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.
Latest news
UK Cherub Nationals - Days away
With the 2014 UK Cherub Nationals only a few days away, excitement and Cherubs are building up in the boat park at Weston. This year looks set for a very close Nationals;
Marmite is looking good driven by Paul Croote, Ed and a ludicrously large T-foil. Father and son combo Clive and Alex Everest’s A&E is also looking like tough competition. However, lurking in the wings are the experienced pair of Dean and Simon in Eleanor. And you can’t forget the defending champions Andy and Jill Peters in Usagi – fresh from their win in the RS200 Europeans in Garda. All through the fleet there will be close racing and there will be no surprise if none of these walk off with the coveted Simpson cup.
The manufacturers will also be battling it out at the nationals, With over 10 foil manufacturers, 7 sail makers and 4 masts builders represented in the predicted top 10, there is also some interest in who will be the supplier/builder of the fastest boat.
But the Cherub Nationals aren’t just about the fantastic diversity of well designed boats, or the stiff competition on the race course, or even the grin worthy sails Cherubs are so famous for. The off the water social is just as important to the Cherub Class and we look forward to Weston’s legendary hospitality and well stocked bar. Come down and join the fun.
Event - Cherub National Championships 2014
Dates - Saturday 23rd until Tuesday 26th August 2014
Location - Weston Sailing Club, Abbey Hill, Netley Abbey, Southampton, SO31 5FB
Start time - 11:00 Sat, Sun, Mon, Tue
Cost - £170 entry, includes camping at the club
Schedule - 3 races per day, 12 races total
Weston Cherub Open
Saturday June 14th saw 7 Cherubs make the trip to Weston for the 4th round of the travellers trophy. (or maybe a little pre nationals practise) Also a welcome return to the scene for Fuzzy Logic after some major TLC by new owners Ade and Joe. Wind guru had a northerly wind at 6 knots gusting 13 and was surprisingly accurate. Race one had the start up by the shipping channel with a beat towards the shore, where the already challenging conditions were made worse by some serious direction changes just prior to a gust hitting. At one point Eleanor managed to tack twice without changing direction. Clive and Alex set the pace for the weekend with a race win followed by Dean and Simon then Andy and Jill.
Race two saw much of the same with an abandonment as the Cherubs were twin wiring at the windward mark and the 4000's were becalmed on their start. When the race was restarted Andy and Jill showed why they are the current national champions with a win relegating Clive and Alex to 2nd. Dean and Simon had what could only be described as swimming lessons and were indeed very lucky to end up 3rd.
Race three saw Clive and Alex back on top, Andy and Jill 2nd and Dean and Simon again 3rd although somewhat drier this time
The evenings entertainment was provided by the B14 fleet and a large amount of alcohol. The games involved limbo on space hoppers then spinning round and round a B14 pole before throwing a hoop over a man with a rubber unicorn mask on and downing a drink of your choice. (non alcoholic for the youngsters of course) this was run as a relay with teams from the Cherubs and B14's
Sunday dawned with slightly more breeze although it was still a gusty northerly. Clive and Alex carried on where they left off in race 4 with Dean and Simon in 2nd and The hobbits in 3rd. Race 5 saw a return to the top 3 for Andy and Jill and although it was clear that Clive and Alex had this open won it was down to the last race for 2nd place with Andy and Jill sneaking it by 1 point from Dean and Simon.