UK Cherub - history

Photos from the 1950's and 1960's

anonymous@undisclosed.example.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 09 Dec 2020 19:21:56 +0000

Photos from the 1950's and 1960's

1950's

The images below are automatically pulled from the archive of photos we have. The numbers to the left of the hyphen are the sail number of the boat. Click the image for full size view along with any opther information we have about the image.

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1960's

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Cherub Nationals results for 1961

anonymous@undisclosed.example.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 09 Dec 2020 19:21:56 +0000

Cherub Nationals results for 1961

The Cherub Nationals trophy states that C Hornsey won the 1961 Nationals. However this report from the Dinghy Yearbook quite convincingly lists M Sargent as the winner, as does an almost identical report in Yachts and Yachting.

In July 2007 we recieved an email from Chris Horsey himself who explained that he did not win the nationals in 1961, so we conclude that it must have been M. Sargent.

M. Sargent and P Down sailing Stupid Cupid won the Cherub Championships sailing for the Cowes Corinthian YC on 8th, 9th 10th August with a total of 49 points. Racing was cancelled on August 8thbecause of the weather, but August 9th brought a moderate south-westerly and brilliant sunshine and there was some exciting sailing - only eight of the 21 starters came to the finishing line. 1, D Rann, 2 E Casson, 3 P Down.

There were a number of retirements too in the second race. Taking the gun again was D Rann with W McCutcheon second and Pink Champagne (A Pearce) third.

Because of the cancellation of the first day's racing it was decided to cut the series from 5 races to 4. The two final races were sailed on August 10th. Winning the first race from 13 starters was Pearce, with Sargent 2nd and Casson 3rd.

The final race, again with 13 starters, was decided afther the first round as the time limit expired before the second round was completed. At the end of the first round Rann was laying eighth so was overtaken on overall points by Sargent. Pearce, who finished first in this last race placed third overall although he competed in only 3 races.

Place	Number	Name	Helm
1st	13	Stupid Cupid	M.Sargent
2nd	12	Scamper	D.Rann
3rd	10	Pink Champagne	A Pearce
4th	6	Tia Maria	E.Casson
5th	44	Query	W.McCutcheon
=6th	8	Gannet	D Isted
=6th	56	Lightning	G.McCutcheon

Cherub Nationals Results for 1962

anonymous@undisclosed.example.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 09 Dec 2020 19:21:56 +0000

Cherub Nationals Results for 1962

Class championship held at Cowes Corinthian YC. 23 entries. 4 of 5 races to count.

1st	17	Whisky	C.Hornsey
=2nd	29	Whisper	J.Stevens
=2nd	104	Conradin	R.Gregory
=4th	14	Seraph	E.Spash
=4th	22	Blue Streak	R.Thorne
6th	12	Scamper	D.Rann
7th	4	Sundance	G. Littledale
8th	1	Scoubi-Dou	M.Jolliffe

Report notes that there are 112 registered boats in UK with fleets at Cowes, Brading Haven, Portsmouth and Harwich.

Many thanks to Ed Willet, the National 12 fleet archivist and Martin Joliffe for information.

UK Cherub Championships 1963 (Stokes Bay SC)

anonymous@undisclosed.example.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 09 Dec 2020 19:21:56 +0000

UK Cherub Championships 1963 (Stokes Bay SC)

The Cherub National Championships were held under the burgee of the Stokes Bay SC from July 31st to August 2nd. Top places were very keenly contested, and the final winner was Martin Jolliffe in “Scoobidou” (No 1), with Robert Gregory in the “Har'ta'tak” (123) second. Five races were sailed and there were thirty two entries from as far afield as Harwich and Luton. The first race held on Wednesday in light airs, and local boy J Mellows won easily, having led most of the way. During the second lap P. Sandy moved “Hycycle” up from sixth to second place just beating G. McCutcheon in “Gee-Whiz”. For the second race the breeze, now a Force 4, saw “Heartthrob” (C Clode) open up a two minute lead by the end of lap 2. However, “Har'ta'tak” carried her wire luffed spinnaker and trapezing crew on the close reach home to win by 3 minutes. The third race on Thursday morning saw “Wanderous”, a brand new boat, designed by her Owner Alfie Hawksworth, work out a good lead on the first beat over the tide. This lead he increased steadily to win comfortably. “Scoobidou” overtook “Har'ta'tak” during the second lap and finished second. The fourth race saw only 21 boats start in the freshening breeze. “Wanderous” once more led the first beat, but was passed by “Scoobidou”, “Har'ta'tak” and “Gee-Wiz” who finished in that order. The fifth race on Friday morning finished the series and in light airs “Scoobidou” took the lead on the first lap, followed closely by “Conradin” (E Spash). The latter sailed past on the close fetch to the finish to take the winning gun. “Hicycle” sailed through more than half the fleet to finish third.

coobidou Martin Joliffe
Har'ta'tak Robert Gregory
Conradin E. Spash
Wanderous Alfie Hawksworth
Gee Wiz G. McCutcheon
Hycycle P. Sandy

Concatenated by Jim Champ from two reports in “Yachts and Yachting” and “the Yachtsman”, obviously from the same original text, author unknown. I'd be grateful for the credit details.

Development Report

Included in the record fleet were eleven Gregory-built and designed Solent mkIII boats, with their distinctive varnished Sapele finish, and two Casson-designed Mk IV boats, built by McCutcheon. These boats, with their broader transoms, showed how quickly they can come onto a plane and how steady they are downwind. [both speed and stability are highly relative. A modern Cherub sailor, stepping into one of these boats, would be surprised at how slow it was to start planing, and terrified by how hard to control it was once it finally got there! - Net Editor] Various types of spinnaker were used, ranging from the normal cross-cut spherical type to flat-cut reaching ones. “Har'ta'tak” used an unsusual reaching spinnaker with wire luffs, which enabled her to carry it most efficiently on a close reach. Some Cherubs stowed their spinnaker poles snuggly within the boat and others carried them along the boom, but being a foot or so longer, it was a litle hair-raising to see one Cherub hooked by the fitting on the end of the pole to the forestay of an unsuspecting sister. [Cherub spinnaker poles were nine feet long, and the “hook onto someone else's rigging” was an occasional amusement right up to the 90s - Net Ed.]. Central mainsheets were used on many of the newer boats, and these, combined with trapezes, enabled the boats to be driven hard, especially on the second day when the Solent was in a spiteful mood. Self bailers were essential because in that water it was a matter of hit one, slice one, chop one, through one to windward and drying out while the going was good on the run or plane. However “Scoobidou”, a Spencer designed Mk II, with a young light-weight crew, clearly brought home the fact that good helmsmanship and crewing are quite as important as the design. - JW.

Report from Yachting World. Again I'd like to give “JW” full credit.

Many thanks to Martin Jolliffe for photocopies from his archives!

UK Cherub Championships 1964 (Cowes)

anonymous@undisclosed.example.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 09 Dec 2020 19:21:56 +0000

UK Cherub Championships 1964 (Cowes)

The Cherub National Championships were held under the burgee of the Royal Corinthian Y.C., and organised by the Cowes Corintyhian Y.C. from July 28th-30th. Martin Jolliffe of the Island SC crewed by Les Wooliscroft of Wet Kirby sailed “Scoobidou” into first place for the second year in succession. The winner was decided from the best four races out of five, using the Olympic point system. There were thirty-one entries. The first day's racing was held in a fresh westerley wind, force 4 in the morning increasing to force 5 later. These boats, which with their trapezes prove very stable up-wind, were too much for some crews downwind, particularly in the afternoon when wind against tide produced a very nasty sea. In these conditions the later boats, Solent Mk IIIs by Gregory, Cason's Mk IV and Alfie Hawksworth's “Wonderous” proved more stable and faster than the original Spencer Mk II. The morning race was won by G. McCutcheon in “Gee Wiz”, from A. Hawksworth in “Wanderous” and G.C. Gregory in “Conradin”. In the afternoon it was R.C. Gregory in “Har'ta'tak” from Conradin and Gee-Wiz, Scoobidou having retired in both races.

On Wednesday morning a light to moderate westerly wind made the beat over the tide to the first mark very interesting. Although he was over the line at the start and had to return Martin Jolliffe showed supreme form by working up to the leaders on the beat. On the run and the reach he closed up further and was well placed for the last lap. In the lead at this stage was“Hart'ta'tak”, followed by “Scoobidou” and “Conradin” and four others. A windshift took “Hart'ta'tak”'s lead away and there was some close tacking inshore, with “Scoobidou” eventually pulling away to lead by about fufty yards from “Micro” (P.G. Lee) and “Wanderous”.

In the afternoon there was a running start against the tide, a long beat, and a short close reach. At the end of the first lap it was “Scoubidou” followed by “Conradin” and “Micro”. On the run the leading pair pulled away slightly by virtue of their fuller spinnakers. On the beat “conradin” pressed hard but by overstanding the last mark. Threw away her chance of winning. At the finish it was “Scoubidoo” with “Conradin” ten yards behind, and “Micro” some 100yards astern.

Because he capsized and retired in the first two races, it worked out that Martin Joliffe could only win if he won the last race and neither “Conradin” nor “Gee Wiz” were second. This he did in spectacular form with a lead of almost a mile at the finish in a light westerly wind [Martin attributes his Championship win in part to having just learned the then new art of roll tacking - Net Ed.] and although at one stage I looked as if his efforts would be thwarted by the two hour time limit, he finished with several minutes to spare. Four boats had a hard tussle for second place but in the end it was “Micro” from “wanderous” with “Conradin” fourth.

Scoubidou Martin Jolliffe/Les Wooliscroft.
Conradin Greg Gregory
Gee Wiz G. McCutcheon
Wanderous Alfie Hawksworth
Micro P.G. Lee
Har'ta'tak R.C Gregory

Cherub National Championships 1965 – Harwich Town S.C.

anonymous@undisclosed.example.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 09 Dec 2020 19:21:56 +0000

Cherub National Championships 1965 – Harwich Town S.C.

Transcribed by Neil C from the report in Yachts & Yachting, origina author unknown

The Cherub Class National Championships were held under the burgee of Harwich Town S.C. on August 11th to 13th and were won by Nigel Vaughan-Smith of Lee-on-Solent S.C. in his Gregory Mark V “Isotope 920” and crewed by Jim Leslie from Lee. The organisation was excellent with very good courses using a windward starting line from a committee boat.

First Day

The first race was held in a Force 2 on a flat sea. “Micro” (Peter Lee) was first round the windward mark followed closely by “Isotope 920” and “Hart ta-Beat” (Robert Gregory). “isotope 920” and “Micro” were fighting neck and neck on the run and the next close fetch until, on rounding the mark on to a reach, “Isotope 920” took “Micro’s” wind and got by with spinnaker up. “Hart ta-Beat” was third. The second race was held over the same course in the same conditions and the order was “Isotope 920”, “Hart ta-Beat” and “Micro”.

Second Day

The wind had risen to Force 3-5 for the second day and a course was laid part in and part out of the harbour, giving very awkward seas in the harbour entrance. “Isotope 920” went into the lead on the first beat and increased it the whole way round. However, a battle for second place between “Micro” and “Hart ta-Beat” ended on a hairy spinnaker reach near the end of the second round when “Micro’s” shroud snapped. “Isotope 920” was first with “Hart ta-Beat” four minutes astern and “Lucifer” (Greg Gregory) a further eleven minutes behind. The fourth race was held over a short triangular course on flat seas in a Force 2-4. It was won by “Hart ta-Beat” with “Micro” second and “Isotope 920” third, thereby clinching the title.

Third Day

The fifth and final race on the third day was held over a similar course and in the same conditions as the third race. “Isotope 920” and “Hart ta-Beat” rounded the first mark together and on a broad spinnaker reach shot through the three or four boats in front of them into the lead. They fought on down this leg and up the next beat with first one, then the other, in front until “Isotope 920” misjudged the tide and hit a mark. “Hart ta-Beat” was first, “Micro” second and “Sredni Vashtar” (A.J.Maws) third. “Sredni Vashtar” was the only boat with a girl, Julia Vaughan-Smith, on the wire for all five races.

The overall positions were:

1st, “Isotope 920” (N.V.Vaughan-Smith, Lee-on-Solent);
2nd, “Hart ta-Beat” (R.C.Gregory, Lee-on-Solent SC);
3rd, “Micro” (P.G.Lee, Island SC);
4th, “Lucifer” (G.C.Gregory, Lee-on-Solent SC);
6th, “Sredni Vashtar” (A.J.Maws, Lee-on-Solent SC).

She's a Foaming Beaut

anonymous@undisclosed.example.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 09 Dec 2020 19:21:56 +0000

She's a Foaming Beaut

Australian and World Cherub champion, Jennifer Julian, is a foam and glass unsinkable that has knocked the small boat sailing world for a loop.

By Jim Sharples

As published in Australian Seacraft magazine, May 1970.

JENNIFER JULIAN, the meat in a most successful foam sandwich devised by New Zealand born Russell Bowler has done it again. Last season Bowler's 12foot Q class skiff thrashed the best Australian and New Zealand 12s to win the Interdominion on Sydney Harbour. This season past another 12footer bearing the Jennifer Julian tag captured both the Australian and the World Cherub championships.

She was a very different Cherub, yet quite legal, and made the ply-wood Cherubs from the UK and New Zealand quite obsolete. What's more, she cost only $400 complete with the very best gear!

As reported in April SEACRAFT, 1969, Bowler, and Javelin Inter-dominion champion Peter Walker, planned to drive across Australia to Perth where they would get jobs and build a Cherub to compete in the World Cherub titles. That report on Bowler's proposed Cherub ended with what must have been the understatement of the year: “His boat could be revolutionary.”

Drive to Perth they did, and once there they joined the Mounts Bay Sailing Club and got cracking on their mission: to win the Cherub world's. Bowler again used the foam fibre-glass sandwich construction method to build the new boat…..fibreglass each side of sheets of polyurethane foam.

During the planning of the new Cherub much thought was given to making sure it would comply with the standard specifications regarding hull lines and buoyancy compartments. When designing the hull, the displacement curve was set only after considering both the crew and the rig weight. This is most important in a lightweight dinghy whose hull weighs less than one crew member. Working strictly to their tailored to measure design. the boys set the moulds up, placed foam over the frames and held the lot in position with string. In other words, sewed the sheets of foam together.

Using a layer of eight ounce fibre-glass cloth followed by a six ounce layer, they then covered the outside of the hull applying resin liberally. When the outside was dry, the inside was also glassed. Of course, before applying any glass, the boys faired in the polyurethane foam in much the same way as one fairs in a moulded hull before painting. High spots were removed and the run made true and even.

When the hull was finished, the 1 1/8 in. thick skin gave a calculated buoy-ancy figure of 7 1/4 cubic feet, a little in excess of what the rules called for. The only piece of plywood used in the construction was that on the fore-deck and a scrap to strengthen the centreboard case.

To support and stiffen the hull, lengths of small diameter alumimium alloy piping were fixed behind the mast to the topsides alongside the chain plates and centreboard case. The resulting hull was extremely light and, although not quite a piece of furniture (some of the timber boats seen at the worlds were almost too good to put in the water - beautiful examples of the boat builder's art) fair and workmanlike.

JJ's sails appeared to follow the usual pattern but they carried the boys' five years' experience with Cherubs, which they passed on to the sailmaker. JJ's deck fittings were also the result of experience and were kept as simple as possible.

Bowler, a recently graduated civil engineer, built the world champ out of foam for the same reasons as he sandwiched his open 12. He wanted a very light, strong hull that would flex. And, if the boat happened to capsize, he knew he could simply right her, release the two transom ports, and sail her out in about 20 yards.

That's the big advantage of foam sandwich construction. The entire skin of the boat is flotation (as is skin of timber or ply hull). Difference is in thickness; 3/16 in. plywood doesn't have a fraction of the flotation of 1 1/8 in. foam!

It was only natural that the appearance of Jennifer Julian - a foam sandwich Cherub, mind you! surprised visiting crews. Many arrived in Perth with the very latest and most expensive (some probably three times as costly as JJ) conventional hulls to be confronted for the first time by a spaceage rival they had not expected.

Such an experience, however, does prove that providing the newcomer complies with all the rules, it is foolish to meet the challenge with negative sailing. It is much better - and more sporting - to use one's own ability to the fullest to try to overcome the obstacle.

As history knows, with Jennifer Julian, skipper Russell Bowler and crewman Peter Walker were able to win the big double. To gain this kind of success one has to produce a lot of sailing ability, plus the will to win. These boys possess both by the spinnaker load.

Picture:-Cockpit layout is very simple. No bulkheads are needed as inbuilt hull flotation is 7 1/4 cubic feet. Only ply-wood in construction. is centreboard case top strengthener and foredeck. Light aluminium alloy tubes tie the case/chainplates and mast step toge-ther. Shrouds run from keel via chainplates to mast hounds to save poking mast through bottom. Travel-ler aft is controlled by normal lines. Trapeze wires are for'ard of shrouds and feature oversized open stirrups for belt connection. Plastic funnels block transom drain holes - held in place by shock cord. In event of a capsize, cord is released and funnels disengage. Lightness - not beauty - is big thing about foam/glass construction.

Picture:- Jennifer Julian foaming across the Swan River, in quest of the highest Cherub award, the world title. As readers know, they scared a bullseye wounding a few hearts on the way. Her hard chine hull is exceptionally light and is completely selfbuoyant, skin being. 1 1/8 in. thick. Skipper Russell Bowler won the Interdominion 12 foot title on Sydney Harbour in his open foam /fibreglass 12footer last season while crewman Peter Walker won the Interdominion Javelin crown the same year - also on Sydney Harbour. Hull construction aside these two make a formidable combination.

Reproduced with the kind permission of Modern Boating magazine Australia

Thanks to Rolf Lunsmann for reproducing the material and sorting out copyright.

U.K. Cherub Nationals 1970 (Grafham Water SC)

anonymous@undisclosed.example.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 09 Dec 2020 19:21:56 +0000

U.K. Cherub Nationals 1970 (Grafham Water SC)

The 1970 Cherub nationals were held at Grafham Water S.C. between August 17th and 22nd. Over 40 boats turned up-a disappointing entry after 60 last year. 'The meeting was given an international flavour by the attendance of Miss P. Jongebreur of Holland, Russell Bowler of New Zealand and Gordon Lucas of Australia - the latter pair were first and third respectively at the Cherub worlds in Australia in January. One practice race and seven points races (five to count) were scheduled for the week over Olympic courses.

The practice race on Monday morning was abandoned halfway as gusts up to gale force swept the lake, Race one in the afternoon was postponed one and a half hours until the wind moderated slightly. Wild westerly winds combined with a short awkward chop decimated the fleet. Jonty Howard ('Mon Coeur') led on the first beat and reach. After the gybe mark, Brian Vincent ('Libido') in second place hoisted spinnaker to challenge the lead. Howard followed suit whereupon Vincent lowered his in the expectation that Howard would not stay upright in the violent conditions. This expectation materialised and Vincent took the lead, which he held to the finish. James Bond ('Aotearoa') pulled through to second place ahead of Howard.

Grafham is closed on Tuesdays so a glorious sunny day with moderate breeze was used for measuring. Wednesday saw the return of wild conditions with a cold misty northerly. The reaching legs were long and close and the leading boats demonstrated some spectacular spinnaker work with the wind gusting up around Force 7 at times. Brian Vincent won again followed by James Bond and Jonty Howard. The wind moderated slightly to a solid Force 5 in the afternoon for race three. Jonty Howard led over the line followed by Brian Vincent and Russell Bowler, the world champion, sailing a borrowed boat.

Thursday saw a reversion to very light conditions. Racing was abandoned in the morning after the shifting breeze thwarted attempts to set a windward start. Racing resumed at 2:30. The course was shortened to a triangle and sausage of an Olympic course. Jonty Howard crept over the line first in frustrating conditions ahead of Gordon Lucas ('Death Stroke') and Peter Eustace ('Purple Heart').

Race five was started immediately after the last boats finished race four. The wind shifted to make the first leg a close fetch. Surprisingly the wind was at the leeward end of the line and Jonty Howard whipped up his spinnaker to ghost away to an early lead. Peter Caisley ('Art O Dob') recovered from a mediocre start to win the race followed by Gordon Lucas and Chris Matthew ('Insure').

Friday was again a very light day and racing was postponed until the breeze settled gently from the south (or thereabouts!). Brian Vincent led over the shortened course to win from Chris Forman (Little Spirit') and David Babcock ('Amphigouri').

The wind all but died away for the seventh and final race in the afternoon, Many did not sail or retired early. Chris Forman won narrowly from David Babcock with Chris Matthews in third spot. This last result gave the title to Brian Vincent with Jonty Howard a close second. David Babcock, who sailed consistently in all weathers, came third overall,

The winning boat was a modified Spencer 7, home built for £12 (hull only) using sails made by the owner. Howard's boat was a 'stretched' Greg 5. Babcock was sailing a glassfibre Greg 6. Also in the first ten were a McCutcheon 8, two Spencer 7s, a glass fibre and a wooden Greg 6, a Forman 3 and a Greg 3a. Two boats were fitted with spinnaker chutes, Chris Forman had a very neat arrangement in front of his forestay which appeared to work well, Chris also used a Needlespar mast and a loose footed main, Only older boats use transom sheeting now - the top boats either had centre sheeting or a combination of the two. Sails come from many lofts but Pat Webb and Brian Vincent's Dolphin sails seem as good as any at consider ably less cost. Spinnaker gear demonstrates almost as many systems as there are boats, Most people use a downhaul from the pole end to the stemhead or a downhaul /uphaul incorporating a ring through which the pole is inserted.

No one design dominated the corn petition this year. Spencer 7s and Greg 6s are sailed by many top helms but the first 4 boats were all different and a veteran McCutcheon 2 was in the first group round the weather mark several times. It would seem that a Cherub is only as good as the crew, and there is little to choose between the several marks available.

Grafham must be thanked and congratulated for running a first class meeting on and off the water, It was unfortunate that winds were either two strong or too light, but that is another story. The week was generally enjoyed and the social life often lively.

Place	Sail No	Helm	Crew	Name	Design	Club
1st	1679	Brian Vincent	Frances Smith	Libido	Spencer 7 mod Vincent	Harwich Town S.C.
2nd	1012	Jonty Howard	Ralph Booker	Mon Couer	Greg 5 mod	Lee on Solent S.C.
3rd	1656	David Babcock	Shiona Babcock	Amphigouri	Greg 6	Bosham S.C.
4th	1015	Chris Matthews	Graham Hutchins	Insure	McCutcheon 8	Royal Victoria Y.C.
5th	1688	Gordon Lucas	Marcus Moore	Death Stroke	Greg 6	Australia
6th	1651	Peter Caisley	Colin Evans	Art-o-dob	Spencer 7 mod	Egham Lake
7th (6th in some reports)	1018	Merris Catton	Vaughan Smedley	Satisfaction	Greg 6 wood	Royal Victoria Y.C.
8th	1368	Peter Eustace	Ian Duke	Purple Heart		Cambridge
9th	1652	Chris Forman	Danny Stewart	Little Spirit		Portsmouth SC
10th	1369	Roger Paddey	David Elderfield	Lazy Y		Royal Victoria Y.C.

Report by Graham Dickenson, which first appeared in Yachts and Yachting, and was transcribed by Jim Champ from a copy sent by Ed Willett.

1970 Cherub Inaugural World Championships,

anonymous@undisclosed.example.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 11 Oct 2023 09:04:27 +0000

1970 Cherub Inaugural World Championships,

Perth, Western Australia.

The seven-race series contained a high-class field of 48 boats: two from the UK, seven from New Zealand and the first 39 from the Australian Championship. Yet in spite of the numbers it was obvious from the beginning that it was going to be a three-way battle between three time Australian Champion Gordon Lucas, crewed by Philip Arnold, the just crowned Australian Champions, Perth resident Kiwis Russell Bowler and Peter Walker, and the gifted sixteen year old Jamie Wilmot from New South Wales, crewed by Tony Barnes. Only a minute separated Ace III (Lucas/Arnold), Jazzer (Wilmot/Barnes) and Jennifer Julian II (Bowler/Walker) throughout the first heat, sailed in a five to eighteen knot sou'wester. While Lucas and Wilmot showed greater downwind speed, it was Bowler's ability to pick the shifts that gave him and Walker the edge. With each boat holing the lead at different times, Jennifer Julian's five second win from the fast finishing Jazzer was the closest of the series. Ace III, in spite of having capsized once, was not far behind in third. In Heat two, Russell's genius on the wind saw them break from the pack, pick up a puff near the Perth Flying Squadron, and finish twenty seconds ahead of Lucas' Ace III.

Two wins from two heats and the expats' prospects were looking promising. More outstanding windward work saw Jennifer Julian II gain six places on the final triangle of heat three to finish second. And with Jazzer finishing fifth and Ace III twenty-fourth, it now looked as if the title would be going to the West Australian Kiwis. But three things were to work against them: continuing light airs, the young Sydneysider, and a sudden loss of concentration. In the fourth heat, a five knot sou'wester puffed Jazzer and is lightweight crew into first, but left Jennifer Julian gasping in fourth. Second at the wing mark in heat 5, Bowler and Walker capsized sensationally in the middle of their gybe. Like wounded ducks they lay in the path of 46 Cherubs, their crews all screaming “BUOY ROOM” as they bore down on them in 15 knots of air. It not only scared them witless. By the time they had righted their boat they were last. They improved to nineteenth, but this would have to be the result they dropped when the best six finishes were totalled. It was the wake up call they'd needed; there cold be no more mistakes, not with Jazzer's two wins in the last two heats and an overall lead in the series. Even then the drama wasn't over. Just before taking to the water for heat six they discovered that their top rudder gudgeon was broken. Patching it with lashing and tape, they did their best to forget the problem as the sea breeze built to a vigorous 20 knots. Which was when things began going their way again. Jazzer retired early when Jamie Wilmot suffered a severe attack of asthma. And unlike Jennifer Julian, which had been drawn specifically for these conditions, the extreme straight sections of the Aussie boats were not handling the choppy flat runs well. Several boats, including Ace III, capsized. And with Jennifer Julian again taking the lead on the windward leg, Bowler and Walker breezed in with their biggest winning margin of the series: 1:30. It was now down to the final heat.

Gang warfare was in the air when Bowler and Walker found themselves surrounded by a host of Sydney Cherubs during the pre-start manoeuvres of Heat Seven. The unwelcome attention turned the normally passive helmsman aggressive. Executing a couple of turns he extricated himself, came up on the wind and hit the start line ahead and just upwind of Jazzer. When Walker and Barnes attempted to break away by heading for the wrong side of the river, Bowler and Walker covered. And they kept shadowing the Sydney pair until the latter had effectively sailed themselves out of contention. The Kiwis then broke away and worked their way through the fleet to snatch fourth place. With Jazzer ninth and Ace III eighth, the series was Jennifer Julian's.

Posn	Helm/Crew	Boat Name	Design
1.	Russ Bowler/Peter Walker	Jennifer Julian	Jennifer Julian (Bowler)
2.	Jamie Wilmot/Tony Barnes	Jazzer	Beashel
3.	Gordon Lucas

This report is reproduced from “The Shape of Speed”, ISBN 0 7900 0691 X, a biography of Bruce Farr and Russell Bowler, by kind permission of Reed Books (NZ). It is not, so far as I am aware, currently published in the Northern hemisphere, but is readily available from the Reed Books Web site. The book is an interesting and at times controversial read, and I recommend it!

U.K. Cherub Nationals 1971

anonymous@undisclosed.example.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 09 Dec 2020 19:21:56 +0000

U.K. Cherub Nationals 1971

Lee On Solent SC

The 1971 Cherub nationals were held at Lee on Solent SC. between August 19th and 22nd. One practice race and seven points races were sailed over the four days. The fleet of 43 launched from the hovercraft slip at HMS Daedalus and started out to sea - the organisation ashore and afloat was first class. The practice race on Thursday morning was a fiasco in a flat calm and fizzled out after many boats had given up and retired for lunch. The first points race in the afternoon threatened to be a repeat performance as the fleet drifted down to the lee mark in a slight zephyr. At the mark some kedged while others stemmed the tide with spinnakers up. An hour later the leaders had crept up on the wing mark to be rewarded by a breeze, which rapidly filled in from the sea. This soon reached Force 3-4 and the fleet planed away nn a close fetch to the windward mark mark. Last years Champion, Brian Vincent, started first in Libido and stayed ahead to the finish on what had now become a series of reaches. Mon Coeur, sailed by Rob Gregory, came in second ahead of Chris Forman in Jamstrangler who had moved up from eighth with some skilful spinnaker work on the initial close fetch.

The second points race started on Friday morning in a downpour and something approaching a breeze. Jamstrangler took this one, having fought off challenges from David Babcock in Amphigouri and Pat Webb in Indiscretion. The race in the afternoon was sailed in similar conditions but with a little more wind. Jamstrangler moved into top gear and was soon a dot on the horizon, winning the race with an enormous lead. Some way astern Libido and Indiscretion battled furiously for second place with Libido coming out ahead at the finish.

Saturday saw smiles in the heavy weather camp as a frisky Force 4 powered the fleet out to the start. Trapezes were used in earnest on the beat to drive through a wet lumpy chop. Jamstrangler romped away in a cloud of spray to cross the line first. It looked by now as if Chris Forman's successful Mk. 4 was going to dominate its first nationals but this was not to be. A disqualification resulted from a premature start and the race went to Indiscretion which was next across in front of Mon Coeur and Amphigouri.

Conditions were the same for the afternoon race except that the committee decided on a running start. The difficult conditions and a sluicing cross-tide predictably ensured chaos at the gybe mark as forty boats converged planing in off the backs of waves. A log jam of boats was carried past the mark but Mon Coeur and Jamstrangler rounded just ahead of the trouble and got clear. Forman again built up a commanding lead, determined to make up his lapse of the morning but was again disqualified, this time for leaving his safety tally ashore. This ruined his chances of taking the title despite his domination and boat speed. Mon Coeur profited from the mistake to take first place while Amphigouri and Indiscretion came in astern.

Sunday morning saw a return to light conditions, allowing a number of older boats to challenge on the beat. However the order was shaken up at the weather mark as a substantial shift favoured the inshore boats while those out to sea watched the fleet sail past as they sailed in a never ending circle round the windward mark on the lifting wind. Libido came round the weather mark ahead of the inshore boats to take the lead, which he held to the finish after a close tussle with Jamstrangler, which was in turn pipped over the line by Amphigouri. The last race saw Mon Coeur, Indiscretion, Amphigouri and Libido In a position to take the title which promised an exciting race. This became a nerve-racking crawl in a mere breath of wind and a strong tidal stream. Mon Coeur crept round the windward mark in the lead and went out to sea followed by Libido while Amphigouri led a group inshore. Mon Coeur held her lead to the line and seemed set to take the title. However, a light breeze brought up those astern and Gregory had to watch three boats creep over in front of him before he finished 4th. Jamstrangler was the first of these followed by Jeremy Sharp in Stinker. To his relief Gregory had just enough points to take the national championship which he won back in 1964 when he was one of the original members of the class. He was sailing Mon Coeur, a modified Greg Mk. 5 which was second last year and is in her sixth season of racing. David and Shiona Babcock were second overall its Amphigouri, a three year old glass Greg Mk. 6, after sailing consistently well in all the races. Third was Pat Webb with a home built Spencer 7 while clubmate Brian Vincent was fourth in the boat he sailed to victory last year. This was a slap in the eye for many critics who doubted whether Libido, a glass-taped orange box built for £12, would last a full seasons racing. Derek Clark from Clacton was fifth in a Spencer 8, Stormhunter, which was an excellent effort as this was his first Cherub nationals.

As always there were some unlucky crews who should have done better after showing promise earlier in the season. Tony Howes and his wife in Bloody Mary had a bad week with two disqualifications and a dismasting. Guy Woodason never seemed to find the form he showed on the round of open meetings earlier this year. Peter Caisley arrived too late due to business commitments and did not figure in the results and Jonty Howard, second last year, never seemed to get Satisfaction going. Most crews resumed home exhausted after four days intensive racing and it is hoped to return to a full weeks programme of racing, possibly at Clacton next year.

Results

Position	Sail No	Crew	Boat Name	Club
1st	1012	Rob Gregory Margaret Gregory	Mon Couer Greg 5 mod.	Lee-on-Solent S.C.
2nd	1656	David Babcock Shiona Babcock	Anphigouri glass Greg 6	Bosham S.C.
3rd	1721	Pat Webb F. Fish Indiscretion	Spencer 7	Norwich Town S.C.
4th	1679	Brian Vincent Frances Smith	Libido Spencer 7 mod	Harwich Town S.C.
5th	1690	Derek Clark Stormhunter	Spencer 8	Clacton S.C.

This report by Frances Smith first appeared in Yachts and Yachting, and was transcribed by Jim Champ from a scan sent by Ed Willett.

1972 World Championships - Steve Marten

anonymous@undisclosed.example.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 09 Dec 2020 19:21:56 +0000

1972 World Championships - Steve Marten

There are few Cherubs sailing these days in NZ, a far cry from when I was active in the class when it was common to get 30-40 boats each weekend and 70-80 at national championships.

I started my sailing in another John Spencer class the Flying Ant in 1960 graduating to the Cherub around 1964 when my father and I built my first Cherub. Realising that there was a bit to learn I bought an ex champion 'Even Stevens' which I sailed for a couple of seasons experimenting with crew and a little sail making. I then built the first of a series of boats to my own design finishing with a world championship in 1972. A typical season finished with selling the current boat, upgrading my car and then penniless building a new boat for the next year's racing.

The boat that I raced in '72 was very fast planing upwind and on the course sailed in Auckland for the championships the wind direction oscillated and we focussed on being in phase and first to the shift. The boat was typical of the Cherubs of that era, straight with the V section running aft as per Russ Bowler's boat from Freemantle to help control in the rougher mixed conditions that we see in Auckland. The mast was a very thin walled section with 2 sets of spreaders. We had, I believe, the first deck post to stabilise the bottom section. Spinnaker chutes were standard by then since we had fitted the first one two or three seasons earlier.

Following the Cherub class I sailed in Solings for a season, representing NZ at the 1972 Munich Olympics sailed at Kiel . On my return I decided to make my hobby a full time profession and started MARTEN MARINE building small sailing yachts, mostly Olympic classes such as the 470, Finn, Tornado, OK Dingy and others. We graduated to larger vessels over the years building a number of custom racing yachts initially in the IOR era and then to the IMS rule. We have built a number of Whitbread race yachts and 7 America's Cup yachts. We now are 2 companies. MARTEN YACHTS specialising in performance racing and cruising yachts, and MARTEN SPARS who specialise in large carbon fibre spars and boom furling systems for Superyachts.

Steve Marten, 2000

Around the 1972 Cherub World Championships

anonymous@undisclosed.example.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 09 Dec 2020 19:21:56 +0000

Around the 1972 Cherub World Championships

This article was first published in “Sea Spray” Magazine, New Zealand with comments in italics from Jim Champ

The recent Cherub World Championship in Auckland provided a great opportunity to study and compare trends in the class. For a restricted class with a one design sail plan and only limited scope for hull design it was amazing the differences in design, rig and gear, of the boats from different countries and even within countries themselves. Because of big differences in design Cherubs are still rather a “horses for Courses” class. This year's championship proved to be a contest for the “Flatties”.

Top New Zealand Boats (St. Paul [sailed by Steve Marten, now head of Marten Marine, one of the top international high-tech boatbuilders - Net Ed.], Boss-O-Nova) were modified versions of Angel Gabriel and Jennifer Julian designs. Both had about 1/2 inch less keel rocker and chines were also flattened out to run parallel (in elevation) with it, thus having a longer, straighter planing surface. In this respect we seem to be following Australian designs - although our boats still differ from theirs in having curved bottoms, more vee in the bottom at the stern, and more curved gunwales.

Most New Zealand boats racing in the championships were Angel Gabriels (Marten) (13) Whirlydogs (6) Jennifer Julians [designed by Russell Bowler, now of Farr Yacht Design] (4) or Farrs (3) [designed by Bruce Farr of course]. Older boats with more keel rocker (“banana boats”) such as Spencer MkVII or VIII have definitely been superseded by newer designs, indeed there was only one of each of these boats racing.

With large numbers of Cherubs sailing in Australia there are many designs, mostly by professional designers. Of the 12 Australian boats at the Championship, 10 were different designs. However, they were all designed with one aim in mind, to plane early, so they had some similarities. Keel rocker on all boats was very flat from centrecase to stern. All had big transoms by NZ Standards, average chine width here was 3ft 6in with less bottom vee, generally about 3in. Most boats had flat bottoms, with chines kept parallel to keel (in elevation) and each other (in plan). Because of the big sterns, gunwales were fairly parallel, making them big boats.

Ikara was top Aussie competitor finishing 3rd overall. She was designed by her crew Greg Phillips and John Gardner in a rather unorthodox fashion. Their theory was that straight boats are fastest, hence a straight keel and chines in both elevation and plan. A constant and moderate vee was necessary for both downwind speed and control Finally the shortest distance between two points is a straight line thus the flat bottom and plumb topsides to clear the water from the hull quickly and reduce wetted surface. Fourth overall was Zulu II, built by Dave Frazer to his latest design, the main features being the extremely flat keel (2in rocker) and the very full cone shaped bow. Marc VI in sixth place was a two-year old Maurach design, very similar to Ikara. Rock'n'Roll, 12th overall and sister ship Boogie-Woogie, were designed by the boat's builder Ian Peden. Their most notable feature was their fine JJ type bows, not often seen on Australian Boats.

Fourteenth overall and first woman skipper was Jeanine Wilmot [Jeanine was later NZ Javelin South Pacific Champion and is now married to Australia 2 Navigator Hugh Trehearne] in Emu, a sistership to her brother Jamie's boat Jazzer (runner up in the first world Championship). Jazzer was a Ken Beashel (former World 18footer Champion[and later to be chief maintenance man on Australia 2 at the 1983 Americas Cup - Net Ed.], designed and built boat, of rather unusual design. She had a fine bow, with low chines disappearing about 12in back from it. The keel was almost straight from centrecase to stern but had a lot of rocker from the centrecase to the bow. In plan view the chines were more pushed out in the middle than most Australian designs. Another unusual feature was the foredeck which had about 8in of camber under the mast step effectively raising the whole rig 4in.

The two English entries were outclassed. I got the impression that the class there lags well behind in development. Of the two, Jamstrangler sailed by her owner and builder Chris Forman was the most successful finishing 30th overall. She was a conventional boat, designed for easy amateur construction, with her U section bow, straight run aft and moderate vee stern sections. The centrecase was designed to allow the centreplate to slide under the foredeck. [Presumably a Forman 4 - Net Ed..] The other boat, Amphigouri, sailed by Mr and Mrs David Babcock, finished 36th overall. This boat was the most unusual looking at the contest. Being a strictly light weather design, she had a lot (6in) of rocker in the keel, a flat bottom of moderate vee, a very fine bow with gunwales pushed out to 5ft 3in where the skipper sat and pulled in sharply to the small stern. This boat also had a full length centrecase with a pivoting centreplate. [Greg 5 I suspect - Net Ed..]

Performance

It's hard to say what affects the performance of a Cherub most. My opinion is that rig, design (provided its a new one) and skipper are the main factors affecting speed. It was unfortunate that conditions for most of the Championship remained the same, a moderate to fresh sou'westerly and smooth seas. However, the second race was sailed in a light to moderate sou'westerly and it was amazing the way these conditions affected some boats. Flat water and moderate to fresh winds ideally suited the flatter keeled New Zealand boats (St Paul, Boss-O-Nova) and the new Frazer and Marauch hulls (Zulu II, Marc VI, Ikara, Bizarre) whereas those with more than average keel rocker (Omega, Underdog) fared poorly.

The lighter wind in the second race showed some surprising reversals of form. Boats with more than average keel rocker did well, finishing a lot higher than their average placings, e.g. Omega (2) Underdog (11) Amphigouri (10). These conditions definitely didn't suit the Frazer and Marauch boats e.g. Zulu II (31), Bedazzled (38) and Bizarre (36). Although a flat keeled boat, Boss-O-Nova, won. Outstanding boats in these conditions were Boogie-Woogie and Rock'n'Roll. In the invitation race and abandoned first race, held in similar light conditions, they finished first and second respectively both times. In the second race Grant Simmer finished third, while Karen Simmer, who was leading until her crew fell overboard, was disqualified from fourth place [Net Ed. - Grant was navigator on Australia 2 when they won the America's Cup in 1983]. It would have been interesting to see how the big full-bowed, flat bottomed Australian boats handled a choppy sea. I suspect they would have slammed a lot to windward, while downwind they have a reputation for nosediving. New Zealand boats of the AG, JJ and WD designs generally proved to be good all round performers, but Australian boats were faster when they got their preferred conditions. It would seem that in flat water at least, the flatter your keel and fresher the wind, the faster you go, however if the wind doesn't blow you don't go. [Net Ed. - And ain't that the truth!]

Construction and Layout

New Zealand Boats had nothing new to offer in construction and layout. Most were built with a double skin bottom over either one or two stringers aside the keel. The rest were built with single skin bottoms over three stringers aside the keel. Layout was universally the same, all boats had a full height bulkhead 4ft from the stem which encloses the forward buoyancy tank. From this side tanks of varying widths (minimum 6ins) ran aft to the stern. Rolled side tanks are here to stay, most new boats sported them.

Australian ply boats were all built with single skin bottoms over three stringers aside the keel. The layouts varied a lot probably because most were professionally built by different boatbuilders as the four amateur built boats had the same layout as the New Zealanders.

Of the other five ply boats three were built by Dave Frazer. Drumbeat, a four-year old boat, besides the usual bow and side tanks, had am 18in long stern tank. The other two, Zulu and Bedazzled were this season's model and featured a convex false floor, the height of the centrecase top in the middle, sloping down to the chines, and running from the stem back to central sheeting. Side buoyancy tanks ran from here to the stern. Rock'n'Roll had a full height bow tank, wide side tanks, a 2ft long stern tank, and a floor tank running from the bulkhead along the centrecase top to the back of it. All these buoyancy tanks made the cockpit very small.

Three Australian boats were fibreglass. Revolution was first of the Dennis Digham (12-footer fame) production line and only boat on minimum weight (110lb). It was beautifully moulded with a clean interior and conventional bow and side tank layout. However, because of the lack of stringers and frames (it even had an open transom) the hull tended to bend and twist a bit.

The other two boats were moulded by Jamie Wilmot[Australian FD helm at the 1984 Olympics]. Emu was from a mould taken of Jazzer, while Hello Goodbye was a deeper veed version designed by Jamie. Both layouts featured convex false floors to the aft end of the centrecase, with side tanks form there to the stern, and a small stern tank. Decks and mainsheet traveller frame were ply but hulls were stiff and strong although HG weighed around 145lb. Amphigouri was a fibreglass shell with ply decks, side tank and bulkhead. Her layout was conventional except here foretank was only half height. Jamstrangler was a single skin ply boat also with half height fore tank and side tank layout. Construction method used was rather different and for ease of amateur construction was built upside down from decks up. [This would be Chris Forman's inside out method for building the Forman 4. Roughly speaking you started with bulkheads and tank sides, all nice easy bits of straight wood, which meant that the boat was almost its own building jig.] Because of light hull weight, builders are always looking for ways to lighten the hull but retain strength. The general trend is to use, more and more, materials with good strength to weight ratio. Hence ply is getting thinner (1/8in), and lighter and more use is being made of fibreglass, aluminium and stainless steel to replace wooden structural members (e.g. mast post, centrecase bracing, mainsheet traveller, transom bracing etc.

[Its fascinating to note that no mention is made of whether any of the fibreglass boats were of cored construction. Russell Bowlers' 1970 Worlds winning boat had been foam cored, and he had built a foam boat in England in 1971 with a U.K. Sailor. On the other hand I am quite sure Amphigouri would have been solid glass. Even in 1975 when I started sailing Cherubs the significance of the fact that Bowler's boat had been foam cored was quite lost on many of us, and I can remember being quite bemused about what lumps of foam embedded in the bottom of a new glass Forman 4 were supposed to achieve. At least I wasn't the only one to miss the significance!]

Mark Paterson's new boat QSJB [I now own this boat! Net Ed.] (launched a month before the contest) might have been the first to feature a new trend in the search for lighter weight. His boat had no side buoyancy tanks from for'ard bulkhead aft to the mainsheet traveller. This idea has several merits; less weight, can't leak and trap water, fittings can be positioned under the deck, more cockpit space, and easier to right after a capsize. One disadvantage is that a lot more water is trapped when the boat is righted after a capsize. However competition is now so good that if you capsize you're out of the running anyhow.

[All this talk of minimum weight seems to completely miss the point that the layout of the time was pretty poor at resisting rig loads. It wasn't until about six or seven years later that people realised that if you positioned the front bulkhead so that it ran from under the mast step diagonally back to the shrouds then the bulkhead was far more effective at resisting rig loads. When I sailed the (admittedly by then very elderly) QSJB I could reckon to sail in with quite a lot less rig tension than I launched with. Net Ed.]

Gear

Nothing really new was seen gear-wide. However, there were some interesting variations and ideas. Cherubs are now being set up like miniature Flying Dutchmen, this is particularly true of New Zealand boats, most of which had some or all of their adjustments leading back to the skipper's hand. The most common adjustments were jib cunningham[now there's a bit of string that seems to have died out! - Net Ed], mainsail cunningham, kicking strap, mainsail outhaul and mainsail traveller. Australian boats had the same control, but positioned them at various places on the hull and spars, sometimes well out of the skipper's reach. The English boats lacked most sail adjustments, the kicking strap being about their only one.

Spinnaker launchers have proved to be the biggest revolution in the class since their introduction early last season. All New Zealand boats had them but only five Australians. However by the end of the contest all the others were intending to fit them. Both the English boats had them, but instead of the usual fibreglass chute, they had a triangular hole in the foredeck with a roller attached to the underneath of the back edge.

Jib sheeting arrangements were varies. The two main positions being across the deck or along the carlin. Most used the latter method. A few boats were experimenting with barber haulers but they didn't seem to be an advantage. QSJB had three different jib positions, one inside the other, and when using the inside one could point noticeably higher than the rest of the fleet. [Net Ed - in many ways this is one of the biggest changes I've seen in dinghies over the years. When I started sailing Cherubs jib sheet positions on the older boats were getting on for 6 inches outboard of where they are now!] Over the last few seasons jib sheeting positions have been creeping closer to the centreline.

Central sheeting has become almost universal. Only one boat (Zukes) had end boom sheeting and only two had 3/4 sheeting. Most of the others used free running nylon travellers on tubes or X section aluminium track. Two boats (Ikara, Amphigouri) had no travellers at all, relying on the kicking strap to hold the boom down, using the mainsheet to adjust angle. Boss-O-Nova had a semi-circular I section aluminium track going from gunwale to gunwale which doubled as a kicking strap. [Net Ed - and probably mainsheeting systems is *the* biggest change. The problem with centre sheeting was always that as you pulled the sail in the last few degrees always really dragged the boom down, so letting off the mainsheet just a tad in a gust had a huge effect on the shape of the sail. Sail a Laser and you'll see what I mean. So some bright spark invented the mainsheet traveller, which was a great way of ensuring that the helmsman was never quite sure which string he should pull on! The theory was that when you were going upwind you pulled in the mainsheet until the twist was right (often causing the kicker to go slack) and then adjusted the traveller so the angle was right. There were lots of problems associated with this and tacking, especially as you would normally need to pull the traveller to windward of the centreline to get the boom angle right. This meant that there had to be separate “sheets” each side of the boat, and the leeward one had to be left uncleated, and grabbed in a hurry during the middle of a tack. This was clearly not clever. Harken invented a wonderfully ingenious mainsheet traveller that automatically uncleated the leeward sheet, but none of us could afford them, and the hassle was still too great. I can remember building a *rigid* kicker for my Cherub (with help from Needlespar) in an attempt to get round the sail shape problem, but it was never really practical. Wiser heads eventually came up with the two solutions we use today, the mainsheet hoop (or in Cherubs the post, and the fixed bridle, either at stern or centre. In both cases the idea is that the kicker does all the boom tension control, and the mainsheet just pulls sideways. Its odd that the old style of bridle (again look at a Laser) had been around for years. You'd have thought that people might have picked up on the idea sooner. I believe the first was on a Kiwi 470 in the late 70s. We saw it on Flat Stanley in 1980.]

A fairly new innovation was a cam cleat attached to the last mainsheet block, usually mounted on a bracket attached to the back side of the traveller. This allowed the mainsheet to remain cleated while going about. Trapeze adjusters have also caught on fast, over half the fleet had them. Two types were used, the key-hole type and the Vang type. Rob Martin switched to the latter just before the contest and found them a decided advantage, being quicker and easier to adjust.

Compasses were used by a few boats, the most popular being the Suunto dinghy type. The general opinion was that they weren't necessary. However they do help to pick windshifts. Centreplates come in all shapes and sizes. Generally New Zealand boats had shorter, wider plates, about 12-14 in wide and 4ft 3in to 5ft long. The Australians were narrower and longer, about 10 to 12in wide and 4ft9in to 5ft9in (maximum length) long. A good idea, seen on three NSW boats with small for'ard hands, were their spinnaker sheets led through small Riley ratchet blocks.

Masts

The Baverstock 13/4in diameter mast was most popular (75% used them). Most were rigged with a single set of spreaders which pushed sideways about 1in and forward about 3/4 in. The Glenie brothers (Mrs Tiggywinkle) rigged their 1 3/4 with double spreaders and were the only ones using the mast without a stiffener or mast post. The stiffener was a light gauge, snug fitting aluminium tube running internally from base to just above the spreaders[Net Ed - i.e. sleeved]. The mast post was designed and first used by Don Baverstock. It consists of a short length of very heavy gauge aluminium tube fixed to the keel and extending up through the deck 8in. The mast fits snugly over this, resting on the deck. Graeme Bird's moveable mast post was disallowed by the measurement committee. [Net Ed -need some more explanation here. The rules at the time prohibited any kind of adjustment to the rig while sailing, and also specified deck stepped masts. Lowers and prodders hadn't been invented, so low down mast bend was a major problem. The mast post, rigidly attached to the boat, gave exactly the same stiffening effect as a keel stepped mast held rigidly in a gate at deck level. Always struck me as peculiar to permit that but ban the longer mast. The movable mast post was an even more blatant rule evasion as it meant that it was effectively a two piece keel stepped mast. Rigs were generally much less stiff than they are now, and rig tensions were very much lower. Hounds tended to be lower too.]

Steve Marten rigged St Paul and sister ship Antiquary with 17/8 diameter Aitchison light gauge aluminium masts. Double spreaders were used but during the nationals it was found that the mast was bending too much. To correct this a 6in deck mounted post was fitted and stay tension increased. Two boats used Bowler-type home-made masts. Boss-O-Nova's was a 13/4in diameter three tube one rigged with a single set of diamond stays. On the top was an aluminium crane which held the headboard to eliminate mainsail twist. The gooseneck was fixed and the mast swivelled with the boom. Quasar used a 21/4in Bowler-type with nutcracker spreaders, the mast also swivelled with the boom. Steve Mitchell used a 13/4in Riley mast. His was the only one rigged with both diamond stays and spreaders. Wooden masts have almost vanished - only one boat (Zukes) used one in the contest.

Generally the Australian boats were rigged and tuned for one set of conditions. Chiver masts were popular with WA boats. Ikara used a 2in diameter Moth section, with an external stiffening tube on the bottom 2in. [! surely 2 ft - Net Ed] It was rigged with a single set of fixed spreaders. The other three WA boats used 21/4in diameter sections rigged with single sets of spreaders. NSW boats used de Havilland masts. The Wilmots and Simmers boats used light gauge 2in diameter ones rigged with adjustable limited swing spreaders. [Another technical note. In the 60s spreaders were often hinged at the root so that masts could bend more freely - the spreaders then only stiffened the mast sideways, not fore and aft. Later on limited swing spreaders were used. This meant that the mast was initially unrestricted fore and aft by the spreaders until the movement was used up and then the mast stiffened up. This gave a sort of “dual rate spring” effect. This sort of concept has re-emerged with the pre-bent skiff rigs as used on the 49er, except that now we aim for rigs that are stiff initially and then get bendier! - Net Ed] Emu also had a preventer, a short forestay running from the middle of the foredeck to about 6ft up the front of the mast. It was only used in heavy weather, to stop the mast breaking when running flat off with the kite. [i.e. to stop the mast inverting - Net Ed] The other five NSW boats used 21/8in de Havilland masts with single set of spreaders.

All Australian Masts were on the maximum length of 20ft. Amphigouri used a 2in x 2i/2in section aluminium mast (the same section as Foster) made by Stainless Steel Masts Ltd. It was rigged with a single set of limited swing spreaders.

Jamstrangler used one of the legendary Needlespar masts. It was made up of five lengths of machine tapered aluminium tube of varying thickness and diameter. These were slotted together and glued. A plastic sail track was stretched and pop riveted on the back to tension it and hold it together. The maximum diameter was 13/4 in and although it was tapered top and bottom it was fairly heavy. A single set of limited swing spreaders was used to support it.

Booms

Over the last two or three seasons the use of extruded aluminium mast sections for booms have completely replaced the old wooden ones. Now the extruded sections are losing favour because they bend too much. [There was briefly a fashion in the UK for special bendy booms! - Net Ed]The trend now is toward bigger diameter (31/2 in), lighter stiffer booms. St Paul had a 3in x 13/4 in rectangular section Aitchison boom.

Spinnaker Poles

Again aluminium was most popular although some Australian boats and the two English ones used hollow tapered wooden poles. The 11/4in 16gauge aluminium poles used last season bent too much so this season 11/2in diameter 16gauge aluminium was used. Most New Zealand kite poles were double ended, jaws at each end with either sheeves or ss hooks for spinnaker sheets. Length varied from 8ft3in to the 9ft maximum, with most preferring the latter.

