co.uk.

Sailing the Rebel dinghy - a potential Olympic skiff 2016

Preparing for heavy sailing weather before it arrives!

Safety and preparation go hand-in-hand for heavy weather. Crew, topsides, and below decks need to be readied if you suspect a blow in the offing. Even if it never develops, you will have the peace-of-mind that you, your crew and small sailboat are well prepared for what may come your way. John Jamieson (Captain John) here offers some salient advice: Crew Safety ~ Take Care of Your Sailing Crew Why place sailing crew first? Your crew represents the most important element in successful sailing. Heavy weather sailing--in particular in cool or cold weather--can take a toll on crew. Take care of yourself and your crew first, whether there is only one or a full crew. Count on the fact that most sailing crew shy away from discussions of sea sickness, fatigue, aches and pains, etc. Take the lead and suggest that all crew begin sea sick medication, rest, and hydration at least 48 hours before a trip. This will help control sea sickness and fatigue. If sailing in cold weather, make sure that crew have adequate outerwear. Be alert for the first sign of hypothermia--shivering. Rotate watches at a more frequent interval to keep your crew rested and warm. If sailing in warmer weather, make hourly hydration your priority. Encourage your crew to drink water or one of the popular electrolyte replacement beverages (Emergen-C, Gatorade) to keep hydrated. Deck Topsides Safety ~ Clear, Lash, and Coil: Think of anything in the open of a sailboat as topsides. If you climb from the cabin to the cockpit, you are 'going topsides'. Clean decks make for safer sailing. Matter of fact, a quick study of sailboat racing disasters shows this one factor again and again. Those boats that had clean, clear decks sustained less damage, less injuries, and less rescues! Keep the bow and side decks free of debris or sailing gear and fenders. After each tack or reach or trim, insist that lines be coiled. This needn't be anything fancier than a simple stack of bights. Mainsheet and Genoa sheets need to be ready to run, free of kinks and snarls. Use extra lashings on liferaft canisters. Check the lashings on flaked headsails stopped off along the toerail or lifelines. Double check lifeline end points (cotters, rings, pelican hooks). Tape over pelican hook bales. Turn cowl vents around so that the open vent faces aft. This will keep the cowl from blowing out of the mount in gusts or waves that break aboard. Below Decks Safety ~ Lash and Stow Below Stuff lockers that you suspect have loose gear with towels, pieces of foam, or rags. These will keep small containers or silverware from rolling about. Double check that locker hasps, latches, and dogs are closed and anchored. Stow any loose gear with bungee cord or line to prevent 'missile hazards' (flying objects that can cause injury or damage when the boat takes an unexpected roll).

Extreme Sailing Series - 2012 highlights

winter sailing escapade

Scottish Challengers Review of 2012

Sailing Club Spotlight Salcombe Sailing Club

Sailing Club Spotlight Channel sailing Club

A sailing club has raised money to help train sea rescue volunteers. Channel Sailing Club presented £1,300 to the Solent Sea Rescue Organisation(SSRO) this week to support its work to stop people dying at sea. Members, who meet weekly at Epsom Sports Club, often go sailing in the Solent between the mainland and Isle of Wight. The club’s Commodore Diana Coman said: "Our members spend a lot of time sailing in the Solent, and if any of us get into difficulty, it is likely that one of the local rescue services will be called out. “We just wanted to support and important volunteer service." Over the past two years Channel Sailing Club has held raffles, cake sales and other events to raise money for its Commodore's Charity, which donated to SSRO.

