The UK Cherub is a two-person 12 foot racing dinghy with asymmetric spinnaker and twin trapezes. Just twelve feet long, weighing around 70kgs fully rigged for sailing, the UK Cherub combines spectacular performance with the “on the edge” handling characteristics only found in true lightweight skiffs.
The UK Cherub rules are simple and allow for maximum flexibility for designers, allowing boats to be created to incorporate sailor's own ideas. Also meaning the class develops over time as techniques, materials and ideas improve. All this makes the Cherub one of the most interesting and innovative of all dinghies: The challenge extends from the sailing skills to setting up the boat to suit the sailor, and maybe even designing and building, too.
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2016 Open Meeting 3 Queen Mary
A 3 day Cherub extravaganza was held over the late May Bank Holiday kindly hosted by Queen Mary SC. Saturday was for blasting, boat swapping and general bimbling whilst Sunday and Monday were for serious racing.
Saturday saw the first launch of the latest Cherub - Green Bananas by the proud owners Nick and Jo keen to take advantage of an ideal first sail wind of force 2-3. Not quite enough to excite everyone else however all boats went for a sail before retiring to Lower Sunbury for a curry and some alcoholic tall tale telling.
Sunday dawned colder but with more wind. From the North it varied greatly in both direction and strength leading to some ladders for some (yes you Dean and Simon) and snakes for others. 3 races were held with Jonny and Alex Harris in Ronin making the best of the conditions to lead overnight with a 1,2,3 scoreline. Hard on their heels were Dean and Simon in Eleanor who won the 2nd and 3rd races with stunning last beats to lift themselves into the lead at the most important point of the race - the finish. Others had a mixed day with the normally consistent Andy and Jill Peters in Usagi dropping a race due partly to gear failure and partly to a bit of lazer lovin', Jamie and Rosie in Shinny had probably the best of the rest with 3 good finishes. Despite winds of upto 20knts there were few retirements and only one breakage due to teething issues with Green Bananas. Sharing the racing with the club fleets was generally successful - if you count success as scaring the hiking shorts off lazer sailors (which we do).
With only one race on the Sunday, participating in the club's 2 hour pursuit race, Roinin only had to beat Usagi to win as Eleanor couldn't sail Monday. Despite port tacking the start Usagi had to double tack at the windward mark handing Ronin a lead they defended ably until the end, just missing out on winning the pursuit race by a matter of inches. Usagi kept them honest to finish 2nd Cherub and 4th in the pursuit and Jay and Joe sEARd through the fleet into 3rd.
The Cherubs are back at QMSC in early October for their Inlands and given the autumnal weather over the Bank Holiday this was a good warm up for the more serious business later in the year. Will Usagi be able to defend their title or will it be taken away by Ronin, Eleanor or another challenger.
Overall Results:
| Pos | Sail No | Helm | Crew | Club | R1 | R2 | R3 | R4 | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | 2698 | Jonny Harris | Alex | Dee SC | 1 | 2 | ‑3 | 1 | 4 |
| 2nd | 3208 | Dean Ralph | Simon Jones | IOSSC | 4 | 1 | 1 | (DNC) | 6 |
| 3rd | 3202 | Andrew Peters | Jill Peters | Queen Mary SC | 2 | (DNF) | 2 | 2 | 6 |
| 4th | 2676 | Jamie Pearson | Rosie Williamson | Draycote Water SC | ‑7 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 13 |
| 5th | 3213 | Jay Williamson | Joe White | Draycote Water SC | 6 | ‑7 | 7 | 3 | 16 |
| 6th | 3214 | Dave Ching | Hayley Trim | Poole YC | 3 | 3 | (DNF) | DNS | 17 |
| 7th | 3204 | Andy Whapshott | Robin Jones | Draycote Water SC | 5 | 4 | (DNF) | DNC | 20 |
| 8th | 2677 | James Ruddiman | Una‑Mary Ruddiman | Draycote Water SC | (DNC) | 6 | 6 | DNF | 23 |
| 9th | 2646 | Greg Paton-kerr | Zara Wakeling | (DNC) | DNF | 5 | DNF | 27 | |
| 10th | 3217 | Nick Pratt | Jo Hutchinson | HISC | (DNC) | DNC | DNC | DNC | 33 |
Try a Cherub at Queen Mary SC on Saturday May 28th
If you have wondered what it is like to sail a 12 foot carbon speed machine now is your chance
On Saturday May 28th a number of Cherubs will be at Queen Mary SC, Sunbury and offering rides.
Simply grab your wetsuit and life jacket and turn up. If you have a trapeze harness please bring it.
Sailing will be available from 12pm and is of course weather dependent
It would help organise sailing if you let us know you are coming. Please do that on the Queen Mary thread in the events section of our forum