Sails

For a class with a one design sail plan there were some interesting differences in sails. [The use of the phrase one design needs explaining. The Cherub rig sails were restricted with maximum luff, leach and foot measurements, plus three cross widths on the mainsail. Area was not measured. Thus all sails were built to the same basic measurements, and were pretty much the same area and planform, but other details were largely unrestricted. Certainly not what we would regard as one-design these days! - Net Ed] Blue Peter sails were by far the most popular (50% used them) with the New Zealand team. Several boats used Hood sails and several others used Hood spinnakers. Three, including winner St. Paul, used Rudling sails, while Boss-O-Nova used a Nalder main and jib, and a Hood kite.

Cassidy sails were used by most WA boats. On NSW boats Miller and Whitworth sails were most popular but several other makes, including Elvstrom and Freshwater, were also used. Australian sails were about 25% dearer than their NZ counterparts. The sails on English boats were of a lower standard in both design and cut than those of NZ or Australia. Amphigouri used Ace of Clubs sails while Jamstrangler used Anderson Aerosails.

Jibs varied slightly from boat to boat due mainly to personal likes and dislikes of owners and makers. Last season Blue Peter jibs had very large foots and no Cunningham holes, cut leaches were also starting to be used. This season their foots got smaller, cunningham holes were back in and cut leeches were universal. Hood jibs had small foots, cunningham holes, and three jib battens. Cloth weight was heavy, about 5oz. Almost all new Zealand jibs were mitre cut. All Australian jibs had parallel cut panels with hardly any foot on them at all. Emu used a yarn tempered sail cloth one which needed very careful handling and didn't last long. Most Aussie jibs had three battens and none had cut leeches.

Again personal preference was used, mainly regarding mainsail shape and positioning of batten pockets. Most had cunningham holes. Several boats had mitre cut mainsails and a couple made by Blue Peter had cut leeches. Two Australian Boats (Emu and Bedazzled) had loose footed mainsails but they didn't seem an advantage. Amphigouri had a soft (short batten) mainsail which didn't look very fast. Jamstrangler also had a loose-footed main with the top two battens full length and the other four short. New Zealand spinnakers were the biggest. They had big shoulders and foots and were fairly full whereas Australian spinnakers were triangular in shape and had very little foot or shoulder but were also fairly full. Amphigouri's spinnaker was similar to the Australians with slightly bigger shoulders but Jamstrangler's was very small flat and triangular, like a single luff spinnaker.

[The author of this piece is unrecorded. They still hold copyright and I would very much like to identify them and ask their permission for reproduction. I hope this unauthorised reproduction doesn't cause offence - Net Ed]

Cherub National Championships 1972 – Teignmouth S.C.

anonymous@undisclosed.example.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 09 Dec 2020 19:21:56 +0000

Cherub National Championships 1972 – Teignmouth S.C.

Transcribed by Neil C from the original report by R.W.A Paddey published in Yachts & Yachting

Gordon Williams and Alec Hodgson from the Royal Victoria Y.C. sailing their modified Forman 4 “Tickityboo” became Cherub National Champions and winners of the Simpson Cup at Teignmouth from a fleet of forty boatsat the end of August.

The first race was held in the estuary due to the fact that the prevailing wind over the weekend had built up a heavy groundswell over the bar making sailing to and from the course dangerous. “Tickityboo” made a very good start and reading the windshifts correctly arrived at the windward mark first, a position that she held throughout the race despite being challenged strongly at one point by Tony & Jill Howes in “Coarctation”.

Wednesday’s first race was sailed at sea in a brisk Force 5 and was won by Lollipop (travelling at quite a lick) sailed by Brian Vincent and Francis Smith from Harwich Town SC followed by Marcus Moore and James Bond in “Aeotearoa”, “Coarctation” and “Tickityboo” having been for a swim whilst lying second and third and eventually finishing twentieth and ninth respectively, results which were to have a considerable effect on the final placings.

After the class AGM the third race was sailed in the evening, the wind having dropped and left a nasty swell. “Coarctation” rounded the windward mark first slightly ahead of “Tickityboo” who took the lead on the ensuing run and sailed away to win by a handsome margin from “Coarctation” and “Lollipop”.

Two races were scheduled for Thursday and the morning race was sailed in a relatively steady Force 2. “Coarctation” again arrived at the windward mark first but this time made no mistake and sailed on to win with ease. “Tickityboo” rounded in fifth position and fought very hard to pass three boats and finish second ahead of Chris Forman and Danny Stewart in “Jamstrangler” who had been sailing consistently all week. Thursday afternoon’s race was abandoned on the second leg much to the chagrin of the leader, Bill Cooke and due to lack of wind and Friday’s race was out of the question because of the conditions on the bar. Thus the points were totalled on the results of the four races sailed.

Place	Helm	Boat Name	Design	Club
1	Gordon Williams	Tickityboo	Forman 4c	R.V.Y.C.
2.	Brian Vincent	Lollipop	Jennifer Julian	H.T.S.C.
3.	Chris Forman	Jamstrangler	Forman 4	P.S.C.
4.	Tony Hows	Coarctation	Caisley/Steele 3	Q.M.S.C.

Tickityboo sported a fully battened Seahorse main on a Holt mast with Anderson jib and Spinnaker. Lollipop was powered by a set of fully battened Dolphin Sails (of course) on a Proctor Mast. Jamstrangler used a loose-footed Anderson main with the addition of a Pederson chute from down under and a 17/8“ Needlespar. Coarctation, the only CSIII at the Champs, had a full set of Seahorse sails on a Holt mast.

Original report by R.W.A Paddey.

1972 World Championships.

anonymous@undisclosed.example.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 11 Oct 2023 09:05:24 +0000

1972 World Championships.

Waitemata Harbour, Auckland NZ

This report was compiled by Jim Champ principly from one published in Modern Boating magazine, March 1972, with interpolations from other sources, notably various Press cuttings from New Zealand sent by Steve Marten and the UK Cherub Newsletter of the time.

Steve Marten, a 23-year-old Aucklander, won the world Cherub class title in Auckland. Sailing St. Paul, which he designed and built, Marten had bad placings in the national series the preceding week when the boat's owner crewed with him. But the owner stepped down for the world series so Marten could have his regular crew, Trevor Burgess, and this proved the winning combination. Steve almost didn't enter the Championships. “I wasn't really interested in sailing”, he said with a grin, “I made the wining boat, St Paul, for someone else. I'd recently got married and I'd bought a house and - really - yacht making was just something to do in my spare time”. However the buyer of St Paul convinced Marten he should use the boat himself for the National and World titles and hand it over to the intended owner after the series. Some serious rig changes - they added a mast post after the Nationals to radically stiffen the bottom of the mast, saw them come on song after the first two races of the Worlds.

St. Paul, a modified Angel Gabriel, was launched only days before the national series and was still being tuned during the world contest. Both the New Zealand contest and the world series were held on the Waitemata Harbour, Auckland, in an area surrounded by hills. Boat speeds, despite radical differences in sail and hull designs, seemed very much the same. The New Zealanders, especially, had greatly advanced since the previous world series in hull design and cockpit layout and favoured flatter hulls and the use of highly efficient mainsheet traveller systems - both ideas from Jennifer Julian (the previous world champion). See also the Technical report from Sea Spray Magazine, NZ

Large skirts along the feet of the New Zealanders' spinnakers gave them a great deal more sail than the Aussies, but these seemed of little advantage as the reaches of the Olympic course were set at 60º and not 45º, and so were extremely tight (often too tight). The Aussies made up for their lost speed on square runs by successfully tacking downwind.

With seven heats and five to count it was consistency throughout which won Marten his title and gave the top boats their high placings. All racing except the invitation race and the abandoned heat 1 was run in breezes which blew off the land, ranging from 10 to 25 knots with gusts to 35 to test boat handling. However, the wind travelling over the hills would bounce off the water, leaving lines of heavy breeze lifting and knocking sometimes 20º. The shifts were frustrating, as one needed to be lucky or an extremist to be at the front. There's a suggestion in various reports that local knowledge got sailors in trouble as often as it helped.

Heat one was abandoned after protest because the race committee moved the wing mark 100 yards to leeward as the leading boats approached it. The following two heats saw the NZ boat Boss-O-Nova (R. Sellers) gain two runaway wins with NZ champion Omega (S Mitchell) second in heat two and St Paul second in heat three.

For the heat one resail the breeze freshened to 15-20 knots and Zulu II (Australia) chose the leeward end start, sailed a long knock, tacked and was first to the windward mark on a 15º lift. By the finish Zulu had a mighty lead with Ikara (WA) second followed by Boss-0-Nova and St Paul.

After finishing third to St Paul and Ikara in heat four (sailed in 15-20 knots) it seemed certain that Rex Sellers in Boss-O-Nova would be the winner. But Steve Marten finally got St Paul sailing well and he followed up his second fourth and first with wins in heats five and six to become unbeatable in the final heat, in which he was fourth.

Ikara seemed the winner of heat five but due to the shifts and his loose-covering of St Paul he lost a 200 yard lead near the finish to miss by 30 seconds.

World Junior champion Greg Phillips (Ikara, WA) closely pushed Boss-O-Nova for second overall but lost all chance when, in the final heat, his rudder snapped off while running third. Zulu II also won this heat which earnt him fourth place overall and runner-up in the junior section.

Young Australian girl skipper Karen Simmer had a very difficult series, leading in the abandoned first race and losing at least one other good result under protest. She was generally quicker than her 16th place would suggest, but still took the Cadet Champion prize.

Reproduced with the kind permission of Modern Boating magazine Australia

Results

Place	Boat	Design	Helm	Crew	Nationality	Points
1	St Paul 1990	Angel Gabriel (Marten) mod	Steve Marten	Trevor Burgess	NZ	8007
2	Boss O Nova	Jennifer Julian (Bowler) mod	Rex Sellers	R. Preston	NZ	7002
3 Junior Champion	Ikara	Phillips/Gardner	Greg Phillips	John Gardner	Aus	6384
4	Zulu II	Frazer	Tony Leahy	M. Walker	Aus	6354
5	Queenie SJB 1982	Farr	Mark Paterson	Brett Baker	NZ	5451
6	Marc VI	Maurach	C. Woods	A. Woods	Aus	5354
7	Benjamin		Andy Ball		NZ	5004
8	Omega		S. Mitchell		NZ	4722
9	Canned heat		G. Bird	R. Bishop	NZ	4655
10	Clarence William the Third		R. Martin	L. Kepple	NZ	4627
14 First woman skipper	Emu	Beashel	Jeanine Wilmot	Aus
16 Cadet Champion	Boogie Woogie	Peden	Karen Simmer	Aus

1973 Cherub U.K. National Championships

anonymous@undisclosed.example.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 09 Dec 2020 19:21:56 +0000

1973 Cherub U.K. National Championships

Felpham S.C.

Nearly 60 boats took part in the Cherub Nationals at Felpham, near Bognor Regis from 20-24 August. This is the highest number of boats for two or three years and shows the increasing popularity of the class. Racing was of a high standard and positions were well gained. It speaks well for the discipline of the class, and the race officers, in that there were no general recalls. As the main limiting factor to the speed with which a Cherub can be driven is the skill and daring of the crew, the spinnaker reaches in the short steep seas provided the most excitement and test of nerves. The class now looks forward to the first World Championships in this country, to be held at Torbay next year.

The winner for the second year running was Gordon Williams with his crew Alick Hodgson in Tickity Boo, but not before he had a close fight with Tony Hows - the last race deciding the overall winner. In the first race on Monday morning, with a fresh breeze, Gordon Williams rounded the windward mark in the lead, challenged by Chris Forman in Black Monday on the reach, but he held his position. Paul Assheton was following closely, with Tony Hows catching. At the end of the first lap Paul Assheton had been dropped and the leaders were clear of the fleet. Tickity Boo crossed the line first but Kipper, sailed by Tony Hows and his wife Jill, had overtaken Black Monday.

By the afternoon the wind had strengthened to force 4-5. Short steep seas caused several capsizes, mainly on the spinnaker reaches. This time Tony Hows gained the windward mark first. Gordon Williams briefly led on the second reach, but lost out on the beat. In third and fourth positions were Chris Forman and Mike Wagstaff in Indiscretion. Gordon Williams capsized on the next beat, but recovered to take second place from Tony Hows who was never seriously challenged. Chris Forman, who crossed the line second, was disqualified for being over the line at the start. Mike Wagstaff, sailing steadily, took the third gun.This was to be the pattern for the whole week, with either Gordon Williams or Tony Hows taking the lead.

In light easterly winds Gordon Williams crossed the starting line on starboard on Tuesday morning tacked and was soon comfortably in the lead. David Finch in Co-Arctation came next, followed by T. Powell in Mr. Crispi. Tony Hows and Chris Forman were badly positioned at the mark, lying 9th and 14th respectively. Gordon Williams forged ahead and by the end of the second reach had an unassailable lead. Tony Hows, travelling incredibly fast on spinnaker reaches, reached third position. David Finch held him off on the beat but was obvious that Tony had the upper hand, and flying his spinnaker until the last moment, caught him at the gybe mark. Chris Forman in a similar manoeuvre moved into fifth place at the expense of Paul Assheton. In fourth place were Brian Vincent and his new 14-year-old crew Michael Baker.

An exciting fourth race, when again Gordon led at the start pursued by Tony Hows, Ron Ellway and David Finch fighting for third place. On the second lap Ron Ellway had been dropped and the wind backed, altering the first reach to a fetch and then to a beat, to the disadvantage of the back markers. Planing faster than his rivals, Chris Forman reached third position whilst Tony almost caught Gordon. Fighting it out on the final beat, Tony took the gun only yards ahead of Gordon.

Havoc amongst the Cherubs on Wednesday morning with winds 4-5 causing several capsizes. They were unprepared for the start presumably hoping for a postponement as on the previous day. A bad blow for Tony Hows, holding a fairly impressive lead, downed his spinnaker and retired after one lap with a split in his buoyancy tank. Gordon Williams took the lead, Paul Assheton lying second lost this to Chris Forman when he capsized on the run but recovered and eventually regained his place. Roger Paddey and his wife had a comfortable margin over Brian Vincent on the last beat, Tacking to cross the line capsized and allowed Brian to take third.

On Thursday Tony Hows pulled away from the fleet increasing his lead, challenged by no one, to win. Gordon lying third at the windward mark overtook Roger Paddey who did not use his spinnaker, and crossed the line second, Fourth to cross the line was Brian Vincent who was placed third after Paul Assheton was disqualified for not 'signing off'.

Tension mounted on Friday for Tony and Gordon were equal on points, not including their discard. After rounding the windward mark in the lead, Gordon kept increasing his lead and was never challenged, Tony was badly positioned for most of the race and was in fifth place when the shortened course flag was flown, and the final beat turned into a reach. Quick to notice the sudden change in wind direction, he hoisted spinnaker and climbed to second place. Graham Dickinson and David Finch who had been lying second and third respectively were ousted into fourth and fifth positions with this change in the wind. Unfortunately for Tony he was 1.25 points behind Gordon overall.

Overall Placings

Position	Helm	Boat Name	Design	Club
1.	Gordon Williams	Tickity Boo	Forman 4c	R.V.Y.C.
2.	Tony Hows	Kipper	Caisley/Steele 3	Q.M.S.C.
5.	Chris Forman	Black Monday.	Forman 4c	P.S.C.
4.	Brian Vincent	Lollipop Jennifer	Julian	H.T.S.C.
5.	Paul Assheton	Apul		P.S.C.
6.	David Finch	Co-Arctation	Caisley/Steele 3

Original report by Frances Vincent

Impresions of the 1974 and 1976 Cherub Worlds from Nicola Bethwaite

anonymous@undisclosed.example.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 09 Dec 2020 19:21:56 +0000

Impresions of the 1974 and 1976 Cherub Worlds from Nicola Bethwaite

Unfortunately … I am not one of those people who has a perfect total recall and can only supply you with impressions, which of course, must be coloured by hindsight…

I was 19 at the time of the Cherub Worlds in Torquay and had been sailing Cherubs for 3 years. I have been very fortunate in my choice of parents and Dad was experimenting with the over-rotating mast concept, which at that time had been in use for several years. At the same time, he was refining his hull designs, and this Cherub was a derivative of a NS14 which my older brother, Mark, had designed. The cherub was known as “the coffin” because of its boxy, square shape. In fact, the sharp chine angle was fundamental to the design, as it encouraged a fast breakaway of water on the hull, reducing drag. The combination of both these design breakthroughs gave us an edge which was almost unbeatable.

Of course, we were beatable! A broken centreboard in one of the early races while we were leading was not helpful, and an innocence and immaturity contributed to a second place in that regatta, which was won by another Australian girl, Amanda Wilmot. I still see Amanda quite frequently, as we both race offshore occasionally.

Fred Babcock was extremely hospitable to the Australian team, accommodating us both before and after the regatta at Chorleywood just outside London. In Torquay, we stayed at Daddyhole Plain in an old hotel which was very rickety but very rustic. We loved it. Couldn't quite get used to not having tonic in our gin, and as for getting a decent rum and coke, impossible! I did understand why the beer isn't chilled though - in a place as cold as that, you don't need to get any cooler!

My win in the Cherub Worlds in Adelaide in 1976 was almost accidental. A number of factors left me without a crew on the eve of the Australian Championships in Adelaide, which preceded the Worlds. By chance, my younger brother, Julian, was available to sail with me and so we took off in the car (a 2 day drive from Sydney to Adelaide) and placed 6th in the Australian Champs. We had no great expectations, and with luck from a fortuitous windshift, found ourselves leading the Worlds with 3 races to go. Sailing with Julian defined for me the meaning of the word “teamwork”. He is a genius at making boats go fast (even then) and I would simply say “I need more height, or more speed” or whatever was required, and he would pull the strings. I was able to concentrate completely on strategy and tactics and the result is history. We are both very proud of that early victory and remember it with great delight.

Technically, in 1976, I was using very similar equipment to that in 1974. I had a new boat “Nix” which I built in mid 1975 and was still using the over-rotating mast with great effect. In the fleet of 60 or so boats in the 1976 Worlds there were only 4 or 5 Cherubs using the over-rotating mast, as it was thought of with a great deal of suspicion and derision, ironic now when I think about it.

Nicola Bethwaite, 1997

1974 worlds from sea spray magazine

anonymous@undisclosed.example.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 09 Dec 2020 19:21:56 +0000

1974 worlds from sea spray magazine

This article first appeared in Sea Spray Magazine, N.Z.

Although John Spencer saw the original design through to the ever popular Mk 7, which many considered to be the ultimate Cherub, development didn't stop there, but was taken up by numerous designers in Australia where the class achieved immediate popularity Since 1972 Steve Marten and Bruce Farr have continued with new designs, but it is interesting to note that boats to the older Farr mk11 design finished first and second at this year's National championship. This substantiated the comment that designs have reached their limit and any improvement in performance will only come from rig and sails. This was also borne out in the recent Worlds with Amanda Wilmot sailing a new boat to a design conceived by her brother Jamie more than four years ago. The newer designs excel in winds over 10kn because the flatter keel initiates planing earlier and holds the boat there longer than older boats that have 12“ or more rocker in the keel.

The flat keel has been carried to its maximum in the Australian “Hushpower” design, which has only 13/4 in of keel rocker throughout its length. The Farr Mk2 (QSJB) and Bethwaite designs have over 4” of rocker. However over an Olympic course there is nothing in the boat speed of any of the new boats and crews spend their time perfecting the sail trim, which is the main factor contributing to boat speed.

The top three boats at the (New Zealand) 1974 Nationals and the eventual NZ representatives at the worlds all used different rigs: Jezebell had a 13/4 inch Australian Riley mast with double spreaders and mast post; Q.S.J.B had a 13/4 inch Baverstock mast with single spreaders and Hush Puppy had a 2“ Baverstock with single spreaders and no mast post. Although all sported different set ups, boat speeds overall were virtually identical, even in England. This was probably their downfall at the worlds as the Australians had developed a new wooden wing mast which worked very well in moderate conditions, although Mandy Wilmot used a conventional 2” aluminium section with single spreaders. It was her downwind superiority that gave the rest of the fleet no chance in the light conditions.

The mast post was a relatively new feature at the 1972 Worlds and had been prompted by Don Baverstock's new boat of the that time, Black Knight. It appeared to hold the smaller 13/4 inch masts stiffer at the bottom so that the rig was less flexible and held the power in the sails when pounding in the chop. The Australians have never used the mast post idea and it appears to be a matter of personal preference.

The trend is now to flat mainsails, particularly in the bottom third of the sail, as this enables the jib to be sheeted further inboard without the problem of backwinding. All the top boats have specially constructed jib track supports that bring the fairlead into within 15-16 in of the centreline. The narrower sheeting angle has also prompted a movement aft of the draught in the jib. The entry is now finer with the draught in the centre of the jib and not in the front third as in the past. The rig has been copied by all the top boats and the fleets' overall speed around the course has improved by about five minutes. The Australians have been using the set-up for about two years. During the build up to the second (1972) Worlds most skippers followed the trend set by F.D. crews of having fully adjustable controls led back to the skipper with a control panel layout. The trend is now moving back to a simple arrangement which makes for an uncluttered boat. Another reason is that the control tended to distract the skipper's attention; now adjustments are fitted as close as possible to the sails rather than having leads running all over the boat.

Most important feature of the last Worlds contest however was undoubtedly the Australian Bethwaite rotating wing masts which appeared to be a real advance in rig tuning. Their upwind superiority was astounding on occasions and Pfeiffers 'Tachycardia' was pointing 10 degrees higher than any other boat. Only Mandy Wilmot's downwind speed kept her close to the front, as she used a totally conventional mast and rig set-up. These new wing masts are approximately 4-5inches deep and triangular shaped. They are laminated out of spruce balsa wood and cedar. The spruce is the major part, with balsa and cedar added to the front to act as a fairing and also to promote better wind flow without adding to all-up weight. Sails are from Elvstrom's Sydney Loft and are specially made for the masts.

Although they looked a little clumsy with diamonds and an over-rotating bar at the base the combination was superior in winds of up to 15knots. The English were not slow to recognise the potential of the masts and the spares carried by the Australians were bought once the series had finished. The only local boat to get among the top eight was Tony and Jill Hows' Peanuts, a new Forman design the same as several other U.K. competitors. These boats did not appear much faster than those used by the UK representatives in the 1972 Worlds, and it was only superb sailing and a thorough knowledge of their boat that kept Tony and Jill in the top placings to finish fifth overall.

The remainder of the British fleet could no match the speed of the overseas boats, and in fact a good third of their forty boat fleet was not up to international standard. This caused some consternation to the overseas contingent and headaches for the numerous crash boats on the two days that the wind blew 30knots.

Graham Duncalf and Neil Strom (I trust that we had permission to reproduce this in the Class magazine back in 1974, and thus here. If then the writers have my apologies, and I'd be grateful to hear from them to regularise the situation Jim Champ).

Cherub Worlds 1974

anonymous@undisclosed.example.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 11 Oct 2023 09:28:39 +0000

Cherub Worlds 1974

Torquay, United Kingdom

The 1974 Worlds featured everything from drifting conditions to force 6 winds. Fortunes changed continuously during the series, but in the end 17 year old Amanda Wilmot came away with World Champion, Junior and Ladies' trophies. Sunday

A Force 6 led to 26 retirements from a 54 boat fleet, mostly with rudder gear failures and split chines. The most significant was probably Nicola Bethwaite's retirement with a broken daggerboard. . New Zealander Mark Paterson in Queenie SJB won, with fellow Kiwi Trevor Nye second, and Brits Tony and Jill Hows limping over the line in 3rd place with a chine failure. Monday Force 2 to 3, and the Australians Amanda Wilmot and Nicola Bethwaite gave notice of what was to come, taking an early lead and fighting the rest of the race well clear of the pack. The flat narrow wing masted Bethwaite design was notably quick upwind, while the glass deeper vee conventionally sparred Jet was flying on the downhill legs. Wilmot eventually took the race, with another Australian, David Pfeiffer third and Brit Dave Finch 4th. Tuesday.

Bethwaite's Slithy Tove led from start to finish in another F2-3, winning by more than 4 minutes. Wilmot was second, Pfeiffer third and Paterson 4th. Wednesday saw another F6, and the rescue facilities rapidly became overstretched. The race committee took a very controversial decision to abandon the race with Paterson leading from the Hows at the end of lap one. Thursday brought light airs which suited Wilmot nicely, leading from start to finish. Paterson was a close second, with Brits Kim Powell and Peter Caisley 3rd and 4th. Bethwaite was 5th, and had a DSQ to count, so Wilmot took the series lead. Friday.

Two races were sailed in lightish airs. Wilmot took the first, with Bethwaite second and Hows third. Paterson missed a win in the second race with a kite snaggle at the last mark, and Pfeiifer took the race, with Bethwaite 3rd and Hows 4th. This left Wilmot just leading from Bethwaite, with Paterson 3rd as they came to the line for the last race. Therace committee set a rather ambitious course in the light airs, and to what must have been considerable Kiwi fury abandoned the race with Paterson just two minutes from the line when the four hour time limit expired.

The Technical Overview from Sea Spray Magazine NZ. talks about the Australians having a definite boat speed advantage, with winner Mandy Wilmot having a big downwind advantage, and the Bethwaite wing masted boats having superb moderate wind upwind performance. Nicola herself reckons that she had both rig and boatspeed advantages and gives the impression she now believes she lost out in mental preparation as much as any other factor. On the other hand with rather more luck Mark Paterson could have won three races and probably the series.

British reports comment on the odd Australian habit of having the crew take the mainsheet upwind, and also on Andrew Buckland's superlative crewing. Andrew later went on to a very significant career in 18footers, amongst other things coming up with the idea of the bowsprit launched asymetric spinnaker.

All the antipodeans reckoned the British boats were slow. However many of the Brits seem to have felt at the time that they were outclassed mainly in sailing ability and rigs, and that the southern hemisphere hull shapes were no better. As well as the wing rigs the Antipodean sails were generally stiffer and flatter, with larger spinnakers made of lighter cloth. The Kiwi report, however, reckons that it was only the Hows' sailing ability that kept them anywhere near the visitors in spite of a major lack of boatspeed. Having sailed against the Hows in their heyday I can say that on their day their boathandling could be awesomely good, and hindsight indicates that the British had much more to learn about hull shape than they believed.

Jim Champ

	Helm	Crew	Country	Boat Design	Sail No	Name
1.	Amanda Wilmot	Andrew Buckland	Aus	Wilmot?	KA2180	Jet
2.	Nicola Bethwaite	Ian Hobbs	Aus	Bethwaite	KA1900	Slithy Tove
3.	Mark Paterson	Brett Bennett N.Z.	Farr mk 2	KZ1982	Queenie S.J.B.
4	David Pfeiffer	Tim Nicolson	Aus	Bethwaite	?	Tachycardia
5	Tony Hows	Jill Hows	GB	Forman 4d	K2350	Peanuts

Photos of Some of the boats

We don't have any pictures from the event, but here are photos from two of the boats from 2002 and 2006

Queenie S.J.B

Peanuts

Cherub Nationals 1974

anonymous@undisclosed.example.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 09 Dec 2020 19:21:56 +0000

Cherub Nationals 1974

Harwich Town SC hosted the Cherub National Championships over the long bank holiday weekend as one of the qualifying events for the worlds in July.

Outright winners in convincing style were Tony and Jill Hows in “Peanuts”, their new Spithead boats built Forman 4d.

The first race of the series was the windiest, but could not be said to be more than Force 4 at the most, and the Hows started as they meant to continue, with a win from Osprey ace Alfie Hawksworth and New Zealander Dave Selby in his home grown boat.

The second race turned out to be a repeat of the first with the Hows again leading home, this time followed by Dave Finch and Pip Lavender in the Hows old boat “Kipper” and David and Sheona Babcock in another home designed boat “Another Amphigouri”

The third race on Sunday afternoon was sailed in a pleasant force 3 but this enabled the Hows to cock a snook at the rest of the fleet — they not only went back to pick up a message in a bottle but went on to win by five minutes. [Message in a bottle? Is this some weird 70s slang I was too young to understand - transcriber] Second again was Dave Finch and third Gordon Williams, champion for the past two years.

Monday morning dawned bright and windless, however, a sea breeze filled in and the fleet started after two general recalls. This time “Kipper” took a commanding lead which she held to the gun and was followed home by Chris Forman and Nick Mason in the new Forman 6 which had managed to hold off the fast closing Hows.

The final race is one that everyone must want to forget. The chop was steep, the wind fitful and fluky, and the race frustrating. Twice Finch seemed to have an unassailable lead but on the last leg a giant wind shift pushed him into third place and the Hows from 4th to another win with the consistent Babcock second.

So there was a clear cut winner and runner up, but third 4th and 5th places had been a close fight throughout the series and at the end there was a single point between them

1	Peanuts	Tony Hows	Jill Hows	Forman 4d	Queen Mary SC
2	Kipper	Dave Finch	Pip Lavender	Caisley-Steele 3	Queen Mary SC
3	Tachyon	Chris Forman	Nick Mason	Forman 6	Portsmouth SC
4	Another Amphigouri	David Babcock	Sheona Babcock
5	Ticketyboo	Gordon Williams	Royal Victoria YC

This report first appeared in “Yachts and Yachting”

1975 Cherub U.K. National Championships

anonymous@undisclosed.example.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 09 Dec 2020 19:21:56 +0000

1975 Cherub U.K. National Championships

Grafham Water S.C.

There is a newsletter report which states “I have the feeling it is not everyone's wish to have an in depth, blow by blow account of the Nationals” and then goes on to discuss points and discards and not mention the sailing. Maybe you had to be there? It seems to have been a predominantly light airs event with two races sailed in a moderate breeze.

Overall Placings

Place	Helm	Name	Sail No	Design	Club
1	Dave Finch	Kipper	2150	CSIII	QMRSC
2.	Chris Forman	Tachyon	2345	Forman 6	PSC
3.	Tony Hows	Peanuts 2350	Forman 4d mod	QMRSC
4.	Robert Thomson				QMRSC
5.	Roger Paddey
6.	Tim Powell
7.	Bill Deeley
8.	John Masters	Art'o'Dob	1652	Spencer 7
9.	Simon Kerr
10.	Brian Cooper

Cherub Nationals 1975

anonymous@undisclosed.example.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 09 Dec 2020 19:21:56 +0000

Cherub Nationals 1975

David Finch and Peter Lavender sailing “Kipper”, their three year old boat, proved to be the decisive winners of the Simpson Cup for the Cherub National Championship sailed at Grafham Water SC from July 29th to August 2nd in extremely tricky conditions.

Kipper's 5-point victory came about with a consistency no one else could match. She counted two 1sts, two 2nds, and a 3rd, discarding a further 3rd and a 7th.

Chris Forman and Nick Mason who sailed “Tachyon” into second place over ¼ point ahead of last year's champions Tony and Jill Hows, were helped by the discard system which enabled them to drop two positions in the teens. Forman won two races, but was more fortunate than Tim Powell and Ian Duke, in the new Robinson flattie design, which crossed the line twice in pole position but was disqualified on one occasion for having crossed the extension of the line when the one- minute rule was in force. Other race winners were Tony Hows and Ray? Arthur.

Most of the seven race series was sailed in winds that varied from Force 1 to 3 and directions that were totally unpredictable. It was not an uncommon occurrence for boats sailing in the same direction only feet apart to be on opposite tacks.

Surprise of the week was R&P, Tim Powell's new boat which sports a revolutionary over-rotating wing mast made by Needlespar from their lightweight boom section. We shall have to wait and see whether it was this, o the hull shape, or a combination of the two, which produced very early planing.

1	Dave Finch	Peter Lavender	Kipper	2150	CSIII	QMRSC	8.5
2	Chris Forman	Nick Mason	Tachyon	2345	Forman 6	PSC	13.5
3	Tony Hows Jill	Hows Peanuts	2350	Forman 4d mod	QMRSC	19
4	Robert Thomson	Rosemary Thomson	Flying Saucer	QMRSC	20
5	Roger Paddey	Anne? Starkey	Gehenna Pod	Portsmouth SC	25
6	Tim Powell	Ian Duke	R&P	Warsash SC	28.75
7	Bill Deeley
8	John Masters		Art'o'Dob	1652	Spencer 7
9	Simon Kerr
10	Brian Cooper

<html>

<H1>1975 Cherub U.K. National Championships</H1>

<H2>Grafham Water S.C.</H2>

<P>I have a newsletter report which states "I have the feeling it is not everyone's wish to have an in depth, blow by blow account of the Nationals" and then goes on to discuss points and discards and not mention the sailing. Maybe you had to be there? It seems to have been a predominantly light airs event with two races sailed in a moderate breeze.</P>

<H4> Overall Placings<BR> <TABLE BORDER=“1” CELLPADDING=“2” CELLSPACING=“2”>

<TR>
  <TD>Place</TD> 
  <TD>Helm</TD> 
  <TD>Name</TD> 
  <TD>Sail No</TD> 
  <TD>Design</TD> 
  <TD>Club</TD>
</TR>
<TR>
  <TD>1</TD> 
  <TD>Dave Finch</TD> 
  <TD>Kipper</TD> 
  <TD>2150</TD> 
  <TD>CSIII</TD> 
  <TD>QMRSC</TD>
</TR>
<TR>
  <TD>2.</TD> 
  <TD>Chris Forman</TD> 
  <TD>Tachyon</TD> 
  <TD>2345</TD> 
  <TD>Forman 6</TD> 
  <TD>PSC</TD>
</TR>
<TR>
  <TD>3.</TD> 
  <TD>Tony Hows</TD> 
  <TD>Peanuts</TD> 
  <TD>2350</TD> 
  <TD>Forman 4d mod</TD> 
  <TD>QMRSC</TD>
</TR>
<TR>
  <TD>4.</TD> 
  <TD>Robert Thomson</TD> 
  <TD>&nbsp;</TD> 
  <TD>&nbsp;</TD> 
  <TD>&nbsp;</TD> 
  <TD>QMRSC</TD>
</TR>
<TR>
  <TD>5.</TD> 
  <TD>Roger Paddey</TD> 
  <TD>&nbsp;</TD> 
  <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
  <TD>&nbsp;</TD> 
  <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
</TR>
<TR>
  <TD>6.</TD> 
  <TD>Tim Powell</TD> 
  <TD>&nbsp;</TD> 
  <TD>&nbsp;</TD> 
  <TD>&nbsp;</TD> 
  <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
</TR>
<TR>
  <TD>7.</TD>
  <TD>Bill Deeley</TD>
  <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
  <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
  <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
  <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
</TR>
<TR>
  <TD>8.</TD>
  <TD>John Masters</TD>
  <TD>Art'o'Dob</TD>
  <TD>1652</TD>
  <TD>Spencer 7</TD>
  <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
</TR>
<TR>
  <TD>9.</TD>
  <TD>Simon Kerr</TD>
  <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
  <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
  <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
  <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
</TR>
<TR>
  <TD>10.</TD>
  <TD>Brian Cooper</TD>
  <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
  <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
  <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
  <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
</TR>

</TABLE> </html>

Cherub National Championships 1976 – Warsash S.C.

anonymous@undisclosed.example.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 09 Dec 2020 19:21:56 +0000

Cherub National Championships 1976 – Warsash S.C.

Transcribed by Neil C from the report in Yachts & Yachting

This year brought a much stronger fleet for the Cherub National Championship at Warsash S.C. with turnout over 75% up on last year. Many new faces were in evidence and the general standard of racing was very high – the light weather of the first few days in particular saw very close racing with constant changing of places all through the fleet.

This year saw the emergence of many new home-designed boats, the ubiquitous Forman 4 no longer dominates the class in quite the same way as it used to. Overall, the new designs exhibit many similar features with generally lower rocker – to promote earlier planning, and fine bows and maximum curvature in the mid sections for light air performance. Several boats carried the new Needlespar wing masts, though whether they made the best of them is open to debate.

The first few days were sailed in light and fickle airs involving close tactical sailing and any error, however minor, led immediately to loss of position. As the week went on, the positions became clearer with Tony Hows in his new Spithead Special moving into the lead, pursued closely by last year’s champion Dave Finch and Dave Babcock. Even as the winds freshened towards the end of the week, the constant shifts that plagued the series saw to it that the results were in doubt right up to the last race. The Friday race in particular was sailed in a fresh 4-5 with a lumpy sea accompanied by huge windshifts, and the downwind legs, sailed across the waves, resulted in many capsizes and retirements. By the sixth race Tony Hows has worked himself into a dominant position through consistently high placings and second place was very much a last minute struggle between Dave Finch and Dave Babcock, with Finch the ultimate victor.

Overall, then, a very successful series with varied and never easy conditions and a generally very high standard of competition – indicative of the upsurge of interest in this exciting class. Particularly encouraging was the number of younger people, new faces and home designs.

Results:

1st T.Hows, Queen Mary SC
2nd D.Finch, Queen Mary SC
3rd D.Babcock, Bosham SC
4th G.Rook, Warsash SC
5th K.Ellway, Babbacombe Corinthian SC
6th W.Deeley, Cranstone SC

Cherub Worlds 1976, Henley, South Australia

anonymous@undisclosed.example.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 11 Oct 2023 09:34:10 +0000

Cherub Worlds 1976, Henley, South Australia

As published in Modern Boating magazine, April 1976

Combination by the home side was the theme for the fourth World Cherub Championship sailed at Henley Beach Sailing Club, South Australia. For the second year in a row an Australian girl skipper won the world title. Last year it was Mandy Wilmot; this year it was another girl skipper from Sydney's Middle Harbour Nicki Bethwaite. No stranger to the cherub class Nicki was runner-up in the Worlds in 1974 as well as being 1975 National Champion in the class.

The world series was sailed in typical fresh South Australian conditions and was quite a contrast to the national titles sailed just prior to the worlds on the same courses; but in a lot lighter conditions. Another NSW sailor, Michael McAlary in Kai, won the national series by a clear 20.6 pts from top Queensland sailor, Martin McLean sailing Vitamin C.

In the light conditions of the nationals, McAlary, using Bethwaite hull and spars with Burke sails (NSW) mastered the light conditions so well that no other boat could match his speed. McAlary not only had superior boat speed. in the light conditions but picked the shifts well to record two wins.

Nicki Bethwaite was considered the skipper to beat before the nationals but after she posted a sixth overall some were beginning to doubt whether she was going to get close to her 1975 form. The first heat of the worlds, however, dispelled any doubts about Nicki being out of form as she powered into second place behind Martin McLean. In heat two, local sailor Geoff Reseigh in Unique sailed a strong race to win easily from Rowena Wilmot in Jet, with New Zealander Graham Duncalf in Hush Puppy in third spot.

The third heat saw McAlary take an early lead followed by McLean and Wilmot. At the finish it was the same order across the line. The fourth heat, sailed in winds of 25 knots, saw the West Australian boat Slithy Tove record an easy win from Bethwaite and McAlary. McAlary won the fifth heat, so going in to the sixth heat was leader on points and looked set to win the world title as well as the nationals.

The sixth heat proved to be McAlary's waterloo as he bombed to 21st place while his points rival, Nicki Bethwaite, finished third and so took over the points lead.

While she had the points lead going into the final heat Nicki needed to place well, and this she did by grabbing a good start and leading from then on to get first over the line and thereby win the title. For McAlary the last heat was the final blow to his chances of making it two titles in a row, as he again bombed to finish 12th. With 47.4 pts lost after dropping his worst place, McAlary finished third overall behind McLean who had a final points tally of 43.7 pts. Nicki Bethwaite ended up with a good winning margin with a final points tally of 25.4 pts.

Most observers agreed Nicki Bethwaite won the series on the strength of good starts, good upwind performance and all round crew work. Nicki's forward hand for both series was her brother Julian. Being one of the Bethwaite family Nicki, not surprisingly, uses a Bethwaite hull and spars with Elvstrom sails. Runner-up in the series, Martin McLean, used the boat he bought from former national champion Ken.Baddilley. McLean used old-style de Havilland spars with Cassidy sails. While there were a number of different sail brands in the top ten, there was a noticeable predominance of Bethwaite hulls and spars. The venue for next years world series is Auckland, NZ while the nationals in the class are at the Royal Queensland Yacht Squadron, Manly, Queensland.

Results

Place	Name	Helm	Crew	Nat	R1	R2	R3	R4	R5	R6	R7	Points	Hull	Spars	Sails
1	Nix	Nicola Bethwaite	Julian Bethwaite	NSW	2	13	4	2	3	3	1	25.4	Bethwaite	Bethwaite	Elvstrom (AUS)
2	Vitamin C	Martin McLean	Hector Robinson	Qld	1	8	2	7	6	8	4	43.7	Baddiley	de Havilland	Cassidy
3	Kai	Michael McAlary	J Watson	NSW	3	12	1	3	1	21	12	47.4	Bethwaite	Bethwaite	Burke
4	Slithy Trove	T. Kenworthy	L. Kenworthy	WA	30	5	13	1	4	9	2	55	Bethwaite	Bethwaite	Elvstrom (AUS)
5	Unique	G. Reseigh	S. Lucas	S.A	15	1	18	10	2	4	24	72	Bethwaite	Bethwaite	Elvstrom (AUS)
6	Hush Puppy	Graham Duncalf	Neill Strom	NZ	6	3	14	17	5	6	10	75.1	Murray	Baverstock	Mitchell/Speedsail
7	Hiawatha	G. Tucker		WA	12	17	4	?	19	?	3	76.7	Phillips	Bethwaite	Cassidy
8	Jet	R. Wilmot	O. Wiseman	NWS	7	2	3	28	18	13	22	80.7	Miller	Speedspars	Speedsail

Reproduced with the kind permission of Modern Boating magazine Australia Many thanks to Rolf Lunsmann for finding the Modern Boating report and sorting out permissions.

Cherub National Championships 1977 – Dabchicks SC

anonymous@undisclosed.example.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 09 Dec 2020 19:21:56 +0000

Cherub National Championships 1977 – Dabchicks SC

Transcribed by Neil C from the report in Yachts & Yachting

Sailing a brand new boat, 2550 “Hot Dog”, that had only been sailed for half an hour before the championship week, David Finch and Peter Lavender won the Cherub National Championship by a small margin over Tony and Jill Hows in 2450 “Easter Beagle”.

Hosted this year by the Dabchicks SC at West Mersea, Essex, the event attracted 34 competitors from all over the UK, and the standard of racing was generally high. Dabchicks, hosting their first national championship meeting, responded with faultless organisation afloat and ashore, with the courses in particular being praised by the Cherub helmsmen. The first race on Monday, held in a Force 4 wind with some squalls, saw Tony and Jill Hows really screaming along in “Easter Beagle”, with their windward speed gaining them a dramatic early lead. They managed to fight off a determined challenge by “Hot Dog”, and retained their lead, albeit considerably lessened at the gun.

On Tuesday, “Easter Beagle” again shot away to windward to take an early lead, but “Hot Dog”, finding more speed all the time, successfully challenged and passed the Hows to take the finishing gun with a narrow lead.

Wednesday’s race was started in light airs, and brought the light weather expert Chris Forman, crewed by Nick Mason to the fore in “Green Bubbles”; but as the wind increased, Forman dropped back, and the race became another struggle between committed rivals “Easter Beagle” and “Hot Dog”. They exchanged places several times during the long course, but the climax came on the last beat. “Hot Dog”, leading both “Easter Beagle” and “Sciamachy”, sailed by David and Shiona Babcock, was faced with a choice of boat to cover as “Sciamachy”, and “Easter Beagle” split tacks. David Finch elected to cover “Sciamachy”, a mistake that was to prove decisive. “Easter Beagle”, footing well to weather in clear air, piucked up a favourable shift, freed their sheets and powered acrossthe line for a nail-biting finish a fraction ahead of “Hot Dog.

There was jubilation in the “Easter Beagle” camp that night, and the following day’s race gave them further cause to celebrate, despite the pouring rain. Held in Force 3-4 winds, it was convincingly won by Tony and Jill Hows over their old rivals David Finch and Peter Lavender. On Friday the competitors were greeted by a spanking Force 5 wind which, blowing against the tide, gave some difficult conditions. “Easter Beagle”, feeling their lack of crew weight, turned over while chasing “Hot Dog”, and this put the Hows well behind Finch and Lavender – which was just as well, for “Easter Beagle” was later disqualified for being over the line at the start.

So the overall championship was all down to Saturday’s race, which promised to be a needle match between “Easter Beagle” and “Hot Dog”. Finch and Lavender, having found very good boat speed, supported this with excellent boat-handling and superior tactics to take the last race, and the overall championship, by a small margin, in a race which gave the committee a big headache when the wing mar floated off down-river, lifted by the north, wind-boosted spring tides. It was eventually decided to finish the competitors on the beating leg after the sausage section of the course, but only after much head-scratching and breast-beating aboard the committee boat.

Report by Tim Wood.

Results:

1st “Hot Dog” (David Finch and Peter Lavender, Queen Mary SC).
2nd “Easter Beagle” (Tony and Jill Hows, Queen Mary SC).
3rd “Sciamachy” (David and Shiona Babcock, Stewartby Water SC).

“Hot Dog”, designed by Ian Duke and built by Spithead Boats, set Dolphin sails on a new-section Holt mast and Needlespar boom. She was simply rigged, with a clean, functional layout and no gadgets for their own sake.

“Easter Beagle”, a joint design between Ian Duke and her owner, Tony Hows, built by Spithead Boats, carried a Holt main and jib with a Banks spinnaker on a Holt/Needlespar rig.

David Babcock, sailing his owner-designed “Sciamachy”, favoured Dolphin/Banks sails set on a Needlespar mast and boom.

Cherub National Championships 1978 Lee-on-Solent S.C.

anonymous@undisclosed.example.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 09 Dec 2020 19:21:56 +0000

Cherub National Championships 1978 Lee-on-Solent S.C.

Transcribed by Neil C from the report in Yachts & Yachting

Lee-on-Solent SC hosted the Cherub national championship over the three days of the August Bank Holiday weekend. This year more than 40 boats were attracted to the event with one crew from Scotland.

Two races were sailed each day over Olympic-type courses and it had been expected that this would prove rather tiring, however the very light conditions made the sailing quite painless. Each morning saw the sea as calm as a millpond with only light and variable winds of Force 1 to 2. As the temperature rose during each day a sea breeze developed for the afternoon, though it was only on the Sunday and Monday that the second race was sailed in anything above a Force 3. Because of the light conditions the tidal streams probably played a more prominent role in deciding the racing than the winds.

Two of the local boats “Blitz” sailed by Chris Forman and Nick Mason and “Still Crazy” sailed by Martin Clark and Gillian Garden made the most of these conditions; “Blitz” winning the second and third races, and “Still Crazy” winning the fifth race. Two of the other races were won by David and Shiona Babcock in “Sciamachy” and the last race was won by Martin Cross and Katie Thorpe in “Peanuts”, the only boat from Scotland. The domination of the Nationals by either Dave Finch and Peter Lavender or Tony and Jill Hows over the past few years was broken this year by Cgris Forman. Dave Finch, however, was sailing a borrowed boat and the Hows did not arrive until the second day’s racing. Chris Forman and Nick Mason took advantage of the conditions and came through admirably to win the championship.

Overall results:

1st “Blitz” (C.Forman and N.Mason)
2nd “Still Crazy” (M.Clark and G.Garden)
3rd “Sciamachy” (D.Babcock and S.Babcock)
4th “Peanuts” (M.Cross and K.Thorpe)
5th “Flying Saucer” (D.Finch and P.Lavender)
6th “Tachyon” (J.Docker and P.White)

Cherub Worlds 1978, Milford, New Zealand

anonymous@undisclosed.example.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 11 Oct 2023 09:45:06 +0000

Cherub Worlds 1978, Milford, New Zealand

As published in Modern Boating magazine, April 1978

Cherub Worlds to Paterson, top Aussie third Kiwi Cherub sailors Mark Paterson and Dave Mackay(1) sailing QSJB IV put New Zealand back on top of the Cherub world recently when they claimed the fifth world Cherub title, sailed in Auckland. Second were fellow New Zealanders Mark Bell and Simon Daubney(2) in Bad Sneakers, with the top overseas entry being Aussie national champions Andrew Pearson and Tony Hannon on Stardust. They finished third.

Paterson, one of New Zealand's top centreboard skippers, returned from a third placing in the 470 worlds in Japan to put together a boat capable of winning the world Cherub title (it was his third attempt) and shortly after launching the Iain Murray design it was obvious he and Mackay would be the combination to beat. Paterson started the contest as favourite, having won the nationals and selection trials in the same waters a fortnight earlier, and his 1, disq, 1, 2, 1, 1, 1 series reflects his wealth of experience and talent. Second-placed Bad Sneakers, from the same Iain Murray design as the world champion, notched a consistent 2, disq, 2, 3, 2, 2, 2 for a clear second overall, and Pearson won the top-overseas-boat battle from Sydney's Graeme Ferguson and Bruce Painter in Firecracker with a final 4, 3, 8 heats compared to Ferguson's 7, 7, 4 for fifth overall.

Both QSJB and Bad Sneakers were from the same Iain Murray plan, as was Trevor Nye's Bad Jelly (14th overall but third-ranked Kiwi boat) and the Australian More Sting (21st overall). Pearson's Stardust and Ferguson's Firecracker were both from the drawing board of Bob Ferguson of Sydney and while they bore some similarity to the Murray boats with fine bows and U sections under the mast, they were much wider and flatter in the stern sections. All four boats had similar boatspeed in all conditions and on all points of sailing and appeared to be similar to the other designs competing, particularly downwind.

Paterson's advantage over the rest of the fleet was his 470-style downwind sailing, and although he was often beaten to the first mark he surged through on reaching legs to win five of the seven races.

Top English entry was Hot Dog sailed by British national champions David Finch and Peter Lavender, which finished ninth overall. The British were all disappointed with their performances in Auckland and blamed the fact that they had not sailed for over three months before the contest. Also their boats are primarily designed for flat-water conditions.

Bell and Daubney won the junior world title, while Ferguson and Painter won the cadet title for the best under 18 years

Reproduced with the kind permission of Modern Boating magazine Australia

Many thanks to Rolf Lunsmann for finding the report and sorting out permissions.

Dave MacKay now runs MacKay boats, NZ, a top 470 builder.
Simon Daubney was a key member of Team NZ and Alinghi America's Cup winning teams.

Place	Name	country	skipper / crew	points	Design
1	QSJB 4	NZ	Mark Patterson Dave MacKay	3	Murray
2	Bad Sneekers	NZ	Mark Bell Simon Daubney	20.7	Murray
3	Stardust	Aus	Andrew Pearson Tony Hannon	38.7	Pearson
4	Fluid Drive	NZ	P & C Mcneil	47.7	Bethwaite
5	Fire cracker	Aus	G Furgeson B Painter	60.7	?
6	Hercules GT	NZ	A Caldwell R Hawkins	73.7	Farr
7	Willy Again	Aus	S Oconner C Crawford	86.4	?
8	Freedom Express	NZ	M Jones A Knowles	86.9	?
9	Hot Dog	UK	Dave Finch Pip Lavender	92.7	Hot Dog
10	Kwanza	NZ	P Stacey J Welch	102	Stacey
11	Mr X	NZ	G & W Bird	102	Farr
12	Pampered Menial	NZ	P Scoffin B Wright	106.7	Farr
13	Schiamachy	UK	David Babcock O Jenkins	113	DBS
14	Bad Jelly	NZ	T Nye P Brockliss	114.7	Murray
15	Easter Beagle	UK	Tony Hows Jill Hows	120	Spithead Special

41 boats competed Bad Sneekers Won the junior title (18 to 21 years of age) Fire Cracker Won The Cadet Title (Under 18 )

And a UK viewpoint...

…very little [capsizing] went on among the Kiwis, slightly more by the Aussies and David Babcock, Tony Hows, Simon Robinson and I [Dave Finch] all fell in one apiece in the entire event so you can see the standard was fairly high. Such a swim, even if immediately righted, usually meant that most of the fleet had got past and either you were down the pan for that race or had to fight back very hard to make it back into the teens.

The conditions, which we were assured “were not usually like this” were of an onshore wind,m light at the start of the week, increasing to the best of about 4-5 in the middle and finishing on a 2-3… This combination of wind direction and tides produced a disproportionately large sea, wither a very short steep chop which was death to our flatties, (their boats are much less flat than ours are now), in the light breeze, and really huge waves on the windier days. Sailing on these waves was ppretty hairy on the reaches as half the time there seemed to be thin air all round the boat except for the last little corner that we were both sitting on!

We suffered a bit from lack of immediate practise… and to cap it all during the five days beforehand in which we had hoped to train there wasn't enough wind to blow over Simon's imnflatable Sammy Seal! However by the middle of the week we were beginning to get the hang of it all and found that if you could stay within reach of the leaders up the first beat, a good start being a pre-requisite of this, it was possible to stay in contention all the way round; our best result was in the last race so we must have learned something.

Working the waves off the wind was very important as a good surfing technique really created a terriffic speed differential and this was best demonstrated by the Aussie Champion Andrew Pearson who really flew through the fleet after some usually mediocre starts. No really demon techniques appeared to be used although their preparation onshore was meticulous and lengthy…

Dave Finch

1980's and 1990's Aus & NZL Design

anonymous@undisclosed.example.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 09 Dec 2020 19:21:56 +0000

1980's and 1990's Aus & NZL Design

This list of International Rules Cherub designs is in the early stages of creation and contains scandalous ommissions.

Note:- that sail numbers are not directly related to building date. 26xx is a UK registered boat, 27xx a NZ registered boat and 28xx, 29xx, 30xx Australian registered boats.

Note:- The graphics showing designs should be helpful in gaining a feel for the shapes of the designs involved, but are definitely not warranted accurate.