Sailing Club Spotlight Porthpean Sailing club

THE 2012 season may have drawn to a close on one of the stormiest weekends in recent years, but Porthpean Sailing Club are already looking forward to next year's action – and you could be a part of it. There are fewer better sights than that of a fleet sailing across the coast line on a Sunday afternoon. But as pleasurable as it is watching from a distance, Porthpean is encouraging more sailors, with or without experience, to join this friendly, family club. Boasting around 80 members, from aged seven upwards, the club is hoping to attract more members before sailing starts again in March next year. In the meantime, the club hosts social evenings every Wednesday (from 7.30pm) from its clubhouse. Those interested in sailing are more than welcome to attend. The club's press officer, Chris Hazell, who regularly joins in on the sailing action, would like to see more people getting involved. He said: "Our objective is to raise awareness, and to encourage new members, both with and without their own boats. "We have people of all ages, anybody can give it a go, whether they've sailed before or not, it's really easy to get involved. "We'd especially like to hear from youngsters, at the base of the pyramid, and the future of the club." During the season the club hosts three races a week, regularly attracting more than 20 boats. The club class is now the tasar, an exciting, and very fast boat to sail. For those who wish to sail something different (including one or two Scorpions), there is a handicap fleet, where race times are adjusted to allow for the varying speeds of the different boats. The club has hosted National Championships, and has run 21 successful events, and one World Championships. This year the Tasar National Championships were held at Porthpean Sailing Club, with around 30 of the UK's best tasar crews in action. And as well as bringing the country's most talented sailors to the county, there are also the economic benefits. Hazell said: "When the Nationals take place we bring a lot of business to the county, which can only be a good thing." Next year, the club could well boast two world champions, when husband and wife tasar team Jeremy and Susan Hawkins compete in the World Championships in North America. Hazell said: "I really think they have a very good chance of winning, which would just be fantastic for the club." For more details on Porthpean Sailing Club visit their official website, www.porthpeansc.co.uk

Prout 45 catamaran

Bavaria Cruiser 36

.Red Bull Youth America's Cup Sailors Learn the Ropes with ORACLE TEAM USA

Ainslie retires from Olympic sailing

His spot in Olympic sailing history secure, Ben Ainslie will now try to become the first Englishman to hoist the America’s Cup in victory. That would be one silver trophy he’d be eager to achieve. The four-time gold medalist announced his retirement from Olympic sailing early Tuesday, saying it was time to move on to the challenge of trying to end Britain’s long drought in the competition for the oldest trophy in international sports, the America’s Cup. Ainslie’s decision wasn’t a surprise. While he said he wanted to take some time after winning the gold medal in the Finn class at the London Olympics, he’s already sailed in two America’s Cup World Series regattas with his Ben Ainslie Racing team, finishing second in one of them. The 35-year-old Ainslie became the most successful Olympic sailor ever when he won his fourth straight gold medal at Weymouth in August. He also won a silver medal at Atlanta in 1996 in his first Olympics. “When I look back there are so many special memories; from that first medal in Atlanta 16 years ago to carrying the flag at the closing ceremony in London 2012,” Ainslie said in a statement. “London was an incredibly special Olympics, competing on home waters and in front of a home crowd, I don’t think anything will be able to top that experience. But you have to move forward and it is time to move onto the next challenge in my career.” Ainslie was so successful as an Olympian that he was called Britain’s greatest sailor since Admiral Lord Nelson, who was killed while leading his fleet to victory over the French and Spanish fleets at the Battle of Trafalgar. A statue of Nelson rises high above London’s Trafalgar Square. Ainslie, known for an intense focus and work ethic, felt that comparison was hype. “I didn’t rescue the nation from the depths of Napoleon Bonaparte,” Ainslie said after winning his final Olympic gold. “You do the best you can do in your style of racing.” Ainslie was 19 when he took silver in the 1996 Olympics in a bitter loss to Brazil’s Robert Scheidt in the Laser class. Scheidt induced Ainslie into a penalty at the start of the final race and then sailed to gold. It was the last time Ainslie didn’t stand atop the medals podium. Four years later, Ainslie expertly exacted his revenge on Sydney Harbor to beat Scheidt for the gold. After moving up to the heavyweight Finn class, Ainslie had another remarkable performance at Athens in 2004. Disqualified from his second-place finish in the second race due to a protest by a French sailor, the British star fought back from 19th overall to win the gold. Now his racing shifts to bigger, faster boats. He’ll skipper his 45-foot wing-sailed catamaran in the remaining regattas in the America’s Cup World Series and then will sail with defending America’s Cup champion Oracle Racing in the 34th America’s Cup on San Francisco Bay in 2013. It’s expected that he’ll helm one of Oracle’s two 72-foot catamarans in the buildup to the America’s Cup match. Oracle suffered a setback when its first 72-foot catamaran capsized on San Francisco Bay in mid-October, destroying its giant wing sail. Oracle’s second 72-foot cat is under construction. Ainslie’s goal is to then launch a British challenge for the 35th America’s Cup. Great Britain has never won the America’s Cup, which began in 1851 when the schooner America beat a fleet of British ships around the Isle of Wight. Ainslie lives in Lymington, across the Solent from the Isle of Wight. “The America’s Cup has always been a goal for me,” Ainslie said. “With the new format of the America’s Cup World Series and the increased commercialization of the event, I feel confident that we can continue to build toward creating a commercially viable team, with the ultimate goal of challenging for the 35th America’s Cup.” John Derbyshire, performance director of the Royal Yachting Association, said Ainslie “has nothing left to prove in Olympic terms and there can be no question that he’s more than achieved his first goal. It’s therefore entirely understandable that he should now want to turn his attentions to the second, and hopefully lead a British team to win the oldest trophy in sport for the very first time.”

