The International Canoe

An excellent days racing at Llandegfedd SC today.

Five canoes on the water all eager to get things sorted in time for next weekends Open.
Steve was going well in his Clarke/Morrison 2 IC and Robin being Robin as fast and reliable as ever.

Forecast for next weekend looks similar as today so should see some good racing at the North end of the Res.
I'm looking forward to seeing you all and hopefully we'll have a couple of new faces to join us in Wales.

Dave,

It is unlikely I will be able to make it. A friend of mine lost his wife last week and I fear the open event will clash with the funeral. Dates are not yet finalised but if I am free to come (and it would mean travelling down on the Friday) where can I now stay in my campervan? It used to be so easy at the pub up the hill above the lake. I cannot find any campsites listed near the lake and the club website offers no advice on accommodation for open meeting visitors. I can find one caravan site listed at Usk but that apparently does not accept motor caravans.

In all the comments in this thread about the event it is not clear to me who is sailing ICs as opposed to ACs. How many IC ODs look like they are coming? In recent years there have been to too many events when only one or two IC ODs turned up after a long journey to attend. The new rules boats are never going to be caught by the One Designs in light conditions. After a winter where we have suffered drought conditions at Draycote with such low levels of water that trolley wheels were sinking up to their axles in mud below the launching ramps, I have had real problems getting the canoe launched so have not sailed enough to be fit enough to handle big winds at present when the new rules ICs struggle (the only time the ODs have a chance of beating them!). I retired exhausted from the second race at Draycote yesterday when it picked up to a force 5 between showers. The old body (I turn 70 later this year) was not up to it after a winter lay off from Canoe sailing! I hope to be more on form by the Nationals. I am looking forward to an event on the sea again, free of inland gusts tipping me in!

If I do not make it, I hope those that go have a good time.

Colin

hI
will the club be open Friday evening to drop off my boat? Hope to leave lunch time so should get there 6 ish. Went for a good practice Saturday, still aching! Making most tacks now in a force 5, changes in mainsail since last summer have made a huge differance to how Dragonfly tacks, however still making lots of mistakes and swimming
Alistair

Hi Alistair
The reservoir should be open until about 7:30 to 8 o'clock so hopefully you'll arrive in plenty of time to offload.

Hi there, I was def up for this up untill last week but its looking less and less likely im going to go, have the boat back at my house ready to go if I do but a combination of money, work and Uni exams the following week are against me really. Colin, Let me know your decisions it might sway me, otherwise we might be a bit short on OD!? im afraid at the minute im likely not to make it to be honest, 250+ miles and petrol at 1.50 is a big factor!

Chris 193

Hi Chris
unfortunate if you are unable to make it, I thought you'd be a good bench mark for some of the new designs this weekend and you'd be pushing them on.
With the current cost of travelling it's as good a time as ever to buddy up and use double trailers and try to spread the burden.
I'm planning on making the long trip north to Ullswater doubled up with Steve.

Hi Chris,

I will let you know as soon as my mind is made up. The time for my friend's wife's funeral is still not fixed but if it is Friday or Monday on the South coast that would rule out coming.

I still do not know where I could stay in my campervan on the Friday and Saturday. Locals, do you know what visitors do at opens now the Carpenters Arms has stopped camping in their grounds?

I am watching the weather forecasts carefully. I guess it was about two years ago when Chris Hempe and I were left as the only two boats standing, till I put my foot through my sail in a capsize. I remember LLandegfedd as about the most gusty lake I have ever sailed on and can do without being duffed up by the wind again! Just getting back safely to the bank became a challenge. Sunday could be a bit windy it seems at the moment for a 300 mile round trip!

Hi Chris again,

I need to make up my mind today if I am to collect the IC from Draycote. I have decided not to come. Winds on the Saturday look OK but for Sunday the Met Office is predicting 23 mph, gusting 41 mph for the area and the other wind forecast sites, though not as high, still imply it will be quite windy. The old body is not into a duffing up by the wind this weekend especially, as to cap it all, I woke up with a sore throat today so by the weekend I will quite possibly have a cold and be feeling a bit below par.

I have moreover been quite unable to find a campsite that takes motor caravans less than about 25 miles from Llandegfedd. I thought I was onto one, Gelligravog Farm in Cwmbran but they only take tents according to their web site.