Murray (Aus)

Australian design, fine bow with high chine rise, fairly narrow chines at transom, very low rocker. Iain Murray, who I believe was about 16 when he produced the design, later became well known both for Worlds winning 18 footers and from his involvement in the America's Cup. E.g. 2606.

Murray mod. Snow (NZ)

Fuller bow than standard Murray, more veed aft sections, but still pretty flat. Very low rocker. 2705 Flat Stanley. Flat Stanley was the 1980 World Champion.

Wop (Aus: Phil 'Bugs' Smith)

A particularly boxy looking design, low rocker, max. rise of floor at mid length but virtually flat transom. Very influential in Australia and NZ e.g. 2821. The original Wop finished 3rd in the 1980 Worlds. The flat floors sections aft were somewhat Bethwaite influenced and contrasted with the V sectioned Murrays.

1981

After 1981 the Australians and New Zealanders stayed with the old beam restrictions whilst the U.K. had adopted narrower chine beam measurement. They tended to be more influenced by the Wop design than in the UK.

Foreign Affair (NZ : Phil McNeill)

The Foreign affair was “designed” by Phil McNeill. Its said to have been drawn from an A4 sized drawing of Wop. Won at least one worlds championship. Numerous design in Australia, 2913,2963

Matthews Mk 1 (Aus)

Approx. 1987 . e.g. 2898

Rebel (NZ)

NZ design

Tasman Express (Andrew Stone) (NZ)

A Rebel development. Very successful NZ design, performed well in 1988/9 Worlds in Australia, won 1990/91 Worlds in Auckland.

O'Mahoney Mk1 (Aus)

1990 on Production boat, numerous, Influenced by Tasman Express. 2981

Roper Mk5 (NZ)

The last new Cherub built in NZ after all the Tasman Expresses was a Roper Mk 5 called “High Voltage” designed specifically for Geof Wilding who had Albino Slug at the Intergalactics in Perth. It was built of ply with pvc core foam vacuumed into the cockpit floor area - a novel development and very effective . The boat was discarded in favour of Albino Slug for the Intergalactics but as from Day 1 has proven faster than all Tasman Express types in a strong breeze, winning National champs in 1997/98 season very easily… built August 1992“ 2750

1990

In the early 1990s the International Association adopted a revised sailplan with slightly more sail area, more mainsail roach and a more even roach curve. A virtually unenforceable rule requiring “fair and even” curves on various sections was also deleted about this time. International rules boats now tend to have a suprisingly low radius turn in the chine line - almost a “corner!” - at the mid-length measurement point to transit between the finest possible bow and the narrowest possible waterline beam. With clever design this doesn't result in any distortion of the shape below the chines.

O'Mahoney Mk2 (Aus)

1993 on. Production boat, numerous. 2990

In 1996 the International Association adopted revised Hull rules which permitted self draining cockpits.

O'Mahoney Mk3 (Aus)

Mk 2 Development with lower freeboard, self draining cockpit and dished foredeck. 3065

1997 Asymmetric Spinnakers allowed by the International Association.

Matthews Mk2 (?) (Aus)

Production Design, Radical.

Moor (Aus)

Modified older boat of unknown design Rocker lowered considerably in bow area. 1998 Aus. Nats. Winner. 2977

Notice

The drawings on this page are for information only and are not warranted accurate. Copyright and reproduction rights, including building rights reside with the designer.

1980's Designs

anonymous@undisclosed.example.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 09 Dec 2020 19:21:56 +0000

1980's Designs

Murray mod Snow

Fuller bow than standard Murray, more veed aft sections, but still pretty flat. Very low rocker 2705 Flat Stanley. Flat Stanley was the 1980 World Champion.

The UK Cherub 1984

From 1981 to 1984 there were no new Cherub designs, due to a package of rule change proposals under consideration. These were adopted by the UK Class Association (but not the Australian or New Zealand Associations). in 1984, and the following designs are all to these rules. The revised rules relaxed the mid-length chine restrictions slightly, and permit sailplan development The area of main and jib also increased slightly to 125 sq.ft.

Paterson 3

Radical interpretation of new-rules. Considerable rocker. Fully utilises new mid-length restrictions. U-sections throughout. Narrow chines at transom. Mast stepped well forward. 2623 Pxysyzygy.

Howlett

Designed by the 12 metre and Int. 14 designer. Considerable rocker, U-Sections throughout. Full forward sections. Chines wide at transom but with considerable rise. Mast stepped well aft. Quick in light airs, but lacking top speed. 2624. Rebel did win a National Championships in light winds.

Sothcott 1

Moderate rocker, high freeboard, U-sections. Chines narrow at transom and with enormous chine rise. 2625 Heffalump (later modified with flatter transom).

Ellway 4

Moderate interpretation of new-rules design. Utilises reduction of chine beam but still relatively flat. U- Sections forward. Relatively wide and moderately flat transom. Moderate rocker. e.g. 2626.

Deeley 5

Low rocker, high freeboard, wide at gunwales. U- sections, fine entry, fully utilised new mid-length restrictions. Moderately narrow chine at transom. e.g. Last Amber Dragon 2627 The Deely 5 was intended to combine the bow sections of the worlds winning modified Murry with the stern sections of Bills earlier Mk 3. It was probably the quickest of the first generation of new rules designs, which used the rise of floor rule to the maximum, and so had much higher chines at mid length than were used on the later designs.

Robinson 4

Moderate new rules development of mk 3. Low rocker, U section bows, crew deck. 2628

Ellway 4a

Development of Mk 4, with more rocker aft, narrower chines at transom.

Paterson Mk 4

Full bows, moderate rocker, 6“ maximum rise of floor, minimum width chines, narrow flat transom. 2631

Deely Mk 6

A moderate development of the Deely Mark 5, which was fast but difficult to sail well, the MK 6 was probably never sailed to best advantage.

Fartpants

The first “Narrow Flat” design, the Fartpants was something of a step forward as the first UK design that really kept up with the ex worlds winner Flat Stanley in the majority of conditions.

Italian Bisto

A breakthrough in design, faster than anything before in almost all conditions. The first Bistro, Norwegian Blue, won several successive national Championships, numerous major UK handicap events, and was the top UK boat in the 1996 World Championship.

Notice

The drawings on this page are for information only and are not warranted accurate. Copyright and reproduction rights, including building rights reside with the designer.

Photos from the 1980's

anonymous@undisclosed.example.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 09 Dec 2020 19:21:56 +0000

Photos from the 1980's

The images below are automatically pulled from the photo archive. The numbers to the left of the hyphen are the sail number of the boat. Click the image for full size view along with any other information we have about the image.

boats?1?showname

Contact

Please Contact us if you have any photos to add, or any comments to make about this page.

Cherub Nationals 1981

anonymous@undisclosed.example.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 09 Dec 2020 19:21:56 +0000

Cherub Nationals 1981

The Cherub National Championship was hosted by Worthing SC during the week August 17th to August 21st and was run jointly with the Seafly National Championship [now that must have been one of the more bizarre combinations in the class history - transcriber]. The Race office was John Widdicombe and Olympic [triangle/sausage] courses wee set on each of the five Championship race days.

The Sunday practice race was sailed in a fluky, light northerly wind with a flat sea and Guy Lewington in “Flat Stanley”, last years World championship winning boat, was soon in the lead and held on to take line honours. Second was Martyn Clark in “Nice Legs” and third Bill Deeley sailing “Tramps Like Us”.

For the first championship race the wind had moved round to the south- west and strengthened on cue just before the start to a good Force 3/4. The sparkling conditions produced some excellent racing and Lewington again worked his way to the front steadily increasing his lead to win from Clark with Deeley third, the order following the pattern of the practice race.

The second was sailed in similar conditions but the wind had increased to force 4 /5 giving the occasional short sea to add interest to the beats. Racing was again close and several crews capsized in the lively conditions. On of the casualties was Lewington who had worked himself into the lead but lost it when a faulty spinnaker hoist at the beginning of the third race put him temporarily into the water. Bill Deeley sailed through to finish first with Lewington not far behind. Third home was “Eric Bloodaxe” sailed by husband and wife Andy and Pat Paterson.

On Wednesday the wind blew strongly almost dues west but moved abruptly southwest just before the start and increased as the race went on. The port biased line caused problems for some crews but those who had started cleanly had a fetch to the first mark. The boisterous wind and occasional large waves made for very high boat speeds and few crews escaped at least one capsize. Lewington once more got to the head of the fleet only to be forced to retire when his rudder broke while bearing away round the windward mark. This gave Deeley a chance to open up a big lead but he capsized on the last run with the spinnaker up. The Patersons sailed a well-judged race, decided not to fly the kite on the last run, and sailed on to first place. Kevin and Brett Ellway in “Back Seat Diver” were second with Deeley third.

The big blow threatened for Thursday did not materialise and the northwesterly wind blew intermittently from force 1 to 4 during the race. Lewington sailed well in the difficult conditions to finish 1st with the Ellways 2nd and Patersons third. This left Lewington favourite for the Championship but with one retirement on his scorecard he needed to finish well.

The final race produced excellent sailing conditions with a long beat to the windward mark in a gusty Force 5 southwesterly. The race was shortened to finish at the end of the fourth beat and Lewington took the first gun to clinch the series and the Championship Second home were the Ellways followed by Will Perret and John Green in “Edna Average”

1	Flat Stanley	Guy Lewington	Alex Windsor	Frensham Pond SC	4.75
2	Tramps Like Us	Bill Deeley	Pete Selby	Draycote SC	10.75
3	Eric Bloodaxe	Andy Paterson	Pat Paterson	Gurnard SC	10.75
4	Back Seat Diver	Kevin Ellway	Brett Ellway	Lee on Solent SC	11
5	Nice Legs	Martyn Clark	Kevin Roberts	Lee on Solent SC	16
6	Edna Average	Will Perret	John Green	Lee on Solent SC	24
Junior	Woodstock	Matthew Cope	Alistair Cope	Queen Mary SC

G. Slack

This report first appeared in “Yachts and Yachting”

Transcribed by Jim Champ

1982 U.K. Cherub Nationals

anonymous@undisclosed.example.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 09 Dec 2020 19:21:56 +0000

1982 U.K. Cherub Nationals

Warsash S.C.

14-16th August 1982

Warsash SC hosted the nationals from August 14th to 16th. The pleasing turnout of 20 boats were unpleased to find out that the members of Warsash Sailing Committee who knew this three day event was to be organised had left the country. The remaining committee members had organised a two day open meeting, with help from Lee on Solent SC a three day event was arranged. Unfortunately this event turned out to be a vastly shortened championship dues to strong and blustery winds. However Ian brown and Pete Selby sailed impressively in the difficult conditions to become 1982 Cherub National Champions.

The first race on Saturday mustered a good fleet of boats from all parts of the UK. The wind was light to moderate and variable in direction. Ian Brown and Pete Selby soon worked out a good lead which they held throughout the race to cross the line closely pursued by Andy and Pat Paterson.

Sunday dawned overcast and the first race started in a freshening Force 5. Brown again nosed in front of the Cope brothers on the beat, while the following downwind legs proved very fast and exciting with several place changes dues to capsizes. Brown again won, followed by the Copes with Bill Deeley 3rd. Anticipating the second race the Cherubs sailed around for an hour until the race committee decided to call it a day.

Monday's race was delayed by 15minutes but once the preparatory signal was seen it not only summoned the competitors but also a very strong wind. The race was held over a vastly shortened course with the Patersons taking line honours with Alistair and Matthew Cope second and Lewington third. The wind was forecast to increase still further so competitors were sent home.

Despite this shortened series, sailed in very demanding conditions, excellent sailing and boat handling techniques were demonstrated by this highly competitive fleet, especially by the winners Ian Brown and Pete Selby.

Position	Crew	Sail No	Design	Club
1.	Ian Brown and Pete Selby	2618	Forman 8s	Warsash SC
2.	Alistair and Matthew Cope Woodstock			QMSC
3.	Andy and Pat Paterson	2601	Erik Bloodaxe	Paterson 2	Gurnard SC
4.	Bill Deeley and Mike Commander	2604	Tramps Like Us	Deeley 3

Cherub Nationals 1984

anonymous@undisclosed.example.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 09 Dec 2020 19:21:56 +0000

Cherub Nationals 1984

Dabchicks SC at West Mersea hosted the 1984 Cherub National Championships from July 27th to 29th; the event consisting of the best 5 out of 6 races. Racing was held in a good variety of wind strengths, the force 2 - 3 tending to increase with the sea breeze in the afternoon races. Main interest for this development class was focused on the performance of the crop of new boats designed to the recently introduced new [1984] rules, of which there were 4 entered.

As well as several; old-rules craft which had been given versions of the new open rules sailplan. In fact the new boats finished the series first, second, sixth and seventh, which certainly indicates and improved performance at least in moderate winds. The first race, held in a light to moderate breeze, was dominated by two new boats. Malcolm Jacques' Ian Howlett designed “Rebel” which lead at the windward mark but touched on rounding allowing Will Perret's “Perversion” to take over. “Rebel”, however clawed her way back to finish first with Perversion close behind, followed by a third new boat, Andy Paterson's “Pxysyzygy”.

In many people's opinion race two should have been abandoned and restarted as the wind died completely just before the gun. Those between the marks were away on the strong flood stream in the right direction; those outside the marks making their approach could not get round for nearly ten minutes, when the breeze filled in again. Jacques was one of the lucky ones and was rounding the windward mark before some had even crossed the starting line. He duly won his second race from the successful Mirror sailor David Roe with Guy Lewington third.

In the third race Jacques again got away to do a clear start while last year's champion Perret was forced to do a 720 degree penalty just after the start and was with the tail-enders at the windward mark. Jacques was being pressed hard by Martyn Clark, the latter actually got his nose in front briefly at the gybe mark but touched “Rebel” while rounding and fell back doing penalty turns. Meanwhile Perrett was making impressive progress through the fleet and passed Clark on the penultimate beat to finish second behind Jacques. In race four, with the sea breeze producing a steady force 4, the pattern altered somewhat. Perversion revelled in these conditions, and led throughout to score her first Championship win, followed at a distance by Lewington and Stephen Cooper in “Montague Egg”, and Australian design by Iain Murray.

Race Five took place in a bare Force 1-2, decidedly Jacques' weather - it was no surprise therefore to see Jacques establish himself in the lead on the first beat. What did shock the opposition was how much lead he built up, pulling away to win by almost 5 minutes and ensure himself of overall honours in the most emphatic fashion. Perrett managed another second but had no answer to Jacques' boat speed in these conditions.

The final race produced the strongest breeze of the series and allowed the heavy weather experts into the picture. “Flat Stanley” produced a fine exhibition of heavy weather sailing to score a well-deserved first place followed by Cooper and Ellway.

Of the 22 entrants, the new boats certainly seem to have an edge in lower wind speeds, but are harder to sail in a blow, being significantly narrower, and will need further practice to realise their full potential - they will go quicker yet.

1 Rebel Malolm Jacques Mike Gregory Howlett Lee on Solent SC 2 Perversion Will Perrett Jon Green Ellway 4 Lee on Solent SC 3 Flat Stanley Guy Lewington Nick Mason Murray Mod Snow Warwick University SC 4 Flat Nancy“ Kevin Ellway Brett Ellway Ellway 2 Lee on Solent SC 5 Montague Egg Stephen Cooper Adrian Cooper Murray Draycote SC 6 Heffalump Martyn Clark Rob Stephens Southcott? Lee on Solent SC

Will Perrett

This report first appeared in Yachts and Yachting, transcribed by Jim Champ.

[Your transcriber, with the backing of hindsight, sees this as quite a significant champs. This first generation of new rules boats was ever to establish a strong wind advantage over rerigged pre 84 boats, most especially Flat Stanley. Rebel was always a light weather flyer, demonstrating what has been proved a number of times since that 14 shapes don't transfer well to Cherubs and vice versa. “Successful Mirror sailor” David Roe was to make a major mark on the class over the next 15 years. Firstly with Wendy Barclay as chief chaser to Flat Stanley in another pre 84 boat, the Ellway 2, Old Peculier (which I'm pretty sure was Kevin Ellways mount in this series). Then from 1988 he dominated the class for ten years after designing the Italian Bistro in 1988, the first post 1984 boat to be an all round improvement on those that went before.]

1985 U.K. Cherub Nationals

anonymous@undisclosed.example.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 09 Dec 2020 19:21:56 +0000

1985 U.K. Cherub Nationals

Hayling Island S.C.

4-9th August 1985

This year we shared with the Canoes and the Tasars, which turned out to be rather a two-edge weapon: true it meant we could go for a 6 day event, financially impossible for us otherwise, but it also entailed being tied to those classes' apron strings: if it was too windy for them it was too windy for us! Windy it was for the majority of the meeting, but the Cherubs coped with the conditions rather better than the other classes, and there is no doubt that on a couple of days at least we could have been Real Grown Ups and gone Over the Bar and Out to Sea. The race officer thought otherwise, and… [your internet editor has decided, even 15 years on, to censor the rest of the paragraph, the next, and various other sentences for fear of causing offence and libel cases!]

Sunday

Gales, claimed to be gusting F10/11, and pouring rain. No racing, much disconsolate drinking.

Monday

Race 2

Club Racing in the morning looked quite sedate, but by the time of our scheduled race the wind had picked up again to a 4/5. Thus the race officer decided discretion was the better part of valour, and kept us in the harbour. However the tide was well short of high, and so the first 'round the tins' race ensued, which basically meant following channels, using fixed marks, cutting corners if you dared, negotiating moorings etc. Interstingly, and prophetically, only the Cherubs chose to go out, the other fleets watching from the relative safety of the bar. They claimed they were waiting for the tide for proper Olympic Courses: rats! The first beat was from East Head to a mark off the club, presumably for the benefit of spectators, and thence a fetch up the Thorney Channel. Flat Stanley immediately stuck his snout in front [that's odd, we didn't have them back then - net ed.] with a large gaggle chasing second place, or even first if they were optimistic. Bill Deeley was moving steadily through the fleet after a poor start, and ultimately claimed second place, followed by the Coopers, Dave and Wendy in Old Pec, and Kevin's new “Nelly Smuts”…

Race 1 (Postponed from Sunday)

By Monday afternoon the wind was all back with us again, but so was the tide and an Olympic course could be laid… The first beat was notable for its eccentricity: it paid to overstand the windward mark grossly on starboard to get a favourable tidal eddy behind the Wimmer Bank, and then reach off on port with the tide flooding through the entrance. Honestly! Again the leading positions were hotly contested. 'Stanley' was in there again, but had to retore with a stone in the Daggercase )Don't ask me how it got there) and then a broken vang. Thereafter the Patersons lead for most of the race. Bill wiped out in full view of the Club trying spi gybing when contesting second place with Pervert… and other spills were frequent. Rupert Bremer lost a mast pitchpoling in the Winner waves which catapulted him to the top of his (illegally oversized!) mainsail and Simon Robinson's stick also snapped. On the last beat, which we were later told was sailed in a steady force 7, Andy grounded and fell over. He righted quickly, but 'Perversion' was close enough to take advantage, and in a tense last 200yds tacking duel (ashen faced, tight lipped), stole it from 'Pxysyzygy', with the Coopers again third and malcolm Jacques 'rebel' 4th, followed by 'Dragon', 'Nellie' and 'Old Pec'…

Tuesday

Race 3

A mere f5 for this one. Guy with his new Caws sails appeared to be in overdrive, and opulled away throughout. The race was between 'Dragon', the Coopers' 'Montague Egg', the Patersons, 'Perversion' and others. There was a fair amount of carnage at the leeward mark where high-speed dodgers through the capsizers added to the adrenalin, but no damage was done. On the last reach across the inevitable Winner, 'Perversion' did her favourite windward broach and lost contact with the bunch. Bill, going fast upwind went past the Patersons and the Coopers for another second, followed by those, 'Perversion' just clinging on to 5th from 'Nellie' and 'Old Pec'.

Wednesday

Blown Off

Thursday

Race 5

This was another round the tins race, and a long course it was too. Again Guy established a lead, this time in quite moderate conditions, but blew it when he left one of the twoo leeward marks (!) on the wrong side. He rectified his mistake, but by this time had left several others past… The rest of the race was decided by the number of times the competitors hit the putty. 'Perversion' lost the lead to 'Dragon' on one of the beats when hitting bottom apparently a long way from the shore. 'Nellie' fell over doing the same thing. Despite grounding on the last beat, Bill's 'Dragon' won here first Championship race, followed by 'Perversion', 'Stanley' and 'Nelly', all rather aggrieved for various reasons.

Race 4 (postponed from Wednesday)

Wind freshening again in the afternoon to F4/5. An Olympic course was set, although the wing mark was placed so as to make the first reach too shy for a kite for most of its length in those conditions, with the by Winner sitting across it as well, while the other reach was correspondingly broad. 'Stanley' scored her third win, 'Dragon' her third second, 'Perversion' third, 'Old Pec'4th, Pyxy 5th…

Friday

Race 6, Round the cans. The lightest wind of the week: no more than a 2/3. This race finally saw the '84 champion Malcolm Jacques take the lead in 'Rebel', followed by those other Lee light weather afficionados Will and Martyn. 'Rebel' was pegged back on the three sail reach up Thorney Channel, and 'Perv' was sniffing 'Rebel's backside at the leeward mark. 'Rebel' then elected to tack inshore, while 'Perversion' tacked immediately and fetched up theough the moored boats. In fact there was not appreciably any more tide out on the channel, and by the end of the fetch 'Perversion' held a 20 yd lead. At this point we started to wonder if there wss till life in the series, and decided that if we won and Guy and Bill were l;ower than 5th we'd stolen it. It was a long race, a little p[rocessional, though nail-biting at the front. Finally 'Perversion' won here second race, with 'Rebel' third and 'Dragon' and 'Stanley' 4th and 5th respectively, which was just enough to give them second and first overall…

Original report written by Will Perret (Pervert in the text) who was quite obviously less than totally impressed with the Race organisation when he wrote the report - Jim Champ.

Results

Helm	Crew	Sail No	Name	Design	Total
Guy Lewington	Alex Windsor	2705	Flat Stanley	Mod. Murray	10.25
Bill Deeley	Alan Moore	2627	Last Amber Dragon	Deeley 5	10.75
Will Perret	Martyn Clark	2626	Perversion	Ellway 4	11.5
Andy Paterson	Pat Paterson	2623	Pxysysygy	Paterson 3	20
Kevin Ellway	Jon Green	2630	Nelly Smuts	Ellway 4	27
Dave Roe	Wendy Barclay	2612	Old Peculier	Ellway 3	27
Malcolm Jacques	Mike Gregory	2624	Rebel	Howlett	28
Steve Cooper	Adrian Cooper	2605	Montague Egg	Murray	28
Robin Page	Martin Worth	2547	Page 3	Forman 8	46
Rupert Bremer		2610	Charlie Don't Surf	Murray	49

1986 U.K. Cherub National Championships

anonymous@undisclosed.example.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 09 Dec 2020 19:21:56 +0000

1986 U.K. Cherub National Championships

Lymington Town S.C.

A small but select fleet of 18 boats gathered at Lymington on the Thursday morning for a four day Championship, shared with the International Moths. Only one boat has joined the fleet since the '85 Nationals: Rob Stephens' Bloodaxe built Paterson 4. However the infamous 'Heffalump' has undergone surgery at the hands of the Copes, and with a more Cherub-like transom and a new name, promised a better performance. All but two of the old-rules boats present sported new-rules rigs and were hoping to prove Bill Deeley right!

Race 1

The first race on Thursday afternoon was postponed after a long wait while the race committee repeatedly checked the conditions out in the Solent. From the dinghy park, competitors could not imagine what the problem was, but using the powerful binoculars mounted in the clubhouse we were able to see that a Force 6 wind against tide was making sailing impossible, and indeed it transpired that the Committee boat was unable to keep on station. The local pub was busy as soon as it opened, with the Class Brewer in the lead.

Race 2

Friday's weather was a great improvement and the fleet followed the Moths out of the harbour looking forward to a good day's racing. The course was set with the first beat against the tide, and the fleet headed for the shore at once for a tactical tide-dodging Solent-style race. However most of the competitors seemed to have missed the significance of the green flag on the committee boat and tactically and cunningly beat towards the wing mark. The grey heads of Perret and Edmonds set off into the tide for the correct mark, soon followed by a crowd of fast-reaching Cherubs, some of which had gone so far that they could fly spinnakers in an attempt to catch up. The Perv held a good lead for the rest of the race, which became a procession as the wind shifted, making the beat one-sided. However, as the tide slackened and the wind increased, Bill Deeley and David Roe took first and second places, Will holding Guy off for third. Perv sulkily abandoned his new jib in favour of the old rag.

Race 3

After lunch ashore, the Cherubim returned to find classic Solent conditions: Force 5 against tide of about 3 knots! Starting was difficult from a poorly laid line, and the tide made the beat very fast, so the fleet seemed to spread out quickly. Most people were cautious on the first reach, but the Perv had something to prove and was quick to hoist the spinnaker, thus achieving brief but remarkable acceleration before the honour of the first capsize when Martyn was washed off the side. Dave Roe and others fell in at the gybe, and the race continued in conditions which were demanding, to say the least. Guy took line honours, with Bill Second and the Coopers third. I was too busy to see what the others did (so was I - Ed). [At the back of the fleet your Web site editor was sailing an antique and very poorly home-built (not by him) Forman 4c to what turned out to be destruction. We got back to the beach just as the bow tank finished filling with water from splits in the bow area!]

Race 4

Saturday Morning's race started in a light SW wind, again with the first beat into the tide. Just at the gun the wind died, and several boats were held back by the current for a long time (in some cases 28 minutes!). Perv was the first to cross at the committee boat end, and fought for the lead with Graham Caws while short tacking up the shore. After some 35 minutes of this, the wind filled in and the leaders set out into the tide. Again some boats found that they had gone to far: spinnakers to the windward mark again. )Moral: Solent tides aren't really as strong as you think!). Perv established a lead for a round or so, but was caught by Kevin at the last leeward mark, then recovered (removing the sea-anchor of weed helped) to beat Kevin and Guy to the finish.

Race 5

After a rest on the (prohibited) shingle banks, during which the Solent stopped rushing East and started rushing West without a pause in between, we returned to the starting area to watch the Moths demonstrate how not to start. When our turn came, we all showed our transoms to the line until the last seconds, and then made a dirty dart for glory. The combination of strong tide and light wind made racing very difficult, as Andy proved when he hit a mark and spent some time encouraging the tail enders. Simon made his journey from the frozen North worthwhile by leading the race from start to finish: a good advert when your boat is for sale! Perv showed good tactical skills to finish second, but couldn't do Simon., and Guy got another result with third.

Race 6

Sunday Morning saw a change in the wind direction, a force 3 from the East giving hope to the four helmsmen who were in contention for the title (Perv, Bill, Guy and Dave). Unfortunately neither the author nor the Editor can remember any significant details of this race. Suffice to say, therefore, that at this stage, Guy clinched the title with a win, Dave Roe kept stuck in there in second place, and Kevin was third. Bill and Perv dogged out with 5th and 6th places respectively, particularly unforgivable for the Perv who had no excuse in his favoured conditions.

Race 1

The postponed race from Thursday was held on Sunday afternoon. This started into the tide into a light breeze, but shortly after the start the wind shifted. Rupert and Graham had taken a port tack after the start and found themselves on the right side of the shift to head the fleet around the first mark. The wind shift made the reaches into a run and fetch, with a one sided beat. As the wind increased, Guy again powered into the lead, but the course didn't allow much in the way of tactical manoeuvres: it was another procession, with boatspeed the only significant differential. Guy ultimately won both the race and the Championship in convincing style, Andy was second, with Dave Roe, storming through somehow on the last fetch from nowhere to third, to take second overall.

The Nationals were well organised ashore and afloat, and the four day format pleased everyone. The first two boats were old rules hulls converted with new rigs, and did well in all conditions. Further down the fleet the new rigs were improving the performance of several older boats, and in general the racing was much closer than last year. Moral: You don't need a new boat to win. Interestingly, even in the lightest conditions, new-rules hulls weren't able to stamp any convincing authority on the proceedings and the speed differential evident a couple of seasons ago seems largely to have disappeared now that the best of the rest have converted to new rigs.

Dave Edmonds (Editor Will Perret)

<TR>
  <TD>Helm</TD>
  <TD>Crew</TD>
  <TD>Sail</TD>
  <TD>Name</TD>
  <TD>Design</TD>
  <TD>R1</TD>
  <TD>R2</TD>
  <TD>R3</TD>
  <TD>R4</TD>
  <TD>R5</TD>
  <TD>R6</TD>
  <TD>Total</TD>
</TR>
<TR>
  <TD>Guy Lewington</TD>
  <TD>Alex Windsor</TD>
  <TD>2705</TD>
  <TD>Flat Stanley</TD>
  <TD>Mod. Murray</TD>
  <TD>0.75</TD>
  <TD>4</TD>
  <TD>0.75</TD>
  <TD>3</TD>
  <TD>3</TD>
  <TD>0.75</TD>
  <TD>8.75</TD>
</TR>
<TR>
  <TD>Dave Roe</TD>
  <TD>Wendy Barclay</TD>
  <TD>2612</TD>
  <TD>Old Peculier</TD>
  <TD>Ellway 3</TD>
  <TD>3</TD>
  <TD>2</TD>
  <TD>4</TD>
  <TD>4</TD>
  <TD>7</TD>
  <TD>2</TD>
  <TD>15</TD>
</TR>
<TR>
  <TD>Bill Deeley</TD>
  <TD>Alan Moore</TD>
  <TD>2627</TD>
  <TD>Last Amber Dragon</TD>
  <TD>Deeley 5</TD>
  <TD>5</TD>
  <TD>0.75</TD>
  <TD>2</TD>
  <TD>8</TD>
  <TD>4</TD>
  <TD>5</TD>
  <TD>16.75</TD>
</TR>
<TR>
  <TD>Will Perret</TD>
  <TD>Martyn Clark</TD>
  <TD>2626</TD>
  <TD>Perversion</TD>
  <TD>Ellway 4</TD>
  <TD>6</TD>
  <TD>3</TD>
  <TD>9</TD>
  <TD>0.75</TD>
  <TD>2</TD>
  <TD>6</TD>
  <TD>17.75</TD>
</TR>
<TR>
  <TD>Kevin Ellway</TD>
  <TD>Brett Ellway?</TD>
  <TD>2630</TD>
  <TD>Nelly Smuts</TD>
  <TD>Ellway 4</TD>
  <TD>7</TD>
  <TD>5</TD>
  <TD>5</TD>
  <TD>2</TD>
  <TD>5</TD>
  <TD>3</TD>
  <TD>20</TD>
</TR>
<TR>
  <TD>Andy Paterson</TD>
  <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
  <TD>2623</TD>
  <TD>Pxysysygy</TD>
  <TD>Paterson 3</TD>
  <TD>2</TD>
  <TD>6</TD>
  <TD>6</TD>
  <TD>7</TD>
  <TD>9</TD>
  <TD>4</TD>
  <TD>25</TD>
</TR>
<TR>
  <TD>Simon Robinson</TD>
  <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
  <TD>2628</TD>
  <TD>Slartibartfast</TD>
  <TD>Robinson 4</TD>
  <TD>12</TD>
  <TD>11</TD>
  <TD>7</TD>
  <TD>6</TD>
  <TD>0.75</TD>
  <TD>7</TD>
  <TD>31.75</TD>
</TR>
<TR>
  <TD>Alistair Cope</TD>
  <TD>Matthew Cope</TD>
  <TD>2625</TD>
  <TD>Wobbly-Eric</TD>
  <TD>Southcott</TD>
  <TD>4</TD>
  <TD>7</TD>
  <TD>17</TD>
  <TD>10</TD>
  <TD>12</TD>
  <TD>9</TD>
  <TD>42</TD>
</TR>
<TR>
  <TD>Rupert Bremer</TD>
  <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
  <TD>2610</TD>
  <TD>Charlie Don't Surf</TD>
  <TD>Murray</TD>
  <TD>8</TD>
  <TD>10</TD>
  <TD>10</TD>
  <TD>11</TD>
  <TD>6</TD>
  <TD>10</TD>
  <TD>44</TD>
</TR>
<TR>
  <TD>Graham Caws</TD>
  <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
  <TD>2629</TD>
  <TD>March Hare</TD>
  <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
  <TD>10</TD>
  <TD>16</TD>
  <TD>15</TD>
  <TD>5</TD>
  <TD>8</TD>
  <TD>8</TD>
  <TD>46</TD>
</TR>
<TR>
  <TD>Dave Edmunds</TD>
  <TD>Clare Edmunds</TD>
  <TD>2607</TD>
  <TD>Fallen Angel</TD>
  <TD>Forman 8</TD>
  <TD>9</TD>
  <TD>8</TD>
  <TD>8</TD>
  <TD>12</TD>
  <TD>11</TD>
  <TD>11</TD>
  <TD>47</TD>
</TR>
<TR>
  <TD>C Dandridge</TD>
  <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
  <TD>2548</TD>
  <TD>Woodstock</TD>
  <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
  <TD>11</TD>
  <TD>10</TD>
  <TD>18</TD>
  <TD>9</TD>
  <TD>10</TD>
  <TD>13</TD>
  <TD>61</TD>
</TR>
<TR>
  <TD>S. Cooper</TD>
  <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
  <TD>2605</TD>
  <TD>Montague Egg</TD>
  <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
  <TD>18</TD>
  <TD>16</TD>
  <TD>3</TD>
  <TD>13</TD>
  <TD>13</TD>
  <TD>17</TD>
  <TD>62</TD>
</TR>
<TR>
  <TD>Simon Roberts</TD>
  <TD>Kate Butler</TD>
  <TD>2624</TD>
  <TD>Rebel</TD>
  <TD>Howlett</TD>
  <TD>18</TD>
  <TD>13</TD>
  <TD>15</TD>
  <TD>19</TD>
  <TD>17</TD>
  <TD>14</TD>
  <TD>78</TD>
</TR>
<TR>
  <TD>I Brown</TD>
  <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
  <TD>?</TD>
  <TD>Blitz</TD>
  <TD>Forman 8</TD>
  <TD>18</TD>
  <TD>9</TD>
  <TD>10</TD>
  <TD>17</TD>
  <TD>18</TD>
  <TD>18</TD>
  <TD>80</TD>
</TR>
<TR>
  <TD>Annabel Stewart</TD>
  <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
  <TD>2542</TD>
  <TD>Thunderthighs &amp; Mutley</TD>
  <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
  <TD>18</TD>
  <TD>12</TD>
  <TD>18</TD>
  <TD>17</TD>
  <TD>18</TD>
  <TD>17</TD>
  <TD>82</TD>
</TR>
<TR>
  <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
  <TD>Jim Champ</TD>
  <TD>?</TD>
  <TD>Angelina diGriz</TD>
  <TD>Forman 4b</TD>
  <TD>18</TD>
  <TD>18</TD>
  <TD>15</TD>
  <TD>18</TD>
  <TD>18</TD>
  <TD>18</TD>
  <TD>87</TD>
</TR>
<TR>
  <TD>Rob Stephens</TD>
  <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
  <TD>2631</TD>
  <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
  <TD>Paterson 4</TD>
  <TD>18</TD>
  <TD>18</TD>
  <TD>17</TD>
  <TD>19</TD>
  <TD>17</TD>
  <TD>18</TD>
  <TD>88</TD>
</TR>

</TABLE> </html>

1987 U.K. Cherub National Championships

anonymous@undisclosed.example.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 09 Dec 2020 19:21:56 +0000

1987 U.K. Cherub National Championships

Harwich Town S.C.

Harwich Town SC hosted the joint Cherub and International Moth Championships from July 23rd to 26th. Olympic type courses were set out in Dovercourt Bay well out to sea to minimise the fluctuations of the moderate offshore winds. The first race was held in a Force 4, and Guy Lewington and Alex Windsor, the eventual winners were quickly in the groove pulling away from the pack to notch up first place, followed by Dave Roe & Wendy Barclay, Matthew & Alistair Cope and Will Perret & Martyn Clark. On the second day there was very little wind, quite a lot of rain and poor visibility. The morning race was again won by Lewington with Kevin Ellway & Paul Gray second, Roe third and Rupert Bremer & Nick Mason 4th. The afternoon damp drifter produced a different winner, Ellway & Gray. Lewington was second, coming from nowhere on the last beat on the strength of a port tack flyer. Perrett was third and Roe 4th. Saturday produced the best wind of the Championship. The morning's race was sailed in a force 5. First to the windward mark were Simon Halliwell and Jim Champ in the over rotating mast rigged veteran Farr design, Queenie SJB, but the 16 year old boat was no match for the modern boats offwind. Will Perrett led round the rest of the first triangle only to be knocked flat towards the end of the reach. This let Lewington through to record a third win, with Roe taking Will Perret on one of the beats for second place. Ellway was fourth. In the afternoon the wind moderated slightly and it was Dave Roe's turn to win, again showing good windward boat speed. Perrett held on to second place having again led in the early stages, with Ellway third and Cope fourth. In the final race on Sunday the top positions were still in doubt and the wind was fluky and fluctuating in both strength and direction. Perret sailed the first beat correctly and held the lead throughout the race to win by a good margin. Ellway was second. Lewington's third was enough to secure first place overall. Lewington and Windsor won the trophy for the third year in succession and was a worthy winner, putting together a consistent set of results, never out of the top 5 in the competitive fleet.

Will Perret (this report first appeared in Yachts and Yachting)

A considerable amount of discord at the end of the event was caused by a race committee protest which alleged that Rupert Bremer and Nick Mason had touched a mark. In spite of evidence to the contrary from every competitor who was remotely in eyeshot the protest committee elected to DSQ them. I remember the class electing to hold the prize giving in the dinghy park as a result of the bad feeling caused.

Jim Champ (plus a couple of additions in the main text.)

Results

Place	Helm	Crew	Sail No	Name	Design	Club
1	Guy Lewington	Alex Windsor	2705	Flat Stanley	Murray mod Snow	Frensham Pond SC
2	Kevin Ellway	Paul Gray	2630	Nellie Smuts	Ellway 4a	Lee-On Solent SC
3	Dave Roe	Wendy Barclay	2612	Old Peculier	Ellway 2	Lee-On Solent SC
4	Will Perret	Martyn Clark	2626	Perversion	Ellway 4	Lee-On Solent SC
5	Matthew Cope	Alistair Cope	2625	Heffalump	Soutcott mod Cope	Queen Mary SC
6	Rupert Bremer	Nick Mason	2627	“Bill's Boat”	Deeley 5a	Eastney CA
9	Simon Halliwell	Jim Champ	1982 Queenie SJB	Farr	Woking WAC

1988 U.K. Nationals

anonymous@undisclosed.example.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 09 Dec 2020 19:21:56 +0000

1988 U.K. Nationals

Weston SC near Southampton

Day 1

A healthy turnout of 22. Race 1 was a testing 5/6 which was too much for the majority. The numbers afloat dropped dramatically after the first lap, while Matthew and Alistair Cope, in Johnny Fartpants (Fartpants) blasted round in first place looking quite comfortable compared to the rest. Guy Lewington and Alex Windsor (Flat Stanley, Murray mod. Snow) secured second after a frantic session to rig a borrowed boom after theirs broke on the way to the start. Dave Roe and Wendy Barclay brought Old Peculiar (Ellway 3) in third despite an awesome nose-dive and wipe-out off the clubhouse. Richard and Clare Butler in Eric Bloodaxe (Paterson), and Nick Mason and Alan Moore in Bills Boat (Deeley 5b) persevered through worsening and ferocious conditions to record 4th and 5th, the only other finishers.

Day 2

Friday dawned fresh but more manageable although there were still some fierce gusts about. Stanley took both races while Johnny F and Old Pec each had a second and third. Will Perret was 4th twice in Cripes Fiona, whilst Rob Lyne (Quick and Easy, Handley) and Simon Roberts/Kate Butler( Rebel, Howlett) had a fifth apiece.

Day 3

On Saturday the wind started moderate but soon built and reached 5-6 in the gusts later on for another testing day. The front runners were consistent with Stanley first, Johnny second and Bills Boat third in each race. Old Pec was 4th in boat, with 5ths shared between Rebel and Fallen Angel (Forman 8), sailed by Dave and Clare Edmonds.

Day 4

The final race on Sunday was held in a mild force 3 and was notable for the best collection of Cherubs afloat together for some years. The racing was hugely enjoyable with plenty of action and infighting wherever you happened to be in the fleet.- quite a novel experience. Most of the top crews swapped ends in this one and some new faces had a look at the front in a close race, Rebel led at the finish with Johnny F second and the Aircraft Carrier (Kevin Ellway, Ellway 2) third. Fiona and Stanley were 4th and 5th,

After last years dismal turnout the event was relatively successful this year being only marred by the predominantly tough conditions which did a certain amount of damage, much of it incurred on the ramps o the lee shore. The conditions kept many of the older boats and less experienced crews ashore, and much of the racing was an exercise in survival. Report Will Perret & Various

Results

<TR>
  <TD><B>Helm</B></TD>
  <TD><B>Crew</B></TD>
  <TD><B>No</B></TD>
  <TD><B>Design</B></TD>
  <TD><B>R1</B></TD>
  <TD><B>R2</B></TD>
  <TD><B>R3</B></TD>
  <TD><B>R4</B></TD>
  <TD><B>R5</B></TD>
  <TD><B>R6</B></TD>
  <TD><B>Total</B></TD>
</TR>
<TR>
  <TD>Guy Lewington</TD>
  <TD>Alex Windsor</TD>
  <TD>2705</TD>
  <TD>Mod. Murray</TD>
  <TD>2</TD>
  <TD>0.75</TD>
  <TD>0.75</TD>
  <TD>0.75</TD>
  <TD>0.75</TD>
  <TD>5</TD>
  <TD>5</TD>
</TR>
<TR>
  <TD>Matthew Cope</TD>
  <TD>Alistair Cope</TD>
  <TD>2634</TD>
  <TD>Fartpants</TD>
  <TD>0.75</TD>
  <TD>2</TD>
  <TD>3</TD>
  <TD>2</TD>
  <TD>2</TD>
  <TD>2</TD>
  <TD>8.75</TD>
</TR>
<TR>
  <TD>Dave Roe</TD>
  <TD>Wendy Barclay</TD>
  <TD>2612</TD>
  <TD>Ellway 3</TD>
  <TD>3</TD>
  <TD>3</TD>
  <TD>2</TD>
  <TD>4</TD>
  <TD>4</TD>
  <TD>7</TD>
  <TD>16</TD>
</TR>
<TR>
  <TD>Nick Mason</TD>
  <TD>Alan Moore</TD>
  <TD>2627</TD>
  <TD>Deeley 5</TD>
  <TD>5</TD>
  <TD>15</TD>
  <TD>18</TD>
  <TD>3</TD>
  <TD>3</TD>
  <TD>6</TD>
  <TD>32</TD>
</TR>
<TR>
  <TD>Simon Roberts</TD>
  <TD>Kate Butler</TD>
  <TD>2624</TD>
  <TD>Howlett 1</TD>
  <TD>18</TD>
  <TD>7</TD>
  <TD>5</TD>
  <TD>5</TD>
  <TD>19</TD>
  <TD>0.75</TD>
  <TD>35.75</TD>
</TR>
<TR>
  <TD>Will Perret</TD>
  <TD>Martyn Clark</TD>
  <TD>2606</TD>
  <TD>Murray</TD>
  <TD>18</TD>
  <TD>4</TD>
  <TD>4</TD>
  <TD>7</TD>
  <TD>19</TD>
  <TD>4</TD>
  <TD>38</TD>
</TR>
<TR>
  <TD>Dave Edmunds</TD>
  <TD>Clare Edmunds</TD>
  <TD>2607</TD>
  <TD>Forman 8</TD>
  <TD>18</TD>
  <TD>9</TD>
  <TD>7</TD>
  <TD>8</TD>
  <TD>5</TD>
  <TD>9</TD>
  <TD>38</TD>
</TR>
<TR>
  <TD>Graham Dickenson</TD>
  <TD>Owen Dickenson</TD>
  <TD>2628</TD>
  <TD>Robinson 4</TD>
  <TD>18</TD>
  <TD>11</TD>
  <TD>6</TD>
  <TD>9</TD>
  <TD>6</TD>
  <TD>8</TD>
  <TD>40</TD>
</TR>
<TR>
  <TD>Richard Butler</TD>
  <TD>Clare Butler</TD>
  <TD>2601</TD>
  <TD>Paterson 2</TD>
  <TD>4</TD>
  <TD>12</TD>
  <TD>12</TD>
  <TD>11</TD>
  <TD>7</TD>
  <TD>20</TD>
  <TD>46</TD>
</TR>
<TR>
  <TD>Bob Clements</TD>
  <TD>Alan Webster</TD>
  <TD>2623</TD>
  <TD>Paterson 3</TD>
  <TD>18</TD>
  <TD>6</TD>
  <TD>9</TD>
  <TD>10</TD>
  <TD>8</TD>
  <TD>16</TD>
  <TD>49</TD>
</TR>
<TR>
  <TD>Kevin Ellway</TD>
  <TD>Brett Ellway</TD>
  <TD>2630</TD>
  <TD>Ellway 4</TD>
  <TD>18</TD>
  <TD>8</TD>
  <TD>18</TD>
  <TD>6</TD>
  <TD>20</TD>
  <TD>3</TD>
  <TD>53</TD>
</TR>
<TR>
  <TD>Rob Stephens</TD>
  <TD>S Finn</TD>
  <TD>2631</TD>
  <TD>Paterson 4</TD>
  <TD>18</TD>
  <TD>10</TD>
  <TD>10</TD>
  <TD>20</TD>
  <TD>19</TD>
  <TD>11</TD>
  <TD>68</TD>
</TR>
<TR>
  <TD>Rob Lyne</TD>
  <TD>Paul Jenkins</TD>
  <TD>2636</TD>
  <TD>Handley</TD>
  <TD>18</TD>
  <TD>5</TD>
  <TD>18</TD>
  <TD>20</TD>
  <TD>19</TD>
  <TD>10</TD>
  <TD>70</TD>
</TR>
<TR>
  <TD>Matthew Baker</TD>
  <TD>Simon Baker</TD>
  <TD>2635</TD>
  <TD>Deeley 5</TD>
  <TD>18</TD>
  <TD>13</TD>
  <TD>8</TD>
  <TD>20</TD>
  <TD>19</TD>
  <TD>14</TD>
  <TD>70</TD>
</TR>
<TR>
  <TD>Geoff Larkin</TD>
  <TD>Matthew Larkin</TD>
  <TD>2629</TD>
  <TD></TD>
  <TD>18</TD>
  <TD>16</TD>
  <TD>13</TD>
  <TD>20</TD>
  <TD>19</TD>
  <TD>15</TD>
  <TD>81</TD>
</TR>
<TR>
  <TD>Martin Barber</TD>
  <TD>Ralph Schofield</TD>
  <TD>2608</TD>
  <TD></TD>
  <TD>18</TD>
  <TD>14</TD>
  <TD>18</TD>
  <TD>20</TD>
  <TD>19</TD>
  <TD>14</TD>
  <TD>83</TD>
</TR>
<TR>
  <TD>Andy Gates</TD>
  <TD>Martyn Humphries</TD>
  <TD>2626</TD>
  <TD>Ellway 4</TD>
  <TD>18</TD>
  <TD>19</TD>
  <TD>18</TD>
  <TD>12</TD>
  <TD>19</TD>
  <TD>18</TD>
  <TD>85</TD>
</TR>
<TR>
  <TD>Chris Semple</TD>
  <TD>Dan Bennet</TD>
  <TD>2618</TD>
  <TD></TD>
  <TD>22</TD>
  <TD>17</TD>
  <TD>11</TD>
  <TD>20</TD>
  <TD>22</TD>
  <TD>18</TD>
  <TD>88</TD>
</TR>
<TR>
  <TD>Darryl Burton</TD>
  <TD>Jim Champ</TD>
  <TD>1982</TD>
  <TD>Farr</TD>
  <TD>22</TD>
  <TD>22</TD>
  <TD>22</TD>
  <TD>22</TD>
  <TD>20</TD>
  <TD>19</TD>
  <TD>105</TD>
</TR>
<TR>
  <TD>David Johnson</TD>
  <TD>David Kearne</TD>
  <TD>2525</TD>
  <TD></TD>
  <TD>18</TD>
  <TD>22</TD>
  <TD>22</TD>
  <TD>22</TD>
  <TD>22</TD>
  <TD>22</TD>
  <TD>106</TD>
</TR>
<TR>
  <TD>Mark Branagh</TD>
  <TD>Alan Webster</TD>
  <TD>2434</TD>
  <TD>Deeley 1</TD>
  <TD>22</TD>
  <TD>22</TD>
  <TD>22</TD>
  <TD>22</TD>
  <TD>22</TD>
  <TD>22</TD>
  <TD>110</TD>
</TR>
<TR>
  <TD>Guy Wilkins</TD>
  <TD>Theresa Wilkins</TD>
  <TD>2605</TD>
  <TD></TD>
  <TD>22</TD>
  <TD>22</TD>
  <TD>22</TD>
  <TD>22</TD>
  <TD>22</TD>
  <TD>22</TD>
  <TD>110</TD>
</TR>

</TABLE> </html>

1989 U.K. Nationals

anonymous@undisclosed.example.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 09 Dec 2020 19:21:56 +0000

1989 U.K. Nationals

Seasalter SC, Kent

The 1989 Cherub National Championships were held at Seasalter SC, Kent, from August 30th to September 2nd, and was once more shared with the International Moths. The combination of the only two progressive development classes in the U K is always a happy one, and there is some swapping between the two classes as children arrive or preferences change.

Thursday Afternoon

The first race was held in a wind of about Force 3, with he crews getting out on the wire on beats and reaches, but there was no great excitement. Dave Roe and Wendy Barclay took an early and consistent lead, with Will Per ret's Murray design next, and Guy Lewington. last years winner, following in the mod Murray design Flat Stanley. Will managed to briefly overtake Dave on the last beat, but Dave was ahead again by the line. These two were e followed by Stanley and then Rebel.

Friday

Race 2 was started after a considerable delay waiting for the wind, which never really filled in Matt and Alistair Cope read the wind and tide perfectly to take a lead in Johnny Fartpants, but the conditions ideally suite d Simon Roberts and Kate Butler in Rebel, who took the lead on the reach, with Dave and Wendy following. Simon and Kate built up a big lead on the next beat and Dave dropped back with Kite problems. By the end Rebel had built up a massive lead. Guy, Will and the Copes had a race long battle for second, which went to Will, with Guy third.. The third race was cancelled as the water headed for the horizon.

Saturday

Race four started in a reasonable F#3. Dave immediately took the lead and increased it throughout the race. The Bistro was obviously dramatically quicker than any other boat, and he never looked in any danger. The copes were second for most of the race, but Guy took them on the last triangle when they made a mistake at the gybe mark. In a fading wind the 5th race was held almost back to back. Nick mason was the first to the windward mark in his Deeley 5, followed by rebel, Norwegian Blue then Kevin Ellway, then Guy L all in close attendance. This whole group had a ferocious battle down the triangle, but the Bistros superior marginal planing speed saw Dave to the front. Dave eventually built up am appreciable lead, followed by Guy, Kevin Ellway and then Paul Handley sailing his own round bilge design boat. Rebel capsized on retrieving the kite at the end of the last reach whilst well up with the main group, and as they already had one poor result this was to cost them dearly. Just after the finish the wind blew up to the top of Force 4, catching everyone unawares as they were running down to the beach with only a foot of water over the mud flats, and thus minimal amounts of foil in the water. This lead to the only spectacular action of the championships, with Moths and Cherubs going wildly out of control and capsizing in knee deep water, thankfully with minimal damage.

Sunday

The strong wind continued all night, but much to everyone's disappointment stopped at about 6am, so the sixth race started in another Force 1. A strong tide turned the race into a tedious procession, with rebel winning easily from Norwegian Blue, who equally easily beat Guy into 3rd. With all the top boats except Dave and Guy having a bad result this effectively sewed up the Championship since Dave could not be caught by Guy for first place, and no-one else could catch Guy for second. The rerun race 3 was always going to be something of an anti climax, and to make matters worse the wind dropped even further. Rebel won, with Will P second and Dave R third.

Final results saw Dave and Wendy a well deserved first in what was to be the first of many Bistro wins, Guy and Alex second, marking the beginning of the end of Flat Stanley's long period of dominance, and Simon Roberts and Kate Butler a slightly unlucky third place, counting a ninth place alongside 3 wins. In Fourth were Will Perret and Nigel Phillips, an excellent result in a design which is no longer regarded as being in the top flight, and sticky in light weather into the bargain. Last year's runners up, the Copes, were a disappointed fifth, but the light winds suited neither their boat nor their weight.

Overall it was a slightly disappointing Championships marred by light wind and lack of water, although the club was most hospitable and the food excellent. It was good to see two Cherub sailorts among the prizes in the Moths, with Sailmaker Graham Caws taking the best newcomer prize and winning a race, while ace foil builder Andy (Bloodaxe) Paterson taking third overall in his new Moth design, which is even more extreme than the Cherub designs were!