Ellen MacArthur sailing charity to open Scottish hub

DAME Ellen MacArthur will soon set sail around the Scots coast – with a group of brave youngsters. The group will be ­celebrating the new Ellen MacArthur Trust hub in Largs, Ayrshire. Ellen, 36, set up her charity almost 10 years ago to help people aged eight to 18, who are recovering from cancer. And as they prepare to open their first Scottish base, she says rather than using her skills to inspire the young sailors, she is in no doubt that she will be the one being inspired by them. Ellen said: “In the 10 years I have been going out in a boat with these ­amazing children, I have been blown away by how inspiring they are. “I have faced big challenges in my boat but these are ­challenges I have chosen. “These children had no choice and battle against something harder than many of us could ever imagine – but they do it with the biggest smiles on their faces. “We have always included children from Scotland on our trips but as our main base is in the Isle of Wight, it has meant our children from Scotland have had lengthy journeys to get to us. “I love sailing around ­Scotland and for us to have a sailing hub there now is a dream we have been working towards. Round-the-world sailor Ellen MacArthur steers cancer victims to brighter tomorrow “Our first trip sets sail from Largs next summer and I’m looking forward to it.” The Ellen MacArthur Trust aim to help youngsters regain their confidence after ­battling cancer and the new hub has been funded by the People’s Poscode Lottery. Youngsters spend four days sailing in cruising yachts, accompanied by volunteers and medical staff. Ellen, who makes a point of joining all the sailing trips, said: “Our charity is less about the children actually sailing and more about them using their time with us to step out of their illness. “We see what they are capable of doing and we encourage them to just join in and have fun.” Lara Govier, of the People’s Postcode ­Lottery, said: “The Trust has been working with young people from across the UK and it has been their dream to bring that ­experience closer to home for the Scottish youngsters living with or diagnosed with ­cancer or leukaemia. “This couldn’t be possible without the support of ­players and it really is thanks to them that the Trust can achieve this fantastic ­milestone.” Jodie Waters, of Dumfries, was just 16 when she was diagnosed with a brain tumour and the ordeal of life-saving surgery hit her confidence. She said: “I had become afraid of doing normal things I had done before. “One of my nurses asked me if I wanted to go with the trust and although I said yes, as the date drew nearer I did start to panic. But it was the best thing for me. “I was surrounded by people who really understood what I had been through and we all just had an amazing time.”