So Chris, I am sorry if this will put you off going too. We were probably the only IC ODs thinking about going. As a UK fleet we lose out by being so spread out from Scotland and the far North of England, a South Wales group, Norfolk and Kent which means long, tiring, costly journeys for most open meetings. Clubs in the middle of the UK, like my club at Draycote and Grafham do not want to host Canoe open meetings as our fleet numbers and thus entry fees are too low for the club to make a profit. The one time we all come together seems to be the Nationals where I have already booked a campervan place. Some of the IC ODs from the continent should also be there as I gather it is also the Europeans. See you there.

I hope those that do make it to Llandegfedd this weekend have a great time and the wind is more kind to you than forecast at present or I can see a lot of swimming going on!

Colin

Hi Colin,

With regard to the camper van problem, I would have thought that the Carpenters Arms in Coed y pain would let you park up in the field behind the pub or the car park. This is less than quarter of a mile to the lake. May be worth a try?
Regards,

Martyn

Hi Chris
Not sure of the logistics but I am leaving Wymondham (work) lunch time Friday and there's space on the trailer. Will be comming back Sunday after racing but need to get back to Aldeburgh (home). Any help?
Alistair

forgot to add my mobile: 07887 753248

No problems with a camper van in Cwmbran.

Both Rob Stebbings and Rob Bell sited their vans there last year.

Hi Colin
Sorry to hear that you will be unable to attend this weekend and join us at llandegfedd for the Inlands.

However I think a few of your comments are far from encouraging to other sailors, espeicially newcomers to the fleet. As a senior member of the fleet you should look to inspire and encourage the younger fraternity to enter such events rather than comment on how bad venues are with long range forecast conditions and your personal bad experiences.

I'm sure we've all had bad days on the water Colin but it is from these experiences that we all learn and gain even if from other more capable sailors.

Many club volunteers give up their weekends sailing and put in alot of time and effort into organising and running our Open events.
People should not write them off before hand for others.

We all have reasons for not being able to attend events at sometime or other, some people publicise their apologies others don't - that is fine, but again please don't post negative opinions of organised events.
I'm sure all canoe sailors are capable of making their own decisions of whether to travel or having travelled whether to sail or not on the day.

I'm looking forward to a good weekend both on and off the water.

Hi all, ahh Alistair that is a fantastic offer thank you so much, I've decided though that im not going to go but purely for personal reasons, mainly that I have exams for my Masters course at UEA starting Tue-Fri and I think in reality ive decided I only get one proper go at them and theres lots more sailing left to do anytime. but thank you so much for the offer, I plan to do everything else this year and hopefully we can get a few canoe to some larger allcomer events also if anybody has any good ideas.

I really hope this weekend is good for everybody that does go, have been desperate to see some of these new boats looking faster and faster (surrounded by paper n card boat models not my study books, oh dear need to concentrate), as I still hope to do some building this summer.

Will we be lucky enough to get another action video this year????

I will be at Ullswater I imagine although thats also just before some exams but if i dont get too distracted making model canoes and painting a broads cruiser I'll try and study up before hand!

Good luck everybody!!
Chris 193

Thanks Chris - good luck with your exams and we'll look forward to catching up with you either at Ullswater or Euro/Nationals.

I'm glad you enjoyed last years video - we'll see if I can get a volunteer film crew on the day again

Robin and myself are looking to do the Birkett in July, it'll be good if we can get a fleet of canoes there to join the UYC based sailors.

Sorry Dave,

I had not anticipated you or anyone else would read my remarks as so negative. Core numbers in the AC fleet are enough to be certain that if you turn up there will be enough boats to race against to make it worth while going. In the ICs I have in recent years done as much travelling to events as anyone else (a bit less since my wife has been ill which makes me feel guilty leaving her these days in constant pain and often needing practical help from time to time.) Unfortunately, too often there have been only one or two ICs turn up making all the effort to attend not worth while. Hence it is only prudent to find out in advance who will be coming and whether it will be worth attending. Having tried to find out who is going, I am sorry if my honest reasons given for not attending then put others off.

Do you not agree that in certain wind conditions LLandegfedd is a particularly challenging place to sail? All I am saying is that at the moment I am not up to the challenge with the wind that is forecast (which all can see for themselves). If that puts others off I am sorry but is being honest that of an issue? At the moment I tell potential visitors to Draycote that with the water level so low launching is a problem and there are shallow spots, mid lake.

I hope you have a good weekend and those that do go get two good days of racing. All the best.

Colin