Jim Champ (This report first appeared in Yachts and Yachting)

Results

<TR>
  <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
  <TD>Name</TD>
  <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
  <TD>No.</TD>
  <TD>Design</TD>
  <TD>Race 1</TD>
  <TD>Race 2</TD>
  <TD>Race 3</TD>
  <TD>Race 4</TD>
  <TD>Race 5</TD>
  <TD>Race 6</TD>
  <TD>Points</TD>
</TR>
<TR>
  <TD>1</TD>
  <TD>Dave Roe</TD>
  <TD>Wendy Barclay</TD>
  <TD>2637</TD>
  <TD>Italian Bistro</TD>
  <TD>0.75</TD>
  <TD>6</TD>
  <TD>2</TD>
  <TD>0.75</TD>
  <TD>0.75</TD>
  <TD>2</TD>
  <TD>6.25</TD>
</TR>
<TR>
  <TD>2</TD>
  <TD>Guy Lewington</TD>
  <TD>Alex Windsor</TD>
  <TD>2705</TD>
  <TD>Murray mod Snow</TD>
  <TD>3</TD>
  <TD>4</TD>
  <TD>16</TD>
  <TD>2</TD>
  <TD>2</TD>
  <TD>4</TD>
  <TD>15</TD>
</TR>
<TR>
  <TD>3</TD>
  <TD>Simon Roberts</TD>
  <TD>Kate Butler</TD>
  <TD>2624</TD>
  <TD>Howlett 1</TD>
  <TD>4</TD>
  <TD>0.75</TD>
  <TD>0.75</TD>
  <TD>9</TD>
  <TD>10</TD>
  <TD>0.75</TD>
  <TD>15.75</TD>
</TR>
<TR>
  <TD>4</TD>
  <TD>Will Perret</TD>
  <TD>Nigel Phillips</TD>
  <TD>2606</TD>
  <TD>Murray</TD>
  <TD>2</TD>
  <TD>2</TD>
  <TD>3</TD>
  <TD>4</TD>
  <TD>7</TD>
  <TD>7</TD>
  <TD>18</TD>
</TR>
<TR>
  <TD>5</TD>
  <TD>Matthew Cope</TD>
  <TD>Alistair Cope</TD>
  <TD>2634</TD>
  <TD>Fartpants</TD>
  <TD>10</TD>
  <TD>3</TD>
  <TD>4</TD>
  <TD>3</TD>
  <TD>5</TD>
  <TD>3</TD>
  <TD>18</TD>
</TR>
<TR>
  <TD>6</TD>
  <TD>Ian Handley</TD>
  <TD>Paul Handley</TD>
  <TD>2636</TD>
  <TD>Handley</TD>
  <TD>6</TD>
  <TD>5</TD>
  <TD>16</TD>
  <TD>5</TD>
  <TD>4</TD>
  <TD>6</TD>
  <TD>26</TD>
</TR>
<TR>
  <TD>7</TD>
  <TD>Nick Mason</TD>
  <TD>Stuart Coles</TD>
  <TD>2627</TD>
  <TD>Deeley 5</TD>
  <TD>8</TD>
  <TD>7</TD>
  <TD>5</TD>
  <TD>6</TD>
  <TD>6</TD>
  <TD>5</TD>
  <TD>29</TD>
</TR>
<TR>
  <TD>8</TD>
  <TD>Kevin Ellway</TD>
  <TD>Brett Ellway</TD>
  <TD>2512</TD>
  <TD>Ellway 3</TD>
  <TD>5</TD>
  <TD>9</TD>
  <TD>16</TD>
  <TD>8</TD>
  <TD>3</TD>
  <TD>9</TD>
  <TD>34</TD>
</TR>
<TR>
  <TD>9</TD>
  <TD>Graham Dickenson</TD>
  <TD>Owen Dickenson</TD>
  <TD>2628</TD>
  <TD>Robinson 4</TD>
  <TD>7</TD>
  <TD>8</TD>
  <TD>7</TD>
  <TD>11</TD>
  <TD>8</TD>
  <TD>8</TD>
  <TD>38</TD>
</TR>
<TR>
  <TD>10</TD>
  <TD>Richard Butler</TD>
  <TD>Clare Butler</TD>
  <TD>2601</TD>
  <TD>Paterson 2</TD>
  <TD>11</TD>
  <TD>14</TD>
  <TD>6</TD>
  <TD>10</TD>
  <TD>11</TD>
  <TD>12</TD>
  <TD>50</TD>
</TR>
<TR>
  <TD>11</TD>
  <TD>Bob Clements</TD>
  <TD>Alan Webster</TD>
  <TD>2623</TD>
  <TD>Paterson 3</TD>
  <TD>14</TD>
  <TD>12</TD>
  <TD>9</TD>
  <TD>7</TD>
  <TD>13</TD>
  <TD>13</TD>
  <TD>54</TD>
</TR>
<TR>
  <TD>12</TD>
  <TD>Matthew Baker</TD>
  <TD>Simon Baker</TD>
  <TD>2638</TD>
  <TD>Fartpants</TD>
  <TD>9</TD>
  <TD>10</TD>
  <TD>16</TD>
  <TD>rtd</TD>
  <TD>9</TD>
  <TD>10</TD>
  <TD>54</TD>
</TR>
<TR>
  <TD>
    <P>13 &amp;</P>

    <P>Junior</P>

    <P>Trophy
  </TD>
  <TD>Andrew Prince</TD>
  <TD>Julian Linton</TD>
  <TD>2610</TD>
  <TD>Murray</TD>
  <TD>13</TD>
  <TD>13</TD>
  <TD>16</TD>
  <TD>dns</TD>
  <TD>rtd</TD>
  <TD>rtd</TD>
  <TD>74</TD>
</TR>
<TR>
  <TD>14</TD>
  <TD>Jamie Stephens</TD>
  <TD>Toby Sharp</TD>
  <TD>2542</TD>
  <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
  <TD>15</TD>
  <TD>15</TD>
  <TD>16</TD>
  <TD>dns</TD>
  <TD>dns</TD>
  <TD>16</TD>
  <TD>78</TD>
</TR>
<TR>
  <TD>15</TD>
  <TD>Martin Barber</TD>
  <TD>Adam Gay</TD>
  <TD>2640</TD>
  <TD>Italian Bistro</TD>
  <TD>12</TD>
  <TD>11</TD>
  <TD>8</TD>
  <TD>dns</TD>
  <TD>12</TD>
  <TD>11</TD>
  <TD>78</TD>
</TR>

</TABLE><BR>

</html>

APV Crepaco Cherub Nationals 1990

anonymous@undisclosed.example.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 22 Aug 2023 14:36:07 +0000

APV Crepaco Cherub Nationals 1990

(or Jellyfish ate my rudder).

Day 1

They were descending on Torbay in their hordes, the tourists, the Laser sailors, and worst of all the jellyfish. There were also a goodly number of Cherub and Moth sailors, so we'll talk about them. Race one was held in a pleasant and very warm force 3 to 4 breeze. After the start, to no-one's surprise, Dave & Wendy were the first to show, closely followed by Guy & Alex in Flat Stanley. At the windward mark these two were followed by Alistair Cope and Stuart Coles, sailing Dirty Northern Bastard while Nick was in hospital. Clare & Simon in Rebel were next, followed by Danny Johnson and Jim Champ in Halo Jones. Interestingly the expected speed advantage of the asymmetric kites did not appear, and Danny held onto 5th until the gybe, when an untidy manoeuvre let through Bob and Alan Webster in No Sense No Feeling. On the second beat Graham & Owen Dickenson took a successful flyer to the right to get up to 4th. Meanwhile Dave & Wendy were getting steadily away for first place, while Guy & Alex were equally safe in second. On the last leg, in a dying wind, Dave & Wendy were first, Guy & Alex second, and Graham & Owen just pipped Bob & Alan for 3rd place.

Day 2

Race two, on Friday morning, was postponed while the wind thought about appearing. When it finally made its appearance it was a south westerly force 2, accompanied by a long south easterly swell, which gave the unusual experience of surfing on the beats ! The early leader was Will Perret and Nigel Phillips, in their exceedingly new Simon Roberts built Bistro, who had been forced out in race 1 when a jellyfish got at their rudder stock. They were followed round the windward mark by the inevitable Dave & Wendy and Guy & Alex. Dave & Wendy got past on the broad first reach, which suited their very large asymmetric rather better than it suited Will's conventional kite. Graham & Owen overtook Guy & Alex on the next beat, but Guy & Alex got back up to 3rd on the run, and then took 2nd place on the 3rd beat. The finishing order was Dave & Wendy, Guy & Alex, Will & Nigel. By Friday afternoon the wind had built to force 4 and the wave pattern was a little less eccentric. At the windward mark it was Dave & Wendy, Guy & Alex, Danny & Jim, Bob & Alan all very close, with a small gap to Matthew & Stuart. Slightly further back Will & Nigel, who had been well placed, were disentangling the remains of a jellyfish from the remains of their rudder gantry, and summoning a rescue boat for a tow home. The first reach was two-sail, and the first four, consisting of three Italian Bistro designs & Flat Stanley, hurtled off at an amazing pace and opened up an almost half mile lead by the wing mark, with Bob & Alan squeezing past Danny & Jim, mainly because fatty Champ's weight was inducing nosedives. On the second beat Bob & Alan's mainsail fell down, and they retired, while on the run a jellyfish ate Danny & Jim's lower rudder pintle, forcing them out. At the finish the inevitable Dave & Wendy, Guy & Alex were followed by Matthew & Stuart.

Day 3

Saturday Morning was sunny and force 3 to 4. I could say that this ideal weather was getting monotonous, but I would be lying through my teeth. At the windward mark it was, of course, Dave & Wendy, Guy & Alex, this time followed by Graham & Owen, Clare & Simon, Danny & Jim. This order persisted for the first triangle, but on the run one or two of the asymmetric sailors got caught out by a very slowly fading wind, and found themselves pointing far too high. The course was shortened at the end of the last beat, and the wind dropped completely as Clare & Simon rounded third, with Dave & Wendy and Guy & Alex well up the beat. From here half the fleet drifted right with the tide, while the other half, including most of the first 6 or 7 boats, were just about moving left on a tide induced apparent wind. They all thought they had made the better choice, until, to their horror, they saw the boats on the right hoisting kites as the sea breeze roared in. In a mad scramble for the line, which saw almost all the boats finish in the space of a couple of very confusing minutes, Dave & Wendy and Guy & Alex retained their first and second places. Gary Brailsford & Martin Barber in 2640 No Guts No Glory took third from Clare & Simon, and Nick Ripley and Ben Duke in The Aircraft Carrier were 5th. Unfortunately in the confusion the race officer seems to have had trouble reading numbers and the official results are believed to be very inaccurate. However, in spite of our best efforts, we have been unable to get a revised set worked up from the fleet's collective memories, so the official results stand.

By the start of race 5 the wind was steady again, and back up to force 4. At the windward mark the order was a familiar looking Dave & Wendy, Guy & Alex, Danny & Jim, Bob & Alan, Matthew & Stuart. Jim managed to make a spectacular mess of hoisting his kite, letting the next two through, but he & Danny managed to power their conventional kite straight over Matthew & Stuart's asymmetric, regaining 4th place just before the gybe. At the leeward mark Matthew & Stuart were back up to 4th though, as Danny & Jim had capsized while dropping the kite. The next run, which saw the strongest winds of the Championships, saw some of the asymmetric boats achieving incredible speeds in their ideal conditions, although the hand of Neptune reached up and grabbed Andrew Prince & Julian Linton, in 2610 Jones & Jones, when a jellyfish induced nosedive at maximum speed resulted in a broken lower shroud and a bent mast. Andy was very disappointed not to receive mouth to mouth resuscitation from the topless crew of a power boat that came to their assistance. At the finish Dave & Wendy were first, taking the Championship, and Guy & Alex were second for second. Third were Bob & Alan, 4th Clare & Simon, while 5th place was taken by Tom Lowe & Chris Tholstone in 2522 Black Satin Hot Pants, their best result in an outstandingly successful first Cherub Nationals. A little further back the race committee were entertained by the sight of Danny & Jim, who had just got two places back at the end of the last beat, capsizing feet short of the finish line, scrambling up and into their boat, and then stumbling across the line in complete disarray, but somehow not losing a place - wonderful things, self-draining boats ! On the way back John Lobb and Chris Stimson managed the wipe-out of the week, gaining enthusiastic applause from passing motor boats as Chris casually unclipped and dived off the high gunwhale while John and the boat disappeared in a welter of spray, having lost it completely on a furious three-sailer.

Day 4

With the first two places sewn up, race 6, on Sunday morning, should have been something of an anti-climax. However 3rd place was very much open, with 3 boats capable of taking it, and two more with revenge in mind for what they considered to be very bad luck in races 3 and 4. The weather looked very rough, and was drizzling as well, so a rather depleted fleet set out. Dave & Wendy had opted for a leisurely breakfast, while Alex Windsor had finished the previous race in considerable pain from what turned out to be an injured ligament, and couldn't sail. Once people were out, (and some were very much later than others), the weather turned out to be no more than force 4, albeit with some pretty big gusts, and the sun soon reappeared. At the windward mark it was Matthew & Stuart, Graham & Owen, Clare & Simon. Clare & Simon dropped back to 4th on the first triangle, and on a second beat made very one sided by a windshift, Danny & Jim overtook Gary and Martin for 5th. The run was another wild surfing session, but led to no place changes, and was followed by the last beat of the Championships, in which Matthew & Stuart suffered a gear failure just short of the line, rumoured to have been a jellyfish eating their mainsheet, and dropped to third place. Graham & Owen gratefully took first place in the race, and third overall, with Bob & Alan 2nd.

The weeks socials started from a 'sponsors party' on the Thursday. I can't help thinking that there was not a lot in this event for the sponsor, no publicity or anything, someone eventually found out that A.P.V. Crepaco make ice-cream machines ! However they did get plenty of exposure with the Mayor, the Yacht Club, and similar Torquay dignitaries, so maybe that, rather than publicity, was what they wanted.

So, what was it like overall? Basically the best Nationals for a few years. The weather was great, the lack of a real blow being balanced by the warmth and sunshine. O.K. race 4 was a bit of a pig, with the windshift, but those who lost out less badly than the author were not so upset, and with hindsight I really ought to have realised that when a northerly wind drops at lunchtime on a hot day, with a south facing coast, then the imminent arrival of a sea breeze is a racing certainty. Organisation was great, with the exception the one results problem, and the unstuffy attitude - no signing off unless you had retired, considerable tolerance of trifle throwing etc, was very welcome. Certainly the Royal Torbay Yacht Club is not much like the Royal Lymington! Nick's decision - aided by the Moth's - decision to go upmarket was vindicated. Although the turnout wasn't especially good there were a lot of new faces - Tom Low & Chris Tolstrum in “Black Satin Hot Pants” - an Easter Beagle design, doing particularly well. Andy Prince and Julian Linton were also getting “Jones & Jones” very well together, and would have been well up in the top ten if their mast hadn't gone over the side.

Finally. boat speed. Well, it was obvious that Dave and Wendy had lots of it They were sailing very fast too. Will Perret's new boat appears to be extremely quick, but has been plagued by rudder and gantry problems. Like Norwegian Blue it has a short luff large roach mainsail, but Will's sails are from Graham Caws. Apparently Will told Graham to cut him a mainsail just like Andy Patterson's Moth mainsail, and the result is a sail that is very different to the long top batten sails used by the Copes last season. Further down the fleet all those with Bistros were going much faster than they have been seen to before. Flat Stanley seems to be well on the pace still, but it is difficult to be sure whether that's the boat or the crew. Certainly they never really looked like catching Dave & Wendy. The Dave Roe/ Will Perret short luff rig definitely seems to be the way to go at the bottom end of the weight range, and it will be interesting to see if it is as effective if a heavyweight buys one.

Results

Psn.	Helm	Crew	No.	Design	Club	Race 1	Race 2	Race 3	Race 4	Race 5	Race 6	Points
1	Dave Roe	Wendy Barclay	2637	Italian Bistro	Lee on Solent S.C.	1	1	1	1	1	DNS	0
2	Guy Lewington	Alex Windsor	2705	Mod. Murray	Frensham Pond S.C.	2	2	2	2	2	DNS	15
3	Graham Dickenson	Owen Dickenson	2628	Robinson 4	Llangorse S.C.	3	4	4	7	8	1	34.7
4	Matthew Cope	Stuart Coles	2627	Deeley 5	Emsworth Slipper S.C.	6	7	3	9	4	3	44.1
5	Clare Butler	Simon Roberts	2624	Howlett 1	Lee on Solent S.C.	5	5	5	4	10	4	46
6	Bob Clements	Alan Webster	2642	Italian Bistro	Queen Mary S.C.	4	6	RTD	RTD	3	2	54
7	Gary Brailsford	Martin Barber	2640	Italian Bistro	Medway Y.C.	11	10	6	3	6	6	56.8
8	Tom Low	Chris Tolstrom	2522	Easter Beagle	Tamesis S.C.	13	8	8	11	5	10	71
9	Danny Johnson	Jim Champ	2641	Italian Bistro	Datchet S.C.	7	11	RTD	13	9	5	74
10	Andy Wilcox	Andrea Wilcox	2606	Murray	Clevedon S.C.	10	12	12	8	12	7	79
11	John Lobb	Chris Stimpson	2639	Deeley 6	Royal Victoria Y.C.	9	13	10	10	11	RTD	83
12	Nick Ripley	Ben Duke	2512	Ellway 1	Prospective S.C.	15	RTD	13	5	14	8	84
13	Tim Rennel	Adrian Rennel	2547	Forman 8	Clevedon S.C.	12	15	9	12	DNS	9	87
14	Tim Dean	Una Mary Colclough	2512	Ellway 3	Lee on Solent S.C.	14	14	7	14	13	DNS	92
15	Andrew Price	Julian Linton	2610	Murray	Chapman Sands S.C.	8	9	RTD	6	RTD	DNS	94.7
16	Simon Baker	Alan Attlebury	2638	Fartpants	Mayflower S.C.	RTD	RTD	11	DNS	7	DNS	110
17	Will Perret	Nigel Phillips	2646	Italian Bistro	Lee on Solent S.C.	RTD	3	RTD	DNS	DNS	DNS	113.7
18	Dave Stuart	Nicky Gallon	2622		Queen Mary S.C.	RTD	RTD	14	15	RTD	DNS
19	Karl Rattray	Adam Cairns	2604	Deeley 3	Glossop & District S.C.	RTD	DSQ	DNS	DNS	DNS	DNS	137

1990's Designs

anonymous@undisclosed.example.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 15 Mar 2023 19:15:07 +0000

1990's Designs

Yet more rule changing saw the introduction of bowsprits and larger spinnakers being permitted at the end of the eighties. This inevitably meant asymmetric spinnakers. A year or so was spent in intense development until the final rule was defined, which gives a sail of a nominal 140 sq. ft, (actually about 150-160 sq.ft.). This, coupled with the new flat narrow hull shapes and the 1984 rules has led to a boat with quite astonishing medium winds performance offwind.

Dog (Roberts mk 1)

Bistro development with double chines and slight hollow between chines. Very low rocker. The double chine helps to minimise waterline beam within the 1984 rules. e.g. Cheese Before Bedtime

Paterson 6

Moth influenced design with distinctive high foredeck. Very slab sided and flat floored. At least one later modified as 6a with snout, wider beam and flat foredeck. e.g. King Tubby.

Flying Trifle (Harrison/Lobb/Stimson)

Chris Stimson, one of a new wave of U.K yacht designers, teamed up with Cherub sailors John Lobb & Martin Harrison to produce this design, named for a party at the Torquay Nationals where they started thinking about the design. Notable for extreme topside flare aft. Low rocker, flat aft. The Flying Trifle

Pasta Frenzy (Roe mk 2)

A development of the Bistro the Pasta Frenzy utilised double chines for narrower beam at the waterline. A Pasta Frenzy took two seconds in the 1995/6 words, but then proceeded to break every spar on the boat. At least one later modified with snout and wider beam. e.g. The Pasta Frenzy

Platypus (Roberts mk 2)

More moderate development of Dog, the Platypus was compromised a little away from top speed and a little towards controllability compared to its predecessor. e.g. Therapy

Barr

Death by Chocolate (Harrison/Stimson)

Fine bow with straight entry. Plenty of curvature at mid length with quite a lot of rise of floor. Curvature washes out to fairly narrow moderately V'd transom with no panel curvature. Moderate even rocker. Sweet Dreams

IMA Sports Cherub(Iain Murray & Associates - now Murray, Burns & Dovell).

Designed to the UK rules and built by Dinghy Sports, the IMA Sports Cherub was the first Australian design built to the UK rules and fitted with an asymmetric spinnaker. With plenty of rise of floor at mid length and a fine straight entry it was quite different from contemporary designs in the UK. One of these designs won the 1995/6 World Championships Single chine, low rocker, U'd sections throughout, maximum rise of floor at mid length and plenty of rise of floor at transom. Not unlike Deeley 5, but finer forward. 1996 Worlds winner. eg Sports Cherub

Hardon Clifton 1

Radical design by Simon Clifton with very low rise of floor and low rocker. Catananche

1997 Rules

The 1997 Rule changes permitted snouts -bow extensions for jib and bowsprit, wider beam, and considerably reduced the rise of floor restrictions. These modifications were sufficiently compelling that many post 1990 boats were altered with the wider beam etc, including Bistros, Paterson 6, Pasta Frenzies and at least one Roberts design.

Patterson 6a

Andy Paterson converted his MK6 with shout and wide flares and won the 1997 Nationals with it. As well as the obvious wings and snout, he actually extended the bow rather than the stern and so made the bow slightly finer.

Septic Slug (Roberts mk 3)

First 1997 rules design. Waterplane distribution rather further aft than earlier boats and “wavy” flare. e.g. Dangerous Beans

Paterson 7

Development of Paterson 6a for the 1997 Rules. Very slab sided and flat floored with a great deal of topside flare carried right round to support the snout. e.g. Shiny Beast. One boat built with racks rather than flares. AquaMarina.

Velocipede (Garfitt)

Moderate interpretation of 1987 rules, loosely based on a Pasta Frenzy. Fuzzy Logic

Butt Plug (Sims)

Low rocker, flat sections aft, U sections forward with chine not appearing until well back from the bow. Mango Jam

Notice

The drawings on this page are for information only and are not warranted accurate. Copyright and reproduction rights, including building rights reside with the designer.

U.K. Cherub Nationals 1991

anonymous@undisclosed.example.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 09 Dec 2020 19:21:56 +0000

U.K. Cherub Nationals 1991

Lee on Solent

The Cherub fleet went to Lee-On-Solent, which has a long association with the class for its National Championship from August 1st to 4th. The weather was kind throughout the four days, though the general feeling was that more wind would have been welcome for these asymmetric powered machines. The Race Officer, Chris Watts, however , remained patient, and each day postponed until the sea breeze filled in, and thus ensured an absorbing and successful series.

Thursday

The first race started, after a two hour delay, in about 10 knots which tended to increase slightly. First to show were the Cruickshank Brothers, but they were to find that their conventional spinnakers were no match more the bowsprit brigade and they finished in 10th place. In fact the light winds actually allowed those with conventional spinnakers some hope as the deeper runs and reaches could be negotiated in a straight line, but as soon as there was a gust the newer rigs were long gone. Bob Clements and Alan Attlebury won this race with Will Perret and Martyn Clark second, and Graham and Owen Dickenson 3rd, all three in asymmetric equipped Bistros.

Friday

Similar conditions prevailed on Friday, when a long postponement was thoroughly justified as two races sailed back-to back were managed in a respectable breeze that peaked at around 18 knots. Race two was again won by Bob and Alan, as the leaders, Dave Roe and Wendy Barclay, knotted their kite on the last hoist but survived in second place, with Will third. In Race three Dave & Wendy started to show some form with a win, while Will & Martyn remained consistent with a second, their rather smaller asymmetric proving fast in the tight reaches in particular.

Saturday

On Saturday the Solent suddenly came alive with the first day of Cowes week. However the wind failed to reach even the modest proportins of the previous days, which certainly did not disappoint Mike and Kay Brown in their new Bistro, or Claire Butler and Simon Roberts in Simon's new design, the Dog. Bob and Will, the later suffering from the small kite, faded from the picture. The order in Race 4 was Dave, Claire, Mike Brown, and in Race 5 Dave, Mike, and then Guy Lewington in Flat Stanley.

Sunday

The Cowes fleets - especially the Sigmas - were in very close attendance for the sixth race on Sunday, but everyone behaved themselves and there were no incidents. There were some close encounters as the Cherubs converged on the gate set across the beats and runs, weaving with 3 sails through the massed ranks of Sigmas. The Browns won the morning race from Dave, with Claire third. For the final race in a building and backing breeze, Dave and Wendy sewed up the title with a 4th win while Claire and mike swapped places behind. Will took 4th, enabling him to pip the early leader, Bob, for third overall with newcomers Mike & Kay Brown taking an impressive second overall on results that improved throughout the series.

Will Perret (first printed Yachts and Yachting)

Results

<TR>
  <TD>1</TD>
  <TD>Dave Roe</TD>
  <TD>Wendy Barclay</TD>
  <TD>2637</TD>
  <TD>Italian Bistro</TD>
  <TD>Lee on Solent S.C.</TD>
  <TD>23</TD>
  <TD>2</TD>
  <TD>0.75</TD>
  <TD>0.75</TD>
  <TD>0.75</TD>
  <TD>2</TD>
  <TD>0.75</TD>
  <TD>5</TD>
</TR>
<TR>
  <TD>2</TD>
  <TD>Mike Brown</TD>
  <TD>Kay Brown</TD>
  <TD>2643</TD>
  <TD>Italian Bistro</TD>
  <TD></TD>
  <TD>5</TD>
  <TD>6</TD>
  <TD>9</TD>
  <TD>3</TD>
  <TD>2</TD>
  <TD>0.75</TD>
  <TD>3</TD>
  <TD>13.75</TD>
</TR>
<TR>
  <TD>3</TD>
  <TD>Will Perret</TD>
  <TD>Martin Clark</TD>
  <TD>2646</TD>
  <TD>Italian Bistro</TD>
  <TD>Lee on Solent S.C.</TD>
  <TD>2</TD>
  <TD>3</TD>
  <TD>2</TD>
  <TD>15</TD>
  <TD>10</TD>
  <TD>5</TD>
  <TD>4</TD>
  <TD>16</TD>
</TR>
<TR>
  <TD>4</TD>
  <TD>Bob Clements</TD>
  <TD>Alan Webster</TD>
  <TD>2642</TD>
  <TD>Italian Bistro</TD>
  <TD>Queen Mary S.C.</TD>
  <TD>0.75</TD>
  <TD>0.75</TD>
  <TD>3</TD>
  <TD>7</TD>
  <TD>9</TD>
  <TD>12</TD>
  <TD>7</TD>
  <TD>18.5</TD>
</TR>
<TR>
  <TD>5</TD>
  <TD>Graham</TD>
  <TD>Owen Dickenson</TD>
  <TD>2647</TD>
  <TD>Italian Bistro</TD>
  <TD>Llangorse S.C.</TD>
  <TD>3</TD>
  <TD>4</TD>
  <TD>4</TD>
  <TD>14</TD>
  <TD>7</TD>
  <TD>4</TD>
  <TD>5</TD>
  <TD>20</TD>
</TR>
<TR>
  <TD>6</TD>
  <TD>Clare Butler</TD>
  <TD>Simon Roberts</TD>
  <TD>2645</TD>
  <TD>Dog</TD>
  <TD>Lee on Solent S.C.</TD>
  <TD>6</TD>
  <TD>21</TD>
  <TD>23</TD>
  <TD>2</TD>
  <TD>8</TD>
  <TD>3</TD>
  <TD>2</TD>
  <TD>21</TD>
</TR>
<TR>
  <TD>7</TD>
  <TD>Guy Lewington</TD>
  <TD>Alex Windsor</TD>
  <TD>2705</TD>
  <TD>Mod. Murray</TD>
  <TD>Frensham Pond S.C.</TD>
  <TD>4</TD>
  <TD>5</TD>
  <TD>5</TD>
  <TD>11</TD>
  <TD>3</TD>
  <TD>6</TD>
  <TD>6</TD>
  <TD>23</TD>
</TR>
<TR>
  <TD>8</TD>
  <TD>Steve Fisher</TD>
  <TD>Darren Fisher</TD>
  <TD>2628</TD>
  <TD>Robinson 4</TD>
  <TD></TD>
  <TD>8</TD>
  <TD>7</TD>
  <TD>7</TD>
  <TD>4</TD>
  <TD>6</TD>
  <TD>8</TD>
  <TD>8</TD>
  <TD>32</TD>
</TR>
<TR>
  <TD>9</TD>
  <TD>David Babcock</TD>
  <TD>Ben Babcock</TD>
  <TD>2550</TD>
  <TD>DBS</TD>
  <TD></TD>
  <TD>7</TD>
  <TD>9</TD>
  <TD>6</TD>
  <TD>8</TD>
  <TD>4</TD>
  <TD>13</TD>
  <TD>10</TD>
  <TD>34</TD>
</TR>
<TR>
  <TD>10</TD>
  <TD>Brian Cruickshank</TD>
  <TD>Peter Cruickshank</TD>
  <TD>2634</TD>
  <TD>Fartpants</TD>
  <TD></TD>
  <TD>9</TD>
  <TD>11</TD>
  <TD>12</TD>
  <TD>5</TD>
  <TD>5</TD>
  <TD>11</TD>
  <TD>13</TD>
  <TD>41</TD>
</TR>
<TR>
  <TD>11</TD>
  <TD>Danny Johnson</TD>
  <TD>Jim Champ</TD>
  <TD>2641</TD>
  <TD>Italian Bistro</TD>
  <TD>Datchet S.C.</TD>
  <TD>12</TD>
  <TD>8</TD>
  <TD>8</TD>
  <TD>13</TD>
  <TD>11</TD>
  <TD>16</TD>
  <TD>12</TD>
  <TD>51</TD>
</TR>
<TR>
  <TD>12</TD>
  <TD>Richard Butler</TD>
  <TD>Joe Barker</TD>
  <TD>2601</TD>
  <TD>Paterson 2</TD>
  <TD></TD>
  <TD>10</TD>
  <TD>12</TD>
  <TD>13</TD>
  <TD>9</TD>
  <TD>13</TD>
  <TD>10</TD>
  <TD>11</TD>
  <TD>52</TD>
</TR>
<TR>
  <TD>13</TD>
  <TD>John Lobb</TD>
  <TD>Martin Harrison</TD>
  <TD>2639</TD>
  <TD>Deeley 6</TD>
  <TD>Royal Victoria Y.C.</TD>
  <TD>14</TD>
  <TD>13</TD>
  <TD>21</TD>
  <TD>10</TD>
  <TD>14</TD>
  <TD>7</TD>
  <TD>9</TD>
  <TD>53</TD>
</TR>
<TR>
  <TD>14</TD>
  <TD>Andrew Horton</TD>
  <TD>Kate Horton</TD>
  <TD>2644</TD>
  <TD>Bistro</TD>
  <TD></TD>
  <TD>11</TD>
  <TD>10</TD>
  <TD>11</TD>
  <TD>12</TD>
  <TD>12</TD>
  <TD>9</TD>
  <TD>23</TD>
  <TD>53</TD>
</TR>
<TR>
  <TD>15</TD>
  <TD>Nick Spens</TD>
  <TD>Claire Spens</TD>
  <TD>2547</TD>
  <TD>Forman 8</TD>
  <TD></TD>
  <TD>14</TD>
  <TD>23</TD>
  <TD>14</TD>
  <TD>6</TD>
  <TD>15</TD>
  <TD>17</TD>
  <TD>14</TD>
  <TD>63</TD>
</TR>
<TR>
  <TD>16</TD>
  <TD>Adrian Scott</TD>
  <TD>Sandy Colclough</TD>
  <TD>722</TD>
  <TD></TD>
  <TD></TD>
  <TD>15</TD>
  <TD>15</TD>
  <TD>15</TD>
  <TD>18</TD>
  <TD>17</TD>
  <TD>19</TD>
  <TD>21</TD>
  <TD>80</TD>
</TR>
<TR>
  <TD>17</TD>
  <TD>Tom Low</TD>
  <TD>Chris Tolstrom</TD>
  <TD>2522</TD>
  <TD>Easter Beagle</TD>
  <TD>Tamesis S.C.</TD>
  <TD>23</TD>
  <TD>21</TD>
  <TD>23</TD>
  <TD>21</TD>
  <TD>16</TD>
  <TD>14</TD>
  <TD>15</TD>
  <TD>87</TD>
</TR>
<TR>
  <TD>18</TD>
  <TD>Alex Corey</TD>
  <TD>Robin Russell</TD>
  <TD>25xx</TD>
  <TD></TD>
  <TD></TD>
  <TD>21</TD>
  <TD>21</TD>
  <TD>23</TD>
  <TD>16</TD>
  <TD>21</TD>
  <TD>15</TD>
  <TD>16</TD>
  <TD>89</TD>
</TR>
<TR>
  <TD>19</TD>
  <TD>Nick Mason</TD>
  <TD>Simon Baker</TD>
  <TD>2567</TD>
  <TD>Murray</TD>
  <TD>Emsworth Slipper SC</TD>
  <TD>21</TD>
  <TD>14</TD>
  <TD>10</TD>
  <TD>23</TD>
  <TD>23</TD>
  <TD>23</TD>
  <TD>23</TD>
  <TD>91</TD>
</TR>
<TR>
  <TD>20</TD>
  <TD>Keith Lewry</TD>
  <TD>Graeme Lowe</TD>
  <TD>2415</TD>
  <TD></TD>
  <TD></TD>
  <TD>21</TD>
  <TD>21</TD>
  <TD>21</TD>
  <TD>17</TD>
  <TD>23</TD>
  <TD>18</TD>
  <TD>17</TD>
  <TD>94</TD>
</TR>

</TABLE> </html>

U.K. Cherub Nationals 1992

anonymous@undisclosed.example.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 09 Dec 2020 19:21:56 +0000

U.K. Cherub Nationals 1992

Rock, Cornwall

Rock Sailing Club is a mile or two inside the Camel Estuary in Cornwall. Although the Estuary seems wide at low tide, there are extremely large sand banks, and racing is effectively tide bound. To make matters worse the club was not interested in holding racing out to sea since the Camel has a fairly nasty bar (unlike the club, which has quite a nice, if extremely expensive, one). Racing was thus very limited by the available space, especially on the days where the wind didn't blow down the river.

Race 1.

Force 3ish, very variable, some quite solid gusts. The wind was across the river, and the height of cliffs etc. made some big differences to wind strength and direction round the course. A rather disconsolate Guy Lewington was standing on the shore waiting for his boat to arrive. Understanding dawned when he revealed that he had foolishly allowed Dave Roe to tow it down. Dave was in a traffic jam in the Okehampton Area. The course consisted of a short beat followed by a very long and variable spinnaker reach down the river, with a couple of fetches and a short beat back to the start. A port biased line and a lot of cramming saw some problems, with Andy Paterson capsizing in the confusion. First to show was Will Perrett, who led round the windward mark, followed by Graham Dickenson, Jim Champ and John Lobb. These managed to get a bit clear of the bunch during the long reach, and continued in that order round the fetches and beats until the next long reach, where Jim capsized, letting just about everyone through! Bob Clements joined the first four, all of whom took the lead at one time or another as mistakes and capsizes took their toll. John Lobb took the lead on the last lap, and held it to the end, with good speed and consistent sailing. Clare Butler had started late (traffic!) but came through rapidly to come 5th.

Race 2

The next day also saw the wind across the river, with a gusty 3-4. In fact the weather was continually gusty and shifty, so I'll not mention it further. A quiet first run saw Dave Roe slip away into a lead which he kept for the rest of the race. Behind him Graham took a secure 2nd place by virtue of a private puff of wind, with Clare, Guy and Bob battling out for 3rd. On the last leg, however, Steve Fisher in Slartibartfast came through after some brave kite flying on the tight reach, only to lose out yards from the line when Guy and Clare sailed over him in a gust to take 3rd and 4th.

Race 3

Followed in similar conditions and a similar course. A large gust enlivened proceedings at the windward mark, and Will Perrett, who was in the lead, wiped out spectacularly when he hit the bottom! The next day Will was seen with a shorter daggerboard. The gust was big enough for some to delay hoisting kites until it was past, and Graham led at the next march as Dave & John Lobb attempted to hang on to kites. Dave took the lead on a subsequent reach and, again, Bob, Guy John and Clare were competing for 3rd. Clare eventually took third, and was pushing Graham hard for 2nd, followed by John, Bob and Guy.

Monday dawned (even) quieter, with the wind blowing down the river. The race officer was persuaded to set windward/leeward courses. The morning race suffered badly from wind with tide, but the tide turned for the second race which livened things up appreciably.

Race 4

Andy Paterson and Clare went left, and gained appreciably, but rounded the mark the wrong way! John Lobb and Andy Horton were the real early leaders, followed by Guy, who got round the mark correctly at the second attempt! Dave and Graham came through on the run to join them having both started badly. Going left over the sandbank was definitely the way to go, and Dave and Graham pulled up to 2nd and 3rd on the water by this route. The final order over the line was Clare, Dave, Andy Paterson, Graham, but Clare and Andy had to retire. This single error cost Andy 3 places in the final results, and dropped Clare from a very close second to third overall.

Race 5

Started in chaos after the gun and flag went a minute early. Dave and Jim, who were nicely lined up for port end starts, were not impressed. Against all rules the Race Officer just kept the clock running for another 5 minutes rather than starting a new start sequence, and the resulting start was less than organised, most people having stopped their watches ready for a new 10 minute gun. The changed tide meant a different route up the beat, and amongst others Ian Praine was well in evidence. Andy Paterson and Graham tangled and capsized at the windward mark, and the first actually round were Dave, Clare and Jim. Dave and Clare got well away down the run, and finished in that order. At the next windward rounding Graham got through to third after Jim and John Lobb tangled. Jim then managed to capsize at the last mark, and John took fourth place, with Will Perrett fifth. The course was set across and at right angles to the stretch of water that the local Sailing School were using, which led to a great many near misses. Closest of all was the learner who tacked just as Jim was coming down the reach, flat out on the trapeze, and lined up to pass a few feet aft of her transom. The sight of a bowsprit heading straight for her skull before they managed to luff up and miss her is one that Danny and Jim will not forget for a long time.

The last day was even quieter on the wind front, with the sea breeze apparently fighting the land breeze. Off the club the contest was more or less a dead heat, but the racing was set just round the corner in the next bay, where the sea breeze was winning. In order to get there most ended up paddling through the shallows towing their boats. The big advantage was that the shorter course did not cross the learners' sailing area.

Race 6

Started in very light airs from a starboard biased line and a strong downwind tide. This allowed Graham to hang onto the inner distance mark and command pole position. Consequently just about the whole fleet formed a moderately orderly queue behind him with the exception of Dave Roe who ended up doing turns after hitting both Graham and the mark. As a result Graham was first round the windward mark, with Andy Paterson second and Will, Clare and John also well up there. By the second lap the lightweights were coming through, with Andy leading from Will and Clare, and Dave rapidly nearing the front group. Clare sailing into a commanding lead, and Graham managed to get back to second, with Dave, Andy and Will following. Overall Graham was now secure in second, ahead of Clare, and Dave only needed a 4th place to win.

Race 7.

With the race finish scheduled for past 6, and a long drive beckoning, most of those booked to work the next day dipped out of this race. Also out was poor Will, who got t-boned by a port tack Hobie cat which was being cruised about in a less than capable manner. The race followed a similar pattern to the last, although the changing tide provided a little more wind. There was a big bunch at the windward mark, but Clare found a private puff to make off downwind with a big lead. Dave soon followed to take second, and the Championship, while towards the end Guy managed to break free of the pack for third. A battle between Graham Andy and Bob ended up with Graham coming out narrowly ahead, with Andy 5th and Bob 6th.

This was the hardest fought Nationals for some years, with aggressive starting, numerous port & starboard incidents, and even the odd protest flag seen flying. Numerous people were left saying “What if”, notably Clare and Simon, whose lost win cost them second place. Both Jim Champ and Andy Paterson, veterans of 40 and 50 boat Nationals back in the late 70s, commented that they'd actually had better overall placing back then, with far less competitive boats, than they managed here. To be fair to Andy, his lowly position was more to do with having to count a retired than anything else. The writer has no such excuse… The general standard of sailing in the fleet certainly seems much higher than it was back then.

Jim Champ much assisted by Graham Dickenson

Overall Results

<html>

<TH>
  <TD>Sail No</TD>	
  <TD>Helm</TD>
  <TD>Crew</TD>
  <TD>Design</TD>
  <TD>C1ub</TD>
  <TD>Race 1</TD> 
  <TD>Race 2</TD> 
  <TD>Race 3</TD> 
  <TD>Race 4</TD> 
  <TD>Race 5</TD> 
  <TD>Race 6</TD> 
  <TD>Race 7</TD> 
  <TD>Total</TD> 
</TH>
<TR>
  <TD>2637</TD>	
  <TD>Norwegian Blue</TD>	
  <TD>Dave Roe</TD>
  <TD>Helen Marsh</TD>
  <TD>Italian Bistro</TD>
  <TD>LOSSC</TD>
  <TD>21</TD> 
  <TD>1</TD> 
  <TD>1</TD> 
  <TD>1</TD> 
  <TD>1</TD> 
  <TD>3</TD> 
  <TD>2</TD> 
  <TD>8</TD> 
</TR>
<TR>
  <TD>2647</TD>	
  <TD>Fubar</TD>	
  <TD>Graham Dickenson</TD>
  <TD>Owen Dickenson</TD>
  <TD>Italian Bistro</TD>
  <TD>Llangorse SC</TD>
  <TD>2</TD> 
  <TD>2</TD> 
  <TD>2</TD> 
  <TD>2</TD> 
  <TD>3</TD> 
  <TD>2</TD> 
  <TD>4</TD> 
  <TD>13</TD> 
</TR>
<TR>
  <TD>2645</TD>	
  <TD>Cheese Before Bedtime</TD>	
  <TD>Claire Butler</TD>
  <TD>Simon Roberts</TD>
  <TD>Dog One</TD>
  <TD>LOSSC</TD>
  <TD>5</TD> 
  <TD>4</TD> 
  <TD>3</TD> 
  <TD>21</TD> 
  <TD>2</TD> 
  <TD>1</TD> 
  <TD>1</TD> 
  <TD>15.5</TD> 
</TR>
<TR>
  <TD>2652</TD>	
  <TD>Dangerous When Wet</TD>	
  <TD>John Lobb</TD>
  <TD>Martin Harrison</TD> 
  <TD>Flying Trifle</TD>
  <TD>Royal Victoria YC</TD> 
  <TD>1</TD> 
  <TD>8</TD> 
  <TD>4</TD> 
  <TD>8</TD> 
  <TD>4</TD> 
  <TD>7</TD> 
  <TD>7</TD> 
  <TD>30.75</TD> 
</TR>
<TR>
  <TD>2705</TD>	
  <TD>Flat Stanley</TD>	
  <TD>Guy Lewington</TD> 
  <TD>Nick Mason</TD>
  <TD>Murray mod Snow</TD>
  <TD>Frensham Pond SC</TD>
  <TD>21</TD> 
  <TD>3</TD> 
  <TD>6</TD> 
  <TD>6</TD> 
  <TD>6</TD> 
  <TD>8</TD> 
  <TD>3</TD> 
  <TD>32</TD> 
</TR>
<TR>
  <TD>2646</TD>	
  <TD>Madge Allsop</TD>	
  <TD>Will Perrett</TD>
  <TD>Martyn Clark</TD>
  <TD>Italian Bistro</TD>
  <TD>LOSSC</TD>
  <TD>4</TD> 
  <TD>12</TD> 
  <TD>10</TD> 
  <TD>3</TD> 
  <TD>5</TD> 
  <TD>5</TD> 
  <TD>21</TD> 
  <TD>39</TD> 
</TR>
<TR>
  <TD>2644</TD>	
  <TD>Suicide Blonde</TD>	
  <TD>Andrew Horton</TD>
  <TD>Kate Horton</TD>
  <TD>Italian Bistro</TD>
  <TD>Northants SC</TD> 
  <TD>7</TD> 
  <TD>7</TD> 
  <TD>9</TD> 
  <TD>4</TD> 
  <TD>7</TD> 
  <TD>6</TD> 
  <TD>9</TD> 
  <TD>40</TD> 
</TR>
<TR>
  <TD>2642</TD>	
  <TD>No Sense No Feeling</TD>	
  <TD>Bob Clements</TD> 
  <TD>Alan Attlebury</TD> 
  <TD>Italian Bistro</TD>
  <TD>Nat West SC</TD> 
  <TD>3</TD> 
  <TD>9</TD> 
  <TD>5</TD> 
  <TD>5</TD> 
  <TD>12</TD> 
  <TD>13</TD> 
  <TD>6</TD> 
  <TD>40</TD> 
</TR>
<TR>
  <TD>2628</TD>	
  <TD>Slartibartfast</TD>	
  <TD>Steve Fisher</TD>
  <TD>Darren Fisher</TD>
  <TD>Robinson 4</TD>
  <TD> </TD>
  <TD>8</TD> 
  <TD>5</TD> 
  <TD>8</TD> 
  <TD>7</TD> 
  <TD>9</TD> 
  <TD>12</TD> 
  <TD>21</TD> 
  <TD>49</TD> 
</TR>
<TR>
  <TD>2650</TD>	
  <TD>Erik the Blob</TD>	
  <TD>Andy Paterson</TD>
  <TD>Pat Paterson</TD> 
  <TD>Paterson 6</TD>
  <TD>Gurnard SC</TD> 
  <TD>6</TD> 
  <TD>6</TD> 
  <TD>21</TD> 
  <TD>21</TD> 
  <TD>10</TD> 
  <TD>4</TD> 
  <TD>5</TD> 
  <TD>52</TD> 
</TR>
<TR>
  <TD>2610</TD>	
  <TD>Rock Lobster</TD>	
  <TD>Duncan Barr</TD>
  <TD> </TD>
  <TD>Murray</TD>
  <TD> </TD>
  <TD>10</TD> 
  <TD>10</TD> 
  <TD>11</TD> 
  <TD>9</TD> 
  <TD>13</TD> 
  <TD>10</TD> 
  <TD>8</TD> 
  <TD>58</TD> 
</TR>
<TR>
  <TD>2641</TD>	
  <TD>Halo Jones</TD>	
  <TD>Danny Johnson</TD>
  <TD>Jim Champ</TD>
  <TD>Italian Bistro</TD>
  <TD>Datchet SC</TD>
  <TD>11</TD> 
  <TD>11</TD> 
  <TD>7</TD> 
  <TD>10</TD> 
  <TD>8</TD> 
  <TD>11</TD> 
  <TD>21</TD> 
  <TD>58</TD> 
</TR>
<TR>
  <TD>2649</TD>	
  <TD>Dangerous Strawberry</TD>	
  <TD>Ian Praine</TD>
  <TD>Stuart Coles</TD>
  <TD>Italian Bistro</TD>
  <TD>Weston SC</TD>
  <TD>9</TD> 
  <TD>13</TD> 
  <TD>21</TD> 
  <TD>11</TD> 
  <TD>11</TD> 
  <TD>9</TD> 
  <TD>21</TD> 
  <TD>74</TD> 
</TR>
<TR>
  <TD>2617</TD>	
  <TD>Excalibur</TD>	
  <TD>Paul Anderson</TD>
  <TD> </TD>
  <TD>Forman 8</TD>
  <TD> </TD>
  <TD>14</TD> 
  <TD>14</TD> 
  <TD>13</TD> 
  <TD>12</TD> 
  <TD>14</TD> 
  <TD>16</TD> 
  <TD>11</TD> 
  <TD>78</TD> 
</TR>
<TR>
  <TD>2627</TD>	
  <TD>Thievin'Gypsies</TD>	
  <TD>Martin Goodlad</TD>
  <TD> </TD>
  <TD>Deeley 5</TD>
  <TD> </TD>
  <TD>13</TD> 
  <TD>15</TD> 
  <TD>12</TD> 
  <TD>13</TD> 
  <TD>15</TD> 
  <TD>15</TD> 
  <TD>21</TD> 
  <TD>83</TD> 
</TR>
<TR>
  <TD>2547</TD>	
  <TD>Vitalstatistix</TD>	
  <TD>Nick Spens</TD>
  <TD>Claire Spens</TD>
  <TD>Forman 8</TD>
  <TD>Weir Wood SC</TD> 
  <TD>12</TD> 
  <TD>21</TD> 
  <TD>21</TD> 
  <TD>16</TD> 
  <TD>21</TD> 
  <TD>14</TD> 
  <TD>10</TD> 
  <TD>94</TD> 
</TR>
<TR>
  <TD>2412</TD>	
  <TD>Ticket to Ride</TD>	
  <TD>Charles Osmond</TD>
  <TD> </TD>
  <TD>Ellway 1</TD>
  <TD> </TD>
  <TD>16</TD> 
  <TD>21</TD> 
  <TD>18</TD> 
  <TD>14</TD> 
  <TD>16</TD> 
  <TD>19</TD> 
  <TD>14</TD> 
  <TD>97</TD> 
</TR>
<TR>
  <TD>2534</TD>	
  <TD>Bad to the Bone</TD>	
  <TD>Neal Cardno</TD>
  <TD> </TD>
  <TD>Deeley 2</TD>
  <TD> </TD>
  <TD>21</TD> 
  <TD>17</TD> 
  <TD>14</TD> 
  <TD>17</TD> 
  <TD>18</TD> 
  <TD>17</TD> 
  <TD>15</TD> 
  <TD>98</TD> 
</TR>
<TR>
  <TD>2425</TD>	
  <TD>Tiny Dancer</TD>
  <TD>Dave Culver</TD>
  <TD>Botting</TD>
  <TD> </TD>
  <TD> </TD>
  <TD>15</TD> 
  <TD>16</TD> 
  <TD>17</TD> 
  <TD>18</TD> 
  <TD>21</TD> 
  <TD>20</TD> 
  <TD>12</TD> 
  <TD>98</TD> 
</TR>
<TR>
  <TD>2512</TD>	
  <TD>The Aircraft Carrier</TD>	
  <TD>Adrian Scott</TD> 
  <TD>Sandy Collough</TD>
  <TD>Ellway 2</TD>
  <TD> </TD>
  <TD>21</TD> 
  <TD>21</TD> 
  <TD>16</TD> 
  <TD>21</TD> 
  <TD>17</TD> 
  <TD>18</TD> 
  <TD>13</TD> 
  <TD>106</TD> 
</TR>
<TR>
  <TD>2605</TD>	
  <TD>Montague Egg</TD>	
  <TD>Danny Kemble</TD>
  <TD> </TD>
  <TD> </TD>
  <TD> </TD>
  <TD>21</TD> 
  <TD>21</TD> 
  <TD>15</TD> 
  <TD>15</TD> 
  <TD>21</TD> 
  <TD>21</TD> 
  <TD>21</TD> 
  <TD>114</TD> 
</TR>

</TABLE> </html>

U.K. Cherub 1993 National Championships

anonymous@undisclosed.example.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 09 Dec 2020 19:21:56 +0000

U.K. Cherub 1993 National Championships

Babbacombe Corinthian SC, Devon

The 1993 Nationals were held under the relaxed and friendly burgee of Babbacombe Corinthian SC, and enjoyed a variety of courses and conditions.

Thursday

Variable gusts off the cliffs saw much place changing in race 1, but Dave Roe and Helen Marsh soon established a safe lead, finding a private puff while much of the fleet struggled. A solid Force 4 arrived during the second round of the windward-leeward course with boats flying through the downhill gate at speed. The stronger breeze benefited the heavier crews of Guy Lewington & Stuart Coles, and John Lobb & Martin Harrison, who secured the next two places ahead of Andy Kinchin, and Andy Horton.

Friday

Two races were held on the second day on windward-leeward courses in quieter conditions that favoured the lightweights. In the first Dave was soon in the lead but with Guy and Simon Roberts also in contention. The downwind legs proved ugly for the heavies with the whole fleet queued up to pass Guy! Graham Dickenson took third in spite of a swim at the last kite drop. Astern a tight 3 way battle was resolved on the line as Duncan Barr in his new home built and designed boat crossed ahead of Nick Spens and Andy Kinchin with only seconds to spare. The Afternoon race saw Dave take a commanding lead early on with Simon again securing a safe second. Behind these two the battle for third was between Guy Andy K and Graham. The latter found some good angles on the last run to start the beat in third place, but could not hold off Andy, who beat him to the line. Guy went off to one side to look for a way round, but was disappointed and stayed in 5th.

Saturday

John and Guy were delighted to see fresher conditions on the following day. Andy Horton & Simon Roberts pulled off port tack flyers at the start, but Dave Roe was soon back in the lead. Some crews found quite big holes to sit in during the first lap. Simon and Andy benefited from their starts to hold on to third and fifth and there was enough wind for John Lobb and Guy to finish second and fourth. The breeze freshened to a tough force 5 in the afternoon with big enough waves to put in some useful airtime. The start was a disaster for Dave, who was fouled on the line by a windward boat and blown across the port end mark. Helen spent some time in the rescue boat nursing a large bruise, and they were eventually adjudged non-starters. Guy and John L hit the front, with Guy leading until he shed a rudder pintle and Simon Roberts sailed well to take second. Graham Dickenson was third ahead of Robin Russell and Andy Coombs, with the rest of the fleet retiring in the conditions. Most popular reasons were rudder damage, but Matt pulled the spinnaker block and a large chunk of deck off the Aircraft Carrier, and Duncan Barr's foam cored daggerboard snapped.

Sunday

There were lighter conditions on the final day, and Olympic-style courses for the first time. A hard squall at the start made the first beat one sided - so much so that starboard end starters fetched the mark! Dave, Andy Horton and Simon were the first of these, Guy and John failed to take advantage of the breeze by falling over shortly after the off. Nick Spens and Robin Russell were at the head of the second bunch, on the first reach, but Graham found a private puff on the broader second reach to come through to 4th.Dave finished first, though considerably caught up by Andy. Graham just took 3rd after a lot of place swapping with Simon. Nick Spens was 5th and Guy 6th. A stronger breeze for the final race caused much place changing on the first reach as crews chanced spinnakers in the gusts under the cliffs. After a tight battle between Guy, Dave, Simon and John, Guy came good on the last beat to win from Dave - effectively the only person to beat him fair and square on the water all week. John L and Simon R were 3rd and 4th, with Graham a distant fifth.