Ilkley's Hector lands sailing award

Ilkley’s Hector Simpson has been named the RYA Yorkshire and Humber Young Sailor of the Year 2012. A talented Laser sailor, Hector attends Bradford Grammar School and is a keen member of Yorkshire Dales Sailing Club. “We are really thrilled to hear that Hector has won this fabulous award,” said club member Keith Escritt. “He is a great competitor and sportsman and I would like to congratulate Hector on behalf of the club.” Hector competed in the 2012 RYA Volvo Youth National Championship at Pwllheli, Wales where he was crowned Laser Standard Youth National Champion, a title that he will defend in Largs, Scotland in April. “I am very proud and I feel honoured to have won the RYA Yorkshire and Humber Young Sailor Award,” said Hector. “I owe my success to lots of people who have helped and coached me over the past few years. “I began sailing about ten years ago and when I was 11 I applied for the RYA Volvo Zone Squad. After that, under the guidance of coaches Martin Boatman and Dave Hivey, I really caught the racing bug.” “I am studying for A’levels in Maths, Further Maths, Chemistry and Physics so juggling time between sailing and studying is hard, especially as a lot of training and competitions take place down on the south coast.” He added: “I’m training with the RYA Volvo Laser Standard National Youth Squad over the winter,” said Hector. “My competition schedule for 2013 depends on how well this training goes but I’m hoping to be part of the GBR squad for some international competitions next summer.”

Extreme Sailing and offshore sailboat racing

Sailing Club Spotlight Derwent Reservoir Sailing Club

Myself messing about on the water video 2

Myself messing about on the water !

Sailing Club Spotlight Castle Semple Sailing Club

Sailors set off for ultimate prize

Three British sailors from Hampshire set sail on Saturday aiming to win the ultimate yachting prize - the Vendee Globe solo non-stop around-the-world race. Mike Golding, 52, from Southampton, Alex Thomson, 38, from Gosport, Hampshire and Sam Davies, 38, - the only woman entrant - from Hayling Island, Hampshire, shared emotional scenes with their families at the pontoon before getting aboard their 60ft boats for the next three months. The 25,000-mile circumnavigation started from Les Sables d'Olonne in France and is dubbed the Marathon Of The Seas. Heavy rain showers and slight winds were the conditions at the start but it did not stop an estimated 250,000 people lining the port and seafront to wave the skippers off as sailing in France is a big draw. The British fans were also on show in the crowd with Union Jacks waved as the sailors made their way out to the start line. The French have so far dominated the race, winning all six previous competitions with Michel Desjoyeaux the 2008/09 winner. There are 20 sailors from six different countries setting sail, with the French the biggest group on twelve, followed by Britain. First prize is 160,000 euro (£120,000) but it is not all about the money. The Vendee is the ultimate test of human endurance with on average only half the boats ever making it back to Les Sables. Two sailors have lost their lives since the race started in 1989 and several others have been lucky to survive. And the tough nature of the contest was immediately shown after one French skipper, Bertrand De Broc, was forced to return to port for repairs after a collision with a spectator boat before the start left a hole in his hull. The British challenge this year is headed by Thomson, who is sailing in Hugo Boss. He has a reputation for speed but has not yet finished a Vendee after two previous attempts, so he has a point to prove. Cambridge graduate Davies is now based in Brittany, is French-sponsored and will be sailing in Saveol. The final Briton is veteran Golding, who is starting his fourth Vendee in his boat Gamesa.

Just back from a fantastic weekend at Galloway Activity Centre !!

Sailing charity seeks new hands in West Cumbria

A charity may be lost if more people do not come forward to be part of its committee. GOING ASHORE: Founder and chairman of Sailability Ged Doran, right, with treasurer and secretary Rodney Mostin Sailability Cumbria started 12 years ago to give disabled people the chance to experience sailing on the open water. The charity’s chairman and founder, Ged Doran, and its secretary and treasurer, Rodney Mostyn, are stepping down because of other commitments and if no one can replace them it may have to close. A skipper with the charity, Eric Mounsey, of Poole Road, Salterbeck, is also stepping down after 10 years. Mr Doran, 63, of Woodville Way, High Harrington, said: “We urge people to come forward. “No one knows more than us the responsibility and commitment needed but if people don’t get involved it dies a death.” The scheme began in 2000 when Mr Doran met a group from the Isle of Man who were involved in Sailing for the Disabled. He started raising funds to launch a similar scheme in West Cumbria. With the help of friends and volunteers he raised enough money to buy a 38ft yacht in 2004. Mr Doran, operations manager at PPM and a part-time harbour master for Allerdale council, said: “I went round a lot of disabled groups which wanted to take part. “I had to go through seven different insurance companies just to get insured and the conditions and limitations they put on it were unbelievable. “If it hadn’t been for Maryport marina I would have had to give the money and the boat back, but all the people there have been fantastic.” The charity has now been opened up to accept youth groups and older people’s groups. Mr Mostyn, 75, of Kirkbride, who joined in 2004, said: “The best memories are when you see disabled people arrive with fear and trepidation, but when we come back to shore they are full of smiles.” The charity is seeking six or seven new committee members. Anyone interested can contact Mr Mostyn at rodney.mostyn@btinternet. com or go along to the charity’s annual meeting at Workington Cricket Club on Tuesday from 7.30pm.

