FAST CAT FLEET NEWS.

Welcome to you all from the fast cat fleet. It does seem to have been a long winter without any sailing so we are particularly looking forward to a windy 2011 sailing. The boats are starting to be prepared for what we hope to be well supported racing season.

Upwind/down wind.

The Sailing Committee has met several times during the winter to discuss and organize the racing for 2011. This year we are endeavouring to start as many races up wind as practicable with longer races typically lasting a minimum of 1½ hours for the fast cats. A hand book will be available for OODs with suggested courses and other helpful tips and hints. Racing on 3 days will include committee boat starts. These are planned for the 23rd April, 24th April (Handicap races Frozen Candle Stick) and 29^th May. This type of race will provide sailors with experience of the starts used in class competitions.

It is also proposed to have 2 Races on Neap tides on 14^th and 15^th May (Woolworth Paddle/IGB) for the catamarans.

Growing fast cat fleet.

I am hoping the fast cat fleet will grow during 2011. There are several club members who are thinking of purchasing a Dart 18 this year. I am also pleased John Farr has returned to sailing cats after a year of mono hulls.

Teach in at Netley sailing club.

Three Dart 18 helms are heading off to Netley Sailing Club for a weekend of race training on the 26th and 27th March. Netley has one of the biggest Dart fleets in the country and is a very welcoming family club.

The teach-in is open to all levels of Dart sailors from the absolute beginner to the regular circuit sailor, so there is something for everyone.

This year UKIDA have arranged for instructors from the top of the Dart fleet, including UK Dart 18 Masters National Champion and 2nd in the 2010 Nationals - Chris Moore and David Lloyd. Brian Phipps will also be on site all weekend offering support and spares plus lessons on boat maintenance. Hope fully we will notice a difference once our racing season commences!

The Spitfire TT 2010.

Last year the club hosted a Spitfire and Shadow TT that took place on the weekend of19th and 20th June. 16 cats entered for an exciting weekend of racing. The best ranked Instow sailors were Nick and Sera Williams with a very respectable 5th place. Thanks to all those who helped make the event such a success. The Saturday evening entertainment was very well attended and was great fun; enjoyed by all.  This year is the turn of the Dart 18 fleet who will be visiting our club in July.

Dart 18 GP6 at Instow 9^th and 10^th July.

The North Devon Yacht Club is looking forward to hosting the Dart 18 GP6 at Instow on 9th and 10th July. It is a number of years since the Dart 18 fleet visited our club and we are certain the sailors will enjoy the sailing on our beautiful estuary. We are very fortunate that Pete Ewing is helping to organize the social event for the weekend. Pete was one of those responsible for making the social scene at the Dart 18 Worlds 2010 such a success. Various local companies have kindly agreed to sponsor our weekend of sailing.  These include John’s delicatessen and supermarket, Farm and Cottage Holidays, e-cards, The Milky Way and The Big Sheep

On Friday the 8th July we will be having a free sailing session to enable sailors to familiarise themselves with the estuary. The race briefing will take place on Saturday 9th July at 9:30 am in the club house and the first race will not start before 11:00am. Registration will take place on Friday evening and Saturday morning.

We intend to have 3 races on the Saturday and 2 races on the Sunday. Race 4 will not start before 12:00 on the Sunday. The majority of the courses will be sausage and triangle but we intend to incorporate a course with a difference at the race officer’s discretion. There will be a special trophy for this race kindly donated by one of our sponsors. The club bar will be open on the Friday evening to welcome sailors to Instow and meals will be available. On Saturday evening we are planning a ‘Pete Ewing’ extravaganza with band and hog roast. The cost of this meal, for the helm and crew, is included in the entry fee. Club members will be welcome to join in the festivities. More details to follow.

Ben Armstrong, who has very generously loaned his Dart 18 to the club, agreed that the boat can be sailed at the NDYC GP6. If you are interested please contact either Thom or myself by 27th May. Names will be put into a hat and the lucky sailor selected on 28th May. We are keen to encourage as many club sailors to compete in the weekend of racing as possible.

National competitions.

Up and coming national events this year for the Dart 18 and Spitfire fleets are summarized below. No doubt the club will be represented at a few of these events.

Dart 18 events for 2011

2-3 April                           GP1 - Parkstone YC

16-17 April                        GP2 - Dee SC

7-8 May                            GP3 - Netley SC

28-30 May                         National Championships - Isle of Sheppey SC

11-12 June                        GP4 - Mumbles YC

25-26 June                        GP5 - Royal Yorkshire (Bridlington) YC

9-10 July                           GP6 – NDYC, Instow

20-21 August                     GP7 - Felixstowe Ferry SC

10-11 September                GP8 - Worthing SC

24-25 September                Single Handed and Ladies Championships - Carsington SC

22-23 October                    Inland Championships - Grafham Water SC

Spitfire events for 2011.

19th-20th Mar 2011           Datchet Fast Cat Open

2nd-3rd Apr 2011              Minnis Spitfire TT 

22nd-24th Apr 2011           Easter Grand Slam 

29th Apr-1st May 2011       Eurocat 

28th-30th May 2011           Eastborne Spitfire TT 

4th-5th Jun 2011               Solent Slog TT

18th-19th Jun 2011            Stone Cat Open TT

9th-10th Jul 2011               East Coast Piers Race 

30th-31st Jul 2011              IYC Cat Open TT

30th Jul-6th Aug 2011          Pyefleet Week 

20th-21st Aug 2011             IOW Cat Open 

2nd-4th Sep 2011                Spitfire National Championships

10th-11th Sep 2011             Forts Weekend 

22nd-23rd Oct 2011             Grafham Cat Open TT 

5th-6th Nov 2011                Weston Cat Open

Dart 18 rudder system service.

I thought the following article taken from the UKIDA chat forum might be of interest to both Dart 18 and Sprint 15 sailors preparing for the coming sailing season. The advice is courtesy of Brian Phipps and is in response to a sailor enquiring about why his rudders do not kick up when he hits an obstruction.

First check the rudder bolt, washers, and internal sleeve are all free and working smoothly. If you have been sailing in salt water, and not serviced these parts they can seize up. The replacement parts (item 20002) can be supplied by Windsport and have been upgraded to reduce corrosion in this area. It is likely this is the problem, but if the rudder blade rotates freely, check the rudder lock down rollers slide smoothly in the pintle casting. A drop of WD oil or similar on the s/s sleeve on the tiller arm and slider can help. If all that is working smoothly the adjustment to kick up is made by filing a groove across the aluminium shoe that the lock rollers come up against on the rudder blade.

NB. Use a round file and do a bit at a time then test.

Windsport:- Brian Phipps

The boat park.

It was decided last year that the organisation of boats stored in the park should be with those who sail most frequently closest to the slip way. Once the cruisers have all been put back into the water some time is May the fast cat fleet will have a day of re-organising the parking. I will send out a list of the order and will allocate a day when we will move the boats around. The order is based on the frequency of racing during 2010.This is a fair system and ensures those who race most frequency has less far to trundle their cat to the waters edge.

I hope everyone has a fantastic sailing season and I look forward to seeing you on the water.

Garry Jennings
Fast Cat Fleet Captain.