Top Placed Crews

Although Dave Roe continued to dominate in the original Bistro, the Dog and Platypus designs of Simon Roberts, and John Lobb's Trifle all showed well in the absence of some of the established Bistro teams. Dave Roe is currently building his new Pasta Frenzy, which is derived from the Bistro and incorporates the hollowed chines pioneered in the Dog design. Duncan Barr attended the nationals with a new home designed and built boat, which showed some promise for when teething troubles are over. His championship was cut short when the daggerboard failed in the heavy weather race.

Graham Dickenson (assembled from Yachts and Yachting and Class Magazine versions)

Results

<TR>
  <TD>1</TD>
  <TD>2637</TD>
  <TD>Norwegian Blue</TD>
  <TD>Dave Roe</TD>
  <TD>Helen Marsh</TD>
  <TD>Lee on Solent SC</TD>
  <TD>Bistro</TD>
</TR>
<TR>
  <TD>2</TD>
  <TD>2645</TD>
  <TD>Cheese before bedtime</TD>
  <TD>Simon Roberts</TD>
  <TD>Jo Barker</TD>
  <TD>Oxford SC</TD>
  <TD>Dog</TD>
</TR>
<TR>
  <TD>3</TD>
  <TD>2652</TD>
  <TD>Flying Trifle</TD>
  <TD>John Lobb</TD>
  <TD>Martin Harrison</TD>
  <TD>Royal Victoria YC</TD>
  <TD>Trifle</TD>
</TR>
<TR>
  <TD>4</TD>
  <TD>2647</TD>
  <TD>Fubar</TD>
  <TD>Graham Dickenson</TD>
  <TD>Sarah Tyndal</TD>
  <TD>Llangorse SC</TD>
  <TD>Bistro</TD>
</TR>
<TR>
  <TD>5</TD>
  <TD>2626</TD>
  <TD>Madge Alsop</TD>
  <TD>Guy Lewington</TD>
  <TD>Stuart Coles</TD>
  <TD>Frensham Pond SC</TD>
  <TD>Bistro</TD>
</TR>
<TR>
  <TD>6</TD>
  <TD>2656</TD>
  <TD>Domino</TD>
  <TD>Andy Horton</TD>
  <TD>Kate Horton</TD>
  <TD>Northampton SC</TD>
  <TD>Platypus</TD>
</TR>
<TR>
  <TD>7</TD>
  <TD>2642</TD>
  <TD>Little Fluffy Clouds</TD>
  <TD>Nick Spens</TD>
  <TD>Claire Spens</TD>
  <TD>Weir wood SC</TD>
  <TD>Bistro</TD>
</TR>
<TR>
  <TD>8</TD>
  <TD>2658</TD>
  <TD>Cellulite</TD>
  <TD>Duncan Barr</TD>
  <TD>Danny Johnson</TD>
  <TD></TD>
  <TD>Barr</TD>
</TR>
<TR>
  <TD>9</TD>
  <TD>2512</TD>
  <TD>Aircraft Carrier</TD>
  <TD>Mike Chalmers</TD>
  <TD>Matt Stobbart</TD>
  <TD>Ripon SC</TD>
  <TD>Ellway 3</TD>
</TR>
<TR>
  <TD>10</TD>
  <TD>2607</TD>
  <TD>Ventricular Stimulation</TD>
  <TD>Alistair Coombes</TD>
  <TD>Simon Clifton</TD>
  <TD></TD>
  <TD>Forman 8</TD>
</TR>
<TR>
  <TD>11</TD>
  <TD>2643</TD>
  <TD>Taking Liberties</TD>
  <TD>Robin Russell</TD>
  <TD>Joe Prebble</TD>
  <TD>Lee on Solent</TD>
  <TD>Bistro</TD>
</TR>
<TR>
  <TD>12</TD>
  <TD>2651</TD>
  <TD>Strangely Brown</TD>
  <TD>Andy Kinchin</TD>
  <TD>Mark Bridgwater</TD>
  <TD></TD>
  <TD>Dog</TD>
</TR>
<TR>
  <TD>13</TD>
  <TD>2425</TD>
  <TD>Billy Two Ears</TD>
  <TD>Dave Culver</TD>
  <TD>Donald Burns</TD>
  <TD>Stewartby SC</TD>
  <TD>Botting</TD>
</TR>
<TR>
  <TD>14</TD>
  <TD>2705</TD>
  <TD>Flat Stanley</TD>
  <TD>Adrian Scott</TD>
  <TD>Sandy Colclough</TD>
  <TD>BMW Trackstar</TD>
  <TD>Murray mod Snow</TD>
</TR>

</TABLE> </html>

U.K. Cherub 1994 National Championships

anonymous@undisclosed.example.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 09 Dec 2020 19:21:56 +0000

U.K. Cherub 1994 National Championships

Weymouth Town SC (Hosted by Yacht Clubs of Weymouth)

The Cherub Nationals were hosted by the Yacht Clubs of Weymouth between August 21 & 23, based at Weymouth Town SC, a popular venue rewarded by the best turnout for a number of years, and an Australian presence to sample the current UK Boats

Friday

Three short races were held back to back on the first day, in predominantly light conditions. The first race was notable in that Dave Roe saw both his previous boats ahead of him on the first beat. At the finish first place was taken by the elderly light airs flyer Rebel (Howlett) sailed by the Edwards', second was Dave Roe in the Pasta Frenzy, 3rd Mike Chalmers in Norwegian Blue,Dave's old boat, the original Bistro, and 4th were the Walker's in Dave's original boat, Old Peculier (Ellway 3). 5th were the Spens' in another Bistro. With more wind for the second race Dave took an early lead which he held to the end. Second place was closely contested between Simon Roberts (Dog) narrowly ahead of the Spens' and then Graham Dickenson, with Ian Praine taking 5th in another Bistro. A reasonable breeze filled in for the third race and Dave departed for a second win. Graham (2nd) and Simon R (3rd) also had reasonable margins, and the Spens' and Mike and Matt headed the pack for 4th and 5th.

Saturday

Friday's first race started in a Force 3, and Dave adopted his usual tactic of leading the race from start to finish. Mike and Matt, Graham and Sarah, and Clare and Nick enjoyed a close tussle for second, with Mike holding off Graham after a scrabble round the last mark amongst the 405 fleet that was sharing the course. The second race degenerated into a shortened drift, with Simon and Will Perret going hard right on the beat. Dave & then Mike fended off the challenges, and Simon Roberts took 3rd.

Sunday

The final day produced a patchy Force 3-4, with the best breeze of the day coming on an exciting run out to the start, with several boats pitchpoling and a broken mast. The left said of the beat paid initially, allowing Dave R, Mike, Graham and Andrew Kinchin to make the running. Dave and Mike took first and second, whilst the battle astern was resolved in favour of Andrew K. Similar conditions prevailed for the last race, where Guy Lewington made a successful port tack start in the venerable Flat Stanley, allowing him to round close behind Dave and ahead of Simon and Graham. Dave Guy and Graham then found a hole on the run, while most of the rest of the fleet sailed out to sea on a gust. Dave fought back for a final win ahead of Mike, with Simon narrowly holding off Andrew K for 3rd, and Graham following in 5th place.

Graham Dickenson Originally Printed in Yachts and Yachting

Results

<TR>
  <TD>Place</TD>
  <TD>Blunt End</TD>
  <TD>Sharp End</TD>
  <TD></TD>
  <TD></TD>
  <TD></TD>
  <TD></TD>
  <TD></TD>
  <TD></TD>
  <TD></TD>
  <TD>Sail No</TD>
  <TD>Design</TD>
</TR>
<TR>
  <TD>1</TD>
  <TD>Dave Roe</TD>
  <TD>Helen Marsh</TD>
  <TD>2</TD>
  <TD>1</TD>
  <TD>1</TD>
  <TD>1</TD>
  <TD>1</TD>
  <TD>1</TD>
  <TD>1</TD>
  <TD>2660</TD>
  <TD>Pasta Frenzy</TD>
</TR>
<TR>
  <TD>2</TD>
  <TD>Mike Chalmers</TD>
  <TD>Matt Stobbart</TD>
  <TD>3</TD>
  <TD>6</TD>
  <TD>5</TD>
  <TD>2</TD>
  <TD>2</TD>
  <TD>2</TD>
  <TD>2</TD>
  <TD>2637</TD>
  <TD>Bistro</TD>
</TR>
<TR>
  <TD>3</TD>
  <TD>Simon Roberts</TD>
  <TD>Joe Barker</TD>
  <TD>18</TD>
  <TD>2</TD>
  <TD>3</TD>
  <TD>9</TD>
  <TD>3</TD>
  <TD>5</TD>
  <TD>3</TD>
  <TD>2645</TD>
  <TD>Dog</TD>
</TR>
<TR>
  <TD>4</TD>
  <TD>Graham Dickenson</TD>
  <TD>Sarah Tindall</TD>
  <TD>6</TD>
  <TD>4</TD>
  <TD>2</TD>
  <TD>3</TD>
  <TD>7</TD>
  <TD>6</TD>
  <TD>5</TD>
  <TD>2647</TD>
  <TD>Bistro</TD>
</TR>
<TR>
  <TD>5</TD>
  <TD>Nick Spens</TD>
  <TD>Claire Spens</TD>
  <TD>5</TD>
  <TD>3</TD>
  <TD>4</TD>
  <TD>4</TD>
  <TD>9</TD>
  <TD>9</TD>
  <TD>9</TD>
  <TD>2642</TD>
  <TD>Bistro</TD>
</TR>
<TR>
  <TD>6</TD>
  <TD>Andy Kinchin</TD>
  <TD>Mike Bridgewater</TD>
  <TD>10</TD>
  <TD>7</TD>
  <TD>6</TD>
  <TD>7</TD>
  <TD>14</TD>
  <TD>3</TD>
  <TD>2</TD>
  <TD>2651</TD>
  <TD>Dog</TD>
</TR>
<TR>
  <TD>7</TD>
  <TD>Ian Praine</TD>
  <TD>Helen Robinson</TD>
  <TD>8</TD>
  <TD>5</TD>
  <TD>9</TD>
  <TD>6</TD>
  <TD>4</TD>
  <TD>10</TD>
  <TD>12</TD>
  <TD>2649</TD>
  <TD>Bistro</TD>
</TR>
<TR>
  <TD>8</TD>
  <TD>Andy Horton</TD>
  <TD>Kate Horton</TD>
  <TD>13</TD>
  <TD>10</TD>
  <TD>8</TD>
  <TD>8</TD>
  <TD>6</TD>
  <TD>4</TD>
  <TD>7</TD>
  <TD>2656</TD>
  <TD>Platypus</TD>
</TR>
<TR>
  <TD>9</TD>
  <TD>Guy Lewington</TD>
  <TD>Nick Mason</TD>
  <TD>dns</TD>
  <TD>12</TD>
  <TD>12</TD>
  <TD>10</TD>
  <TD>8</TD>
  <TD>7</TD>
  <TD>6</TD>
  <TD>2705</TD>
  <TD>Murray mod Snow</TD>
</TR>
<TR>
  <TD>10</TD>
  <TD>Duncan Barr</TD>
  <TD>Jackie Gregg</TD>
  <TD>16</TD>
  <TD>9</TD>
  <TD>7</TD>
  <TD>5</TD>
  <TD>10</TD>
  <TD>RTD</TD>
  <TD>8</TD>
  <TD>2658</TD>
  <TD>Barr</TD>
</TR>
<TR>
  <TD>11</TD>
  <TD>Paul Priestly</TD>
  <TD>Ian Morgan</TD>
  <TD>11</TD>
  <TD>8</TD>
  <TD>16</TD>
  <TD>17</TD>
  <TD>13</TD>
  <TD>8</TD>
  <TD>10</TD>
  <TD>2512</TD>
  <TD>Ellway 2</TD>
</TR>
<TR>
  <TD>12</TD>
  <TD>Martin Walker</TD>
  <TD>Heidi Walker</TD>
  <TD>4</TD>
  <TD>14</TD>
  <TD>17</TD>
  <TD>11</TD>
  <TD>11</TD>
  <TD>14</TD>
  <TD>13</TD>
  <TD>2612</TD>
  <TD>Ellway 3</TD>
</TR>
<TR>
  <TD>13</TD>
  <TD>Paul Cox</TD>
  <TD>Liz Humphrey</TD>
  <TD>9</TD>
  <TD>16</TD>
  <TD>10</TD>
  <TD>12</TD>
  <TD>17</TD>
  <TD>11</TD>
  <TD>14</TD>
  <TD>2654</TD>
  <TD>Flyiong Trifle</TD>
</TR>
<TR>
  <TD>14</TD>
  <TD>Will Perrett</TD>
  <TD>Craig Simons (AUS)</TD>
  <TD>12</TD>
  <TD>13</TD>
  <TD>11</TD>
  <TD>13</TD>
  <TD>PMS</TD>
  <TD>12</TD>
  <TD>11</TD>
  <TD>2646</TD>
  <TD>Bistro</TD>
</TR>
<TR>
  <TD>15</TD>
  <TD>Steve Edwards</TD>
  <TD>Tom Edwards</TD>
  <TD>1</TD>
  <TD>19</TD>
  <TD>14</TD>
  <TD>14</TD>
  <TD>5</TD>
  <TD>dns</TD>
  <TD>Dns</TD>
  <TD>2624</TD>
  <TD>Howlet</TD>
</TR>
<TR>
  <TD>16</TD>
  <TD>Brian Cruickshank</TD>
  <TD>Peter Cruickshank</TD>
  <TD>14</TD>
  <TD>dnf</TD>
  <TD>13</TD>
  <TD>15</TD>
  <TD>12</TD>
  <TD>13</TD>
  <TD>16</TD>
  <TD>2634</TD>
  <TD>Fartpants</TD>
</TR>
<TR>
  <TD>17</TD>
  <TD>Tim Dean</TD>
  <TD>Una-Mary Colclough</TD>
  <TD>15</TD>
  <TD>15</TD>
  <TD>15</TD>
  <TD>19</TD>
  <TD>15</TD>
  <TD>rtd</TD>
  <TD>Dns</TD>
  <TD>2662</TD>
  <TD>Pasta Frenzy</TD>
</TR>
<TR>
  <TD>18</TD>
  <TD>Martin Tisdall</TD>
  <TD>Sam Tisdall</TD>
  <TD>17</TD>
  <TD>17</TD>
  <TD>19</TD>
  <TD>18</TD>
  <TD>18</TD>
  <TD>15</TD>
  <TD>15</TD>
  <TD>2644</TD>
  <TD>Bistro</TD>
</TR>
<TR>
  <TD>19</TD>
  <TD>Rob Bentley</TD>
  <TD>Hazel Jackson</TD>
  <TD>7</TD>
  <TD>11</TD>
  <TD>rtd</TD>
  <TD>dns</TD>
  <TD>dns</TD>
  <TD>dns</TD>
  <TD>Dns</TD>
  <TD>2657</TD>
  <TD>Dog</TD>
</TR>
<TR>
  <TD>20</TD>
  <TD>Robin Russell</TD>
  <TD>Alex Corey</TD>
  <TD>19</TD>
  <TD>18</TD>
  <TD>18</TD>
  <TD>16</TD>
  <TD>16</TD>
  <TD>rtd</TD>
  <TD>Dns</TD>
  <TD>2643</TD>
  <TD>Bistro</TD>
</TR>
<TR>
  <TD>21</TD>
  <TD>Neil Cardno</TD>
  <TD>Ken Scott-Brown</TD>
  <TD>20</TD>
  <TD>rtd</TD>
  <TD>rtd</TD>
  <TD>200</TD>
  <TD>19</TD>
  <TD>rtd</TD>
  <TD>17</TD>
  <TD>2534</TD>
  <TD>Deeley 2</TD>
</TR>

</TABLE><BR>

</html>

Gear Chart

<TR>
  <TD>Place</TD>
  <TD>Blunt End</TD>
  <TD>Sharp End</TD>
  <TD>Crew Weight</TD>
  <TD>Sail No</TD>
  <TD>Design</TD>
  <TD>Builder</TD>
  <TD>Mast</TD>
  <TD>Foils</TD>
  <TD>Sails</TD>
</TR>
<TR>
  <TD>1</TD>
  <TD>Dave Roe</TD>
  <TD>Helen Marsh</TD>
  <TD>19.5 stone</TD>
  <TD>2660</TD>
  <TD>Pasta Frenzy</TD>
  <TD>Owner</TD>
  <TD>Owner (Carbon)</TD>
  <TD>Owner</TD>
  <TD>Batt</TD>
</TR>
<TR>
  <TD>2</TD>
  <TD>Mike Chalmers</TD>
  <TD>Matt Stobbart</TD>
  <TD>20.5 stone</TD>
  <TD>2637</TD>
  <TD>Bistro</TD>
  <TD>Dave Roe</TD>
  <TD>Proctor Kappa (alloy)</TD>
  <TD>Dave Roe</TD>
  <TD>Trident/Batt</TD>
</TR>
<TR>
  <TD>3</TD>
  <TD>Simon Roberts</TD>
  <TD>Joe Barker</TD>
  <TD>20 stone</TD>
  <TD>2645</TD>
  <TD>Dog</TD>
  <TD>Owner</TD>
  <TD>Owner/Roe (Carbon)</TD>
  <TD>Owner</TD>
  <TD>Batt</TD>
</TR>
<TR>
  <TD>4</TD>
  <TD>Graham Dickenson</TD>
  <TD>Sarah Tindall</TD>
  <TD>19 stone</TD>
  <TD>2647</TD>
  <TD>Bistro</TD>
  <TD>Biffa Boats</TD>
  <TD>Owener/Roe (Carbon)</TD>
  <TD>Owner</TD>
  <TD>Batt</TD>
</TR>
<TR>
  <TD>5</TD>
  <TD>Nick Spens</TD>
  <TD>Claire Spens</TD>
  <TD>18 stone</TD>
  <TD>2642</TD>
  <TD>Bistro</TD>
  <TD>Wiz Deas</TD>
  <TD>Angel Boats (Carbon)</TD>
  <TD>Bloodaxe</TD>
  <TD>Batt</TD>
</TR>
<TR>
  <TD>6</TD>
  <TD>Andy Kinchin</TD>
  <TD>Mike Bridgewater</TD>
  <TD>21 stone</TD>
  <TD>2651</TD>
  <TD>Dog</TD>
  <TD>Owner</TD>
  <TD>Superspar M7</TD>
  <TD>Owner</TD>
  <TD>Hayes(?)/Batt</TD>
</TR>

</TABLE><BR>

</html>

U.K. Cherub 1995 National Championships

anonymous@undisclosed.example.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 09 Dec 2020 19:21:56 +0000

U.K. Cherub 1995 National Championships

Mayflower S.C.,Plymouth, U.K.

Despite an atrocious weather forecast, Mayflower S.C. successfully hosted this year's Nationals and a full set of 14 races was sailed. The new format of short back to back races on windward leeward courses was used, with triangles being substituted in light weather.

Thursday

The first day was probably the least enjoyable with a fickle fluky force three or so breeze and masses of weed in the harbour which tended to dominate the direction sailed and constantly fouling foils.

Friday

The second day was sailed inside the breakwater as well due to the fresh conditions and large seas. After a long wait for a frigate to weigh anchor the race officer eventually gave up and set a tight course in the space between two moored ships. The tight course and fresh breeze caused chaos on the first run with most of the fleet in the water at some stage, and added spice was occasioned by a steady flow of shipping on or around the course. The greatest excitement was caused by H.M.S Brilliant when the three leaders dashed across in front of her with kites up, only to be becalmed in windshadow as the rest of the fleet did its best not to sail into the ship's side as they piled down the run. After four frenetic races the fleet limped back to the dinghy park for well earned rest and recuperation.

Saturday

Four more races were sailed outside the breakwater on the third day in just enough wind to make life interesting in the lumpy seas with the added bonus of a pleasant spinnaker blast back to the Club afterwards.

Sunday

The final day, Sunday was much lighter, rarely exceeding force two, but the use of a triangle course kept everyone powered up in the best gusts. The different conditions shuffled the fleet a little, and allowed the older boats a look in at times. After the rigours of the previous days, the three races seemed to end very quickly allowing an early pack up and prompt getaway afterwards.

Top Placed Crews

Helen Marsh, fresh from demonstrating the art of crewing in the winning boat at the Laser 2 Nationals, continued this season's programme of driving Dave Roe's boat, with Dave promoted to crew. The practice of the crew owning and “skippering” is by no means unusual in the class, and has confused many a club entries secretary! Although they had a boatspeed advantage there were enough wobbly tacks and gybes to curb the expected whitewash and keep the series wide open to the final race. Straight fourths on the first day and a fifth in the first race of day two did not auger well but they then settled down with two wins and a second followed by a third and three wins on Saturday. A third and a fifth in the first two races on the last day left everything hanging on the last race. A second place, ahead of their two leading competitors, secured the championship. Andy (Axeman Moths) Paterson, sailing with Adam May made a welcome return to the class, and put together a very consistent series, starting with two seconds and a sixth, and three thirds and a fifth on day two. Their challenge improved further with three seconds and a third on the lighter third day also leaving them capable of winning overall. Two firsts on the final day put them right in line for the Championship, but a fifth in the final race put them down to third place by a quarter of a point. Mike Chalmers and Matt Stobbart were generally consistent and went in to an early points lead by the end of day two after two wins and two seconds in the fresh conditions. The third day started well with a first and second, but they dropped them back thereafter. On the last day their challenge faded as they fell one place behind Helen & Dave in each race but a third in the final race secured them second place overall from Andy and Adam by a quarter of a point.

Results

<TR>
  <TD>Blunt End</TD> 
  <TD>Sharp End</TD> 
  <TD>No.</TD>
  <TD>Design</TD> 
  <TD><B>1</B></TD> 
  <TD><B>2</B></TD> 
  <TD><B>3</B></TD> 
  <TD><B>4</B></TD> 
  <TD><B>5</B></TD> 
  <TD><B>6</B></TD> 
  <TD><B>7</B></TD> 
  <TD><B>8</B></TD> 
  <TD><B>9</B></TD> 
  <TD><B>10</B></TD> 
  <TD><B>11</B></TD> 
  <TD><B>12</B></TD> 
  <TD><B>13</B></TD> 
  <TD><B>14</B></TD> 
  <TD><B>Total</B></TD> 
</TR>
<TR>
  <TD>Helen Marsh</TD> 
  <TD>Dave Roe</TD> 
  <TD>2660</TD> 
  <TD>Pasta Frenzy</TD> 
  <TD>4</TD> 
  <TD>4</TD> 
  <TD>4</TD> 
  <TD>5</TD> 
  <TD>0.75</TD> 
  <TD>2</TD> 
  <TD>0.75</TD> 
  <TD>3</TD> 
  <TD>0.75</TD> 
  <TD>0.75</TD> 
  <TD>0.75</TD> 
  <TD>3</TD> 
  <TD>5</TD> 
  <TD>2.00</TD> 
  <TD>21.75</TD> 
</TR>
<TR>
  <TD>Mike Chalmers</TD> 
  <TD>Matt Stobbart</TD> 
  <TD>2637</TD> 
  <TD>Bistro</TD> 
  <TD>3</TD> 
  <TD>3</TD> 
  <TD>2</TD> 
  <TD>0.75</TD> 
  <TD>2</TD> 
  <TD>0.75</TD> 
  <TD>2</TD> 
  <TD>0.75</TD> 
  <TD>2</TD> 
  <TD>5</TD> 
  <TD>4</TD> 
  <TD>4</TD> 
  <TD>6</TD> 
  <TD>3.00</TD> 
  <TD>23.25</TD> 
</TR>
<TR>
  <TD>Andrew Patterson</TD> 
  <TD>Adam May</TD> 
  <TD>2650</TD> 
  <TD>Paterson 6</TD> 
  <TD>2</TD> 
  <TD>2</TD> 
  <TD>6</TD> 
  <TD>3</TD> 
  <TD>3</TD> 
  <TD>3</TD> 
  <TD>5</TD> 
  <TD>2</TD> 
  <TD>3</TD> 
  <TD>2</TD> 
  <TD>2</TD> 
  <TD>0.75</TD> 
  <TD>1</TD> 
  <TD>5.00</TD> 
  <TD>23.50</TD> 
</TR>
<TR>
  <TD>Graham Dickenson</TD> 
  <TD>Sarah Tindall</TD> 
  <TD>2647</TD> 
  <TD>Bistro</TD> 
  <TD>5</TD> 
  <TD>6</TD> 
  <TD>4</TD> 
  <TD>3</TD> 
  <TD>4</TD> 
  <TD>4</TD> 
  <TD>4</TD> 
  <TD>4</TD> 
  <TD>8</TD> 
  <TD>4</TD> 
  <TD>6</TD> 
  <TD>5</TD> 
  <TD>4</TD> 
  <TD>0.75</TD> 
  <TD>39.75</TD> 
</TR>
<TR>
  <TD>Martin Walker</TD> 
  <TD>Dan Walker</TD> 
  <TD>2612</TD> 
  <TD>Ellway 3</TD> 
  <TD>7</TD> 
  <TD>5</TD> 
  <TD>5</TD> 
  <TD>6</TD> 
  <TD>9</TD> 
  <TD>6</TD> 
  <TD>7</TD> 
  <TD>8</TD> 
  <TD>5</TD> 
  <TD>7</TD> 
  <TD>5</TD> 
  <TD>2</TD> 
  <TD>2</TD> 
  <TD>6</TD> 
  <TD>56</TD> 
</TR>
<TR>
  <TD>Andy Kinchin</TD> 
  <TD>Mike Bridgewater</TD> 
  <TD>2651</TD> 
  <TD>Dog</TD> 
  <TD>0.75</TD> 
  <TD>0.75</TD> 
  <TD>0.75</TD> 
  <TD>4</TD> 
  <TD>19</TD> 
  <TD>11</TD> 
  <TD>3</TD> 
  <TD>22</TD> 
  <TD>4</TD> 
  <TD>3</TD> 
  <TD>3</TD> 
  <TD>20</TD> 
  <TD>25</TD> 
  <TD>25</TD> 
  <TD>69.25</TD> 
</TR>
<TR>
  <TD>Yvonne Philby</TD> 
  <TD>Brian Mumford</TD> 
  <TD>2657</TD> 
  <TD>Dog</TD> 
  <TD>8</TD> 
  <TD>9</TD> 
  <TD>8</TD> 
  <TD>8</TD> 
  <TD>7</TD> 
  <TD>8</TD> 
  <TD>10</TD> 
  <TD>7</TD> 
  <TD>10</TD> 
  <TD>9</TD> 
  <TD>10</TD> 
  <TD>8</TD> 
  <TD>14</TD> 
  <TD>9</TD> 
  <TD>91</TD> 
</TR>
<TR>
  <TD>Robin Russel</TD> 
  <TD>Claire Spens</TD> 
  <TD>2642</TD> 
  <TD>Bistro</TD> 
  <TD>19</TD> 
  <TD>24</TD> 
  <TD>24</TD> 
  <TD>9</TD> 
  <TD>6</TD> 
  <TD>5</TD> 
  <TD>19</TD> 
  <TD>5</TD> 
  <TD>6</TD> 
  <TD>8</TD> 
  <TD>8</TD> 
  <TD>25</TD> 
  <TD>10</TD> 
  <TD>8</TD> 
  <TD>103</TD> 
</TR>
<TR>
  <TD>Tim Dean</TD> 
  <TD>Una-Mary Colclough</TD> 
  <TD>2662</TD> 
  <TD>Pasta Frenzy</TD> 
  <TD>24</TD> 
  <TD>24</TD> 
  <TD>7</TD> 
  <TD>24</TD> 
  <TD>24</TD> 
  <TD>12</TD> 
  <TD>6</TD> 
  <TD>6</TD> 
  <TD>7</TD> 
  <TD>10</TD> 
  <TD>9</TD> 
  <TD>10</TD> 
  <TD>8</TD> 
  <TD>10</TD> 
  <TD>109</TD> 
</TR>
<TR>
  <TD>Richard Edwards</TD> 
  <TD>Heidi Walker</TD> 
  <TD>2654</TD> 
  <TD>Trifle</TD> 
  <TD>6</TD> 
  <TD>24</TD> 
  <TD>24</TD> 
  <TD>7</TD> 
  <TD>5</TD> 
  <TD>7</TD> 
  <TD>8</TD> 
  <TD>20</TD> 
  <TD>20</TD> 
  <TD>25</TD> 
  <TD>24</TD> 
  <TD>7</TD> 
  <TD>3</TD> 
  <TD>4</TD> 
  <TD>111</TD> 
</TR>
<TR>
  <TD>Simon Roberts</TD> 
  <TD>Jackie Gregg</TD> 
  <TD>2645</TD> 
  <TD>Dog</TD> 
  <TD>24</TD> 
  <TD>24</TD> 
  <TD>24</TD> 
  <TD>19</TD> 
  <TD>24</TD> 
  <TD>9</TD> 
  <TD>9</TD> 
  <TD>9</TD> 
  <TD>11</TD> 
  <TD>6</TD> 
  <TD>7</TD> 
  <TD>9</TD> 
  <TD>12</TD> 
  <TD>12</TD> 
  <TD>127</TD> 
</TR>
<TR>
  <TD>Neil Cardno</TD> 
  <TD>Ken Scott-Brown</TD> 
  <TD>2652</TD> 
  <TD>Trifle</TD> 
  <TD>11</TD> 
  <TD>7</TD> 
  <TD>10</TD> 
  <TD>13</TD> 
  <TD>19</TD> 
  <TD>13</TD> 
  <TD>12</TD> 
  <TD>11</TD> 
  <TD>12</TD> 
  <TD>11</TD> 
  <TD>12</TD> 
  <TD>25</TD> 
  <TD>25</TD> 
  <TD>25</TD> 
  <TD>131</TD> 
</TR>
<TR>
  <TD>Will Lee</TD> 
  <TD>Phil Alderson</TD> 
  <TD>2522</TD> 
  <TD> </TD>
  <TD>10</TD> 
  <TD>8</TD> 
  <TD>9</TD> 
  <TD>10</TD> 
  <TD>10</TD> 
  <TD>10</TD> 
  <TD>19</TD> 
  <TD>25</TD> 
  <TD>25</TD> 
  <TD>25</TD> 
  <TD>25</TD> 
  <TD>13</TD> 
  <TD>9</TD> 
  <TD>16</TD> 
  <TD>139</TD> 
</TR>
<TR>
  <TD>Paul Liddington</TD> 
  <TD>Alex ?</TD> 
  <TD>2705</TD> 
  <TD>Murray mod Snow</TD> 
  <TD>9</TD> 
  <TD>19</TD> 
  <TD>13</TD> 
  <TD>19</TD> 
  <TD>11</TD> 
  <TD>19</TD> 
  <TD>24</TD> 
  <TD>13</TD> 
  <TD>20</TD> 
  <TD>25</TD> 
  <TD>25</TD> 
  <TD>12</TD> 
  <TD>11</TD> 
  <TD>11</TD> 
  <TD>157</TD> 
</TR>
<TR>
  <TD>Mike Rolf</TD> 
  <TD>Tamsin</TD> 
  <TD>2547</TD> 
  <TD> </TD>
  <TD>24</TD> 
  <TD>19</TD> 
  <TD>24</TD> 
  <TD>11</TD> 
  <TD>8</TD> 
  <TD>14</TD> 
  <TD>19</TD> 
  <TD>20</TD> 
  <TD>14</TD> 
  <TD>25</TD> 
  <TD>25</TD> 
  <TD>11</TD> 
  <TD>13</TD> 
  <TD>14</TD> 
  <TD>167</TD> 
</TR>
<TR>
  <TD>Gareth Langford</TD> 
  <TD>?</TD> 
  <TD>2601</TD> 
  <TD>Paterson</TD> 
  <TD>24</TD> 
  <TD>24</TD> 
  <TD>11</TD> 
  <TD>19</TD> 
  <TD>24</TD> 
  <TD>24</TD> 
  <TD>11</TD> 
  <TD>10</TD> 
  <TD>9</TD> 
  <TD>12</TD> 
  <TD>11</TD> 
  <TD>25</TD> 
  <TD>25</TD> 
  <TD>25</TD> 
  <TD>179</TD> 
</TR>
<TR>
  <TD>Alexander Edwards</TD> 
  <TD>?</TD> 
  <TD>2535</TD> 
  <TD> </TD>
  <TD>24</TD> 
  <TD>24</TD> 
  <TD>24</TD> 
  <TD>12</TD> 
  <TD>24</TD> 
  <TD>24</TD> 
  <TD>24</TD> 
  <TD>12</TD> 
  <TD>13</TD> 
  <TD>14</TD> 
  <TD>14</TD> 
  <TD>14</TD> 
  <TD>15</TD> 
  <TD>15</TD> 
  <TD>180</TD> 
</TR>
<TR>
  <TD>Martin Harrison</TD> 
  <TD>Linda Newnham</TD> 
  <TD>2663</TD> 
  <TD>Death by Chocolate</TD> 
  <TD>24</TD> 
  <TD>24</TD> 
  <TD>12</TD> 
  <TD>24</TD> 
  <TD>24</TD> 
  <TD>24</TD> 
  <TD>24</TD> 
  <TD>20</TD> 
  <TD>25</TD> 
  <TD>25</TD> 
  <TD>25</TD> 
  <TD>6</TD> 
  <TD>7</TD> 
  <TD>7</TD> 
  <TD>196</TD> 
</TR>
<TR>
  <TD>Simon Williams</TD> 
  <TD>Simon Clark</TD> 
  <TD>2511</TD> 
  <TD> </TD>
  <TD>24</TD> 
  <TD>24</TD> 
  <TD>24</TD> 
  <TD>24</TD> 
  <TD>24</TD> 
  <TD>24</TD> 
  <TD>24</TD> 
  <TD>14</TD> 
  <TD>20</TD> 
  <TD>13</TD> 
  <TD>14</TD> 
  <TD>15</TD> 
  <TD>16</TD> 
  <TD>13</TD> 
  <TD>201</TD> 
</TR>

</TABLE> </html>

Cherub Nationals 1996

anonymous@undisclosed.example.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 09 Dec 2020 19:21:56 +0000

Cherub Nationals 1996

The weather followed the pattern of the season - not much wind. Unfortunately the location (a long way for the Southerners who make up much of the fleet) and date (just within school term time) cut down the entry list. However the major culprits were all there, although Dave Roe wasn't sailing having cut up his hand badly the week before with an electric plane. The venue, New Quay Sailing Club, West Wales is relaxed, compact and friendly, and comes complete with dolphins in the bay. The racing followed the new pattern of having lots of short races, 14 races over 4 days best 12 to count, using windward/leeward courses with a gate.

Day One.

A somewhat fickle force 2-3 wind, but just about trapezable uphill and down for the first two races. 3 races were held back to back, with Andy Kinchin & Simon Roberts taking the early lead with 1,1,4 . Other early leaders were Graham Dickenson & Sarah Tindal 2,8,2 , Mike Chalmers & Matt Stobbart 4,3,1 & Andy & Alex Paterson 3,2,6

Day 2.

The wind was even lighter, rarely exceeding Force 2. Cue Rebel! Steve & Tom Edward's Howlett design is never far from the front in sub planing conditions, appeared in the results sheet with 1,PMS,1,5 Unfortunately they'd had to miss the first day giving them virtually no chance of catching the early leaders. Mike Chalmers & Matt Stobbart took the lead with 4,1,2,1, ahead of Andy Kinchin & Simon Roberts 3,3,5,2 & Graham Dickenson & Sarah Tindal 2,2,3,3

Day 3

The weather was much the same as the day before, and there were some who felt that sitting on the beach was a better way of spending the day! The tide was more significant in these races and tended to bunch the fleet together again, and there were some nailbiting downwind finishes! At the end of the day Graham's 4,2,1,2 put him fractionally ahead of Mike Chalmers & Matt Stobbart with 3,6,2,3 . Steve & Tom Edwards was the star of the day again though with 1,3,4,1, and Martin Harrison & Linda Newnham also demonstrated good light airs speed with a first and a second in “Death by Chocolate”

Last Day

Three more races, back to back, and three boats in with a chance of a win. Conditions for the first race were not over welcoming with a very fickle breeze against the tide and a choppy swell. Quite a number of crews felt they had better things to do! Light weather flyers Steve & Tom Edwards and Martin Harrison & Linda Newnham battled it out for first place, Steve & Tom Edwards getting the gun, whilst behind them in the battle for overall places Mike Chalmers & Matt Stobbart was 3rd ahead of Andy & Alex Paterson and Graham Dickenson & Sarah Tindal. The second race was greeted with a more reasonable (by the standards of the event) force 3, and there was actually a chance to do some trapezing and surfing! Andy Kinchin & Simon Roberts & Graham Dickenson & Sarah Tindal got away at the start and battled through to the end, with actually crossing the line first but losing first place through touching the distance mark gybing inside Andy Kinchin & Simon Roberts who had right of way. Mike Chalmers & Matt Stobbart took 3rd leaving him half a point behind Graham Dickenson & Sarah Tindal overall with one race left. Andy Kinchin & Simon Roberts, who hadn't started the first race of the day couldn't now catch the leading two, and had done just enough to hold off Andy & Alex Paterson for third. A starting line battle saw Mike Chalmers & Matt Stobbart force Graham Dickenson & Sarah Tindal over the line at the start, but in doing so he managed to foul the distance mark. (This is beginning to sound like a Laser race - Ed) Graham Dickenson & Sarah Tindal managed to get up to second with a port tack flyer down the run, whilst Mike Chalmers & Matt Stobbart had more trouble getting through the fleet. Andy Kinchin & Simon Roberts somehow managed to break a rudder fitting and retired, so Graham inherited the lead and secured the Championship. Steve & Tom Edwards held off a fast approaching Mike Chalmers & Matt Stobbart to take 3rd place.

Full Results

Graham's overall consistency secured him his first champion ship after “quite a few” years of trying, proving that its never to late to go for it. All that mountain biking and circuit training has paid off - perhaps I should start doing some! One of my correspondants did suggest that Mike & Matt's consistent high performance partying might have had an effect on their on-the-water performance. The fleet showed its usual eclecticism with 8 designs in the top 10 places. A particularly strong performance came from Steve & Tom Edwards in the Howlett, who not only made the most of the conditions that suited them but also gained good results in the Force 3 where the Howlett is usually outclassed. Another good performance came from Martin Harrison & Linda Newnham who took home the “Most Improved Helm” trophy. The strong light airs performance - at times they seemed faster than the Howlett - is very interesting from a boat that looks much more of an all rounder. Design wise there was not much else of especial interest. Bistros taking first and second demonstrates that the design is still as fast as anything around. Martin also attempted to gain notoriety by attempting what I am pretty sure was the first Cherub v Cherub protest in the UK since the 1980 worlds. However it got thrown out because his protest flag fell off!

Jim Champ (with thanks to Graham Dickenson for providing me with a report to butcher)

<TR>
  <TD>2647</TD>
  <TD>Graham Dickenson</TD>
  <TD>Sarah Tindal</TD>
  <TD>Bistro</TD>
  <TD>2</TD>
  <TD>8</TD>
  <TD>2</TD>
  <TD>2</TD>
  <TD>2</TD>
  <TD>3</TD>
  <TD>3</TD>
  <TD>4</TD>
  <TD>2</TD>
  <TD>1</TD>
  <TD>2</TD>
  <TD>5</TD>
  <TD>2</TD>
</TR>
<TR>
  <TD>2637</TD>
  <TD>Mike Chalmers</TD>
  <TD>Matt Stobbart</TD>
  <TD>Bistro</TD>
  <TD>4</TD>
  <TD>3</TD>
  <TD>1</TD>
  <TD>4</TD>
  <TD>1</TD>
  <TD>2</TD>
  <TD>1</TD>
  <TD>3</TD>
  <TD>6</TD>
  <TD>2</TD>
  <TD>3</TD>
  <TD>3</TD>
  <TD>3</TD>
</TR>
<TR>
  <TD>2645</TD>
  <TD>Andy Kinchin</TD>
  <TD>Simon Roberts</TD>
  <TD>Dog</TD>
  <TD>1</TD>
  <TD>1</TD>
  <TD>4</TD>
  <TD>3</TD>
  <TD>3</TD>
  <TD>5</TD>
  <TD>2</TD>
  <TD>6</TD>
  <TD>4</TD>
  <TD>6</TD>
  <TD>6</TD>
  <TD>dns</TD>
  <TD>1</TD>
</TR>
<TR>
  <TD>2650</TD>
  <TD>Andy Paterson</TD>
  <TD>Alex Paterson</TD>
  <TD>Paterson 6</TD>
  <TD>3</TD>
  <TD>2</TD>
  <TD>6</TD>
  <TD>6</TD>
  <TD>4</TD>
  <TD>4</TD>
  <TD>4</TD>
  <TD>5</TD>
  <TD>5</TD>
  <TD>3</TD>
  <TD>4</TD>
  <TD>4</TD>
  <TD>4</TD>
</TR>
<TR>
  <TD>2624</TD>
  <TD>Steve Edwards</TD>
  <TD>Tom Edwards</TD>
  <TD>Howlett</TD>
  <TD>dns</TD>
  <TD>dns</TD>
  <TD>dns</TD>
  <TD>1</TD>
  <TD>pms</TD>
  <TD>1</TD>
  <TD>5</TD>
  <TD>1</TD>
  <TD>3</TD>
  <TD>4</TD>
  <TD>1</TD>
  <TD>1</TD>
  <TD>6</TD>
</TR>
<TR>
  <TD>2663</TD>
  <TD>Martin Harrison</TD>
  <TD>Linda Newnham</TD>
  <TD>Death by Chocolate</TD>
  <TD>9</TD>
  <TD>4</TD>
  <TD>3</TD>
  <TD>5</TD>
  <TD>5</TD>
  <TD>dns</TD>
  <TD>dns</TD>
  <TD>2</TD>
  <TD>1</TD>
  <TD>9</TD>
  <TD>5</TD>
  <TD>2</TD>
  <TD>9</TD>
</TR>
<TR>
  <TD>2654</TD>
  <TD>Richard Edwards</TD>
  <TD>Heidi Walker</TD>
  <TD>Trifle</TD>
  <TD>6</TD>
  <TD>7</TD>
  <TD>7</TD>
  <TD>9</TD>
  <TD>6</TD>
  <TD>7</TD>
  <TD>6</TD>
  <TD>7</TD>
  <TD>7</TD>
  <TD>7</TD>
  <TD>8</TD>
  <TD>dns</TD>
  <TD>8</TD>
</TR>
<TR>
  <TD>2660</TD>
  <TD>Will Lee</TD>
  <TD>Claire Spens</TD>
  <TD>Pasta Frenzy</TD>
  <TD>10</TD>
  <TD>6</TD>
  <TD>10</TD>
  <TD>7</TD>
  <TD>8</TD>
  <TD>8</TD>
  <TD>7</TD>
  <TD>dns</TD>
  <TD>9</TD>
  <TD>8</TD>
  <TD>7</TD>
  <TD>dns</TD>
  <TD>5</TD>
</TR>
<TR>
  <TD>2669</TD>
  <TD>Simon Clifton</TD>
  <TD>Maddy</TD>
  <TD>Hardon</TD>
  <TD>11</TD>
  <TD>11</TD>
  <TD>5</TD>
  <TD>8</TD>
  <TD>7</TD>
  <TD>6</TD>
  <TD>9</TD>
  <TD>8</TD>
  <TD>8</TD>
  <TD>5</TD>
  <TD>9</TD>
  <TD>dns</TD>
  <TD>7</TD>
</TR>
<TR>
  <TD>2662</TD>
  <TD>Tim Dean</TD>
  <TD>Una-Mary Colclough</TD>
  <TD>Pasta Frenzy</TD>
  <TD>8</TD>
  <TD>5</TD>
  <TD>9</TD>
  <TD>10</TD>
  <TD>9</TD>
  <TD>9</TD>
  <TD>8</TD>
  <TD>9</TD>
  <TD>11</TD>
  <TD>11</TD>
  <TD>10</TD>
  <TD>dns</TD>
  <TD>dns</TD>
</TR>
<TR>
  <TD>2649</TD>
  <TD>Ian Praine</TD>
  <TD>Pam Heritage</TD>
  <TD>Bistro?</TD>
  <TD>7</TD>
  <TD>9</TD>
  <TD>8</TD>
  <TD>11</TD>
  <TD>12</TD>
  <TD>dns</TD>
  <TD>dns</TD>
  <TD>10</TD>
  <TD>10</TD>
  <TD>10</TD>
  <TD>pms</TD>
  <TD>dns</TD>
  <TD>dns</TD>
</TR>
<TR>
  <TD>2705</TD>
  <TD>Nick Spens</TD>
  <TD>Paul Liddington</TD>
  <TD>Murray mod. Snow</TD>
  <TD>13</TD>
  <TD>10</TD>
  <TD>dnf</TD>
  <TD>dns</TD>
  <TD>10</TD>
  <TD>10</TD>
  <TD>dns</TD>
  <TD>dns</TD>
  <TD>dns</TD>
  <TD>dns</TD>
  <TD>dns</TD>
  <TD>dns</TD>
  <TD>dns</TD>
</TR>
<TR>
  <TD>2643</TD>
  <TD>Matt Searle</TD>
  <TD>Alex Matthews</TD>
  <TD>Bistro</TD>
  <TD>12</TD>
  <TD>dnf</TD>
  <TD>dnf</TD>
  <TD>13</TD>
  <TD>11</TD>
  <TD>11</TD>
  <TD>dnf</TD>
  <TD>dns</TD>
  <TD>dns</TD>
  <TD>dns</TD>
  <TD>dns</TD>
  <TD>dns</TD>
  <TD>dns</TD>
</TR>

</TABLE> </html>

UK National Championships 1997

anonymous@undisclosed.example.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 09 Dec 2020 19:21:56 +0000

UK National Championships 1997

The Nationals were held at Babbacombe Corinthian S.C. near Torbay, Devon, a popular venue with the Class. Sunshine was plentiful, but the wind, quite frankly, sucked! A variety of changes have been made to different boats with the new rules, but only Dave Roe had managed all the permissible modifications, and no-one has yet completed a new “new rules” boat. The format of the Nationals was planned to be the now usual 3 races each session, with one session on the first and last days, and two on the middle days. Alas, it didn't quite turn out like that, but the event did confirm everyone's opinion that a 5 knot minimum wind speed was the way to go for future events, and this will now be written in Sailing Instructions.

Day One

A sort of half-hearted sea breeze with enough wind to get fully powered up in the stronger patches.

Race 1

A Windward/Leeward course with 6 to 8 Knots of breeze from the SW. The left hand side of the course right under the cliffs was generally better for tide & breeze, but with some huge holes & shifts. Dave Roe was still rigging up at the start [so what else is new - Editor]. Andy & Alex Paterson took the race comfortably, second were Mike Chalmers & Matt Stobbart, 3rd. Graham Dickenson & Sarah Tindal, with Simon Clifton 4th.

Race 2

Windward/Leeward 10 to 12 knots. Best race of the Nats. Again the cliffs had it by a short margin as the breeze had shifted more into the South so the middle of the course became better. Dave Roe won by several country miles. 2nd. Mike & Matt, 3rd. Andy P., 4th. Robin Russell & Alan Attlebury

Race 3

Windward/Leeward. Ten to 5 knots, dogging out at the end with the wind moving more into the South, going light & shifting in direction. Behind Dravo there were lots of place changes. Dave's win by a country mile. 2nd.Robin Russell 3rd. Andy P 4th. Mike & Matt.

Day 2

Not a wonderful sailing day, with the tide tending to dictate a long inshore tack and a short hitch out into the current. The morning started with a wait for the fog to clear & the breeze to fill - about 2 hours in all. Only three races could be fitted in. Andy Paterson was fastest in these conditions, even though Dave Roe was the only one with the new maximum sail area.

Race 4.

Light & full of holes. 5 to 7 Knots 1. Andy P 2.Mike & Matt 3.Davro 4. Andrew Kinchin & Simon Roberts

Race 5

Just about 5 knots. Light & getting worse. 1. Mike & Matt 2.Andy P. 3. Graham D. 4. Dravo

Race 6

5 knots - Conditions NO COMMENT 1. Andy P. 2.Dravo 3.Mike & Matt 4.Graham D.

And that was about that really. One start was made on the 3rd afternoon, and the race abandoned as the wind faded out, whilst the final day was virtually flat until everyone's boats were packed away, long after the prizegiving, when the sea breeze finally kicked in.

Final Results

<TR>
  <TD>2650</TD>
  <TD>Andy Paterson</TD>
  <TD>Alex Paterson</TD>
  <TD>Gurnard SC</TD>
  <TD>Paterson 6a</TD>
  <TD>0.75</TD>
  <TD>3</TD>
  <TD>3</TD>
  <TD>0.75</TD>
  <TD>2</TD>
  <TD>0.75</TD>
  <TD>7.25</TD>
</TR>
<TR>
  <TD>2637</TD>
  <TD>Mike Chalmers</TD>
  <TD>Matt Stobbart</TD>
  <TD>Blackpool SC</TD>
  <TD>Bistro +</TD>
  <TD>2</TD>
  <TD>2</TD>
  <TD>4</TD>
  <TD>2</TD>
  <TD>0.75</TD>
  <TD>3</TD>
  <TD>9.75</TD>
</TR>
<TR>
  <TD>2660</TD>
  <TD>Dave Roe</TD>
  <TD>Claire Spens</TD>
  <TD>Lee on Solent SC</TD>
  <TD>Pasta Frenzy mod</TD>
  <TD>19</TD>
  <TD>0.75</TD>
  <TD>0.75</TD>
  <TD>3</TD>
  <TD>4</TD>
  <TD>2</TD>
  <TD>10.5</TD>
</TR>
<TR>
  <TD>2647</TD>
  <TD>Graham Dickenson</TD>
  <TD>Sarah Tindal</TD>
  <TD>Llangorse SC</TD>
  <TD>Bistro</TD>
  <TD>3</TD>
  <TD>7</TD>
  <TD>5</TD>
  <TD>5</TD>
  <TD>3</TD>
  <TD>4</TD>
  <TD>20</TD>
</TR>
<TR>
  <TD>2645</TD>
  <TD>Andy Kinchin</TD>
  <TD>Simon Roberts</TD>
  <TD>Lee on Solent SC</TD>
  <TD>Dog mod</TD>
  <TD>19</TD>
  <TD>5</TD>
  <TD>6</TD>
  <TD>4</TD>
  <TD>6</TD>
  <TD>8</TD>
  <TD>29</TD>
</TR>
<TR>
  <TD>2666</TD>
  <TD>Robin Russell</TD>
  <TD>Alan Attlebury</TD>
  <TD>Lee on Solent SC</TD>
  <TD>Pasta Frenzy</TD>
  <TD>5</TD>
  <TD>4</TD>
  <TD>2</TD>
  <TD>9</TD>
  <TD>12</TD>
  <TD>18</TD>
  <TD>32</TD>
</TR>
<TR>
  <TD>2642</TD>
  <TD>Will Lee</TD>
  <TD>Sarah Griffith</TD>
  <TD>Aberdeen Uni. SC</TD>
  <TD>Bistro</TD>
  <TD>6</TD>
  <TD>8</TD>
  <TD>10</TD>
  <TD>6</TD>
  <TD>7</TD>
  <TD>6</TD>
  <TD>33</TD>
</TR>
<TR>
  <TD>2669</TD>
  <TD>Simon Clifton</TD>
  <TD>Maddie James</TD>
  <TD>Stokes Bay SC</TD>
  <TD>Hardon</TD>
  <TD>4</TD>
  <TD>19</TD>
  <TD>7</TD>
  <TD>8</TD>
  <TD>8</TD>
  <TD>7</TD>
  <TD>34</TD>
</TR>
<TR>
  <TD>2522</TD>
  <TD>Phil Alderson</TD>
  <TD>Jamie Hilton</TD>
  <TD>Aberdeen Uni. SC</TD>
  <TD>Easter Beagle</TD>
  <TD>8</TD>
  <TD>10</TD>
  <TD>11</TD>
  <TD>7</TD>
  <TD>5</TD>
  <TD>5</TD>
  <TD>35</TD>
</TR>
<TR>
  <TD>2662</TD>
  <TD>Tim Dean</TD>
  <TD>Una-Mary Colclough</TD>
  <TD>Lee on Solent SC</TD>
  <TD>Pasta Frenzy</TD>
  <TD>7</TD>
  <TD>6</TD>
  <TD>8</TD>
  <TD>10</TD>
  <TD>10</TD>
  <TD>10</TD>
  <TD>41</TD>
</TR>
<TR>
  <TD>2547</TD>
  <TD>Mike Rolf</TD>
  <TD></TD>
  <TD>Grafham Water SC</TD>
  <TD>Forman 8</TD>
  <TD>9</TD>
  <TD>11</TD>
  <TD>12</TD>
  <TD>11</TD>
  <TD>11</TD>
  <TD>11</TD>
  <TD>53</TD>
</TR>
<TR>
  <TD>2652</TD>
  <TD>Neil Cardno</TD>
  <TD>Ken Scott-Brown</TD>
  <TD>Royal Tay YC</TD>
  <TD>Flying Trifle</TD>
  <TD>10</TD>
  <TD>9</TD>
  <TD>9</TD>
  <TD>13</TD>
  <TD>14</TD>
  <TD>12</TD>
  <TD>53</TD>
</TR>
<TR>
  <TD>2651</TD>
  <TD>Simon Baker</TD>
  <TD>Tracey Baker</TD>
  <TD>Mayflower SC</TD>
  <TD></TD>
  <TD>19</TD>
  <TD>13</TD>
  <TD>19</TD>
  <TD>12</TD>
  <TD>9</TD>
  <TD>9</TD>
  <TD>62</TD>
</TR>
<TR>
  <TD>2648</TD>
  <TD>Paul Berry</TD>
  <TD>Geraldine Rutter</TD>
  <TD>King George SC</TD>
  <TD></TD>
  <TD>11</TD>
  <TD>12</TD>
  <TD>13</TD>
  <TD>16</TD>
  <TD>17</TD>
  <TD>16</TD>
  <TD>68</TD>
</TR>
<TR>
  <TD>2612</TD>
  <TD>Brad Bunyard</TD>
  <TD>Staff Glover</TD>
  <TD>Hill Head SC</TD>
  <TD>Ellway</TD>
  <TD>12</TD>
  <TD>14</TD>
  <TD>19</TD>
  <TD>17</TD>
  <TD>16</TD>
  <TD>15</TD>
  <TD>74</TD>
</TR>
<TR>
  <TD>2623</TD>
  <TD>Jonathan Garfitt</TD>
  <TD>Andrew Wallis</TD>
  <TD>Ely SC</TD>
  <TD>Paterson</TD>
  <TD>19</TD>
  <TD>19</TD>
  <TD>19</TD>
  <TD>14</TD>
  <TD>13</TD>
  <TD>13</TD>
  <TD>78</TD>
</TR>
<TR>
  <TD>2658</TD>
  <TD>Bryan Gadd</TD>
  <TD>Pip Gadd</TD>
  <TD>Mounts Bay SC</TD>
  <TD>Barr</TD>
  <TD>19</TD>
  <TD>15</TD>
  <TD>19</TD>
  <TD>15</TD>
  <TD>15</TD>
  <TD>14</TD>
  <TD>78</TD>
</TR>
<TR>
  <TD>2668</TD>
  <TD>Matt Searle</TD>
  <TD>Alex Matthews</TD>
  <TD>Weston SC</TD>
  <TD>Bistro</TD>
  <TD>19</TD>
  <TD>19</TD>
  <TD>19</TD>
  <TD>19</TD>
  <TD>19</TD>
  <TD>19</TD>
  <TD>95</TD>
</TR>

</TABLE>

</html>

1998 U.K. Cherub Nationals

anonymous@undisclosed.example.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 09 Dec 2020 19:21:56 +0000

1998 U.K. Cherub Nationals

28 - 31 August 1998

This years event was hosted by Hunstanton SC, Norfolk over four days that included the August Bank Holiday. As with the previous two years there was little breeze in evidence and conditions prevented a full programme from being sailed.