Sailing Club Spotlight Solway Sailing Club 2

Sailing club Spotlight Solway sailing Club

The AC45 catarmaran the ulitmate sailing machine

Best young sailors to battle in Red Bull Youth America's Cup

Hannah Mills set for Extreme Sailing Series before Rio bid

WELSH sailing star Hannah Mills will return to her bid for Olympic golden glory next year. Mills, 24, who is planning on continuing her 470 partnership with Saskia Clark through to Rio 2016 after winning a silver in Weymouth last summer. In the meantime, Mills has been invited to take part in the Nice leg of the Extreme Sailing Series by The Wave, Muscat skipper Leigh McMillan. She feels the experience could boost her preparations for a return to dingy sailing in the build up to the Rio 2016 Games. "I think it's important to take some time off and the Extreme Sailing Series is about learning new skills and improving my sailing in all areas," said the 2012 470 World Champion. "I think if you stay in the same boat for the whole four-year-cycle it gets pretty demoralising so you have to keep it fresh. "I want to do as much different sailing as possible before stepping back into the 470 sometime next year." Mills was only one of a few women involved in Nice. The Dinas Powys ace hopes her success alongside Clark in London 2012 will inspire more women to stay in sport. Women won eleven of Great Britain's 29 gold medals, their best-ever haul. "It's great to be one of the only women here, but obviously it would be great if there were more women involved," continued Mills. "Anna Tunnicliffe (US two-time World Sailor of the Year Award winner, who is also competing in the Extreme Sailing circuit) has done a lot for the sport and the way sailing is going I'm sure there will be many more opportunities for women to get involved. "I definitely think Team GB women doing so well was a huge boost especially for the young girls. "When kids are coming through school it's very easy to drop out of sports so hopefully London will encourage them to stay involved for as long as possible."

Getting Started - Dinghy Sailing

Go Pro optimist Sailing

Sailing Club Spotlight Berwick Sailing Club

A MECHANIC who saved Berwick Sailing Club £4,000 by repairing its safety boat has made the semi-final of a national competition to find Britain’s top maritime hero. Eyemouth’s John Wood has made the semi-finals after being nominated by Alistair McDonald, commodore at Berwick Sailing Club. The new annual awards scheme was launched in June by Old Pulteney Single Malt Scotch Whisky to reward the outstanding passion, commitment and achievements demonstrated within Britain’s maritime communities. After coming to the club’s 
rescue by carrying out essential repairs, John certainly fitted the bill. During a regatta in May, the club’s safety boat was damaged when it capsized in rough waters. The boat’s engine was in a sorry state and looked a write-off until John stepped in and worked day and night to save the club a bill in excess of £4,000 to replace it. “What John did was a big thing for the club.” Alistair commented. “It’s essential we have a boat to serve our safety needs and John worked solidly for a week to make sure we did.” A former Royal Navy engineer, John has also devoted a lot of time to the club since his two sons have joined up, going along to training sessions, helping at regattas and providing transport to events further afield. But despite his keen interest in the club, John has no desire to take to the water himself. Rather than go sailing, he prefers to watch his sons, aged 12 and 16, in action.

