The International Canoe

The 2010 national championships for AC/IC/DC etc. will be held at the Weymouth and Portland Sailing Centre over the August bank holiday from Saturday 28 to Tuesday 31 August. This is the premier sailing venue in the UK and is your chance to see and sail at the Olympic sailing venue. Its now very much improved from the nationals and worlds of 2004/5. BOOK YOUR ACCOMODATION NOW
Canoe sailing at its very best!

Be interesting to hear what the changes are at Weymouth since our Worlds there.
Do you still have DC's in the UK? lol, we only have IC's and AC's in OZ some of the IC's also measure as Nethercotts (sorry couldn't resist), hope your nationals are well supported.

H.

Haden,

The Weymouth and Portland National Sailing Academy is the first facility that will be used in the 'London' Olympic Games in 2012 to be fully ready. As far as sailing is concerned, the Games could be held tomorrow. I have done several Moth events at the place since the IC Worlds in 2005, including an open this year after all was finished. The building has not been changed much but a huge artificial 'wall' of rocks has been built surrounding the centre to crate a big marina for all the boats, ribs etc that will be attending the Games. There are a couple of large openings in this 'wall' through which you sail into the Portland Harbour race area, the passage out from Portland Harbour into Weymouth Bay is as it was when you sailed there.

The launching ramp we used for the IC Worlds no longer exists, it has been replaced by two 400% wider launching ramps more or less in front of the WAPNSA building where the land area for storing dinghies has been greatly extended. Having this much easier launching area (opposite the changing rooms) is a great advantage as the ramps are at 90 degrees to each other so you never need launch from a lee shore or come back in on a dead run! As an ex-naval base the shore side is still rather stark and clinical with little in the way of green grass or plants, but it is functional and far easier to get numerous boats launched at the same time than in 2005. I think the facility has been improved and it now provides the UK with a great sailing venue, before and after the Games. Those like me with motor caravans can still stay at the WAPNSA for £3 a night per person and they have some newly installed electric hook ups (presumably for Olympic boat maintenance?) which campervaners can use with free electricity on a first come first uses it basis. There is now a purpose built car park in front of the Centre and after dropping boats off in the dinghy parking area the same friendly folk who run the Centre are more keen than before to get everyone using the car park and to keep cars away from the boat parking areas.

Some people feel Weymouth losses out by not being a member run club like say the venue in Australia for the 2008 IC Worlds and that is true, it is less 'cozy' and has more of a feel about it of a top international professional sports facility, which it is. In that regard it is no different from what you saw in 2005, just improved and better equipped. Once on the water it remains my favorite place to sail in the UK. The Race teams are always very competent and experienced. Certainly the folk involved with the Centre are very keen to see it flourish as a top sailing venue for ordinary sailors both before and after the Games and a lot of teaching courses are run from the Centre. Whenever I turn up the regular staff at the Centre always treat me like a long lost friend, 'How are you doing Colin?' etc. I like everything about the place but, if it were mine, I would get some plants in big pots spread around the place to make it all a bit less gym-like, more green and friendly. The WAPNSA web site shows pictures of the updated place.

You would be most welcome at our Nationals next year if you win the lottery in the mean time or inherit a fortune from an aunt you did not know you had!

All the best Colin

Colin,

Thanks for the update the extra ramps sound great it was a little tricky at times getting back from memory. Have to agree some greenery would make a huge difference to the feel of the place.

Now to find that Aunt... hey you never know Ive done sillier things. Now to decide which nationals IC or Moth yes Ive joined the growing list of those who own and sail IC's and Moth's. "On the Prowl" lives in my shed next to my IC's

Cheers
Hayden

Colin is just pulling together the documents for the Nationals which will be posted on the website shortly.

In the meantime some feedback would be useful on events in association with the Nationals to make this a biggest turnout as possible.

Ideas mentioned so far;

1. A tuning day on the Thursday/Friday for boat tests and tweaking, advice from the top boys.
2. Boat maintenance advice from the boat builders with practical demos
3. A photo shoot needed for refreshing our photo library
4. Video shoot for showing techniques and boat handling tips
5. An old boys dinner
6. Vintage boat show - could get some publicity from this with the journals

Other ideas and level of support for the above would be appreciated by t'committee.