Day 1

The first day was spent on the beach waiting for wind that finally showed up in the late evening too late for sailing. Neil Cardno was the only one who went afloat for an inconclusive test run of his new Slug, the second example of this design by Simon Roberts.

Day 2

On Saturday a very early (9:30) start was deemed necessary to take advantage of the expected availability of wind in the morning. This inevitable saw a somewhat thin presence on the line at the start with much of the fleet straggling across a few minutes late. Three races were held back to back over windward/leeward courses in light fickle conditions. Defending champion Paterson opened strongly with two wins and a second from Roe with a first second and third. Russell in his new Slug was also consistent with a second and two thirds.

The breeze largely disappeared in the middle part of the day but filled in enough in the late afternoon for two further races around trapezoidal courses. In slightly steadier conditions Roe hit back with two wins whilst Paterson and Russell shared the second and third places. Kinchin and Dean were the most consistent of the rest and took most of the fourth and fifth places between them.

Day 3

The fleet spent a fruitless hour and a half on the third morning waiting for the wind to settle enough to race. Racing was adjourned for lunch and the AGM until it was noted that the flags were moving again. Three races were run in the late afternoon in a light but reasonably steady breeze which saw the front runners performing more erratically and some new faces at the front. Roe extended his lead with a further win and a second but Paterson slipped back with third, fourth and sixth. Russell stayed in contention with a second, fourth and fifth. Kinchin improved markedly with a first, second and third and Dean stayed in the top five as well. Chalmers also had a win in one of the unmodified boats with small working sails, but with an enlarged spinnaker.

Day 4

The final day saw the best wind which was generally 2/3 but was offshore which meant it was very shifty and full of holes and the occasional stronger gust. Three windward/ leeward courses saw very close racing with much place changing in the difficult conditions. Roe was the most consistent finisher, although often forced to work hard for his results, and took a comfortable overall win with two seconds and a first. Paterson had a consistent pair of thirds and a fourth to stay narrowly ahead of Russell who took another win but also clocked a ninth. Kinchin again went well with first, second and third but was too far adrift on points to catch Russell. Dean stayed in the first five during the day to secure fifth overall.

The event was characterised by very close racing with few runaway wins and frequent place changing. The fleet tended to stay compact and the conditions allowed a number of older boats to appear at the front from time to time. A number of crews found their knowledge of the rules and boat handling to be in need of development as the class normally experiences more space on the water.

The new Slug design appears to be quick even with very limited development so far. About half of the fleet was fully converted to the new rules whilst some of the unconverted boats were sporting large spinnakers. With much recent experimentation in rigs and some crews running larger kites from higher up the mast the results could be interesting when the class next meets tough conditions. Another area of experimentation has been in weight reduction in foils by a process of trial and failure. It would currently appear that a daggerboard of around a kilo is too light to have long term prospects but slightly heavier examples continue to perform. The performance of the new rules boats in bigger breezes has yet to be established but the advantage at displacement speeds is relatively small at present.

Report Courtesy of Graham Dickenson, for which much thanks.

Overall results

<TR>
  <TD>No</TD>
  <TD>Design</TD>
  <TD>Helm</TD>
  <TD>Crew</TD>
  <TD>1</TD>
  <TD>2</TD>
  <TD>3</TD>
  <TD>4</TD>
  <TD>5</TD>
  <TD>6</TD>
  <TD>7</TD>
  <TD>8</TD>
  <TD>9</TD>
  <TD>10</TD>
  <TD>11</TD>
  <TD>Points</TD>
</TR>
<TR>
  <TD>2660</TD>
  <TD>Pasta Frenzy mod</TD>
  <TD>Dave Roe</TD>
  <TD>Claire Spens</TD>
  <TD>2</TD>
  <TD>1</TD>
  <TD>3</TD>
  <TD>1</TD>
  <TD>1</TD>
  <TD>2</TD>
  <TD>1</TD>
  <TD>4</TD>
  <TD>2</TD>
  <TD>1</TD>
  <TD>2</TD>
  <TD>13</TD>
</TR>
<TR>
  <TD>2650</TD>
  <TD>Paterson 6a</TD>
  <TD>Andy Paterson</TD>
  <TD>Alex Paterson</TD>
  <TD>1</TD>
  <TD>2</TD>
  <TD>1</TD>
  <TD>3</TD>
  <TD>2</TD>
  <TD>3</TD>
  <TD>4</TD>
  <TD>6</TD>
  <TD>4</TD>
  <TD>3</TD>
  <TD>3</TD>
  <TD>22</TD>
</TR>
<TR>
  <TD>2673</TD>
  <TD>Slug</TD>
  <TD>Robin Russell</TD>
  <TD>Wendy Fox</TD>
  <TD>3</TD>
  <TD>3</TD>
  <TD>2</TD>
  <TD>2</TD>
  <TD>3</TD>
  <TD>4</TD>
  <TD>5</TD>
  <TD>2</TD>
  <TD>1</TD>
  <TD>9</TD>
  <TD>4</TD>
  <TD>24</TD>
</TR>
<TR>
  <TD>2645</TD>
  <TD>Dog</TD>
  <TD>Andy Kinchin</TD>
  <TD>Simon Roberts</TD>
  <TD>14</TD>
  <TD>5</TD>
  <TD>5</TD>
  <TD>8</TD>
  <TD>14</TD>
  <TD>1</TD>
  <TD>2</TD>
  <TD>3</TD>
  <TD>3</TD>
  <TD>2</TD>
  <TD>1</TD>
  <TD>30</TD>
</TR>
<TR>
  <TD>2662</TD>
  <TD>Pasta Frenzy</TD>
  <TD>Tim Dean</TD>
  <TD>Una Colclough</TD>
  <TD>14</TD>
  <TD>6</TD>
  <TD>4</TD>
  <TD>4</TD>
  <TD>4</TD>
  <TD>5</TD>
  <TD>3</TD>
  <TD>5</TD>
  <TD>5</TD>
  <TD>4</TD>
  <TD>5</TD>
  <TD>39</TD>
</TR>
<TR>
  <TD>2637</TD>
  <TD>Bistro</TD>
  <TD>Mike Chalmers</TD>
  <TD>Matt Stobbart</TD>
  <TD>14</TD>
  <TD>4</TD>
  <TD>14</TD>
  <TD>6</TD>
  <TD>14</TD>
  <TD>6</TD>
  <TD>6</TD>
  <TD>1</TD>
  <TD>7</TD>
  <TD>5</TD>
  <TD>6</TD>
  <TD>55</TD>
</TR>
<TR>
  <TD>2659</TD>
  <TD>Dog</TD>
  <TD>Richard Butler</TD>
  <TD>Graham Dickenson</TD>
  <TD>4</TD>
  <TD>8</TD>
  <TD>6</TD>
  <TD>7</TD>
  <TD>5</TD>
  <TD>7</TD>
  <TD>13</TD>
  <TD>12</TD>
  <TD>6</TD>
  <TD>6</TD>
  <TD>9</TD>
  <TD>58</TD>
</TR>
<TR>
  <TD>2628</TD>
  <TD>Robinson 4</TD>
  <TD>Nick Hankins</TD>
  <TD>Paddy Cunningham</TD>
  <TD>14</TD>
  <TD>7</TD>
  <TD>7</TD>
  <TD>5</TD>
  <TD>7</TD>
  <TD>9</TD>
  <TD>8</TD>
  <TD>11</TD>
  <TD>9</TD>
  <TD>7</TD>
  <TD>8</TD>
  <TD>67</TD>
</TR>
<TR>
  <TD>2547</TD>
  <TD>Forman 8</TD>
  <TD>Mike Rolf</TD>
  <TD>Rachel Franks</TD>
  <TD>14</TD>
  <TD>9</TD>
  <TD>8</TD>
  <TD>14</TD>
  <TD>14</TD>
  <TD>10</TD>
  <TD>7</TD>
  <TD>7</TD>
  <TD>8</TD>
  <TD>8</TD>
  <TD>7</TD>
  <TD>78</TD>
</TR>
<TR>
  <TD>2643</TD>
  <TD>Bistro</TD>
  <TD>Alex Matthews</TD>
  <TD>Seb Blake</TD>
  <TD>14</TD>
  <TD>14</TD>
  <TD>14</TD>
  <TD>9</TD>
  <TD>6</TD>
  <TD>8</TD>
  <TD>9</TD>
  <TD>10</TD>
  <TD>11</TD>
  <TD>13</TD>
  <TD>14</TD>
  <TD>94</TD>
</TR>
<TR>
  <TD>2674</TD>
  <TD>Slug</TD>
  <TD>Neil Cardno</TD>
  <TD>Ken Scott-Brown</TD>
  <TD>14</TD>
  <TD>10</TD>
  <TD>14</TD>
  <TD>10</TD>
  <TD>8</TD>
  <TD>11</TD>
  <TD>11</TD>
  <TD>9</TD>
  <TD>14</TD>
  <TD>11</TD>
  <TD>10</TD>
  <TD>94</TD>
</TR>
<TR>
  <TD>2623</TD>
  <TD>Paterson 4</TD>
  <TD>Dan Cowin</TD>
  <TD>Jonathan Garfitt</TD>
  <TD>14</TD>
  <TD>13</TD>
  <TD>9</TD>
  <TD>13</TD>
  <TD>14</TD>
  <TD>12</TD>
  <TD>10</TD>
  <TD>8</TD>
  <TD>10</TD>
  <TD>10</TD>
  <TD>11</TD>
  <TD>96</TD>
</TR>

</TABLE>

</html>

U.K. Cherub Nationals 1999

anonymous@undisclosed.example.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 09 Dec 2020 19:21:56 +0000

U.K. Cherub Nationals 1999

New Quay, Ceredigion, Wales

Lobster for supper anyone?

<html>

<P>There was an above average turnout even though a couple of likely contenders, Graham Dickenson and Mike Chalmers, were sidelined, one with family commitments and the other with an injured crew. Amongst the obvious favourites were Dave Roe and Andy Paterson, although Dave had a new never-been sailed double spreader mast, and Andy had a brand new boat that had only been launched once.<BR> </P>

<P>Sunny, reasonably warm and a roughly Northerly wind around the bottom end of Force 4, and some serious waves. Yes, decent sailing conditions for the first time since the 95 Nationals! Everyone bounced out onto the course, and Dave Roe celebrated his early arrival (actually got there the night before) by going for a serious warm up blast. Serious enough to be late for the start. The more things change.. the more they remain the same! The course was a windward leeward plus gate, with lots of place changing and even the occasional swim. By the finish Robin Russell & Matt Searle were leading, Andrew Kinchin & Simon Roberts second, and Andy & Alex Paterson 3rd, with Dave & Claire Spens having worked their way up to 4th. All this was to change however, as virtually no-one had read the race instructions properly, and lots of people had managed to sail between the gate buoy and the outer distance instead of gate and committee boat. Amongst them, to his shame, was your editor, who having prepared the race instructions for the web had no excuse! <BR> <TABLE BORDER=“1” CELLPADDING=“2” CELLSPACING=“2”>

<TR>
  <TD>Pos</TD>
  <TD>No</TD>
  <TD>Crew</TD>
  <TD>Design</TD>
</TR>
<TR>
  <TD>1</TD>
  <TD>2676</TD>
  <TD>Andy &amp; Alex Paterson</TD>
  <TD>Paterson 7</TD>
</TR>
<TR>
  <TD>2</TD>
  <TD>2669</TD>
  <TD>Simon Clifton &amp; Maddy James</TD>
  <TD>Hardon</TD>
</TR>
<TR>
  <TD>3</TD>
  <TD>2662</TD>
  <TD>Tim Dean &amp; Una-May Colclough</TD>
  <TD>Pasta Frenzy</TD>
</TR>

</TABLE></P>

<P>A little more wind for this one at times, maybe middle of F4, plenty of waves and Dolphins! The tide was also pretty significant in this race, with some sort of tidal eddy favouring the left, but more wind on the right. Robin Russell took an early lead, followed by the Patersons, Dave Roe & Claire Spens, and then for a while, much to his surprise, your editor. Robin broke a tiller extension and sailed back to the beach, giving the lead to Andy, with Andrew K.& Simon R. coming up fast through the fleet. Andy P. capsized on the last kite hoist, letting Andrew K. inherit the lead, which he kept to the finish, with Dave Roe second and the Patersons recovering to 3rd. Best incident of the race happened to Gavin Sims & Gareth Turnbull in Dangerous Strawberry. There were a fair few lobster pots round the course, and they came to a crashing halt on one of them. Lifted the daggerboard - no change. Lifted the rudder - no change. They looked forward and saw a couple of little buoys, one each side of the stem, and they didn't want to drift free. On further investigation it turned out they'd hit the rope so hard that it had cut straight through the laminate on Gavin's bow extension and sawn a slot right back to the true stem. It was so firmly stuck that one of them had to get to the front of the boat and heave the ropes out with a foot.. At the prizegiving they were presented with the Lobster trophy for this achievement.<BR> <TABLE BORDER=“1” CELLPADDING=“2” CELLSPACING=“2”>

<TR>
  <TD>1</TD>
  <TD>&quot;247&quot;</TD>
  <TD>Andrew Kinchin &amp; Simon Roberts</TD>
  <TD>Dog</TD>
</TR>
<TR>
  <TD>2</TD>
  <TD>2660</TD>
  <TD>Dave Roe &amp; Claire Spens</TD>
  <TD>Pasta Frenzy</TD>
</TR>
<TR>
  <TD>3</TD>
  <TD>2676</TD>
  <TD>Andy &amp; Alex Paterson</TD>
  <TD>Paterson 7</TD>
</TR>
<TR>
  <TD>4</TD>
  <TD>2662</TD>
  <TD>Tim Dean &amp; Una-May Colclough</TD>
  <TD>Pasta Frenzy</TD>
</TR>
<TR>
  <TD>5</TD>
  <TD>2669</TD>
  <TD>Simon Clifton &amp; Maddy James</TD>
  <TD>Hardon</TD>
</TR>
<TR>
  <TD>6</TD>
  <TD>&quot;2643&quot;</TD>
  <TD>Will Lea &amp; Phil Anderson</TD>
  <TD>Bistro Mod.</TD>
</TR>

</TABLE></P>

<P>The wind dropped off quite a lot for this one, dropping down to Force 2-3. Gavin & Gareth made an excellent Port tack start and took an early lead, which they held until nearly at the leeward mark, where Andy P. & Alex were able to slip through sailing much lower on the gybes. They kept this lead through to the finish, with Dave & Claire second, and Robin & Matt 3rd, Robin scoring a reasonable result at last after spending most of the day round the front of the fleet. <BR> <TABLE BORDER=“1” CELLPADDING=“2” CELLSPACING=“2”>

<TR>
  <TD>1</TD>
  <TD>2676</TD>
  <TD>Andy &amp; Alex Paterson</TD>
  <TD>Paterson 7</TD>
</TR>
<TR>
  <TD>2</TD>
  <TD>2660</TD>
  <TD>Dave Roe &amp; Claire Spens</TD>
  <TD>Pasta Frenzy</TD>
</TR>
<TR>
  <TD>3</TD>
  <TD>2673</TD>
  <TD>Robin Russell &amp; Matt Searle</TD>
  <TD>Slug</TD>
</TR>
<TR>
  <TD>4</TD>
  <TD>&quot;247&quot;</TD>
  <TD>Andrew Kinchin &amp; Simon Roberts</TD>
  <TD>Dog</TD>
</TR>
<TR>
  <TD>5</TD>
  <TD>2662</TD>
  <TD>Tim Dean &amp; Una-May Colclough</TD>
  <TD>Pasta Frenzy</TD>
</TR>
<TR>
  <TD>6</TD>
  <TD>2669</TD>
  <TD>Simon Clifton &amp; Maddy James</TD>
  <TD>Hardon.</TD>
</TR>

</TABLE></P>

<P>An easterly wind off the land, and Force 3 going out to the start. Basically pretty flat water although there was a long shallow swell coming down from the north. A typical Cherub early morning start, with more than a few people late for the start gun. There was a massive rain squall on the first run/second beat, which laid many of the fleet flat, and was probably nearer 30 knots than 25, but thereafter it reverted to force 3/4. Simon & Maddy were going very well, but went the wrong way round a leeward mark and lost a lot of places re-rounding. The wind, coming off the land, was very gusty and very shifty, with no apparent pattern. After a lot of place changing Gavin & Gareth were first, whilst Robin & Matt just pipped Andrew K. & Simon R. for second.<BR> <TABLE BORDER=“1” CELLPADDING=“2” CELLSPACING=“2”>

<TR>
  <TD>1</TD>
  <TD>2649</TD>
  <TD>Gavin Sims &amp; Gareth Turnbull</TD>
  <TD>Bistro</TD>
</TR>
<TR>
  <TD>2</TD>
  <TD>2673</TD>
  <TD>Robin Russell &amp; Matt Searle</TD>
  <TD>Slug</TD>
</TR>
<TR>
  <TD>3</TD>
  <TD>&quot;247&quot;</TD>
  <TD>Simon Roberts &amp; Andrew Kinchin</TD>
  <TD>Dog</TD>
</TR>
<TR>
  <TD>4</TD>
  <TD>2660</TD>
  <TD>Dave Roe &amp; Claire Spens</TD>
  <TD>Pasta Frenzy</TD>
</TR>
<TR>
  <TD>5</TD>
  <TD>2676</TD>
  <TD>Andy &amp; Alex Paterson</TD>
  <TD>Paterson 7</TD>
</TR>
<TR>
  <TD>6</TD>
  <TD>2662</TD>
  <TD>Tim Dean &amp; Una Mary Colclough</TD>
  <TD>Pasta Frenzy</TD>
</TR>

</TABLE></P>

<P>Gavin & Gareth pulled off another of their hot starts/first beats, judging the starboard end nicely and catching the shifts just right to lead round the windward mark. However later on they were unlucky enough to find a particularly big hole in the wind. There was a lot of place changing in very shifty conditions<BR> <TABLE BORDER=“1” CELLPADDING=“2” CELLSPACING=“2”>

<TR>
  <TD>1</TD>
  <TD>2660</TD>
  <TD>Dave Roe &Claire Spens</TD>
  <TD>Pasta Frenzy</TD>
</TR>
<TR>
  <TD>2</TD>
  <TD>2676</TD>
  <TD>Andy &amp; Alex Paterson</TD>
  <TD>Paterson 7</TD>
</TR>
<TR>
  <TD>3</TD>
  <TD>2673</TD>
  <TD>Robin Russell &amp; Matt Searle</TD>
  <TD>Slug</TD>
</TR>
<TR>
  <TD>4</TD>
  <TD>247</TD>
  <TD>Simon Roberts &amp; Andrew Kinchin</TD>
  <TD>Dog</TD>
</TR>
<TR>
  <TD>5</TD>
  <TD>2649</TD>
  <TD>Gavin Sims &amp; Gareth Turnbull</TD>
  <TD>Bistro</TD>
</TR>
<TR>
  <TD>6</TD>
  <TD>2662</TD>
  <TD>Tim Dean &amp; Una Mary Colclough</TD>
  <TD>Pasta Frenzy</TD>
</TR>

</TABLE></P>

<P>The wind went round to the South over lunchtime. The forecast was for it to build, but this didn't happen. This time the big gust timed itself for just as a number of boats were leaving the harbour. Rather embarrassingly Andy Paterson's new super lightweight rudder gave up the struggle in the gust, sending them into a spectacular semi-pitchpole right in front of the tourists on the end of the breakwater. Much oohs and aahs followed as recovery took some time due to the need to adjust the rudder so that the good part of the foil was in the stock. Thank goodness for daggerboard rudders!<BR> At the start Tim & Una and Gavin & Gareth showed first, but Dave Roe came up very fast at the end of the leg to take the lead round the windward mark. Robin & Matt came storming down the right hand side of the run, and took the lead temporarily at the beat. Dave & Claire took the lead just before the next windward, with 3 boats overlapped for second place. At the end of the run Robin broke his daggerboard, which ended his series. The weather then dropped to about Force 2, which suited Andy P. & Alex, sailing with about 60% of normal rudder area, because they were just able to keep the boat under control thanks to the flat water.<BR> It was notable, from the end of the breakwater, that quite a number of the general public were taking a lot of notice of the racing, with people actually picking out and following individual boats. Of course the spectacular colour schemes favoured by Cherubs helps considerably with this, as does our preference for holding races close to the shore.<BR> <TABLE BORDER=“1” CELLPADDING=“2” CELLSPACING=“2”>

<TR>
  <TD>1</TD>
  <TD>2660</TD>
  <TD>Dave Roe &amp; Claire Spens</TD>
  <TD>Pasta Frenzy</TD>
</TR>
<TR>
  <TD>2</TD>
  <TD>2676</TD>
  <TD>Andy &amp; Alex Paterson</TD>
  <TD>Paterson 7</TD>
</TR>
<TR>
  <TD>3</TD>
  <TD>2649</TD>
  <TD>Gavin Sims &amp; Gareth Turnbull</TD>
  <TD>Bistro</TD>
</TR>
<TR>
  <TD>4</TD>
  <TD>2662</TD>
  <TD>Tim Dean &amp; Una Mary Colclough</TD>
  <TD>Pasta Frenzy</TD>
</TR>
<TR>
  <TD>5</TD>
  <TD>&quot;247&quot;</TD>
  <TD>Simon Roberts &amp; Andrew Kinchin</TD>
  <TD>Dog</TD>
</TR>
<TR>
  <TD>6</TD>
  <TD>2659</TD>
  <TD>Richard Butler &amp; Andrew Chick</TD>
  <TD>Dog</TD>
</TR>

</TABLE></P>

<P>Continuing with a rather Doggy Force 2 to 3, still gusty and still very shifty. Dave & Claire led from start to finish - however it was no means as simple as that, with enormous changes as gusts and shifts came through - for instance on one leg Dave rounded the windward mark 200yards ahead and caught a superb gust that saw him practically to the leeward mark as the next few struggled in a hole at the top mark. Then up the next beat Andy P. & Alex got the shifts exactly right and gained all that and more as he closed up to within 20 yards of Dave. At that point, however, their spinnaker gained a giant rip and had to be kept in the bag for the remaining two laps. This saw Andrew K. & Simon R. overtake them for second, but they did succeed in holding off Simon & Maddy and Tim & Una, who were hurtling up. That must have been a very welcome shorten course signal!<BR> <TABLE BORDER=“1” CELLPADDING=“2” CELLSPACING=“2”>

<TR>
  <TD>1</TD>
  <TD>2660</TD>
  <TD>Dave Roe &amp; Claire Spens</TD>
  <TD>Pasta Frenzy</TD>
</TR>
<TR>
  <TD>2</TD>
  <TD>&quot;247&quot;</TD>
  <TD>Simon Roberts &amp; Andrew Kinchin</TD>
  <TD>Dog</TD>
</TR>
<TR>
  <TD>3</TD>
  <TD>2676</TD>
  <TD>Andy &amp; Alex Paterson</TD>
  <TD>Paterson 7</TD>
</TR>
<TR>
  <TD>4</TD>
  <TD>2669</TD>
  <TD>Simon Clifton &amp; Maddy James</TD>
  <TD>Hardon</TD>
</TR>
<TR>
  <TD>5</TD>
  <TD>2662</TD>
  <TD>Tim Dean &amp; Una Mary Colclough</TD>
  <TD>Pasta Frenzy</TD>
</TR>
<TR>
  <TD>6</TD>
  <TD>2649</TD>
  <TD>Gavin Sims &amp; Gareth Turnbull</TD>
  <TD>Bistro</TD>
</TR>

</TABLE></P>

<P>Racing Abandoned - 40 knot winds.<BR> </P>

<P>Ah, sunshine! Not especially windy in fact, but nice and warm. A good Force 3 for the start, with the wind from the east off the land. Not much in the way of waves, but with a low but very long swell coming in from the west that was especially helpful on starboard tack up the beats. Today was the peak day for dolphins - I saw 6 or 8 I think, often very close to the boats. The wind wasn't as shifty and gusty as it had been on Friday. Dave & Claire took an early lead, with Andrew Paterson stuck in the pack thanks partly to Dave's start line tactics. Andrew K. & Simon R. took the lead on the second lap, but then struck a particularly long and wayward lobster pot line going at full speed down the reach and came to a shattering halt. They dropped down to third, behind both Dave & Claire and Tim & Una, but managed to get one place back at the finish.<BR> <TABLE BORDER=“1” CELLPADDING=“2” CELLSPACING=“2”>

<TR>
  <TD>1</TD>
  <TD>2660</TD>
  <TD>Dave Roe &amp; Claire Spens</TD>
  <TD>Pasta Frenzy</TD>
</TR>
<TR>
  <TD>2</TD>
  <TD>&quot;247&quot;</TD>
  <TD>Simon Roberts &amp; Andrew Kinchin</TD>
  <TD>Dog</TD>
</TR>
<TR>
  <TD>3</TD>
  <TD>2662</TD>
  <TD>Tim Dean &amp; Una Mary Colclough</TD>
  <TD>Pasta Frenzy</TD>
</TR>
<TR>
  <TD>4</TD>
  <TD>2676</TD>
  <TD>Andy &amp; Alex Paterson</TD>
  <TD>Paterson 7</TD>
</TR>
<TR>
  <TD>5</TD>
  <TD>2649</TD>
  <TD>Gavin Sims &amp; Gareth Turnbull</TD>
  <TD>Bistro</TD>
</TR>
<TR>
  <TD>6</TD>
  <TD>2669</TD>
  <TD>Simon Clifton &amp; Maddy James</TD>
  <TD>Hardon</TD>
</TR>

</TABLE></P>

<P>A little quieter than race 6, with some trapezing upwind. Dave & Claire led at the start, with Andrew K. & Simon R. taking the lead on lap two as Dave succeeded in finding all the holes in the wind down the runs and dropped several places. The wind dropped slightly during this race, and as it stopped the Patersons seemed to be able to sail lower and faster (or at least less slowly) than everyone else on the runs. They were about to take the lead on the last run when a snaggle taking the kite down lost them the win. This left Dave & Claire secure for first place with more wins than Andy P. & Alex.<BR> <TABLE BORDER=“1” CELLPADDING=“2” CELLSPACING=“2”>

<TR>
  <TD>1</TD>
  <TD>&quot;247&quot;</TD>
  <TD>Simon Roberts &amp; Andrew Kinchin</TD>
  <TD>Dog</TD>
</TR>
<TR>
  <TD>2</TD>
  <TD>2676</TD>
  <TD>Andy &amp; Alex Paterson</TD>
  <TD>Paterson 7</TD>
</TR>
<TR>
  <TD>3</TD>
  <TD>2660</TD>
  <TD>Dave Roe &amp; Claire Spens</TD>
  <TD>Pasta Frenzy</TD>
</TR>
<TR>
  <TD>4</TD>
  <TD>2669</TD>
  <TD>Simon Clifton &amp; Maddy James</TD>
  <TD>Hardon</TD>
</TR>
<TR>
  <TD>5</TD>
  <TD>2662</TD>
  <TD>Tim Dean &amp; Una Mary Colclough</TD>
  <TD>Pasta Frenzy</TD>
</TR>
<TR>
  <TD>6</TD>
  <TD>2649</TD>
  <TD>Gavin Sims &amp; Gareth Turnbull</TD>
  <TD>Bistro</TD>
</TR>

</TABLE></P>

<P>The wind had continued to get lighter for the final race. Andy P. & Alex led the race from start to finish, with a ferocious battle going on behind between Dave & Claire, Andrew & Simon, Simon & Maddy and Tim & Una. They were swapping places all the way round, and on the last run Simon & Maddy went left away from the others, and found a nice little gust which had them storming up to the line.. until it died about 50yards short. Dave & Claire took second and the Championship.<BR> <TABLE BORDER=“1” CELLPADDING=“2” CELLSPACING=“2”>

<TR>
  <TD>1</TD>
  <TD>2676</TD>
  <TD>Andy &amp; Alex Paterson</TD>
  <TD>Paterson 7</TD>
</TR>
<TR>
  <TD>2</TD>
  <TD>&quot;247&quot;</TD>
  <TD>Simon Roberts &amp; Andrew Kinchin</TD>
  <TD>Dog</TD>
</TR>
<TR>
  <TD>3</TD>
  <TD>2660</TD>
  <TD>Dave Roe &amp; Claire Spens</TD>
  <TD>Pasta Frenzy</TD>
</TR>
<TR>
  <TD>4</TD>
  <TD>2669</TD>
  <TD>Simon Clifton &amp; Maddy James</TD>
  <TD>Hardon</TD>
</TR>
<TR>
  <TD>5</TD>
  <TD>2662</TD>
  <TD>Tim Dean &amp; Una Mary Colclough</TD>
  <TD>Pasta Frenzy</TD>
</TR>
<TR>
  <TD>6</TD>
  <TD>2674</TD>
  <TD>Neal Cardno &amp; Ken Scott-Brown</TD>
  <TD>Slug</TD>
</TR>

</TABLE></P>

<H2>Nationals Summary</H2>

<P>A good Nationals, best for a few years. Many thanks to the club for hospitality, friendliness, getting all the racing running smoothly and a great supper on Friday Night!<BR> An especial thank you goes to the Race Officer, George Legg, and his good lady, for not only respectively organising the racing and results respectively, but also for allowing the webmaster to trample into their house first thing every morning bearing a floppy disk with the latest updates.<BR> Another win for Dave Roe, but not an easy one. Its always easy to come up with "what-ifs", but one suspects if Andy Paterson had had a couple less teething troubles with the new boat, or three or four weeks to sail it beforehand then it would have been right down to the wire on the last race. <BR> The Patersons seem to have very good moderate wind speed, especially downwind, but there's no doubt that Dave has an ability to put in a blistering lap or two when it really counts. Andrew & Simon were always thereabouts, but not quite consistently up with the other two. Robin was fast, but desperately needs to sort out reliability.<BR> The second group consisted of Tim & Una, Simon & Maddy and Gavin & Gareth. All of them seem to have good speed and had all improved considerably from last year, had a great week of not only battling amongst themselves, but also challenging the leaders from time to time. They should be going home well satisfied with their Nationals. <BR> </P>

<H2>Final Results</H2>

<TR>
  <TD></TD>
  <TD><B>No</B></TD>
  <TD><B>Helm</B></TD>
  <TD><B>Crew</B></TD>
  <TD><B>Name</B></TD>
  <TD><B>Design</B></TD>
  <TD><B>Home Club</B></TD>
  <TD><B>R1</B></TD>
  <TD><B>R2</B></TD>
  <TD><B>R3</B></TD>
  <TD><B>R4</B></TD>
  <TD><B>R5</B></TD>
  <TD><B>R6</B></TD>
  <TD><B>R7</B></TD>
  <TD><B>R8</B></TD>
  <TD><B>R9</B></TD>
  <TD><B>R10</B></TD>
  <TD WIDTH="6%">&nbsp;</TD>
</TR>
<TR>
  <TD>1</TD>
  <TD>2660</TD>
  <TD>Dave Roe</TD>
  <TD>Claire Spens</TD>
  <TD>The Pasta Frenzy</TD>
  <TD>Pasta Frenzy mod</TD>
  <TD>Lee on Solent SC</TD>
  <TD>DSQ</TD>
  <TD>2</TD>
  <TD>2</TD>
  <TD>4</TD>
  <TD>1</TD>
  <TD>1</TD>
  <TD>1</TD>
  <TD>1</TD>
  <TD>3</TD>
  <TD>2</TD>
  <TD>13</TD>
</TR>
<TR>
  <TD>2</TD>
  <TD>2676</TD>
  <TD>Andy Paterson</TD>
  <TD>Alex Paterson</TD>
  <TD>Shiny Beast</TD>
  <TD>Paterson 7</TD>
  <TD>Gurnard SC</TD>
  <TD>1</TD>
  <TD>3</TD>
  <TD>1</TD>
  <TD>5</TD>
  <TD>2</TD>
  <TD>2</TD>
  <TD>3</TD>
  <TD>4</TD>
  <TD>2</TD>
  <TD>1</TD>
  <TD>15</TD>
</TR>
<TR>
  <TD>3</TD>
  <TD>2645</TD>
  <TD>Andy Kinchin</TD>
  <TD>Simon Roberts</TD>
  <TD>Strangely Brown</TD>
  <TD>Dog mod.</TD>
  <TD></TD>
  <TD>DSQ</TD>
  <TD>1</TD>
  <TD>4</TD>
  <TD>3</TD>
  <TD>4</TD>
  <TD>5</TD>
  <TD>2</TD>
  <TD>2</TD>
  <TD>1</TD>
  <TD>3</TD>
  <TD>20</TD>
</TR>
<TR>
  <TD>4</TD>
  <TD>2662</TD>
  <TD>Tim Dean</TD>
  <TD>Una-Mary Colclough</TD>
  <TD>Fizzy Shark</TD>
  <TD>Pasta Frenzy</TD>
  <TD>Lee on Solent SC</TD>
  <TD>3</TD>
  <TD>4</TD>
  <TD>5</TD>
  <TD>6</TD>
  <TD>6</TD>
  <TD>4</TD>
  <TD>5</TD>
  <TD>3</TD>
  <TD>5</TD>
  <TD>5</TD>
  <TD>34</TD>
</TR>
<TR>
  <TD>5</TD>
  <TD>2669</TD>
  <TD>Simon Clifton</TD>
  <TD>Maddie James</TD>
  <TD>Catenanche</TD>
  <TD>Hardon</TD>
  <TD>Datchet Water SC</TD>
  <TD>2</TD>
  <TD>5</TD>
  <TD>6</TD>
  <TD>8</TD>
  <TD>7</TD>
  <TD>DSQ</TD>
  <TD>4</TD>
  <TD>6</TD>
  <TD>4</TD>
  <TD>4</TD>
  <TD>38</TD>
</TR>
<TR>
  <TD>6</TD>
  <TD>2649</TD>
  <TD>Gavin Sims</TD>
  <TD>Gareth Turnbull</TD>
  <TD>Dangerous Strawberry</TD>
  <TD>Bistro</TD>
  <TD>Neyland SC</TD>
  <TD>DSQ</TD>
  <TD>7</TD>
  <TD>7</TD>
  <TD>1</TD>
  <TD>5</TD>
  <TD>3</TD>
  <TD>6</TD>
  <TD>5</TD>
  <TD>6</TD>
  <TD>DNF</TD>
  <TD>40</TD>
</TR>
<TR>
  <TD>7</TD>
  <TD>2659</TD>
  <TD>Richard Butler</TD>
  <TD>Andrew Chick</TD>
  <TD>Flying Kipper</TD>
  <TD>Dog</TD>
  <TD>Rutland SC</TD>
  <TD>DNC</TD>
  <TD>9</TD>
  <TD>8</TD>
  <TD>12</TD>
  <TD>9</TD>
  <TD>6</TD>
  <TD>9</TD>
  <TD>8</TD>
  <TD>10</TD>
  <TD>7</TD>
  <TD>66</TD>
</TR>
<TR>
  <TD>8</TD>
  <TD>2673</TD>
  <TD>Robin Russell</TD>
  <TD>Matt Searle</TD>
  <TD>Green Slug</TD>
  <TD>Slug</TD>
  <TD>Hill Head SC</TD>
  <TD>DSQ</TD>
  <TD>10</TD>
  <TD>3</TD>
  <TD>2</TD>
  <TD>3</TD>
  <TD>DNF</TD>
  <TD>DNC</TD>
  <TD>DNC</TD>
  <TD>DNC</TD>
  <TD>DNC</TD>
  <TD>82</TD>
</TR>
<TR>
  <TD>9</TD>
  <TD>2642</TD>
  <TD>Will Lea</TD>
  <TD>Phil Alderson</TD>
  <TD>Little Fluffy Clouds</TD>
  <TD>Bistro mod.</TD>
  <TD>Peterhead SC</TD>
  <TD>DSQ</TD>
  <TD>6</TD>
  <TD>DNC</TD>
  <TD>7</TD>
  <TD>DNC</TD>
  <TD>8</TD>
  <TD>7</TD>
  <TD>7</TD>
  <TD>DNF</TD>
  <TD>DNC</TD>
  <TD>83</TD>
</TR>
<TR>
  <TD>10</TD>
  <TD>2654</TD>
  <TD>Billy Wood</TD>
  <TD>David Wood</TD>
  <TD> </TD>
  <TD>Dog</TD>
  <TD> </TD>
  <TD>DNF</TD>
  <TD>DNF</TD>
  <TD>10</TD>
  <TD>11</TD>
  <TD>DNF</TD>
  <TD>DNC</TD>
  <TD>8</TD>
  <TD>9</TD>
  <TD>8</TD>
  <TD>8</TD>
  <TD>86</TD>
</TR>
<TR>
  <TD>11</TD>
  <TD>2674</TD>
  <TD>Neil Cardno</TD>
  <TD>Ken Scott-Brown</TD>
  <TD>Born Slippy</TD>
  <TD>Slug</TD>
  <TD>Tynemouth SC</TD>
  <TD>DNC</TD>
  <TD>DNC</TD>
  <TD>DNC</TD>
  <TD>9</TD>
  <TD>8</TD>
  <TD>DNC</TD>
  <TD>DNC</TD>
  <TD>DNF</TD>
  <TD>7</TD>
  <TD>6</TD>
  <TD>94</TD>
</TR>
<TR>
  <TD>12</TD>
  <TD>2661</TD>
  <TD>Ken Appleby</TD>
  <TD>Bob Bradshaw</TD>
  <TD> </TD>
  <TD>Bistro</TD>
  <TD>RSYC</TD>
  <TD>DNF</TD>
  <TD>DNF</TD>
  <TD>9</TD>
  <TD>DNC</TD>
  <TD>10</TD>
  <TD>7</TD>
  <TD>DNC</TD>
  <TD>DNF</TD>
  <TD>DNC</TD>
  <TD>DNC</TD>
  <TD>106</TD>
</TR>
<TR>
  <TD>13</TD>
  <TD>2641</TD>
  <TD>Patrick Cunningham</TD>
  <TD>Jim Champ</TD>
  <TD>Halo Jones</TD>
  <TD>Bistro</TD>
  <TD>Island Barn SC</TD>
  <TD>DSQ</TD>
  <TD>8</TD>
  <TD>DNC</TD>
  <TD>DNF</TD>
  <TD>DNC</TD>
  <TD>DNC</TD>
  <TD>DNC</TD>
  <TD>DNF</TD>
  <TD>9</TD>
  <TD>DNC</TD>
  <TD>113</TD>
</TR>
<TR>
  <TD>14</TD>
  <TD>2648</TD>
  <TD>Gary Butland</TD>
  <TD>Robert Man</TD>
  <TD> </TD>
  <TD>Bistro</TD>
  <TD>Neyland SC</TD>
  <TD>DSQ</TD>
  <TD>DNF</TD>
  <TD>DNC</TD>
  <TD>10</TD>
  <TD>DNF</TD>
  <TD>DNF</TD>
  <TD>DNC</TD>
  <TD>DNC</TD>
  <TD>DNC</TD>
  <TD>DNC</TD>
  <TD>122</TD>
</TR>
<TR>
  <TD>15</TD>
  <TD>2675</TD>
  <TD>Sebastian Blake</TD>
  <TD>Jonathon Garfitt</TD>
  <TD>Fuzzy Logic</TD>
  <TD>Velocipede</TD>
  <TD>Tynemouth SC</TD>
  <TD>DNF</TD>
  <TD>DNF</TD>
  <TD>DNF</TD>
  <TD>DNF</TD>
  <TD>DNC</TD>
  <TD>DNC</TD>
  <TD>DNC</TD>
  <TD>DNF</TD>
  <TD>DNC</TD>
  <TD>DNC</TD>
  <TD>128</TD>
</TR>

</TABLE> </html>

Note - Simon and Maddy's DSQ in Race 6 is something of a mystery, because they are sure they sailed the correct course, and the race officer couldn't recall what the problem might have been. Fortunately it wouldn't have affected the final results. Jim Champ

U.K. Cherub Nationals 2000 Mayflower S.C.

anonymous@undisclosed.example.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 04 Oct 2023 09:22:33 +0000

U.K. Cherub Nationals 2000 Mayflower S.C.

Plymouth Devon

Better Late than never! The 2000 Nationals were delayed for a month less than a week before the original planned date. This was because there was a petrol shortage in the UK caused by a blockade of Oil distribution centres by an informal alliance of independent truck drivers and farmers who were protesting against the level of fuel duty in the U.K. The date change and short notice resulted in the worst Nationals turnout in memory.

Friday - Day 1

It seemed a long wait for the wind to fill in - at least for those of us who'd arrived the day before - but we had to wait for the Navy to finish distributing their ships around the bay anyway. The wind eventually sort of filled in to a force two-ish, but it was also always shifty and unpredictable. The tide was also odd - very strong and in an unexpected direction. The consensus is that it was pretty much all fresh water hurtling off the moors, down the Tamar and out to sea.

Race 1.

Smart starting in race one isn't always the rule at UK Cherub Nationals, but in this race Fizzy Shark and Dangerous Strawberry pulled off classic port end “across the fleet” starts. A tight bunch of five led up the first beat. At the windward mark Shiny Beast was just leading from Dangerous Strawberry, with Pasta Frenzy Frenzy, Pistrix and Fizzy Shark all in the near vicinity. On the P of the P course Shiny Beast seemed to be able to go deeper without losing speed. However Dangerous Strawberry managed briefly to get ahead on the next leg, but was then retaken by Shiny Beast and then by Pasta Frenzy Frenzy. On the run which is the second part of the P Shiny Beast pulled out an appreciable lead, with the other four all close together. Dangerous Strawberry seemed particularly quick upwind in this race, although Shiny Beast still led well at the end of the beat, and the race was shortened half way through the next P leg at the gate, with Shiny Beast first, Dangerous Strawberry second and Shark Third.

Race 2

On the whole the wind dropped slightly for this one, but it was never anything approaching consistent, and the race officers had their work cut out moving marks between the short laps. The same 5 were in contention up the beat, appreciably clear of the next bunch. Fizzy Shark led at the mark, but hit it, with all the leading three boats misjudging the tidal stream. Down the P Pasta Frenzy led, with Dangerous Strawberry 2nd and Shiny Beast 3rd. However by the end of the 2nd section of the P Shiny Beast had taken a small lead from Pasta Frenzy. Down the run Shiny Beast pulled out a big lead, with the next three fighting fiercely for second. By the finish Fizzy Shark had made second safe, with Dangerous Strawberry 3rd and Pasta Frenzy 4th.

Race 3

The wind seemed to get even more patchy for race three, which was mostly fairly quiet, but with one leg about the windiest of the day! Dave and Clare pulled a neat port end flyer, with Dangerous Strawberry, Shiny Beast and Fizzy Shark going right. Dangerous Strawberry lost out due to the Shiny Beast sitting on their wind. Lots of place shuffling ensued as people got gusts and tide right and wrong, Dangerous Strawberry led to the mark, but hit it! They were closely followed by Pasta Frenzy and Pistrix, with Pasta Frenzy taking the lead while Dangerous Strawberry did their turn. Then gusts came through favouring one group then another. On the run of the first P three went left and two went right, with left definitely paying (and quite a bit of place changing amongst those on the left), and Shiny Beast ended up in the lead at the bottom mark. The next beat saw Dangerous Strawberry take the lead temporarily, but by the first leg of the P (two sail this time round) Shiny Beast was ahead, while the second actually required gybing to reach the mark. At the wing mark Shiny Beast held a lead, with Dangerous Strawberry second and Pistrix 3rd. Shiny Beast and Dangerous Strawberry held those places to the end, but Pasta Frenzy had got to third with Shark 4th and Pistrix 5th.

Saturday - Day 2

The day dawned a little wet, but the breeze looked promising and turned out to be a nice force 3/4. Out at the start, outside the breakwater there were large enough waves to make things interesting (or for your correspondent out on the committee boat, unpleasant…). The Cherub fleet was expanded with a few additions, notably Robin Russell and Will Lee in the Green Slug, and Tom Glover and Simon Fox, who had brought out 2539 - a now venerable Hot Dog which is now resplendent in an all white finish and a very neat false floor conversion. With the rest of the Final Fling classes joining us, racing for the Cherubs was all on Windward/Leeward courses. 2651 managed an extended capsize sequence near the breakwater on the way out, which confused a report of “someone jumping off the breakwater”. That turned out to be some divers trespassing, and the last we heard of that was that the Police were proposing to have a “detailed discussion” with them…

Race 4

At the gate Pasta Frenzy just overtook Shiny Beast on the last gybe, with the Slug close behind. By the time they came through the gate on the next beat the Shiny Beast was leading again, with Pasta Frenzy second and Slug 3rd. There was quite a gap to the next three, where Fizzy Shark was just ahead of Dangerous Strawberry, and Pistrix very close again. The finish, on the next run, saw Shiny Beast first, Pasta Frenzy second and Slug third, all very close, and then a little gap to the next two, Dangerous Strawberry and then Fizzy Shark. Pistrix was close after - until they were caught by a gust near the mark, capsized, hit the mark, drifted past the outside of the line and had to beat back and recross, being very lucky not to lose a place.

Race 5

Probably the race of the series so far, with just a little more wave and wind than the previous one. At the windward mark Slug was just ahead of Shiny Beast, with Fizzy Shark, Pasta Frenzy and Dangerous Strawberry following very closely. At the gate Slug was still ahead, with Shiny Beast still snapping at their transom. Dangerous Strawberry was next, followed by Pasta Frenzy, which had had a major swim - Dave had fallen out of the transom! Fizzy Shark was next, followed by Pistrix, which also went for a session of deck washing. On the beat Fizzy Shark overtook Dangerous Strawberry, and these four stayed the same to the finish, which saw a particularly pleased Tim at the line.

Race 6

The wind dropped slightly for this one, although the waves stayed. Again Slug was leading narrowly from Shiny Beast at the first gate, with Pasta Frenzy very close, and Dangerous Strawberry and Fizzy Shark also close. This was the closest fought race amongst the top group - none more a hundred yards apart with lots of place changes, but strangely the actual order through the gates and the finish stayed the same…

Sunday - Day 3

A clear start to the day, with a forecast of Force 3/4, but it didn't really look like it on the way out to the start. There was a long swell coming in from the ocean at about 45 degrees to the wind. The wind oscillated steadily all day, varying from Force two to F4 plus as squalls came through.

Race 7

At the start the wind was a good F3, and it was quite an even start, with the start line being straight at the time (the oscillating wind was a race officer's nightmare). At the windward mark Pasta Frenzy was leading, with Beast second and Strawberry third. At the gate Pasta still led narrowly from Beast, with the Green Slug coming up very quickly. At this point the wind decreased to around F2. By the gate on the next beat Pasta still led, with Strawberry crossing tacks closely with Beast, and Slug very close behind. At the windward mark beast had come through to lead, with Strawberry close behind, then Pasta. The finish, at the next gate, was Beast, Pasta, Strawberry, Slug.

Between races Patrick Cunningham's new Paterson 7 made a brief appearance, but had a rig problem and did not start any races.

Race 8

Before Race 8 a huge squall came through, a large Cruise Liner came very near to the course, and the wind changed. Thus there was quite a long wait. Strawberry pulled off a neat Port end start across the fleet. The wind then dropped back down to f2. At the windward mark Beast had pulled out a considerable lead, and Pasta and Slug were contending second place tightly, and Fizzy and Strawberry equally contesting 4th. At the gate the bunch had caught Beast Appreciably, with all four of the next group crossing gybes. The wind changed quite considerably, making the beats and runs rather one sided, so the race was shortened to the next gate. Beast took the race and the Championship, at which point the wind shifted back giving the rest a true beat to the line, with Pasta just pipping Slug for second. Strawberry and Fizzy had a tacking duel of practically match racing proportions for 4th, with Strawberry just shading it.

Race 9

Fizzy took the port end at this start, and, followed by Slug, sailed right across the starboard end starters. At the windward mark Slug was first, Pasta second, Strawberry third and Beast an unaccustomed fourth. At the gate another squall came through, and Slug led Pasta, Strawberry and Beast, with all very close. Pasta overtook Slug on the first half of the next beat, and Beast overtook Strawberry towards the end. There were no place changes on the last leg, and the Championship ended as yet another big squall arrived, this one big enough to dismast a passing RS600.

Overall Results

Place	No	Helm	Crew	Name	Design	r1	r2	r3	r4	r5	r6	r7	r8	r9
1	2676	Andy Paterson	Alex Paterson	Shiny Beast	Paterson 7	1	1	1	1	2	2	1	1	5
2	2660	Dave Roe	Claire Spens	The Pasta Frenzy	Pasta Mod	4	4	3	2	4	3	2	2	1
3	2673	Robin Russell	Will Lee	Green Slug	Slug	dn	dn	dn	3	1	1	4	3	2
4	2649	Gavin Sims	Simon Goodwin	Dangerous Strawberry	Bistro Mod	2	3	2	4	5	4	3	4	4
5	2662	Tim Dean	Una-Mary Colclough	Fizzy Shark	Pasta Mod	3	2	4	5	3	5	5	5	3
6	2666	Joe Snawdon	Helena Cade/Paul Cox	Pistrix	Pasta Mod	5	5	5	6	6	dn	6	dn	dn
7	2654	Billy Wood	David Wood	Hong Wan Paow	Trifle	7	6	6	7	dn	dn	8	6	dn
8	2651	Kathy Sherratt/Mark Watts	Alex Weir	Hoppin'Mad	Dog	6	7	7	dn	dn	Dn	7	dn	dn
9	2539	Simon Fox/Derek Reynolds	Tom Glover	Team Ecocats	Hot Dog	dn	dn	dn	dn	dn	Dn	dn	dn	dn

Summary

Andy & Alex won through two factors - boat speed, especially the ability to go deep in lighter conditions, and spotting the shifts. Robin was quick in a breeze, and might have done better given three days of racing, although it has to be said that the light conditions of day 1 would not have been especially to his liking. Gavin & Simon were notably quick upwind, and also good spotters of shifts, and 4th could be regarded as an unlucky result. Dave and Claire never really seemed to be on top form this year, but got quicker as the regatta progressed, finally putting in a win for the last race.

Gear List and Technical Overview

Sail No.	2676	2660	2673	2649	2662	2666
Crew	Andy Paterson/Alex Paterson	Dave Roe/Claire Spens	Robin Russel/Will Lee	Gavin Sims/Simon Goodwin	Tim Dean/Una-Mary Colclough	Joe Snawdon/Helena Cade/Paul Cox
Design	Paterson 7	Pasta Mod	Slug	Bistro Mod	Pasta Mod	Pasta Mod
Hull Builder	Bloodaxe (owner) 1999	Owner 1994	Owner 1998	Ian Praine (Previous Owner) 1992	Owner 1995	Robin Russell (Previous Owner) 1996
Mast	Superspars/Bloodaxe carbon prebent twin spreader	Owner carbon internal track twin spreader	Proctor carbon/twin spreader	Tropical carbon twin spreader extra long luff	Tropical/Dean carbon twin spreader	Proctor carbon/twin spreader
Sails	Caws/self tacking jib.	Batt/self tacking jib.	Batt	Batt/self tacking jib.	Batt	Batt/? Jib
Foils	Bloodaxe	Owner	Owner	Praine	Owner	Russell
Crew Weight	125kg	130kg	155kg	148kg	124kg	130kg

A typically Cherub variety of gear, with much homebuilt. The competitive longevity of the now almost universal epoxy/foam sandwich hulls is obvious. Rigs are a major theme of development at the moment. Carbon rigs, which offer a lot of benefits for a skiff type boat, are pretty much universal at the top end of the fleet now. Twin spreader rigs are also common with spinnaker hoists tending to be higher than was fashionable a couple of years ago, mainly due to the increased sail area permitted from 1997. This has led to twin spreader rigs which are typically set up in New Zealand fashion with a very stiff lower mast, often held solid by “D2” shrouds to spreader height and lower shrouds at deck level. The upper shrouds are always controlling sideways bend and of course supporting the spinnaker. Self tacking jibs are becoming increasingly common, and offer particular advantages in the very tactical short downwind legs the fleet uses because gybes are so much easier and quicker. The large range of crew weights illustrates the development class advantage of being able to set up the boat to suit the crew. Andy Paterson's rig uses considerable pre-bend, which the sail is cut for, a particularly large mainsail roach, and has a masthead kite. Gavin Sim's mast is especially tall, giving an especially high aspect ratio, which may well be part of the reason for his upwind speed. This is especially noticeable in lighter conditions. Their kite has a relatively low hoist. Dave Roe's kite hoists from about a foot from the mast head, and Robin's is about 6 inches from the tip. Dave Roe's rig has a home built carbon mast with an integral internal sail track - a very sophisticated piece of construction. Cherub sailors continue to have a big impact technically on the wider sailing scene. Bloodaxe foils came away from the 2000 Olympics with two Golds and a silver. The pre-preg Tropical masts, developed with professional rig specialist Tim Dean, are forerunners of Shirley Robertson's Gold medal winning Europe rig. Tim & Una's rig, the prototype, is believed to be the first carbon mast in the world that was laminated with an integral track. Tim Dean Consultancy are about to start work for Assa Abloy on their VO60 campaign.