Best inland sail in Britain

Hobie Waves 20 plus knots

Tallship Lord Nelson sets sail on round-the-world voyage

A tallship with a disabled crew has set off on a 50,000-mile voyage around the globe. The Jubilee Sailing Trust (JST) ship Lord Nelson left Southampton on Trafalgar Day. A crew of 50 people, of mixed physical abilities, including wheelchair users, will sail the ship on the two-year voyage. The ship was escorted by a flotilla of other sailing vessels down Southampton water. It set sail for Rio de Janeiro at 11:50 BST, the time that Admiral Lord Nelson hoisted his final flag signal to the fleet at Trafalgar to "set all sails possible with safety to the mast". “ This is no pleasure cruise - our crew will be working together to guide Lord Nelson across the Atlantic and then around the world” End Quote Alex Lochrane JST chief executive The ship was designed and built to be sailed by people of all physical abilities, working side-by-side. It was named after "Britain's most famous disabled sailor", the JST said Beryl Jones, a retired disability adviser from Anglesey in Wales, who has multiple sclerosis, was on board. She said: "My grandfather was a sea captain who sailed the world and I guess at this late stage in my life I am following in his footsteps. "This sail will provide adventure, involving almost every activity on board. Scrubbing the deck and potatoes, washing dishes, setting the sails, keeping watch and peering from the crow's nest - a thrill of a lifetime." The project, called the Norton Rose Sail the World Challenge, will be completed in 10 main ocean passages, which will take up to two months each. The first leg is from Southampton, across the Atlantic, to Rio de Janeiro, from where the ship will set sail for Cape Town in South Africa. The crew of 50 will change for each of the 10 main ocean passages It will visit 30 countries and all seven continents and each passage will be completed by a different crew. Alex Lochrane, JST chief executive, said: "This is no pleasure cruise - our crew will be working together to guide Lord Nelson across the Atlantic and then around the world. "We are delighted to be able to give both disabled and able-bodied people the opportunity to take on massive challenges and push their boundaries."

America’s Top Sailing Team Capsizes, Destroys Their $10 Million Boat

Oracle Team USA, America's premier sailing team and one that's bankrolled by billionaire Larry Ellison, is the odds-on favorite to win the America's Cup title next September, but the crew hit a little snag Tuesday when their souped-up, super-expensive AC72 boat capsized in San Francisco Bay during a practice run. After that, it took all the crew's efforts, along with an assist from the US Coast Guard, to keep the remains from floating out to sea. The boat slammed into the water on its side, destroying the carbon fiber wing sail and scattering very, very expensive bits of carbon fiber over the bay. No one was injured, but the current pulled the boat through the Golden Gate and out to sea even as the team, joined by a crew dispatched from shore, tried to rein in the wreckage. "It was amazing - we watched it tip right over, and it looked like the top of the wing came right off," one witness told the San Francisco Chronicle. "Then the big ebb tide just took it right out under the bridge, and it was obvious there was nothing they could do." The team managed to return the boat, or what's left of it, to shore Wednesday morning. The wing was destroyed and the boat, which costs $8-10 million, needs extensive repairs. The rules allow each team to build two AC72 boats; this was the first of the two launched by Oracle. The second hits the water early next year. "There's no question this is a setback. This will be a big test for our team," said skipper Jimmy Spithill. "But I've seen these guys in a similar situation in the past campaign before we won the America's Cup. A strong team will bounce back from it."