Steve,

As your post follows one from me, let me say it is Colin Brown not Colin N (me) who must get credit for putting together the documents for the Nationals! Now a few personal comments on the suggestions:

1, Adding extra days to the event may not appeal to all or be possible for some, so probably limit it to Friday and be sure to get the WAPNSA to recognise it as part of our Nationals. In the past 'stray' boats (Moths) that have turned up to practise the day before an event were a bit miffed as they were charged a significant day sailing fee and extra harbour dues. Our emphasis might be on an official 'training day' that might encourage newcomers to come and then join in the Nationals (the Europes do this). 2, 3 and 4 could all be incorporated as part of 1, a training day on the Friday.

5, An old boy's dinner is likely to work best if the 'old boys' are invited to the Championships dinner when all existing boys and gals (young and old) are likely to be present. The ex fleet members need the attraction of meeting each other but also the current fleet.

6, This will work only if vintage boats are encouraged to come (and to race? A new real vintage boat prize ?). I am slightly weary of just a 'vintage' emphasis, the class should be seen as looking forward not just back, hence the emphasis might best be on 'the evolution to the modern state of the art Canoe'. At the Moth Worlds in France in 2003 the French organised a static exhibition of vintage Moths in a tent. I did not think it provoked much interest among the current fleet members. My own reaction was 'how quaint, thank goodness carbon was discovered and we don't have to sail such slow old boats any more' ! The Vintage Moth Association of France may have had a different 'take' on the exhibition but there was 'a disconnect' between the past and the future. This was the event at which Rohan Veal turned up in the first foiling Moth to race at a Worlds.

Cheers Colin

Hi Steve
Great to look at ideas to attract more interest in the Nationals, I would favor a training / tuning day, good for new and old canoe sailers to practice and allows for a bit more sailing for those who can make it early, we could look at having a boat repair/ building session as part of that. The only thing that may be a problem is that the Dart's are having there worlds at weymouth finishing on the Friday.
Alistair

In the Notice of Race for the 2010 Nationals I see no evidence that any of the IC silverware has been set aside for the first One Design IC. I went on about this last year and committee members reassured me that a proper trophy would be provided for the first One Design, what has happened to this promise? It is almost inevitable that boats 33.5 Kg lighter will beat the One Designs unless the new rules boats are sailed very badly or are upside down too much if it is windy, so steps need to be taken to recognise this fact and stop pretending the ICs are all racing on a level playing field. They are not.

The 'Mates Average' Cup I was wrongly awarded for the 2009 IC Travellers Series (rather than the Seamanship Trophy I am waiting to collect from Phil Robin) is apparently 'spare'. Surely this could be assigned to the first One Design? It is all just symbolism but still important for the Class to recognise it supports racing in all developments of the IC and not just the really classic, old ICs.

Colin

We do seem to be a little un-organised with trophies, a couple of years ago I won the travellers and the Inlands and have yet to see a picture with as much as a ransom note of what I have supposed to have won. Its not that I want the trophies to show off. It is that if the engraving of the trophies is not up to date then we will de-value their existence that worries me.

Hi Chris,

I agree, when I get my hands on the Seamanship Trophy I plan to get the engraving updated for the last five years! 2006 Simon Allen, 2007 Bob Austin, 2008 Chris Hempe,
2009 Colin Newman. The Class has a collection of some of the oldest trophies in sailing and it is well worth keeping the historical record on them. Some of us get a kick out of seeing that Uffa Fox or Baden Powell won this trophy before me!

Colin

As owner of a 70kg Nethercott which is absolutely ineligible for such a trophy may I add my voice to Colin's? I think its imperative that we keep significant silverware open only to the one design/pre one design boats.

I have just checked with t'committee and can confirm that it was agreed to have AC, IC and OD IC trophies awarded for the Nationals. I can't remember what was agreed for opens main opens and travellers and will advise when I get clarification.

Phil Robin has been tasked to compile the list and assign trophies. Please can you advise him what trophies you currently have in the new forum posting I have just opened.

I like this it in the NOR

"The Sailing Instructions will include a maximum allowable capacity of a beverage worn on the body of 1.5 litres"

That's such a great line.

But more seriously, there's mention about entries being done before the 7th, but no sign of an entry form?

Hi Bob
Just checked , it is there, I think you need to click the further info bit.
Do we know how many entries we have yet? I think I have entered, but my memory is appalling and may not have done.
I am sure it will be a great event and a good opp to catch up with every one, hope to see lots of you there.

Just 10 days to go get your entry into Andy to take advantage of the reduced entry fee to this years nationals. Expecting a good turnout for the best sailing water in the UK (after Ullswater)
Competition looking very hot this year in the AC's with the return of our former world champion Lester Noble.Charlie and Gareth both going very fast and John Ellis still unbeaten in the IC's.
Sail at the Olympic venue !!