Shore Pictures

Jim Champ

U.K. Cherub Nationals 2001

anonymous@undisclosed.example.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 04 Oct 2023 09:51:20 +0000

U.K. Cherub Nationals 2001

Castle Cove S.C./Weymouth Combined Clubs, Weymouth Dorset

Here's a bit of culture for you, folks.

And gentlemen in England now abed
Shall think themselves accursed that they were not here.
Shakespeare, Henry V, IV, iii

Well, yes, basically the 2001 Nationals were that great!

Day One

Thursday's races were sailed in something vaguely northerly, anything from 12 to 25 knots, loads of shifts and big gusts. It was tricky out there! The course was set in Portland Harbour, which was probably a good call in the circumstances. Ace Race Officer Frank Newton ran things smoothly and efficiently. Plenty of speed with small waves, and plenty of swimming too - I think just about everyone went in at one time or another.

A slender majority of boats were post 97 rules, with 3 each Slugs and Paterson 7s, the Squid and the Velocipede. Most older boats are converted to a greater or lesser extent, with Domino being the only boat with the smaller sail area, though both Pistrix and Halo Jones had less than maximum area with big jibs but the old mainsails. Billy's Trifle was sporting a much more substantial looking snout after Weston. Phil Alderson trekked down from Aberdeen with his boat unfinished and sails arriving at the door just as he left. His boat has no flares, just tube wings, and really looks quite unusual. His boat has an alloy mast for now - Halo Jones had the only other one.

Race 1

Green Slug took the lead near the first mark from Pasta Frenzy, just ahead of a tight bunch. Slug maintained the lead until they were flattened by a big gust. Pasta went on to win, with Slug second and Shiny Beast 3rd. Clare Warren timed one lap at about 8 minutes. If the course was the promised 0.6 of a mile that indicates (according to post race mental arithmetic - admittedly suspect) some 10 knots round the course, upwind and downwind, which is pretty fair…

Race 2

Slug 3rd to windward, behind Pasta and Beast. Slug took Beast up the second beat, finding better wind and direction on the left. They then overtook Pasta on a downwind leg, while the latter was engaged in a de-spinnaker-twisting gybe or two, which resulted in a swim. Meanwhile Shiny Beast ripped their kite badly, which allowed Fizzy Shark through to take 3rd.

Day Two

Friday started sunny and fairly quiet - around Force threeish, but built after the first race. By the time of the last race it was back to serious airtime again:-) The wind was more westerly and much steadier than Thursday, but with enough shifts and variation to make picking the changes essential. Left usually paid on the beats. With the regatta fleet joining us we didn't have the usual downwind gate, and this made the downhill legs a little more boat speed and a little less tactical as most folk just banged right.

Race 3

The lighter airs suited the narrow boats. Shiny Beast basically disappeared up the first beat and took a good sized lead which they held to the end. Behind them there was a lot of place swapping. Little Red Number was running second for a while, and was right up with the leaders for much of the race, and only lost a place to Gigolo at the end. The two leading Slugs and Pasta Frenzy fought hard, with Pasta taking second and Robin 3rd.

Race 4

More of a decent breeze for this race, which was sailed on a trapezoidal course instead of the windward leewards. This made life quite exciting for those with big masthead kites and a mark to reach… Shiny Beast led round the windward mark, but was overtaken by Pasta Frenzy and Green Slug downwind. They then lost a trapeze wire and struggled in to record a mid fleet position that I'm sure they hope will be a discard. Dave won from Robin with a reasonable lead. Simon's Slug was well placed until the kite halyard block failed and the rope started sawing its way down the mast…

Race 5

Another windy race - a good force 5 and plenty of action. Not all of it good though. Team Scotland broke a centreboard [Robin last night “I can't understand how Team Scotlands foils haven't broken - they're exactly the same layup as my ones which broke”]. Smilie Jonathon had his boat quite badly clouted by a rescue boat, damaging daggerboard case, rudder stock and a spreader. Robin won this one handily from Dave. A glorious race for those of us whose boats survived: in Halo Jones we will long remember one storming reach duelling with Pistrix with both boats a few feet apart at what must have been something getting on for 20 knots…

Day Three

A super day's sailing. Fully powered up and more for all the races, warm and sunny, what more could you want. There was a lot of close racing and a lot of infighting right through the fleet. The wind was 18knots plus for the first race, dropping slightly towards the evening,

Race 6

Pasta Frenzy was a tad late for the start of this one, and a tad was all that Green Slug needed. Clear ahead at the windward mark in their favoured conditions they were never headed all the way round. Job Done. Meanwhile Simon's Slug was battling away with Pasta Frenzy, but a small bugette in the spinnaker system - they're steadily getting the boat sorted - was costing them about half a second on each spinnaker launch. That's an awful lot of distance on these boats at these speeds and the Pasta took another second place with Shiny Beast coming through for third near the end.

Race 7

The start line had been getting increasingly competitive through the series, with a lot of battles developing through the fleet and everyone fighting for advantage. This one was particularly tight, but Green Slug managed to come out cleanly and first to the windward mark. One thing that's quite noticeable is that the masthead kite rigged boats were sailing deeper on the runs, but were having trouble getting height if they needed to.Close to the leeward mark Fizzy Shark was coming in at a much higher angle than a couple of masthead boats and looked like getting rolled. Tim and Una decided enough was enough, pulled the sheets in and luffed… Little Red Number attempted to roll over them anyway and failed. Apparently there was a plaintive cry of “That's not fair” followed by a large splash… King Tubby tried the same trick on Fizzy, got equally luffed and then caught their mainsail battens on Fizzy's rigging with terminal results for the mainsail… Una glanced back and surveyed the wreckage… “* **, you're playing dirty today!” “Funny”, says Tim, “Someone said that to me in the Protest Room at the NYYC last week…” Still rejoicing in the conditions, Green Slug led all the way round. Pasta Frenzy was second with Simon's Slug 3rd and Shiny Beast 4th.

Race 8

The last race of the day was notable for some vicious starting tactics - Pasta Frenzy was pushing Green Slug and Shiny Beast over at the left hand end with such enthusiasm that they ended up over themselves, whilst Halo Jones was pushing King Tubby over at the right end… Pistrix was seen considering entering the fray and then wisely backing off… A Merlin approaching the gate on port for his beat - to the *starboard* side of the commitee boat - was greeted with a line of Cherubs on starboard, some going very slowly and some rather quicker… Meanwhile a poor little Moth was attempting to get through the ruck on his way up the beat, was on starboard too, but had a great deal of difficulty in finding room to squeeze through. In the race Robin, his air suddenly clear as those around him hastily peeled off to recross, took full advantage of the clean air and departed to win the race, and, according to your webmaster's calculations (admittedly at midnight post curry) the championship. We'll see. Up the second beat Halo Jones caught Little Red Number on a port/starboard coming up to the gate. Little Red Number thought they could get across. They were wrong. About half a second before impact both boats simultaneously crash tacked and capsized - pretty much right on the line. We hope you enjoyed it on the Committee Boat. Again Pasta Frenzy was second, Simon's Slug 3rd and Shiny Beast 4th.

Day Four

It was looking quiet on the beach first thing - and quiet out to sea as well. It obviously wasn't going to be another rip-roaring day like the previous ones, and there wasn't quite the same level of mad enthusiasm. However off we yachted, the fleet now augmented by Phil Alderson, with the boat in a suitable state of assembly to give it a go…

Race 9

Mr Newton set a short line, but with a spectacular amount of port end bias. Troublemaker Consequently the port end was the place to be, but the chances of getting away with an across the fleet start were going to be low. The resultant variety of strategies actually meant for less trouble than the previous day's efforts. Perhaps the reduced adrenalin factor -as it was barely two on the sideof the boat weather - also helped. A tight first beat ensued, with lots of cross tacking, place changing and hails. Close that is, for all but Shiny Beast, who quickly established a spectacular lead and disappeared off into the distance. Pasta Frenzy won the duel for second place with Green Slug, but as Green Slug had already won, and Dave's discards were all seconds, it was really pretty much irrelevant. Phil found a snag or two and didn't start.

Race 10

Another short port end bias line, and similar manouvers, but truth to tell a certain end of series ennuie had set in as the wind was still light (for this week) and the major places were all settled. And again the green hull and black kite of Shiny Beast was away ahead of the rest. Green Slug and Pasta Frenzy changed places a few times during the race, but Pasta came away second again. A little further back Phil got “Version One” out round the track to finish a race! They didn't beat many people - after all it was pretty much a first sail - but when you consider how much needed doing when the boat arrived… They were awarded one of the Fleets more eccentric trophies - “The Ashes”, which is a jug containing the ashes of an expired Cherub and is presented for valiant struggles.

Final Results

Boat	Blunt End	Sharp End	Number	Design	R 1	R 2	R 3	R 4	R 5	R 6	R 7	R 8	R 9	R 10	Place
Green Slug	Robin Russell	Will Lee	2673	Slug	2	1	-3	2	1	1	1	1	-3	3	1
The Pasta Frenzy	Dave Roe	Clare Warren	2660	Pasta Frenzy mod	1	-2	-2	1	2	2	2	2	2	2	2
Shiny Beast	Andy Paterson	Alex Paterson	2676	Paterson 7	3	-4	1	(8}	3	3	4	4	1	1	3
Fizzy Shark	Tim Dean	Una-Mary Colclough	2662	Pasta Frenzy mod	4	3	-7	3	4	-17	5	5	7	6	4
Geriatric Gigolo	Scott Kaczor	Mike Miller	2650	Paterson 6a	6	7	5	6	7	-17	-17	6	6	5	5
Pistrix	Joe Snawden	Natalie Butcher	2666	Pasta Frenzy mod	5	5	-12	5	5	6	-17	8	8	7	6
Simon's Slug	Andrw Kinchin	Simon Roberts	247	Slug	-17	-17	4	7	17	17	3	3	4	4	7
Halo Jones	Ben Brown	Jim Champ	2641	ItalianBistro mod	8	6	-11	-17	6	8	6	7	10	10	8
Born Slippy	Neil Cardno	Ken Scott-Brown	2674	Slug	7	8	9	4	-17	-17	7	9	11	9	9
Hong Wang Pao	Billy Wood	Iain Everett	2654	Trifle mod	9	9	8	-10	8	7	8	-17	9	8	10
Squid Pro Quo	Mike Rolf	Tom Payne	2677	Squid	11	-17	13	-17	10	5	17	10	17	17	11=
Little Red Number	Patrick Cunningham	Mark Turner	2678	Paterson 7	-17	-17	6	17	17	4	17	17	5	17	11=
Domino	Dominic Barker	Craig Johnson	2656	Platypus	10	-17	-17	17	9	9	17	17	17	17	13
Other Way Up	Ken Appleby	James Collet	2661	Italian Bistro mod	-17	-17	17	17	17	10	17	17	12	12	14
Fuzzy Logic	Martin Hurst	Jon Garfitt	2675	Velocipede	-17	-17	10	9	17	17	17	17	17	17	15
Version 1	Phil Anderson	Dave Carty	2681	Paterson 7	-17	-17	17	17	17	17	17	17	17	11	16

Shore Photos

“On the Beach” photos of the competitors

UK Cherub Nationals 2002

anonymous@undisclosed.example.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 04 Oct 2023 10:58:39 +0000

UK Cherub Nationals 2002

There was a total entry of 19 boats for the Nationals, although Neil and Ken didn't make it due to family illness. There was a good variety of boats from an asymmetric converted Forman 8 right up to just about every post 97 rules boat! The majority were sporting some kind of partial or full 97 rules conversion. Old faces, new faces, familiar boats and ones that hadn't been seen for a while were all there. Top marks for travel went to the two Scottish boats.

Day 1

Sunshine, 15 to 20 knots of breeze, what more could one want? Well, in the case of your editor, a dagger board that doesn't break off on the downhill leg… Crack, f***, what's that, crack, boat goes out of control, white thing floats up behind boat.

On a more positive note we had two races in an exceedingly decent breeze.

Both races were P courses. Race 1 saw Davro take the lead on a tight first beat, followed round mark1 by inter alia Robin, Gavin Sims, Tim & Una, Andy Paterson and to his surprise your editor, not necessarily in that order. A tight first leg of the P saw some delayed hoists, and then the pedal went to the metal as we bounced downhill. My race ended close to the leeward mark, but I understand Davro and Clare won, Robin was second and Gavin third.

Race 2 was equally entertaining. Robin and Will took an early lead and proceeded to do a horizon job on the fleet, while Dave dropped back with a swim after Clare missed the hook going out on the wire. Phil Alderson in his flareless Pat 7 was going great guns for much of the race, only relinquishing 2nd to Gavin Sims after a ferocious battle on the last lap…

Day 2

Sunshine and 15knots for the first race, although it dropped continuously to around 5 to 8 knots for the last race.

Race 3. Dave and Clare found the right way up the first beat, and led round the mark, but they couldn't hold off Robin, who went off for another wind. Behind Gavin and Davro were regularly swapping places, but in the end Gavin took second, with Dave 3rd and Andy Paterson coming through for 4th.

Race 4. Gavin Sims pulled off another of the hot starts that he always seemed to manage in his old boat, Strawberry, then picked the first beat right, then sailed round and won… The tide had turned and was quite significant in this race. At the windward mark Dave and Claire were off the opinion that they were clear ahead of a starboard Phil Alderson - but were wrong, and circles ensued! However they got through to second in the end, ahead of Robin and then Andy P again.

Race 5. The wind had dropped again, and the tide was so strong that the line was just about un-crossable on starboard - so much shouting at the port end! Still a pretty fair breeze, and another P course. By the second lap Gavin was just ahead of Patrick and Andy P at the windward mark, but found better speed downwind and went on to win. The next few fought a close battle, with Robin eventually taking third from Phil Alderson, with Patrick dropping back to 5th.

Race 6. The wind now was dying appreciably, and holes were beginning to appear, especially with the strong tidal stream going with the wind. The start was delayed in order to let a block of flats labelled 'Irish Ferries' pass. The start was closely contested, with one boat over, and some accusations of barging, resulting in the first Cherub on Cherub protest at a UK Championship since the 1980 Worlds. Gavin went well left on the first leg, but it didn't seem to pay, and Patrick led narrowly from Andy and Robin at the first mark, followed by a very tight bunch. By the gate Phil Alderson had emerged from the bunch into 4th, which saw the # Paterson 7s in the top 4 in their preferred conditions. Following this there was a quite inspirable bunch of about 9 boats, ferociously place changing all the time. On the next beat Andy found a huge hole, and Patrick went away to win. Gavin caught Andy after avoiding the hole, and finished second, with Andy third and Dangerous Strawberry emerging 4th out of the ruckus behind. The protest then ensued, which was Robin against Patrick for barging in at the committee boat, and Patrick copped a DSQ…

Day 3

Sunshine and… not much wind. Actually it looked OK going out to the start, but it pretty much went down from there.

Race 7. Andy Paterson liked the conditions better! He was able to get an early lead, which he kept to the end. Gavin was always chasing, but never quite catching. The big surprise was Graham and Sarah in the Squid. They really got it in the groove on the run, sailing at much the same speed as the pack, but far deeper, and went right through to third place.

Race 8. The wind had dropped some more, and a good few decided that enough was enough and headed for the beach. Andy again led, harried by Gavin and Patrick, but they never actually managed to catch him. It was one of those races where not hoisting the spinnaker was definitely the fast choice at times! Further back there was some very tight and vocal mark roundings, with at least two boats doing their turns…

Race 9. The first attempt at this was abandoned as the Cherubs struggled to the windward mark with the Moths becalmed on the run. Cheers ensued! Shortly after this a rather lacklustre sea breeze came in, but there was at least enough breeze to keep kites filled all the way round. Andy again won, with Gavin second, and Patrick third.

This left Gavin firmly in the top slot, with Andy just capable of catching him if he won both races. Robin's challenge faded with the wind, as was perhaps predictable.

Last Day

Cloudy and mist and next to no wind. A long postponement - we finally launched at 11 when they finally saw 5-6 knots out in the race area, and started at 12.

Race 11. The Moths got away fine on a bit of breeze, but the wind dropped just before the Cherub start, leaving two boats somehow becalmed on port on the line at the port end. They may have had no rights, but they couldn't move either. The resultant chaos saw several boats, including Gavin, get absolutely and completely stuffed at what had looked like the favoured end with the tide situation, while 02 themselves out. Strawberry picked up a second, and Patrick third.

Race 12 Gavin attempted an Ainslie style covering match on Andy, but the wily Paterson was having none of it! In another horribly chaotic start - you just can't do that sort of thing, Strawberry - experience paid and Andy wriggled his way out to the front. Patrick overtook on the second beat, and Gavin was back in the frame, then Andy got back in front, but then snagged a lobster pot and went swimming, so Patrick nipped just ahead again. They were overlapped to the line but Patrick crossed the line first - to silence - OCS! Andy took the series after all on most first places, with Gavin second. Either of Patrick's lost race wins could have given him third overall, but instead Mark and Scott, who'd been improving steadily right through the series, took third place as well as the handicap prize.

Results

Pos	Boat Name	Sail No	Helm	Crew	R1	R2	R3	R4	R5	R6	R7	R8	R9	R10	R11	Pts	Notes
1st	Shiny Beast	2676	Andy Paterson	Ross Clark	4	5	4	4	2	2	1	1	1	1	1	13.0
2nd	Mango Jam	2682	Gavin Sims	Simon Goodwin	3	2	2	1	1	1	2	2	2	7	5	13.0
3rd	Dangerous Strawberry	2649	Mark Chamberlain	Scott Willey	6	6	8	10	7	3	5	5	4	2	4	35.0
4th	Aqua Marina	2681	Phil Alderson	Michael Garrington	7	3	5	5	4	11	DNC	DNC	DNC	4	2	41.0
5th	Green Slug	2673	Robin Russell	Will Lee	2	1	1	3	3	4	11	DNC	DNC	DNC	DNC	45.0
6th	Fizzy Shark	2662	Tim Dean	Una-Mary Colclough	5	7	9	6	8	6	6	DNC	DNC	5	6	49.0
7th	The Pasta Frenzy	2660	Dave Roe	Clare Warren	1	4	3	2	6	7	7	DNC	DNC	DNC	DNC	50.0
8th	Little Red Number	2678	Patrick Cunningham	David Hannaford	DNF	DNC	6	7	5	DSQ	4	3	3	3	OCS	51.0	DSQ Race 6 after protest.
9th	Fuzzy Logic	2675	Martin Hurst	Jon Garfitt	DNF	DNC	10	8	10	5	10	7	5	6	3	54.0
10th	Pistrix	2666	Joe Snawdon	Natalie Butcher	8	8	12	DNC	11	9	9	8	8	8	7	65.0
11th	Geriatric Gigolo	2650	Murray Tosh	Bruce Lenton	10	12	14	12	9	12	8	4	6	9	8	66.0
12th	Cheese before Bedtime	2645	Nick Hankins	Nigel Sims	9	10	7	9	13	10	12	10	DNC	10	11	76.0
13th	Squid	2677	Graham Dickenson	Sarah Tindall	DNF	11	15	14	DSQ	8	3	9	9	dnf	DNC	89.0	DSQ R5 for missing a mark.
14th	Eat My Wake	2617	Christopher Holman	Thomas Hamilton	11	13	16	15	15	14	16	11	10	12	12	98.0
15th	Little Fluffy Clouds	2643(sic)	Ben Brown	Daryl Wilkinson	DNF	9	11	13	12	13	DNC	DNC	DNC	14	10	102.0
16th	Halo Jones	2641	Alex Adams	Jim Champ	DNF	DNC	DNC	DNC	DNC	DNC	13	6	7	13	9	108.0
17th	Strangely Brown	2651	Gary Butland	Simon Turnbull	DNF	DNC	13	11	14	DNC	14	DNC	DNC	11	dnf	123.0
18th		247	Simon Roberts	Lucy Lee	DNC	DNC	DNC	DNC	DNC	DNC	15	DNC	DNC	DNC	DNC	155.0
19th	Team Scotland	2674	Neil Cardno	Ken Scott-Brown	DNC	DNC	DNC	DNC	DNC	DNC	DNC	DNC	DNC	DNC	DNC	160.0

2003 UK Cherub Nationals

anonymous@undisclosed.example.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 04 Oct 2023 11:07:07 +0000

2003 UK Cherub Nationals

A desperate turnout of nine boats, equalling the worst ever. Its difficult to work out exactly what went wrong. Certainly we were missing a suprising large number of regulars with new babies, weddings, work committments and so on, but we also didn't get a single first time entry either, so it doesn't seem as if it was just bad luck. It does seem as if this early in the season a lot of folk still haven't got their boats sorted too as winter maintenance overruns. Its funny - we often seem to get poor turnouts in East Anglia. I don't know why - answers on a postcard please!

Day One

After a leisurely start the wind filled in late and allowed for the two races as planned. Everyone lined up in good style for the first start after the Int Canoes. After the gun, Shiney Beast and Mango Jam left and made gains in the tide and got lifted to the windward mark. Downhill Mango and Shiney had a tussle with Little Red Number trailing in their wake. Everyone in the fleet enjoyed tight racing with places changing round.p>

Shiney Beast
Mango Jam
Little Red Number
THE Slug
Fizzy Shark

The second race started quickly afterwards (and after a gloriously chaotic Canoe start with a major pin end pile up featuring one helm swimming after his boat!) with more breeze filling in and most getting wiring uphill. At the tail end of the fleet, the two Bistros, Halo Jones and Fluffy Clouds had a good battle with Squid Quo Pro all the way round. Fuzzy Logic showed bursts of speed not seen before and provoked Fizzy to use covering tactics. In spite of much place swapping the final results for race two were virtually the same as for race -

Shiney Beast
Mango Jam
Little Red Number
Fizzy Shark
THE Slug

2003 Nationals Day Two.

A much better day for the breeze, with it building through the day to a very decent blast in the last race, especially as the tide turned and that Blackwater chop built. The first race heard a second gun at the start, and a rather puzzled white Slug doubling back round a mark they were sure they had been behind at the start. They were right - but that was the leeward mark and not the outer distance. Mango Jam set off fast, followed by Shiney Beast, with Slug also well in attendance. The Beast found an excellent shift on the last beat to take the lead, but Mango powered over them on the last short reach to the finish to grab it back at the last second.

Mango Jam
Shiney Beast
Fuzzy Logic
Little Red Number
Fizzy Shark

Race 4 saw another fast start for Mango, and they took out a good lead from the Slug, with Beast well in attendance too. Close behind were Halo Jones and Fizzy Shark, swapping places and back on the next legs, until Halo dropped back with a ripped kite, shortly followed by Mango with a snapped bowsprit. The Slug then held a reasonably comfortable lead to the end.

THE Slug
Shiney Beast
Little Fluffy Clouds
Fizzy Shark
Little Red Number

For Race 5 the wind had built some. The Slug led from start to finish, followed by the Beast. Little Red Number and Fizzy Shark were having a ferocious battle a little further back, terminated when the Number capsized so close to Fizzy that Fizzy could manage to miss Number's daggerboard, which snapped off. Ouch!

THE Slug
Shiney Beast
Fizzy Shark
Little Fluffy Clouds
Little Red Number

Day Three.

A wet start to the day with no wind. Race 6 started late as a bit of wind came in, but it was fairly light. Mango Jam led up the first beat, but Shiney Beast made better use of the tide at the top and snuck through, and then extended their lead for the rest of the race in their preferred conditions. Mango Jam fought hard with Little Red Number and prevailed at the end, with The Slug fourth.

Shiney Beast
Mango Jam
Little Red Number
THE Slug
Fizzy Shark

The afternoon programme was scheduled with a long distance race for a separate trophy, which was won by Andy and Alex Paterson in Shiney Beast. Not everyone sailed this one, with a certain amount of boat swapping going on.

Nationals Last Day

Mango Jam led briefly led up the first beat of race 7, but Shiney Beast slipped through at the windward mark, followed by Shiney Beast and Halo Jones. On the run White Slug came through to third, and fought hard with Mango Jam as Shiney Beast took a good lead. Mango and Slug fought so hard that they didn't notice Fuzzy Logic take out the pair of them for second place, Shiney Beast having won both the race and the Championship.

Shiney Beast
Fuzzy Logic
Mango Jam
THE Slug
Little Red Number

In between races there was a massive squall which provided the best sailing of the Championships, but also torrential rain.

Unfortunately the wind had dropped again for the last race. Halo Jones pulled off a superb pin end start, closely followed by Mango Jam and then Shiney Beast at the windward mark. Shiney Beast got through to second, and these places stayed until the leeward mark. At this point the wind dropped completely, and the race was shortened leaving a tiny 50 yard hop to the finish. Tiny but for the tide and the lack of wind. Mango Jam got across quite quickly, eventually followed by Shiney Beast. After a considerable delay the former N12 sailors in Little Fluffy Clouds, who used all their suddenly relevant experience to pick up two places at the last gasp. The Slug then just pipped Halo Jones, whose highly prebent rig was eminently unsuitable for the conditions!

Mango Jam
Shiney Beast
Little Fluffy Clouds
THE Slug
Halo Jones

A good but maybe not a vintage Championships. The lightish winds are just one of those things that happens, maybe too much lately. Its a drawback of the east coast that the prevailing wind and the sea breeze tend to fight, whereas on south and western coasts they're more likley to assist each other. The club was great, the food was good, the showers everything Ben promised - they must be the biggest generators of warm water in the area since the Nuclear Power station closed down! Another good win for the Patersons. Andy, with 4 wins, is level with Guy Lewington and behind only Davro in the most events won as helm list, and Alex, with three, also in equal second place behind Alex Windsor and level with Wendy Barclay and Helen Marsh. Gavin Sims and Simon Goodwin missed out by a narrow margin again, and must be wondering what they need to do to win. Andy Kinchin and Simon Roberts were very fast in the White Slug too, and given more consistency and perhaps less depsyching up of themselves about lighter weather could be in with a shot next year too.

The rest of the fleet - what there was of it - were never looking likely to regularly challenge the top - Patrick didn't seem to have got to terms with the setup of his boat for a much heavier crew, and will doubtless be tuning keenly over the rest of the season. Martin and Smiley had I thought a good regatta. They're obviously well in command of the boat, which is much more reliable now, and got some excellent results. Tim and Claire, sailing together for the first time I believe, were easily the quickest of the older boats, and are unofficial winners of the handicap prize, which we never got round to doing formally with so few folk present. Ben and Daryl continue to progress, and also picked up some 3s and 4s. They'll be looking forward to the new boat that they'll certainly be able to make excellent use of. Alex and I had very good speed at times, which was pleasing, but we suffered dreadfully from lack of boat prep - unable to hoist or drop the kite consistently until the last day. Next year! Mike and Tom could only make the weekend, and had an unlucky breakage to spoil even that. But the Squid really is looking much more sorted now, and they had good bursts of speed to show there's much more to come.

Final Results

Pos	Boat Name	Sail No	Helm	Crew	Club	R1	R2	R3	R4	R5	R6	R7	R8	Pts	Design
1st	Shiney Beast	2676	Andy Paterson	Alex Paterson	Gurnard SC	1	1	2	2	2	1	1	2	8.0	Paterson 7
2nd	Mango Jam	2682	Gavin Sims	Simon Goodwin	Neyland SC	2	2	1	DNF	DNC	2	3	1	1-0	Butt Plug
3rd	Nautilus Pompilius	“247”	Andy Kinchin	Simon Roberts	Bewl Valley	4	4	OCS	1	1	4	4	4	18.0	Slug
4th	Little Red Number	2678	Patrick Cunningham	David Hamilton	Stone SC	3	3	4	5	5	3	5	DNF	23.0	Paterson 7
5th	Fuzzy Logic	2675	Martin Hurst	Jon Garfitt	Notts County	5	6	3	6	DNC	6	2	DNC	28.0	Velocipede
6th	Fizzy Shark	2662	Tim Dean	Claire Spens	Mayflower SC	6	5	5	4	3	5	7	DNC	28.0	Pasta Frenzy
7th	Little Fluffy Clouds	2642	Ben Brown	Daryl Wilkinson	Stone SC	7	7	7	3	4	7	8	3	3-0	Italian Bistro
8th	Halo Jones	2641	Alex Adams	Jim Champ	Island Barn Reservoir SC	8	9	6	7	DNC	8	6	5	40.0	Italian Bistro
9th	Squid pro Quo	2677	Mike Rolf	Tom Edwards	Oxford SC	9	8	DNF	DNC	DNF	DNC	DNC	DNC	57.0	Squid

2004 Nationals WPNSA

anonymous@undisclosed.example.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 04 Oct 2023 12:03:25 +0000

2004 Nationals WPNSA

Sunday - Race One

Sunny and quite a decent looking breeze as we headed out. By the time we got out there it was a pleasant F4, and looked great. A somewhat delayed start went off with Shiny Beat inverted at the pin end, and it was some time before they followed the pack. Halo Jones led up much of the beat, pointing higher than the two string boats, but went the wrong side at the top and Norwegian Blue stormed up to take the lead with Aqua Marina and Fizzy amongst the close chasing bunch. The wind seemed to build some, and the two sail out to the spreader mark was dramatic to say the least, with several place changes. Then it was kite time, and the odd snaggle ensued with being a starboard rounding course and thus a port tack (wrong side) hoist. We all stormed downwind, and looked for the gate. It looked small. It looked very small! At Cherub angles it was a very small target indeed! Much swimming ensued as there was insufficient room to be able to pick your moment for the gybe, and Aqua Marina inherited the lead and headed off into the distance. A swim on the second lap by Aqua gave Shiny Beast the lead, then Aqua regained the lead upwind, then Beast overtook them on the next run sailing deeper, and another swim by Aqua left Shiney Beast able to cruise home for the gun. Aqua Marina was second, and Strawberry third.

Monday - Race Two

Sunny again, but a lot less breeze from the SW than Sunday. The line went from quite port biased to very port biased at about 20 seconds to go before the gun. Strawberry, Halo and Norwegian were already lined up for the port-hand flyer, and this became more favourable. Norwegian had a very close squeak in front of Little Red Number. Shiny Beast tacked over onto port and slowly crept ahead. At the top mark Dangerous Strawberry was ahead of Dangerous Beans, Little Red Number and Halo Jones, Shiny Beast having a weed problem. After the bear away buoy pretty much everyone gybed onto starboard on the way down to the gate. For the rest of the race the challenge was to keep the boats moving in the light fitful breeze, a task best undertaken by Little Red Number, then Shiny Beast followed by Halo Jones, Fizzy Shark and Aqua Marina.

Monday - Race Three.

Sunny, possibly a bit more wind. The wind hinted it might be all over the place and was…

Much action at the pin end with Halo on starboard causing all sorts of problems for Norwegian Blue and Strawberry on port… It was another wriggle your way up through the shifts beat, with Halo leading at the top from Shiny Beast and then the pack. The Patersons took the lead downwind with superior boat speed offwind in the light stuff. By the time we got to the bottom the wind had gone round 45 degrees or more, leaving the beat a fetch… LRN went low, and the wind helped them out by not changing back. Halo took the middle, with Norwegian Blue up to windward and Strawberry even further up. At the top the wind came in from the left, leaving Halo totally blanketed and fuming as about seven boats went past… the run was now a straight gybe free reach, as was the last beat, and the order stayed much the same.

Tuesday - Race Four

A long wait to launch as the wind made up its mind about which side of the harbour it wanted to blow from. Some time later we launched and headed out in another hot, sunny but unfortunately not windy day. The sea breeze never came in either…

The first race started with a considerable scrum at the port end, which led to a second gun but no-one returning. Cheese before Bedtime were the unfortunates greeted with silence at the finish. The line was in fact fairly square, and people from right across the line did well up the beat. Notable amongst this was Kokopelli, a Forman 8 which must be 25 years old, scrapping right up with the Patersons and Slugs. The race went to Shiny Beast, with LRN second, Aqua Marina third, and Mango Jam, storming through the fleet after a start of almost Davro lateness, 4th.

Tuesday - Race Five

No better wind for this one, although there was at least plenty of hard fought tactical racing, with much place changing upwind and down. In a nightmare scenario for Cheese before Bedtime (yes, I know I used that pun a few years ago, but not everyone will have read it!) their OCS in the previous race was followed by being pushed over the line by Halo. Sometimes its not just your day! Shiny Beast and Mango swapped places several times with the Beast taking the gun at the last. Just behind them LRN was reeled in rapidly on the last lap by a tight bunch of Halo, Aqua, Fuzzy Logic and Norwegian Blue, but they just managed to maintain their place, with the others finishing tight behind.

Wednesday - Race Six

The weather looked bit better for this, with enough breeze to wire upwind and downwind - at least for the first half. An even start line gave no one any especial advantage, although Aqua Marina's adjustable rudder foils were clearly working well as they powered off the line. There was a very close bunch at the top mark, with I think Mango, Shiny, Aqua and Halo at close quarters, maybe someone else. With no obvious sides of the course favoured there was also much swapping of places downhill. Mango and Aqua fought for the lead for much of the race, but Shiny Beast almost inevitably slipped through at the end. Aqua Marina took 2nd, Mango 3rd, Fizzy 4th and LRN fifth.

Wednesday - Race Seven

Somewhat lighter for race seven. Again hard fought between Mango and Shiny, and again the Beast got through at the death. Behind them LRN generally was able to keep clear of a tight battle behind, in which Halo took advantage of their light airs upwind speed to take 4th from Norwegian Blue, in a battle that also included Aqua Marina and Fizzy Shark in a different order on every lap.

Thursday

Well we sailed out in a pleasantish breeze, then it stopped, then it swung a bit, then it stopped, then it swung some more, then Dr. Newton hung up the abandon flag and it got a bit breezier again, then it swung 180 degrees! Good call then: you'd think he knows Weymouth Bay well!

Friday - Race 8

Something of a delay, but when we got out there it was very pleasant - warm and windy enough to be trapezing most of the time upwind and just about all the time downhill. Mango had elected to run with a dispensation (oversize) kite for the day, and thus weren't scoring any Championship points.

A very even start and first beat, with LRN, Aqua and Halo at the first bunch at the windward mark. Following at a bit of a distance was Shiny Beast, who had had to sail back to rerig the kite. Fizzy Shark took Halo on the next run, and a very tight and tactical race ensued between these two and Norewegian Blue, interrupted at the end by Shiny Beast, who slipped through to take fourth, with Fizzy third, Halo fifth and Norwegian Blue sixth.

Friday - Race 9

And so the last race started. While the top three were pretty much sorted, the next pack was very tight indeed, and on the water we figured that whoever won out of Fizzy, Halo and Norwegian Blue would take fourth place. That being the case the three of us flew round the course in a very intense tactical battle, with Aqua Marina also very much involved. With a slight but not extreme tendency to the left the beats were quite involved, and Halo tended to use their superior upwind speed to claw back what Fizzy and Norwegian were gaining downwind. The downwind tactical battle was considerably complicated by the Dutch Cadet suicide squad, who for some bizarre reason decided that the right place to do some preparation for their europeans the next week was the middle of a race course with Cherubs and Moths flying round in directions and at speeds that they've surely never seen before. In the end Fizzy flew down the last run to overtake Aqua Marina and grab third place, with Halo fifth and Norwegian Blue sixth.

Results

Rank	Boat Name	Sail No	Helm	Crew	R1	R2	R3	R4	R5	R6	R7	R8	R9	Nett
1st	Shiny Beast	2676	Andrew Paterson	Alex Paterson	1.0	2.0	1.0	1.0	1.0	1.0	1.0	4.0	1.0	7.0
2nd	Little Red Number	2678	Patrick Cunningham	Adrian Murphy	5.0	1.0	2.0	2.0	3.0	5.0	3.0	1.0	2.0	14.0
3rd	Aqua Marina	2681	Phil Alderson	Malcolm Garrington	2.0	5.0	9.0	3.0	5.0	2.0	7.0	2.0	4.0	23.0
4th	Fizzy Shark	2662	Tim Dean	Claire Spens	DNF	4.0	5.0	7.0	DNF	4.0	6.0	3.0	3.0	32.0
5th	Halo Jones	2641	Alex Adams	Jim Champ	DNF	3.0	7.0	6.0	4.0	6.0	4.0	5.0	5.0	33.0
6th	Norwegian Blue	2637	Will Lee	Lucy Lee	4.0	7.0	3.0	5.0	7.0	8.0	5.0	6.0	6.0	36.0
7th	Mango Jam	2682	Gavin Sims	Simon Goodwin	DNC	DNC	4.0	4.0	2.0	3.0	2.0	RAF	RAF	51.0
8th	Dangerous Strawberry	2649	Mark Chamberlain	Scott Willey	3.0	8.0	8.0	DNF	8.0	9.0	9.0	DNC	8.0	53.0
9th	Fuzzy Logic	2675	Chris Bishop	Jon Garfitt	DNC	6.0	10.0	8.0	6.0	7.0	10.0	8.0	DNC	55.0
10th	Cheese before Bedtime	2645	Nick Hankins	Liz Mellett	DNF	9.0	6.0	OCS	DNF	12.0	8.0	7.0	7.0	67.0
11th	Kokopelli	2622	Tom Kiddle	Matthew Kiddle	DNF	10.0	12.0	10.0	10.0	11.0	11.0	9.0	9.0	70.0
12th	Born Slippy	2674	Neil Cardno	Ken Scott-Brown	DNF	12.0	11.0	9.0	9.0	10.0	12.0	DNC	DNC	81.0
13th	Hong Wang Pao	2654	Andy Lang	Tris Kemp	DNC	13.0	13.0	11.0	11.0	DNC	DNC	DNC	DNC	102.0
14th	Little Fluffy Clouds	2642	Neil Thomas	Rachel Thomas	DNC	11.0	DNF	DNF	DNF	13.0	DNC	DNC	DNC	114.0
15th	Loco Perro	2685	Ben Brown	Daryl Wilkinson	DNC	DNC	DNC	DNC	DNC	DNF	DNC	DNC	DNC	126.0
15th	Dangerous Beans	2673	Kevin Ellway	Jo Evans	RAF	RAF	RAF	RAF	RAF	RAF	RAF	RAF	RAF	126.0
15th	Nautilus Pompilius	-	Robin Russell	Simon Roberts	RAF	RAF	RAF	RAF	RAF	RAF	RAF	RAF	RAF	126.0

Three boats were using oversize development spinnakers for some or all races and are scored RAF for those races.

2005 National Championships

anonymous@undisclosed.example.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 09 Dec 2020 19:21:56 +0000

2005 National Championships

New Quay Yacht Club (Cardigan, Wales)

This nationals, the first since the rule change to adopt bigger rigs, saw the best Cherub nationals turnout for many years. The form book looked like it might be thrown out of the window, as Andy Paterson - seemingly invincible in recent years with his daughter Alex in Shiny Beast (2676)- had a new crew, as did other major contender Gavin Sims in Mango Jam (2682). Racing up the rankings were Ben Brown and Daryl Wilkinson in Loco Perro (2685). Phil Alderson with newish crew Carol Low competed in their new boat Primal Scream (2686).

The sun shone all week and much fun was had by all cherub sailors and shore crew.

Thursday 14th July 2005

boats?4

Race 1

The late 3pm start allowed for a marathon boat measuring session, masterminded by Patrick Cunningham. The wind looked very light indeed. Not an isobar could be seen for miles around. By the start a gentle zephyr from the west had settled enough for the race officer to set the course and let the Moths away followed by the Cherubs. There was much foredeck crouching and hole-missing among the fleet as we crept to the top mark. First to hoist was Loco Perro followed by a big bunch. The run was about keeping the boats moving without pointing too high.

Loco Perro managed to be ahead at the end of the first lap and again at the end of the race (which is, after all, the important bit), but on the way was crossed by Primal Scream and Sweet Dreams before fighting her way back to win. Sweet Dreams was second with Primal Scream third. Extremely close finishes are evidenced by the first five boats all finishing within a minute.

Race 2

The breeze had piped up a bit and some singling and twinning was seen at times in the really lumpy water for which New Quay is rightly famed. The lead changed between Shiny Beast and Mango Jam the whole way round with Shiny keeping it together until the end. The ODM decided being attached to the bottom was far too boring and set off in the general direction of the leeward mark before it was grabbed and replaced by the attentive committee. Loco Perro temporarily fell foul of the Sailing Instruction not to sail through the start/finish line on the downwind leg. A difficult instruction to obey when the ODM is nowhere to be seen! Natural justice was served when their 4th place was restored later.

Check out the very many fotoboat.com photos taken by Elaine Marsh at their website.

On Thursday night there was a welcome party in the clubhouse. Of special note was the local mackerel pate and the freshly caught Welsh Rarebit. Tasty!

Friday - 15th July 2005

boats?4

Race 3

The wind was up again and shifty with Shiny Beast, Mango Jam and Aquamarina getting away from the pack and steadily increasing the gap throughout the race. Shiny finished ahead followed by Mango Jam and Aqua.

Race 4

The wind settled but went lighter. A one lap drifter ended with Shiny ahead of Loco Perro and then Aqua, with the pack never far behind.

Race 5

Two laps of comfortable sitting-on-the-side stuff ended with Loco ahead of Shiny and then Mango.

Friday night was the AGM, followed by an incredibly late curry to welcome the antipodean contingent (more later).

Saturday - 16th July 2005

boats?4

Race 6

A bit more wind resulted in occasional trapezing. Shiny Beast beat Loco Perro followed by Primal Scream.

Race 7

Same. Shiny Beast beat Primal Scream followed by Loco Perro

Race 8

Slightly more wind. Shiny Beast beat Mango Jam followed by Loco Perro

Saturday evening was dinner in the clubhouse hosted by the club. Terrific salads and an appropriately sized lasagne for 60 hungry sailors hit the spot perfectly.

Sunday - 17th July 2005

'Twas the last day of the nationals/ And all through the air/ Not a molecule was stirring/ Not even near the student caravan. That's right - the sea was like a very big slightly wobbly mirror and we all got an early prize giving.

boats

Keen readers will have noticed by now that Andy 'Bloodaxe' Paterson and Tom 'Fotoboat' Gruitt are this year's National Champions, claiming the coveted 'Simpson Trophy'. Andy is well on the way to becoming the most successful Cherub sailor of all time. Second place was in contention right up to the last race sailed. As runner up, Ben Brown and Daryl Wilkinon in Loco Perro won the 'Sheila Fleming Challenge Cup'. Third went to Gav and Nigel Sims in Mango Jam. Further down the fleet two epic battles for supremacy were taking place: The first Bistro (numerous and successful design of the early 1990's) was, after a titanic battle, Dave Ching and Lara Gonzalez in Norwegian Blue. The Classic cherubs also enjoyed tight racing: Whaam! piloted by Kita Carpenter and Stuart Hopson with a little help from special guest star Twelve Foot Skiff Interdominions winning crew Brad Yabsley took this trophy in the end, which is a mounted photoblock of Cherub number 1 from 1951. The first Student helm was Tom Kiddle in Kokopelli, winning a prize donated by Maldon District Council; a picture tastefully depicting an environmentally conscious message.

The 'Mason Trophy', a massive half model of a Bistro, was won convincingly by Ben Brown and Daryl Wilkinson in Loco Perro, as the best improvers (see how they got on last year). The 'Harwich Trophy', donated by Harwich Town SC, was awarded for the first old-rules boat was won by Will and Lucy Lee in AquaMarina. These two have been practicing loads in recent months, and even won an open meeting earlier in the year despite having smaller 'old-rules' sails. The 'Silver Teapot', the origin of which is lost in the mists of time, is awarded for thr first placed female. This went to Lucy Lee of Aquamarina. The Newcomers trophy is a mounted photo block of Cherubs racing in about 1955, and this year was won by Dave Ching and Lara Gonzalez. What a pair. The 'Silver Salver' is awarded to the most beautiful Cherub: Therapy (owned by Mark Grant) was the winner of this. The closely related 'Phoenix', awarded for the best restoration, went to Suicide Blonde and Iain Christie. Also awarded was the 'Davey', a miner's lamp given in recognition of the best nosedive of the week. Loco Perro was observed to fail to keep the mylar above the progrip and added this prize to their haul. Sweet Dreams clocked up two solid positions in the races on the first day, but then accidentally had to return to work. For this stirling effort at throwing away a potentially good result the 'Didgeridont' (a labelled didgerido) was awarded. The 'Ashes' (The burnt remains of a well known cherub of years gone by), awarded for the mightiest bit of boat destruction, went to Taking Liberties with Tim Noyce and Andy Lang for kindly helping the safety boat teams take their minds off their sunburn.

In all a great week was had by all - Many thanks to the crack team of race and party organisers at New Quay Yacht Club. We'll be back!

boats

Results

Final Position	Helm	Crew	Boat	Sail Number	Design	Sails	R1	R2	R3	R4	R5	R6	R7	R8	Points After Discard
1	Andrew Paterson	Tom Gruitt	Shiny Beast	2676	P7	Redeye	6	1	1	1	2	1	1	1	8
2	Ben Brown	Daryl Wilkinson	Loco Perro	2685	Big Issue	Redeye	1	4	7	2	1	2	3	3	16
3	Gavin Sims	Nigel Sims	Mango Jam	2682	Butt Plug	Ratseys	19	3	2	4	3	5	4	2	23
4	William Lee	Lucy Lee	AquaMarina	2681	P7b	RMW	4	2	3	3	4	4	5	5	25
5	Phil Alderson	Carol Low	Primal Scream	2686	Easy Wan	RMW	3	7	8	19	5	3	2	4	32
6	Robert Main	Simon 'Little T' Turnbull	Strangley Brown	2651	Dog	Hays	5	5	5	7	8	7	8	8	45
7	David Ching	Lara Gonzalez-Ruiz	Norwegian Blue	2637	Bistro	Batt	7	8	9	5	6	8	10	10	53
8	Bob Clements	Alan Atterbury	Baby Factory	2664	Pasta	?	19	9	6	10	7	9	7	7	55
9	Iain Christie	Paula Symons	Suicide Blonde	2644	Bistro	Redeye	11	12	12	9	12	6	6	6	62
10	Matthew Grant	Mark Grant	Therapy	2656	Platypus	Batt	8	19	4	6	10	19	11	9	67
11	Stuart Hopson / Kita Carpenter	Kita Carpenter / Brad Yabsley	Whaam!	2539	Hotdog	?	10	10	11	8	9	12	12	10	70
12	Tom Kiddle	Kath Jackson	Kokopelli	2622	Forman8	Batt	19	11	11	11	19	11	13	11	87
13	Andy Easton	Haden Mills	Catananche	2669	Hard On	?	12	13	19	12	11	14	14	19	95
14	Jeff Knapman	Tristan Kemp	Sweet Dreams	2663	Death by Chocolate	Batt	2	6	19	19	19	19	19	19	103
15	Neil Thomas	Rachel Thomas	Little Fluffy Clouds	2642	Bistro	Batt	9	19	19	19	19	10	9	19	104
16	Neil Cardno	Mark Lidell	Born Slippy	2674	Slug	Batt	19	19	10	13	13	13	19	19	106
17	Andy Lang	Tim Noyce	Taking Liberties	2643	Bistro	Batt	13	19	13	14	14	19	19	19	111
18	Stu Tinner	Jo Moore	Dangerous Strawberry	2649	Bistro	Batt	19	19	19	19	15	19	19	19	129
19	Dave Roe	Mark Hamilton	Cheese Before Bedtime	2645	Dog	Ratseys	19	19	19	19	19	19	19	19	133

2011 Day 1

anonymous@undisclosed.example.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 09 Dec 2020 19:21:56 +0000

2011 Day 1

A healthy turnout of Cherubs through the ages, including the 2011 Concours d’Elegance winner at the RYA Dinghy Show and all of the boats exhibited in the hall of fame, representing the full 60 year history of this prestigious class. Similarly helms and crews were well represented thorough the ages with Jim Barnes sailing Wandrous a 1960’s built Cherub, and Dave Rowe and Wendy Barclay winners of many previous national championships during the 80’s and 90’s. Also present is Y&Y “Iconic Dinghy number 5” – Flat Stanley, a radical Cherub imported from New Zealand for the 1980 worlds which went on to win many championships in the following decade.

For the first day of racing, the competitors were greeted with an overcast, choppy and windy Solent which caught out many Cherub sailors and test the skills of those racing.

The race officer still managed to complete the three scheduled races, all of which were won by Paul Croote and Maff Kiddle in their Ellway 5 design “Antidote to Panel Games”. Second place in race 1 went to the new Ellway 6 design sailed by Dean Ralph and Simon Jones and third was taken by Andy and Jill peters. The second and third races saw second taken by Graham and 13 year old Eddie Bridle in the banshee design and third again was Andy and Gill Peters.

Other notable performances were given by newcomers 18 year old Andrew Whapshott and 15 year old Stu Moore getting a wet cherub christening. Old hands Dave Roe and Wendy Barclay – they lead for most of the first race until a swim at the bottom mark put them to 4th place.

The day was well rounded with a fantastic Commodore's reception and a slide show of photos taken by Robin Russell and a discount barrel of beer to wash it all down !

Results after Day 1: (3 races, no discard)

Paul Croote and Maff Kiddle, Antidote to Panel Games, 3pts
Andy and Jill Peters, Usagi, 9pts
Dean Ralph and Simon Jones, Eleanor, 12pts

2011 Day 2

anonymous@undisclosed.example.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 09 Dec 2020 19:21:56 +0000

2011 Day 2

Light winds and weed hit the Solent

Day 2 of the UK Cherub nationals dawned drizzly and with light and shifty winds.

Race 1 saw close racing and considerable place changes while crews tried to find the best areas of wind, tide and weed free areas of the race course. Eventually rounding the top mark first was Graham and Eddie Bridle in Riot Van followed by Phil and Sarah Kirk in E-Numbers and then Andy and Jill Peters in Usagi who after the second lap fell to 4th with 3rd taken by Paul Croote and Maff Kiddle.

Race 2 started in ever dwindling wind and strong tide making getting away from the line difficult. First to the top mark was Any and Gill Peters in Usagi with the guile of the Dave Roe and Wendy Barclay in 2nd in the Pasta Frenzy with 97 rules sails ! The race shortened to one lap gave Phil and Sarah Kirk the necessary motive to find blistering pace and pull out a second, demoting Dave Roe to 3rd.

Ben Butler and Claire Allen in the old rule “Slippery when wet” also performed well in the testing conditions.

With very little wind and a strong Solent tide, Race 3 was postponed to be sailed later in the series.

2011 Day 3

anonymous@undisclosed.example.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 09 Dec 2020 19:21:56 +0000

2011 Day 3

25+ knots and flat conditions on the Solent

Race 1 started in around 18 knots and with a shift just before the start and the strong tide made getting across the line on starboard tack a difficult process. Those that managed to get away on port tack quickly formed a drag race on the right hand side of the course with five boats racing neck a neck for the top mark. In the end it was Graham and Eddie Bridle that go there first, closely followed by Paul Croote and Maff Kiddle and Dean Ralph and Simon Jones, with another pack of boats close behind. The Bridle team held onto that lead for a second lap, but during the third, always under pressure from behind eventually fell to 3rd, with line honours going to Paul Croote and the 'suddenly on-form' team of Ralph/Jones taking second.

With the wind steadily increasing, race 2 started in 20+ knots of breeze, again the pack was led by Croote, Ralph and Bridle racing at top speed in the flat water, keeping those positions for the first lap. By the time the fleet reached the lee mark, the wind was increasing to 'boat breaking proportions', however with mainsails ragging the second lap started losing Ralph/Jones to a torn mainsail leaving current leaders Paul Croote and Maff Kiddle to race to the finish with current 2nd place Graham and Eddie Bridle. With just the final run to complete, Croote and Kiddle capsized on the gybe, while the Bridle team made it and went on to take the line.

Other notable performances came from the new youngsters in the fleet, the newly built Ellway 5 design sailed by John Hamilton and Digby Still (both aged 17) showed excellent pace as did “Born Slippy” sailed by Andrew Whapshott and Stu Moore (both aged 16) and the 30 year old Flat Stanley sailed by the only all girl crew of Jo Coomber and Beth Barnes (both aged 14) was a fantastic sight performing like new under 3 sails in 25 + knots of breeze.

With rescue boats in heavy employment race 3 was abandoned and rescheduled for Friday, when the forecast looks much kinder.