Sailing Club Spotlight Annandale Sailing Club

Thames Sailing Barge Match Race

Kiteboarders make mark in sailing

The first thing you notice about a kiteboard is how ridiculously small it is. It is so small, it makes a luge seem roomy. So small that what it can do — carry a grown man at speeds approaching 60 knots — seems, at first glance, impossible. Then there are the courses where kiteboard riders seek to achieve these speeds: shin-deep stretches of water no more than a few feet from shore, in places where winds routinely reach gale force. Places where success can mean traveling faster than any sailing vessel ever to knife through water, and where wiping out can mean broken bones, and worse. The windswept, sandy coastal ponds on Martha’s Vineyard provide several prime spots for kiteboarding, which has made it a magnet for the sport. Here, starting Monday, competitors from around the world will converge to vie for the best speeds in an event organized by a coterie of local enthusiasts who also happen to include some of the fastest sailors on earth. To gear up for the event, on a recent autumn day when the southwest breeze kicked up a wicked chop on Vineyard Sound, these hardies — some might say crazies — practiced their madcap sport. “Windy is better. It can also be more dangerous, but it’s more exciting,” opined Brock Callen, 33, a professional sailboat racer from Edgartown who first stepped onto a kiteboard five years ago. “We look for the storm systems and that’s what we get excited about.” Calling this sport “sailing” caused a squall of controversy in 2008. Kiteboarders had to fight for recognition when Rob Douglas, a lifelong sailor and windsurfer who had been racing a kiteboard for only three months, broke the world record for fastest time under sail. At first, the International Sailing Federation balked at acknowledging the record. But in December 2008, it recognized that the times should be counted by the World Sailing Speed Record Council. In 2010, Douglas, who runs the Black Dog Tavern in Vineyard Haven and its affiliated shops, set a record — an average speed of 55.65 knots over 500 meters — that still stands. “It’s quite simple. Kitesurfers are sailboats,” said Douglas, 41, whose burly, 220-pound physique looks incongruously weightless as he skims lightly across the surface. “Any sailing craft on water that uses the wind for propulsion qualifies for the outright world speed sailing record. . . . Different yes, but it’s still sailing.” Different indeed. A kiteboarder balances on the board, attached by a harness and four lines to a light cloth “kite,” which fills like a spinnaker as much as 100 feet in the air.

Reefing the Sails - Why?

Reefing the sails is such and important safety aspect of sailing that it's one of the first things you should understand as you begin to learn to sail. Now is a good time to discuss something a tiny bit technical - force from the wind. Force imparted onto the sailboat is multiplied by four every time the wind speed doubles. So if you go from 5 knots to 10 knots the forces quadruple. Then if you again go up to 20 knots, the forces are 16 times higher than at 5 knots. And 40 knots? 64 times. To put that in more perspective if it takes about ½ your strength to pull a line at 5 knots, at 20 knots you would feel 8 hefty guys pulling against you in a tug of war. You've got no chance. Now also think of the stress on the rigging and how 16 times more force aloft is heeling your boat over. Sixteen times!!!! I hope you're getting the point. The quadrupling effect comes from the well established Bernoulli's equation which says the pressure applied is proportional to the square of the velocity. And by definition, force is equal to pressure multiplied by area. So if we halve the area we halve the forces. Makes sense right? And that is what we are doing by reefing. We're reducing the area while the velocity is increasing in our best attempt to manage the forces. And one more thing - when you're heading up wind, your boat speed is somewhat additive to the wind speed and so the forces increase even further. The mast on your sailboat is probably supported by shroud lines attached to the sides of your sailboat and by a forestay and aftstay. They are designed to hold certain forces aloft. Should the forces become higher than design or the connections deteriorate which on a boat they are guaranteed to do over time, then you're going to have some serious problems with a dismasting. In reality and practice, you should start to think about reefing the sails at about 12 knots of wind. At 15 knots, you should definitely be reefing and at 20 knots, you're crazy if you don't have 1 or 2 reefs in. The boat will be uncontrollable if you haven't reefed and you'll be probably breaking items on your boat due to high forces from the wind. At 30 knots, the boat will probably explode. Well, not quite, but I'm making a point to reef reef reef and get comfortable with the process especially when you are starting out in your learn to sail quest. And get an instructor or practiced sailing friend to teach you how to reef your sails. The process should not be intimidating. What can be intimidating however is if you leave it to late. A good professional captain of mine who would sail across the Atlantic had a saying. If you think you should be reefing - you should have reefed yesterday and if you are thinking about "shaking out the reef" (unreefing (if that is a word)) wait until tomorrow. Leaving the reefing until it is too late means that there are excess forces already on all of the lines you're going to want to be handling which is a safety issue for you and your crew. So reef early. An additional incentive to reefing is that actually, you can make your boat go faster anyway. So if you're trying to be mucho and waiting to reef, you will be going slower and loosing the race (there is always a race). Not reefing causes rounding up. One of the best things to see in a race is when the boat that is ahead of you has too much sail aloft and they get over powered and round up into the wind. This is so awesome because in doing so they will have lost 50 meters of lead on you. Rounding up is a wee bit technical but essentially it is when the wind force takes over your boat with out your ability to counter act using the rudder. The boat just turns up into the wind. It's dangerous because you can be turned right into other traffic. And it's just a pure waste of good sailing. When you begin to learn to sail, you'll find that the boat is trimmed so that the rudder balances the turning force of the sails. The force from sails want to turn the boat up into the wind and the force from the rudder wants to turn the boat down wind. This is done for two reasons. (1) For safety: if the tiller or wheel is released the boat will round up into the wind and loose power. And (2) if the rudder is pointing slightly up wind the boat gets a lift to windward from the force of the water on the rudder. However this balance is lost as the boat heels over too much. If you imagine that the boat has heeled over 30 degrees then according to Pythagoras, you are down to 70.7% of your rudder counteracting forces. So too much heeling is bad. On top of all that, as you begin to learn to sail and understand the forces, you'll learn that the sail relies on efficiency of the wind over the sail to create lift. This requires that the wind on the back side of the sail flow evenly across the sail (stays attached to the sail) to create the low pressure and thus lift. When the wind speed is too high and as the boat heels over, the wind has great difficulty in staying attached to the sail. Thus the wind peels off and you lose efficiency. A smaller sail requires the wind to stay attached for a shorter distance and thus increases the efficiency. We sum all this up to say when you reef in high wind conditions your boat can go faster with less heeling and less likelihood of doing serious damage to your sailboat.. That's good. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/4569964

Learn How to Sail

Sailing is a popular and fun activity for any body The great thing about learning to sail, especially in the UK, is that the coast is so close to us. We are never too far from a sailing adventure! Leaving the land behind us and disappearing into the ocean on a yacht is less of a dream than you may think. People of all ages are learning to sail. There is no age limit and children as young as 5 can help crew a yacht. Most sailing only requires a small amount of physical strength, meaning it can easily become a passion enjoyed by everybody. Leaning to sail doesn't have to be expensive. Don't rush out and buy the most expensive clothing and equipment. For your first few times on the water you can borrow or rent anything you may need. Invest in the sport once you've started to sail regularly. People with disabilities, such as vision impairment, can sail without restriction. Wheelchair users can still participate in the sport but should be more careful in their selection of sailing vessel. Learning to sail is a wonderful experience and a hobby which will bring you hours of enjoyment. It's not a hard sport to conquer but the potential hazards you'll encounter mean safety is key. We've put together this guide to help you when learning to sail. Where To Begin? Contact your local sailing club and offer your services as a novice crew. Or teach yourself the basics with books or on the internet, and then contact a sailing club. Book yourself onto a sailing course - these normally last a weekend, although holiday sailing courses can be up to 2 weeks. You'll find sailing centres anywhere on the coast of the UK, but the heart of sailing has to be the Southampton coast. With its many harbours and exciting sailing around the Isle of Wight, it's an excellent place to learn to sail. Sailing on the UK coast starts around April and usually finishes in September. Mediterranean sailing lasts a little longer. Look to the Canaries or the Caribbean for winter sailing. You can sail a dinghy in the UK all year round. Be Safe Safety on the water is the most important factor to consider when learning to sail. Avoid crowded harbours and peak hours. Having to keep a safe distance from other vessels will only distract you. To begin with, go out in low winds. There is no point in sailing for speed straight away. Ensure you can walk before you can run! Always run through a safety drill before you leave dock. The chances are you'll learn to sail in a small boat or one with a light boom. Learning to control the boom is essential for smooth sailing and safety. Swimming It may sound like simple advice, but if you're going on the water you need to be able to swim. Even the most experienced sailor will find themselves in the water at some point. Being a competent swimmer will ensure you stay calm in a potentially harmful situation. Vital Equipment You'll need the following items when learning to sail: A good set of boat shoes A life jacket or buoyancy aid Signal equipment Brightly coloured clothing suitable for current weather conditions A high factor sun cream Whatever adventure you're looking for, sailing can offer it. Now you know where to start, just go ahead and do it! We can assure you, you'll never look back. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/1237098

Laser racing basics

2012 Laser Worlds Training