2015 Cherub Nationals

anonymous@undisclosed.example.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 11 Oct 2023 11:18:43 +0000

2015 Cherub Nationals

Mumbles Yacht Club

As Saturday 22nd August dawned 34 Cherub sailors made the journey to Mumbles Yacht Club for their National Championship. Questions were in the air as several unknowns were added to the mix from previous years with new helm/crew combinations and a second attempt at bringing a foiling boat to the event, but who would prevail? Reigning national champions Clive and Alex Everest in the now foiling A&E, Andrew and Jill Peters champions the year before and fast in the light, inland champions Paul Croote and Ed Higham famed for their speed in a blow or one of the newer combinations?

After a millpond forced postponement in the morning Race One began in sunshine, but very little wind with two distinct groups emerging quite quickly. Those who struggled to get off the line well were instantly punished hard, despite this all boats managed to have close racing but at the first mark a leading pack had emerged, Alex and Jonny Harris in Ronin had managed to pull off the first leg but had Andy and Jill on Usagi and Cool Beans under its new ownership of Dave Ching hot on their tail. With all three boats coming into the bottom gate at the same time on the first two laps they traded places several times and with the wind dropping further on the final lap a boat park appeared at the final windward mark with cherubs and 4000s alike getting stuck in what felt like doldrums. The winner was likely to be the first boat to emerge and it was Ronin that managed to clear the pack first with Cool Beans a close second, Simon and Dean on Eleanor managed to put their disagreements with light wind sailing to pass Usagi and take third. With no further wind in sight the race committee quickly decided that was enough and the fleet headed to for shore for the day and music night at the Yacht Club.

Day Two brought a little more breeze with a lack of the sunshine and as Usagi set about a good day at the office winning all three races, the rest of the fleet played snakes and ladders, up and down the leader board. With six boats taking top three finishes over the day, and no other boat than Usagi managing more than two podium places, the racing was very close all day. Once the scheduled three races were completed the tired crews retired to the shore to warm up with a meal at the local pub after sailing in the rain all day

Day three came and with the breeze building for the start of race 5 most boats had twin wiring conditions for the first time of the event. As the start gun fired one thing became apparent quite quickly, once Clive and Alex got A&E foiling she was seriously quick and instantly took advantage of the extra wind to quickly make tracks on the rest of the fleet and win the first race by a distance.

With more wind Paul and Ed in Marmite found form and took second in their preferred conditions with Usagi rounding out the top three. The wind was shifting and varying in strength a lot through the day making it difficult to find the best route around the course and each race had a different winner. More good racing was had and with the race committee making up for lost races all four races were close, but as the day closed the results showed that the consistency of team Usagi had all but wrapped up the event, however the battle for second place was really on between Marmite, Cool Beans and Ronin with only two points separating them. That being that the only honourable thing to do at this point in time was to go and get a curry then dress up in some very questionable outfits that bear resemblance to one's boat names, massive shout out to those that really pushed the boat out with the outfits, it made for an very entertaining and slightly worrying evening. Yes Banshee and Shinny we mean you!

The final day saw a lot of breeze, gladly the 40 knot forecast didn't happen so racing was possible and while the windy and wavy conditions scared off some 8 boats took off the line in the brisk conditions, sadly only 7 made the finish as /Jamie and Rosie in Shiny Beast managed to snap their rudder blade on the second downwind leg and, with others swimming of their own accord, it was Marmite that took line honours with Usagi in second and Ronin took third. With the overall results decided and the wind and waves getting towards damaging conditions (enough 'bounce' to break the committee boat off anchor) most boats headed ashore, but one last race took place for the hardy. Class President Nick in Cheese Before Bedtime having a storming race in the building wind conditions to take the win from the local Mumbles lads in Fuzzy Logic. Subtle Knife managed to finish in third despite breaking the top section of its mast on the last leg, she managed to get through the line sailing on jib alone, at this point the wind was deemed excessive and all boats retreated to dry land.

So with the results completed and all the boats packed away it was time to head home, but there were prizes to be given out, After winning the series, in truth be told a quite convincing manner, Andy and Jill Peters on Usagi took home the Simpson Trophy and Ladies Teapot as 2015 Cherub National Champions. The Rosebowl was awarded To Paul and Ed for their excellent performance to end up in second, the LOSSC Plaque went to Jonny and Alex in Ronin for finishing in third. Dave Ching and Hayley Trim in Cool Beans won the Nick Mason for being most improved boat after climbing a long way up the leader board since their last appearance and the Ashes were awarded to Shiny Beast for the total T-foil Devastation caused that day. The spanking paddle went to Eddie Briddle for his late night escapades involving traffic cones and The Davey was awarded to Roland and Jay for some of their spectacular swimming action from the week. The prize for persistent underperformance – the Didgeridon't was awarded to A&E for the foils that while clearly worked in the right conditions didn't turn out to be a world beater across the wind range this time round. Ade Whites's work rebuilding Fuzzy Logic was rewarded with a full set of results and the Pre De-Elegance trophy and the first 97 boat was awarded to Andy Horsley for his excellent sailing Eva Dexoff.

Once again the class would like to put in a massive thanks to Mumbles Yacht Club for running the event and the 4000 fleet for joining us and helping to make it possible. I believe I speak for everyone when I say it was a thoroughly enjoyable event and the people there were beyond helpful and happy to see us. I would also like to add in a massive thanks both to the people who helped organise the event and those who either lent or trailed boats around the country to help get as many boats as possible out on the water. The last thanks I'd like to thank is to all those who don't normally sail Cherubs but came down to have a go anyway, it was great to see new faces and I hope you caught the bug.

Overall Results:

Pos	Sail No	Boat Name	Helm	Crew	Club	R1	R2	R3	R4	R5	R6	R7	R8	R9	R10	Pts
1st	3202	Usagi Yojimbo	Andrew Peters	Jill Peters	Queen Mary	‑4	1	1	1	3	2	2	1	2	(DNC)	13
2nd	3212	Marmite	Paul Croote	Edward Higham	Chew Valley Lake	‑6	6	2	2	2	5	1	5	1	(DNC)	24
3rd	2698	Ronin	Jonny Harris	Alex Harris	Dee	1	2	7	4	‑8	4	4	3	3	(DNC)	28
4th	3214	Cool Beans	David Ching	Hayley	Poole	2	3	3	6	5	1	7	2	(DNC)	(DNC)	29
5th	3208	Eleanor	Dean Ralph	Simon Jones	Isle of Sheppy	3	7	4	5	4	6	6	4	(DNC)	(DNC)	39
6th	3204	Riot Van	Eddie Bridle	Joseph WHite	Draycote Water	5	4	5	3	6	7	9	7	(DNC)	(DNC)	46
7th	2645	Cheese Before Bedtime	Nick Pratt	Joanna Hutchinson	Hayling Island	9	9	9	9	‑11	9	‑11	10	4	1	60
8th	2675	Fuzzy Logic	Dan Herbert‑Evans	Tommy Coode	Mumbles	7	10	10	‑13	‑13	13	5	11	5	2	63
9th	2676	The Shiny Beast	Jamie Pearson	Rosie WIlliamson	Draycote Water	8	5	6	7	14	8	8	8	(DNF)	(DNC)	64
10th	3216	Poppy	Roland Trim	Jay Williamson	Thornbury	12	14	11	10	9	‑15	3	9	7	(DNC)	75
11th	3201	Banshee Ambulance	Robin Jones	Isaac Marsh	Draycote Water	14	8	12	8	7	10	10	6	(DNF)	(DNC)	75
12th	2693	Subtle Knife	Eleanor Craig	Joshua Haynes	Staunton Harold	13	11	8	12	12	‑14	12	(DNS)	6	3	77
13th	3215	A+E	Clive Everest	Alex Everest	Hayling Island	11	(OCS)	(DNF)	DNS	1	3	DNF	DNC	DNC	DNC	105
14th	3213	EJ	Andrew Whapshott	Bruce Ryall	Plymouth Uni	15	12	14	11	10	11	(DNF)	(DNS)	DNC	DNC	109
15th	2685		Anthony Harvey	Josh Burgess	Mumbles	10	13	13	14	(DNC)	(DNC)	DNC	DNC	DNC	DNC	122
16th	2661	Eva Dexoff	Andy Horsley	Holly Sykes	Sidmouth	(DNF)	15	16	16	15	12	(DNF)	DNC	DNC	DNC	128
17th	2651	Strangely Brown	Mike Mansfield	James Curtis	Swansea University	(DNS)	16	15	15	(DNF)	DNC	DNC	DNC	DNC	DNC	136

2016 Cherub Nationals

anonymous@undisclosed.example.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 11 Oct 2023 13:46:49 +0000

2016 Cherub Nationals

Royal Torbay YC

Nineteen Cherubs travelled to Torquay for their National Championships, which was to be held as part of Torbay Week at Royal Torbay YC, and with breeze forecast it promised to be all very exciting. An exceptionally strong breeze on day one deferred racing with it being decided by the race officer that it was rather safer to stay ashore. To the pub, then to the club as they were holding a gin evening. YUM!

When day two dawned the wind had dropped but was still pretty brisk after missing our launching slot due to everyone talking about weather to launch or not, Ronin rigged and launched first causing mass 'lets go sailing' from team Cherub who all frantically rigged. The boats that decided to go racing were treated to some full-on conditions where boat handling would really be tested, the Race team did well to capitalise on favourable conditions and get in extra races to get the series on track.

Roland causing a splash during the Cherub Nationals in Torbay - photo © Jean Border / www.borderphotos2010.com Race results from day one showed a dominant performance from Paul Croote and Ed Higham in Marmite who strung together a perfect score of firsts to show they had plenty of boat speed when the breeze is up. Nick Pratt in Green Bananas proved that you can still build your own boat and perform at the front of the fleet by bringing a string of seconds and defending Champions Andy and Gill Peters finished the day in third. Even in the breeze there was some close racing with lots of place changing happen behind Paul and Ed who speed on everyone. That night's entertainment was a Caribbean themed rum evening… I think.

Farther son team Alex and Clive in hover mode during the Cherub Nationals in Torbay - photo © Jean Border / www.borderphotos2010.com

Day three began with the late arrival of father son team of Clive and Alex Everest in their foiling boat, A&E, with their previous years Nationals being plagued with light winds and a lack of sailing time over the water would the big breeze afoot cause control issues and too much time swimming? In short no. The dominating theme of the first days racing continued, this time it was the flying boat (literally) that streaked ahead of the competition and took all the race wins, and only Team Marmite seemed to be able to stay within a reasonable distance as the wind conditions continued to play into their strengths. After the AGM, the fleet headed to a curry house, who would survive?

Another day, another boat taking the fleet to school on how to get the best out of the conditions, Team Peters loved it in the lighter wind that was found on the final day to take the string of wins despite having close challenges from Team Ronin and Simon and Dean on Eleanor as well as some of the mid fleet boats, who were showing more pace than we had seen out of them at any other point in the regatta. Most notably Banshee Ambulance making 4th place in the final race with its catamaran style wing mast and Born Slippy with Aussie Cherub sailor Virginia Horn sailing way further up the fleet in the lighter winds than anyone has seen in recent memory. Most of the fleet had light winds, except a few helms, whose crews were suffering from the night before's curry. Two crews got ribbed in, leaving Born Slippy moored up for race 4.

I suppose there are many more important factors than winners and trophies but seeing as none of them spring to mind I will crack on.

The Phoenix Trophy for best restoration went to James Miller for his excellent job getting the newly renamed Shirley Valentine (ex Bubbles) back on the water, seeing her blasting downwind was truly a pleasure. The Cherub pre de elegance trophy for the best looking boat was awarded to Nick and Jo for their fantastic looking new boat Green Bananas.

The “didgery don't” which is awarded for promising so much and delivering so little went to Ade White for turning up without his boat and then going sailing in another class! Team Marmite won both the Simpson trophy for first overall as well as the Davey Trophy for best capsize for capsizing on the start line and the finish line!

The prestigious '97 Rules trophy went to Greg Paton-Kerr and Zara Wakefield. The Ashes went to Roland for the array of breakages across his boats, Roland also picked up the Nick Mason Trophy for climbing considerably up the leader board compared to last years nationals.

With Nationals completed for another year I would like to thank Royal Torbay Yacht Club for hosting this years Nationals as part of their Torbay week and providing superb hospitality and enough gin and rum to keep even the more alcoholic end of the fleet entertained, not to mention enough Ribs and Safety boats to taxi the fleet out of the harbour, no mean feat in the windy days! I would also like to thank all the organisers and race crews of the regatta, they executed a smooth and drama free regatta allowing the sailors to get on with enjoying time on the boats, after all isn't that the real point of all this!

Once again, thank you to Torbay YC and all the many helpers that made it such an enjoyable week.

Overall Results:

Series Place	Sail No	Boat	Helm	Crew	R1	R2	R3	R4	R5	R6	R7	R8	R9	R10	R11	Pts
1	3212	Marmite	Paul CROOTE	Ed HIGHAM	1	1	1	1	2	2	2	2	4	20	20	12
2	3202	Usagi Yojimbo	Andrew PETERS	Jill PETERS	4	3	3	3	5	3	4	3	1	1	1	18
3	2698	Ronin	Jonny HARRIS	Alex HARRIS	3	20	4	5	4	4	5	4	2	2	7	28
4	3217	Green Bananas	Nick PRATT	Joanna HUTCHINSON	2	2	2	2	6	7	7	7	10	9	6	34
5	3215	A&E	Clive EVEREST	Alex EVEREST	20	20	20	20	1	1	1	1	6	10	5	45
6	3208	Eleanor	Dean RALPH	Simon JONES	20	20	20	20	3	5	3	5	3	4	2	45
7	3216	Lady Virginia of Keynsham (Poppy)	Roland TRIM	Peter JENKINS	7	5	5	4	8	8	8	6	8	7	10	50
8	2676	The Shiny Beasy	Jamie PEARSON	Rosie WILLIAMSON	8	4	20	20	7	6	6	20	7	6	8	52
9	3214	Cool Beans	Dave CHING	Hayley TRIM	5	20	20	6	20	20	20	20	5	3	3	82
10	3213	EJ	Jay WILLIAMSON	Rohana STILL	6	6	6	20	20	20	20	20	12	8	9	87
11	3201	Banshee Ambulance	Robin JONES	Joshua HAYNES	20	20	20	20	20	20	20	20	9	5	4	118
12	2677	Squid Pro Quo	Eleanor CRAIG	Jimmy RUDDIMAN	9	20	20	20	20	20	20	20	11	11	11	122
13	2646	Madge	Greg PATON‑KERR	Zara WAKELING	20	20	20	20	20	9	9	20	20	20	20	138
14	2656	Heart Attack	Paul BERRY	Elliot BERRY	20	20	20	20	20	20	20	20	13	20	20	153
15	2651	Strangely Brown	Mike MANSFIELD	TBC	20	20	20	20	20	20	20	20	20	20	20	160
15	2654	Shirley Valentine	Simon FLACK	James MILLER	20	20	20	20	20	20	20	20	20	20	20	160
15	2661	Eva Dexoff	Andy HORSLEY	Lucy SNOWSILL	20	20	20	20	20	20	20	20	20	20	20	160
15	2674	Born Slippy	Joseph WHITE	Virginia HORN	20	20	20	20	20	20	20	20	20	20	20	160
15	2675	Fuzzy Logic	Adrian WHITE	Joseph WHITE	20	20	20	20	20	20	20	20	20	20	20	160

2018 Cherub Nationals

anonymous@undisclosed.example.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 11 Oct 2023 14:12:02 +0000

2018 Cherub Nationals

Pembrokeshire Yacht Club

For anyone who may be unsure of what exactly a Cherub is, you're missing out!

The Cherub is an old class, originating from New Zealand in 1951 where the original boat looked not unlike a Wayfarer or Firefly. Through the years they have gone through various stages of metamorphoses and the most modern designs currently are not unlike a mini International 14 or a gnarly RS800 albeit smaller, lighter and fluently carbon. It's ideal for anyone who is small, light and enjoys sailing in it's rawest of forms.

The majority of the fleet arrived Thursday afternoon/evening from all over the country (and beyond). After a swift rig-up in the boat park, any best made plans for a prep-sail were veto-ed in favour of befriending the bar. There was much debating about chancing going under the piers to get to the race course but I definitely did not fancy that! We had only just had our boat, Green Bananas, back after a near-terminal rock-hunting incident earlier in the year.

Day 1

From the monster size apartment holiday-let we had rented for the weekend you could see a little patch of water in the docks and it didn't look as though it was quite the billed 14 – 17 knots but it was early in the day and sunny – so potential for some “thermal enhancement”.

First start was not scheduled until 1pm we rolled over our luminous green hull for rigging and also to clean of the dusty residue from the new repair. With a total of 10 boats arrived and registered we convened in the clubhouse for a briefing and a catch up of cups of tea and bacon rolls. Roland – our most exotic member, “fresh” out of Monaco did a very good job of spreading the fear and as a result, at least half the fleet went out on small/smaller sails.

*Race 1:* It was a long cruise round to the bay where our initial 4 races were to be held and it did feel quite breezy. This is generally good news for some of the older designs and excellent for the big boys of the fleet: Crooty and Andy in Marmite -a vicious looking new style Cherub. Ultimately, they took the first win of the series in what proved to be the biggest wind of the day after hammering the left side of the course.

*Race 2:* With left continuing to pay myself and Nick faired a little better in the second race with a brief stint in 1st place but it wasn't to be. The hot favourites, Andy and Jill Peters in Usagi Yojimbo, zipped passed us with Marmite in hot pursuit. At the finish Roland and scratch crew Ben in Ronin had had a swim to ensure both discards were used early and unfortunately this meant all bots crossed the line before them but credit where it's due – somehow they both still had ear-to-ear grins.

*Race 3:* The wind was now beginning to lighten (not forecast or foreseen!) and the left continued to pay out well. By now, the racing was all about the race to the cliff face and catching a good gust to bring you down to the leeward gate on some decent apparent wind. Usagi continued in their usual manner -fast, high, clean sailing whilst Marmite struggled to get going. Dave and Hayley in Little Chilli put in an excellent performance scoring a 2nd place, well ahead of us in third followed but Marmite, Ronin and The Shiny Beast. The battle further down the fleet was equally enthusing with Martyn and Oliver in King Tubby finishing head of the hybrid rules Squid-Pro-Quo crewed by Jimmy and Guido.

*Race 4:* The race committee decided to shorten the beat by about 50%, probably after hearing the huffs and puffs from the crews and a mix of shivering and eye-rolling form the helms. There's no doubt that this made for some excellent viewing as all boats spread out across the track, only to converge at the windward and gate marks. Clean and clear as ever, Usagi pulled away with Marmite chasing and on the final gybe Ronin came screaming in on Starboard causing crash gybes from Little Chilli, Shiny Beast, and ourselves in Green Bananas. A brilliant tactical move.

After a good cruise back home in we settled in the club house and were promptly served some hearty hot food.

Day 2

Saturday heralded a bright yet drizzly morning as we arrived to the club. A light day was forecast, and we were keen to get going on 3 scheduled races with the Solution fleet alongside. With our new big jib on the rig GB felt much more comfortable and we were keen to improve on the previous day's “learning points”.

*Race 5:* Sound and flag signals went off and up for race5 countdown. With about 4 and half minutes to go Jay and Greg on Exultant Jubilation (aka EJ, a very tricky E5) managed to have a quick swim not far off the start line causing all sorts of mischief for everyone around them. Fortunately for them this appear to have been a shrewd move as they simply popped up and triggered off the line with one of the best starts in the fleet! Generally speaking, the usual boats chased the usual boats around the racing area, favouring the left again with the exception of The Shiny Beast. Shiny, crewed by my brother Jamie and his mate Joe was sailing exceptionally well today, generating their own wave phenomenon whereby both the bow and the stern of the boat are out of the water when between manoeuvres. Bearing this in mind – I can't be all too upset that he rolled me beautifully on a downwind leg and crossed the line a country mile ahead.

*Race 6:* Went much the same – EJ didn't quite manage to all over although they did give a suggestion that they would which scared the rest of the fleet into a near raft mid- start-line. Shiny didn't quite manage to get ahead of us but did give us a very good run for our monies and Chilli had a minor slip of concentration that ended in a swim and sadly a lost tiller extension.

*Race 7:* Chilli valiantly battled on as the wind was now quite light. On starboard tack, heading out to the favoured left we could see Dave sat inboard holding the remains of the UJ and pocket-power house Hayley flat wired, shoulders back and doing everything she could to keep the boat moving.

A few laps later and every one was pleased to be heading in. The club, again had put food on for us which was smashed thorough by some very tired and now hungry sailors after another long day on the water. Once suitably satisfied with BBQ and bar food the AGM took place and afterwards the club pub quiz (infused with all the usual cherub humour of course). Somehow, with our kaleidoscope of participants we didn't do too badly placing a 2nd overall.

Day 3

With a final three race to be held and scores on the doors very tight it was all to play for regarding podium spots. Plenty of jokes were floating around about onshore or alterative way to decide the final overall results. Overnight autumn seemingly arrived and with is a good cherubic ideal wind, cloud-rain and fog.

*Race 8:* Could have been mistaken for our final running order. In a new closer race arena that gave us flat water and a great 17 knots or so. Electing the big jib again in a “go big or go home” gamble.

We rounded mark 1 in first place but were out hoisted but the mini machine crew Jill and rolled post-gybe by Marmite. Chilli, now with a borrowed spare tiller extension was just behind us followed by Shiny, Ronin and EJ with Martin bringing up the fun end of the fleet.

*Race 9:* Chilli excellent start and pulled away looking both higher and faster than the rest of us but unlucky kite-based problems pushed them down the fleet. On the final lap we were second around the top mark and chose to keep it safe by following Usagi down the run. Marmite, however gybed off early and, for a second time this weekend we fell victim to a port/starboard metres from the finish. Having said that we're happy to be third and I did see it coming… EJ somehow managed to shoe-horn themselves a tidy 4th, displaying some great improvements despite having such short notice on the crew-swap.

*Race 10:* After a lengthy postponement to allow the 12 o'clock weather beaten Irish Ferry to go passed the wind seemed to have lightened a little. Having pulled off a good start Marmite appeared to have eased off, happy to settle for 2nd over all and leave us to tussle for the final race win. We were ahead by the final windward mark due to a few spinnaker situations from both Chilli and Usagi and a slick couple of gybe drops we had in place on previous laps. Our plan was to split from the left to enter the corridor of choice and gybe in thorough the gate and across the finish line. All was going well, good speed, great angle to the gate, shot the gate well but on the final gybe to victory a force known by many helms as an elbow knocked me backwards and planted me between the wing and gunwale of the boat with a slow motion roll in to windward. Disaster! By the time we were upright we limped across the line in 3rd… never mind!

Overall Results:

Pos	Sail No	Boat Name	Helm	Crew	R1	R2	R3	R4	R5	R6	R7	R8	R9	R10	Pts
1	3202	Usagi Yojimbo	Andy Peters	Jill Peters	-2	1	1	1	-2	1	2	1	2	1	10
2	3212	Marmite	Paul Croote	Andrew Whapshott	1	2	-4	2	1	2	1	2	1	-4	12
3	3217	Green Bananas	Emma Pearson	Nick Pratt	-4	3	3	-6	4	3	3	3	3	3	25
4	3214	Little Chilli	Dave Ching	Hayley Trim	3	4	2	3	5	5	-11	4	-7	2	28
5	2676	The Shiny Beast	Jamie Pearson	Joe White	5	5	-6	5	3	4	4	5	5	-11	36
6	2698	Ronin	Roland Trim	Ben Hawkes	-6	-10	5	4	6	6	5	6	6	6	44
7	3206	Exultant Jubilation	Jay Williamson	Greg Brown	-7	6	-7	7	7	7	6	7	4	5	49
8	2850	King Tubby	Martyn Denchfield	Oliver Goolden	-9	-9	8	8	8	8	7	8	8	7	62
9	2677	Squid Pro Quo	Jimmy Ruddiman	Guido Blee	8	8	9	-11	-11	11	11	11	11	11	80
10	3201	The Ambulance	Robin Jones	Josh Haynes	-11	7	-11	11	11	11	11	11	11	11	84

Additional Prizes:

Didgeridon't (Most Promised, Least Achieved) – Joe White
The Davey (Most Spectacular Swimming Incident) – Green Bananas, Emma Pearson & Nick Pratt
The Ashes (Best Breakage) – Squid-Pro-Quo, Jimmy Ruddiman & Guido Blee
The Spanking Paddle (Best Performance Off-Water) – Robin Jones & Josh Haynes
1st 97 Rules – King Tubby, Martyn Denchfield & Oliver Goolden
1st Lady – Jill Peters

The class would like to extend a warn and friendly thank you to the race committee for an excellent weekend's boat racing; Christian, the man, the machine and organiser extraordinaire who is now also Solution National Champion; the Solution Class Association, Pembrokeshire Yacht Club for having us (and having such a great bar) and also to Andy for all the hard work rearranging our nationals.

The Beginning 1950's and 1960's

anonymous@undisclosed.example.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 09 Dec 2020 19:21:56 +0000

The Beginning 1950's and 1960's

There's a nice tale about how the class came about. The story is that back in 1951 John Spencer designed a 12 foot cruising dinghy for Ray Early to sail round the Auckland Area in New Zealand. When asked what their new boat was, his wife said “I don't know, but she's a perfect little cherub to Sail”. It seems, however, that this is a “nautical myth”, and according to John Spencer the first boat was built to race in the “Pennant” restricted class and was to be named Cherub even before launching. A 1952 article from seaspray magazine describes how it all began.

The Cherub was the first significant design from John Spencer, and many would put it as the starting point of the whole Antipodean Sailing boom. The Cherub grew very fast in New Zealand in the 50s, about 450 boats in the first 8 years - and remember New Zealand is a small country with a population of about one fifteenth of that of Great Britain. This was mainly due to what was effectively a partnership between Sea Spray magazine and John Spencer. Sea Spray allowed Spencer almost as much space as he wanted to provide publicity and `how to' construction articles. In fact for a time Sea Spray was the official Cherub HQ, keeping the sail number register, and being the central point for all correspondence from the town associations.

This was all in spite of a certain amount of opposition from the NZ National authority, who were committed to promoting the older (and heavier) National classes, Z, IA and X class. They actively discouraged the Cherubs and had it not been for Sea Spray magazine becoming an active John Spencer promoter, the Cherub could well have disappeared without trace.

From New Zealand the class was introduced to the UK in 1956 when Spencer Mk 2s were built - as a one design - by McCutcheon's of Cowes. At first the class spread around the Solent, with Portsmouth being another early stronghold. By 1963 the class had reverted to being a restricted develepment class, as recounted by Martin Jolliffe.

The first Cherub arrived in Australia in around 1958, when New Zealander Frank Bethwaite, emigrating to Australia, took Cherub 47 with him, and sailed with his wife in Sydney Harbour. It doesn't seem that any other boats were built then, nor did he attempt to found a class. The Cherub as a class in Australia started at Mounts Bay YC, Western Australia in 1960/1. Basil Wright and a number of friends built around half a dozen Cherubs, probably Spencer mk6s, as junior trainers, sailed initially 3-handed by their 14year old kids, and then as two handers as the youngsters got bigger. It initially spread to Victoria and Queensland and perhaps only a little later to Sydney, when, aongst others, the growing Bethwaite family got involved with the class.

Early UK Cherubs had appreciably less sail area than modern ones, with stated dimensions of 62 sq.ft. for the mainsail, 27sq. ft for the jib, and 60sq.ft spinnaker. The spinnaker was particularly unusual, since it was typically a virtually flat triangular sail, which could be carried with the true wind forward of the beam. This sail, set from a spinnaker pole that could be 9 ft long, resulted in spectacular close reaching performance, but was rather less effective on a run. In the early days these spinnakers were quite often cut as single luff sails - asymmetric spinnakers!

The Cherub was a considerable influence on other classes. The 14ft NZ Javelin was virtually a straight enlargement of the Cherub. Frank Bethwaite's first prototype for the NS14 was a drawn out Cherub, although they later elected to use a Spencer Javelin hull design for the first boats. From NS14 development came the Tasar, the Bethwaite skiffs and the 49er.

In the early 60s Cherub design in the UK was very much in the mainstream of Northern hemisphere dinghy design at that period. A UK Cherub hull of that era tends to look pretty much like a baby Scorpion. In the late 60s the first of many infusions of antipodean ideas occurred. John Spencer's mk7 design was introduced into the UK, which had a wider and flatter hull shape, and planed appreciably faster.

The theme in design through the next few years was beam. The only restriction on beam was that the boat should be no more than 5 feet at mid length, and boats of this era flared out a great deal after that. One result of this was that if the boat was allowed to heel a lot the poor crew was left attempting to stand on a gunwale that was sloping steeply towards the bow. Large and solid foot stops to brace the front foot against were a common feature! At least two UK boats had a maximum beam in excess of 6 feet, giving something close to Merlin-Rocket proportions.

The Cherub Class International Association was formed in 1967 with membership comprising the New Zealand Australian & UK Associations.

The Story Continues

Bethwaite Wing Mast

anonymous@undisclosed.example.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 09 Dec 2020 19:21:56 +0000

Bethwaite Wing Mast

This is measurements and the story of the last round of Wing Masts in the 1970's.

It was handy to measure in a bit more detail

Overall section was lost, but was rule limited two four inches, and had a hyperbolic front The structural pine is 30mm wide, 38mm lengthwise at the tip 38 * 48 halfway between hounds and tip 43.5 * 59 hounds 47.5 * 69 diamond spreaders ~47 plus 20mm local reinforcement * 69 at the gooseneck 46.5 * 61 at the foot

tip to hounds 2120 hounds to diamonds 1820 diamonds to gooseneck 1550 gooseneck to foot 430

Section details at the hounds are width at aft face 41.5mm max width 43.5 width at front face 34 max width is 23mm from rear face

And finally the following was posted by Frank Bethwaite on the Tasar Forum…

The origin of the Tasar mast was the NS14 then the Nova. This was an
18ft mast with the forestay at 12.25ft. I made hundreds of timber
masts, the later ones faired with balsa as Jim Champ describes, and
the fastest were those which, when supported at the base and over a
fulcrum at the hounds (12.25ft) yielded at the tip at a rate of 4.9 to
5lbs per inch fore and aft (F) with a circular arc bend except near
the base and 2.8 to 3 lbs per inch sideways (X) with no diamond stays.

Often owners would call for different forestay positions and/or rates
of spring. They never won, and often were brutes to handle (eg if the
forestay height was made even a few inches higher.)

When the Tasar was developed, it was necessary to move to alloy to
handle the expected volume. The softest I could get alloy machinery of
the right aerodynamic shape was 8 lbs per inch F and 3 lbs per inch X.
This made the boat feel a bit “wooden” compared with a top Nova but
was as fast and has served well for thirty years. If you are going to
the trouble of doing an FRP core from scratch, I would shoot for 5 lbs
per inch F and stay with 3 lbs per inch X.

A handy Tasar mast might be good to look at section shapes, but the actual proportions got severely shortened to make it bend…

A Little Bit of History

anonymous@undisclosed.example.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 09 Dec 2020 19:21:56 +0000

A Little Bit of History

(by David Steele 2671) Here's a bit of “trivial” history. Some youth at Ally Pall last year said to me on the Cherub stand -“we build Cherubs in foam sandwich now” - well - I built a foam sandwich boat in 1970. Russel Bowler, who was in the UK then, helped me (he mainly made cups of tea and watched me!). We used polyester resin - epoxy was only just being invented then. The foam was closed cell, 1“ thick and large cell structured, resulting in a lot of resin used and a heavyish boat.

These were the days of Babcock, Sharpe, Foreman and believe it or not Graham Dickenson, who I used to pick up in Twickenham and take to our sailing club in Egham (Graham was too young to hold a driving licence then!). All good guys, and did a lot, in the 60's/70's to keep the Cherub fleet going. So did my brother-in-law Peter Caisley, who lives down the road from me (hence the Caisley-Steele design of that era - Ed).

Pete and myself got into mast construction (I think you could call it that). We used to slide HT3O grade 17 gauge aluminium tubes of 4 different diameters into each other to make the masts, and by increasing or decreasing the amount of insertion we could control the bend characteristics - sounds technical eh? But it was great fun. I have just built a wood Cherub (remember wood?!) to the “not very old” rules which my son Nick crews for me, at Queen Mary Sailing Club. The boat has no false floor which I am sure we will regret- but at least we are sailing a Cherub.

We frighten ourselves most Sundays with this huge pole sticking out the front and a huge kite. (I suppose the Rad Boat Brigade would use our old kites for pocket handkerchiefs now!) I have to sign off now as I have to look after the Grandchildren don't laugh guys' now where did I put my bus pass ah there it is by my zimmer frame.

David Steele, 1997

Design and Development

anonymous@undisclosed.example.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 09 Dec 2020 19:21:56 +0000

Design and Development

The Sixties and Earlier including drawings.
Photos from the 1950's and 1960's
Huckle (The Maori Hunter)
1970s designs including drawings.
1970s photos
1980's Designs including drawings
1980's and 1990's Aus & NZL Design
Photos from the 1980's
Fitting Out and Handling Pole Kites
1990's Designs including drawings
Bethwaite Wing Mast
Design Sketches
Recent Designs

Design Sketches

anonymous@undisclosed.example.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 09 Dec 2020 19:21:56 +0000

Design Sketches

40 Years of Development

The Cherub has been in the UK for something over 40 years, and in existence as a class for nearly 50. As one of the most innovative of development classes we've seen a few changes over those years. The drawings are representative rather than consistently accurate in all respects, and my memory may well serve me false as regards some of the subtler details of foil profiles etc.

Sketch of 1965 Cherub

1965 : 1365 Spencer 2 (modified) Design.

Typical UK rig of the mid 60s, with the original hull shape used in the UK, which is a late 1950s John Spencer (NZ) design. The triangular spinnaker was often cut asymmetrically with a luff and a leach. For some reason coloured sails, otherwise extremely unfashionable, were not uncommon in Cherubs at the time.

Sketch of 1974 Cherub

1974 : KZ1982 Farr design.

The Australians and New Zealanders came to the 1974 worlds with the first fruits of the early 70s design revolution, and left the UK boats standing. The rig is representative, but the hull - probably the first Farr designed boat seen in the UK - is accurate. A larger jib and spinnaker than 1965.

Sketch of 1984 Boat

1984 2626 Ellway 4 Design.

The rules on rig and hull shape were liberalised about this time, leading a less rule restricted boat. Instead of being measured separately the areas for mainsail and jib were combined, and a larger mainsail and smaller jib proved to be popular.

Sketch of 1991 Boat

1991 2641 Italian Bistro Design.

Bowsprits were now allowed, which meant that the modern type of asymmetric spinnaker was practical. The Bistro was a breakthrough design giving much improved moderate wind performance.

Sketch of 1999 Boat

1997 2676 Paterson 7 Design.

Sail area has been increased by about 10% over 1984. The bowsprit may now be supported by a snout, from which the jib can be set. Some boats are now using self tacking fully battened jibs and most boats have carbon masts.

And just for fun, here's an animated.gif with each drawing following the next…

Early 60s Development in the UK

anonymous@undisclosed.example.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 09 Dec 2020 19:21:56 +0000

Early 60s Development in the UK

By Martin Jolliffe, 1963/64 National Champion

Picture:- UK Cherub No 1 In 1963 the championships were held at Stokes Bay, and in 1964 at Cowes. My boat was the original UK Cherub, a Spencer Mk 2 Scoobidou. Entries were in the region of 28 or 30.

The class had only just gone restricted, as opposed to one design. Previously as I remember it was basically a local class based at Cowes, and spinnakers and trapezes were simply not used. It was in, I think, 1963 that Greg Gregory introduced the Mk 3, with a wider transom, central sheeting and, bendy masts and booms. This latter was felt by some to be against the rules. It was his younger brother Rob who introduced the most revolutionary development, which was the use of wire luffed spinnakers for reaching, which in strong winds, with crew on trapeze produced impressive speed. The predecessor of asymmetrical spinnakers?

The first time I saw them used was at an open meeting at Portsmouth Sailing Club summer 63. However to use spinnakers in strong winds on any point of sailing one needed the stability provided by a wider transom, the Mk2 just could not cope and simply lost stability the faster it went.

Picture:- Scoobidou - UK Cherub No 1 again It is interesting to see how dinghy racing has developed. I went up to London University in Sept. 63 and started team racing on the Welsh Harp, where I was taught roll tacking by the likes of Eric Twiname and Mike Arnold. I subsequently used the technique to help win the 64 championship. At that time it was certainly unknown in the Cherub fleet.

Martin Jolliffe

Photos:- M. Joliffe Archives

Editorial from 1987

anonymous@undisclosed.example.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 09 Dec 2020 19:21:56 +0000

Editorial from 1987

Note: The last paragraph is about the 1987 America's Cup

1987 was not a spectacular year for the Cherubs, with numbers much the same as last year, a few new faces and one or two old faces reappearing. Since the rule changes a couple of years ago the main development has been in rigs. The new rules permit you to distribute 125 sqft of actual sail area between main and jib, subject to a max mainsail luff of 18ft and max foot of 6ft9in. Almost everyone now has a mainsail of 90-95 sq ft on a 6ft6in foot, giving a much larger roach than before, and with jibs overlapping the mast by about 2in. This rig, although little different in area, has proved appreciably faster, the PY number (which represents the average boat in the fleet) having dropped a point already and with probably another one or maybe two to come. The large roach/small overlap rig points dramatically better and is also quicker on a 3 sail reach, presumably because the small jib restricts the slot beytween spinnaker and mainsail less. Jibs are sheeted about 13-14 degrees and geneally sheeted fairly gently with appreciable twist. Most masts are Superspar and Caws is now the favourite sailmaker. Many of the top boats are using Mylar mainsails. These are more stable, but a bit fragile. Mylar jibs fall apart in about 3/10 of a second and have been largely abandoned.

No-one fast had a new boat this year, and the ageing Flat Stanley was definitely top boat. This NZ built boat is now over 7 years old, but still as fast as ever. The biggest effect f the new rules has been in handicap racing - it is now possible to get placings related to your ability in wind as low as 3-4 instead of F5. So far this year Cherubs have been 2nd at Bewl Valley, 1,2,3 at the Grafham Grand Prix (slow division) and won the Bloody Mary.

Its been a reasonable year for designers who started off designing Cherubs though… The names Farr, Davidson (KZ7) and Murray (Kookaburra) spring to mind… In view of the performance of the Howlett Cherub maybe Messrs Forman, Ellway etc should be commissioned to design for the UK Challenger?

Thanks to Jim Champ who contributed this in October 2007

The Flat Stanley Story

anonymous@undisclosed.example.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 09 Dec 2020 19:21:56 +0000

The Flat Stanley Story

By Derek Snow (1980 World Champion) as told to Peter Kay, North Sails UK.

The design of Flat Stanley was conceived specifica11y for an attempt on the 1980 World Championships held in British waters, off Felpham, Sussex.

It was decided at the outset that it would be difficult to predict the conditions that would be found at Felpham but, on the other hand, it was generally felt that the weather which would prevail during the New Zealand National Championships and selection trials off Takapuna would be light to moderate breezes combined with choppy water. Previous experience with a deck stepped mast (without post), and conventional sails cut from heavily resinated cloth, had shown that there was room for improvement especially in the performance of the boat to windward. It was for this reason that Flat Stanley was built to carry high rig loads in order to set a stiff rig which would allow the use of flatter sails with a relatively tight leech to aid pointing ability.

The hull itself was based on a 1976 lan Murray design which was modified by using U' d sections in the bow which had the effect of straightening the waterlines forward. The hull was built from a Kevlar and foam sandwich with wooden decks which kept the weight to a minimum. A 21/8in Super Spar mast was used which had a stiffening tube running from the heel for a distance of 9 feet. This spar was at a slight disadvantage in terms of weight but had the lowest available centre of gravity and a good record in previous World Championships. Since the sails had to be designed to suit this particular rig, it was felt that there was insufficient time to resort to a trial and error method of development and so it was decided to go to a sailmaker who had the technology to design a fast suit of sails straight off. North Sails were known to have a series of powerful computer sail design programs and so it was their Auckland loft which got the job of designing sails for Flat Stanley.

By using very high rig tension it was hoped to reduce the amount of luff stay sag and also to keep the mast as straight as possible and under accurate control. The mast was stepped on deck with the rig load supported by the stress frame construction of the hull. Fore and aft mast bend was controlled by the use of a strut running from the goose neck to the deck. This was adjustable, between races, by- running the end of the strut along a slide on the deck. Relatively long spreaders were used to hold the mast upright both in the athwartships plane and fore and aft. Lower shrouds running from the gooseneck to the gunwhale (directly athwartships), prevented undue mast bend caused by the thrust of the yang especially when off the wind. The shrouds, forestay and trapeze lines were all attached to the mast at the same point in order to prevent any bending moments being set up. Since forestay sag was controlled by rig tension 'vang sheeting' could be used so that leech tension and boom position could he controlled separately. A 24 to 1 vang lever was used for the leech, and a twin-ended mainsheet running from the transom to a take-off point in the centre of the boat was used for boom control. In order to reduce weight rig tension was set up by rigging the boat on its side and using an 8 to 1 tackle to pull the cringle on the head of the jib towards the mast. When the required tension was achieved a strop was shackled in place of the tackle and the tackle removed. The jib sheeting angle was adjustable and incorporated a Barber Hauler which ran the lead forward and out to the rail.

Once the mast bad been rigged, an estimate of the range of mast bend was taken to be used in the design of the sails. North Sails have a series of programs which can be used, firstly to evaluate the efficiency of a particular sail shape, and secondly to generate a sail design in terms of pane 1-shaping and luff curve. The computer model of P'2.at Stanley' s rig was set up and after altering the sail shape to achieve an efficient configuration the program was then used to arrive at the broadseams and luff shaping necessary to achieve the same efficient sail shape on the water. High quality 3.8 oz. yarn tempered Dacron was used for both the main and jib. A loose-footed main was designed which used five battens rather than six in order to reduce weight. A moderate roach was cut into the jib leech supported by three battens, and in general the sails appeared to be flatter than normal. However, the North design technique is intended to produce sails whose shape can be adjusted to suit the prevailing conditions and therefore the camber could be increased in order to achieve good downwind speed.

One of the first races in which the new boat competed took place in ideal conditions to test the new concept, unfortunately the new boat was soundly beaten! However, this initial setback was put down to lack of experience with the new style of rig and after more practice it became evident that the boat was potentially very fast indeed. The main difficulty was the way in which the new stiff rig would not react automatically to changes in wind strength especially sudden gusts. In order to maintain speed in these conditions it was necessary to continually trim the main- sheet to keep the boat on its feet and footing. In trapezing conditions this job was given to the crew who was better able to cope with the strenuous task. Many more hours were spent on the water practising before the National Championships in the Summer of '79/80' and by the time the series began the boat was consistently pointing high and going fast! Flat Stanley recorded finishes of 1, 1, 2, 2 in the New Zealand Championships thus winning its first major regatta and booking a place at the 1980 World Championships. The rest is history. Flat Stanley went on to win the World Championship held under a wide range of conditions and pushed development in the Cherub class yet another step forward..

boats?showname?3

The History of the Cherub Class

anonymous@undisclosed.example.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 15 Mar 2023 18:03:03 +0000

The History of the Cherub Class

<random> The 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 Cherub combines spectacular performance with the “on the edge” handling characteristics only found in true lightweight skiffs.

Originally created in New Zealand by John Spencer in 1951, Cherubs are mainly sailed in Australia and Great Britain, with a growing fleet in France. As well as this, boats can be found as far away as Czechoslovakia, Switzerland, the USA and Portugal.

The Cherub rules are simple and allow for maximum flexibility for designers, allowing boats to be created to incorporate sailors own ideas. Also means 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.

Cherub sailing is the real thing: True planing performance upwind, but then turn the corner and you’re in for the ride of your life….

The History Section

The 21st Century

In 2001 various individuals in the fleet tried twin trapezing, and reported favourably. Members with long memories remembered when this was tried and rejected in 1989, but a dispensation was made official in October 2003. A simple ballot to establish a trajectory was held in 2004 and twin trapezes were approved.

There followed a dispensation to allow bigger spinnakers and then a ballot to increase the upwind sail area to 15.5sqm and the spinnaker to 21sqm in early 2005. Numbers are growing and techniques have changed but the Cherub remains true to John Spencer's vision of being a boat which can be built in a garage and sailed by a pair of ordinary human beings - fast!

1997 rules Change

In 1997 the Brits elected for a further simplification of the measurement rules, and, with the impact of the new SMOD semi-skiff types, also elected to increase the sail area slightly to 12.5 sq.m. fore and aft, 15sq.m. spinnaker. To compensate for this increase in area the maximum beam was increased to 1.8m. The hull rules were simplified and the rather type forming rise of floor mesurement was removed and replaced with a narrower minimum distance between the chines. To help the upgrade of older boats and maintain the ballence of the rig a 30 cm snout was allowed. These changes stimulated a number of new designs exploring the new hull shapes made possible.

The UK Cherub 1984

From 1981 to 1984 there were no new Cherub designs in the UK, due to a package of rule change proposals under consideration. These were adopted by the UK Class Association (but not the Australian or New Zealand Associations). in 1984, and the following designs are all to these rules. The revised rules relaxed the mid-length chine restrictions, and permit sailplan development. The area of main and jib also increased slightly to 125 sq.ft. Its interesting to note that these changes were supported by John Spencer, the original designer of the class, but the Australian Cherub Association, very much the largest at that time, was very much opposed.

The initial bunch of new rules designs tended to have both the narrower chine beam and a greater rise of floor. Whilst they all seemed to be able to go quickly at certain times and in certain conditions none really established a dominance over the old rules designs. Perhaps the nearest to demonstrating extra speed was the Deeley V, with a fine straight entry and plenty of rise of floor. Reputedly designed “without regard to human error” the design tended to prove the point with spectacular pitchpoles, but could be extremely fast in between times. Rigs moved from the old “threepenny bit” mainsail with overlapping jib to a fuller headed mainsail with a large roach and a smaller jib with minimal overlap.

A couple of further minor rule changes occurred at this time. The most significant was that false floors, and thus fully self draining boats, were permitted. Although British Sailors went to the 1990 Worlds in Australia they borrowed local boats. At this time the Australians were all sailing Wop developments, and design innovation seemed to be limited.

The real breakthrough came with what was in fact a sort of evasion of the rules. By drawing a boat with the rise of floor measurement falling on the flaring topside, rather than at the chine, Alistair Cope and slightly later Dave Roe designed boats that were even narrower on the waterline than any before, but were flat floored with low rise of floor. Dave Roe's Italian Bistro proved to be a major leap forward in design, planing faster and earlier than anything else in the fleet, and managing to combine that with docile handling and surprisingly good weight carrying ability.

1991 saw the introduction of bowsprits and an increase in spinnaker size. This inevitably meant asymmetric spinnakers. A year or so had been spent in intense development until the final rule was defined (during which twin trapezes were tried but rejected), which gave a sail of a nominal 140 sq. ft, (actually about 150-160 sq.ft.). This, coupled with the new flat narrow hull shapes has led to a boat with quite astonishing offwind performance in medium breezes.

Meanwhile in Australia the International Association had elected to update the fore and aft rig to a more modern layout based roughly on the UK rig. Surprisingly perhaps, however, they elected to make the sails a tight one design, rather than adopting the looser restrictions used in the UK. The Australians have also adopted self-draining hulls.

In 1995 there was a surprise development in Australia. Iain Murray & Associates designed a Cherub to the UK rules, complete with asymmetric spinnaker, for Hugh Treharne (Tactician on Australia 2 in 1983 amongst other achievements) and some other prominent Australian sailors. They wanted a suitable boat for their sons to sail in-between the junior classes and the skiffs, and felt that the International rules Cherub with its boxy hull shape and conventional spinnaker was too far removed from the mainstream of development. Their initiative was not greeted with enthusiasm by the Australian Cherub Class, and the boats were registered in the UK.

The 1995/6 worlds saw the new rules UK boats competing against the Australians for the first time. Unfortunately the top U.K. sailor, Dave Roe, suffered an appalling run of bad luck, breaking every spar on the boat. In the only two races he finished without gear failure he was second to one of the IMA Sports Cherub designs, and in two other races he lost a spar whilst in second place. The Sports Cherub, called by that name, won the regatta easily, counting four firsts and a second.

The Australians and New Zealanders have adopted asymmetric spinnakers in 1997. However the Australians were adamant that the rigs should continue to be basically one design, and that the hulls should remain at the original rise of floor measurements, not the narrower ones used in the UK.

1980 Worlds - Felpham, U.K.

The 1980 Worlds in the U.K. were again dominated by Aussies and Kiwis. The fastest Aussie boat, Wop, was a particularly boxy design with very minimal rocker and a flat transom, coupled with a very fine bow. This boat would have won the worlds but for a disqualification in a protest hearing. The Wop design and its NZ development, Foreign Affair, was dominant in AUS and NZ for many years.

The Worlds were won by an Iain Murray design, Flat Stanley, and Iain is, of course, another designer who has gone on to considerable prominence after an early association with Cherubs.

The First Worlds in the U.K., 1974

The 1974 Worlds in the U.K were dominated by Australian and New Zealand boats. Hulls were mainly narrower and flatter with much lower rocker and lots of panel curvature. Rigs were much more powerful. Some of the Australian boats carried over-rotating wing masts in spruce and balsa. These were developed from work by the well-known Australian designer Frank Bethwaite in the Australian NS14 Class. This line of development led directly to the Tasar which he designed for Performance Sailcraft (The original Laser builders). Frank's daughter Nicola was second in this event, and was to win the 1976 Worlds in Australia with brother Julian crewing. Julian Bethwaite of course went on to invent the modern asymmetric spinnaker and to have an enormous influence on development in the 18 foot skiff and high performance classes all over the world.

The beamier boats started going out of favour. The Forman 4 et al were still wider than tended to be fashionable during the eighties, before the 1997 rule change that replaced the mid length beam restriction with an overall beam restriction, but the trend was for less extreme boats. The underwater shape by now was significantly different from the majority of classes as planing performance started to become the most significant factor in design. Arguably this was the time at which the modern Cherub started to evolve.

In the late 70s the UK boats started getting very much flatter, to the extent that some UK boats in the 1978 Worlds in New Zealand were actually flatter than the local boats.

One shouldn't leave discussion of the 60s and 70s without acknowledging the debt the class owed to the late Freddy Babcock through that era. His company, Watling Joinery, donated many prizes, and he devoted an enormous amount of time and effort to the class, serving it in many ways, notably as Class Association President.

The Early 70's

Russell Bowler won the first (1970) World Championships, held on the Swan River, Perth, Australia. His boat, the original Jennifer Julian, was one of the earliest foam sandwich dinghies, probably the first built outside new Zealand, the construction method having been pioneered in 12 ft skiffs. Russ had been twice Cherub National Champion in NZ, and had moved to Perth as an architect. He designed Jennifer Julian specifically for the Worlds and Perth conditions. At the time of writing Russell is a Partner and Chief Structural Engineer of Farr Yacht Design. In 1970 Russell helped David Steele build what was surely the first foam sandwich boat in the U.K.

In 1970 the International Association adopted a package of rule changes. The most significant was the adoption of a larger jib, taking the area of main and jib up to about 110 sq. ft, and the replacement of the wire luff spinnaker with a more conventionally shaped sail, but still set from the 9 foot pole. The Cherub started to get a reputation as an extremely rapid boat when the wind was blowing hard. UK boats of this period were typically fairly wide and deep Veed designs, with less rocker than most classes, but still had a good deal of rocker by modern standards.

At this time in New Zealand there was a lot of crossover between the Cherub and the unrestricted rig Q Class (now merged with the 12' skiffs). Quite a number of boats were rigged for both classes, and Bruce Farr designs were amongst the most successful in this form. The Kiwi Farr 3.7 trapeze singlehander provides a good idea of the sort of shape of these boats.

The Sixties and Earlier

The Class grew in popularity in New Zealand, and then spread to Australia. Apparently the first Cherub to reach Australia did so carried in a Flying Boat being flown by one Frank Bethwaite, a name that appears elsewhere in this story.

The Cherub was the first significant design from John Spencer, and many would put it as the starting point of the whole Antipodean Sailing boom. The Cherub grew very fast in New Zealand in the 50s, about 450 boats in the first 8 years. This was mainly due to what was effectively a partnership between Sea Spray magazine and John Spencer. Sea Spray allowed Spencer almost as much space as he wanted to provide publicity and `how to' construction articles. In fact for a time Sea Spray was the official Cherub HQ, keeping the sail number register, and being the central point for all correspondence from the town associations.

This was all in spite of a certain amount of oppostiion from the administrators, who were committed to promoting the older (and heavier) National classes, Z, IA and X class. They had actively discouraged the Cherubs for example and had it not been for Sea Spray magazine becoming an active John Spencer promoter, the Cherub could well have disappeared without trace.

The Class was introduced to the UK in the 1956 when boats were built by McCutcheon's of Cowes. Early Cherubs had appreciably less sail area than modern ones, with stated dimensions of 62 sq.ft. for the mainsail, 27sq. ft for the jib, and 60sq.ft spinnaker. The spinnaker was particularly unusual, since it was typically a virtually flat triangular sail, which could be carried with the true wind forward of the beam. This sail, set from a spinnaker pole that could be 9 ft long, resulted in spectacular close reaching performance, but was rather less effective on a run. In the early days these spinnakers were quite often cut as single luff sails - the first asymmetric spinnakers!

In the 60s Cherub design in the UK was very much in the mainstream of dinghy design at that period. A Cherub hull of that era tends to look pretty much like a baby Scorpion. In the late 60s the first of many infusions of antipodean ideas occurred. John Spencer's mk 7 design was introduced into the UK, which had a wider and flatter hull shape, and planed appreciably faster.

The Cherub Class International Association was formed in 1967 with membership comprising the New Zealand Australian & UK Associations.

Credits

Jim Champ, 2001 and updated by William Lee 2005

with acknowledgements to numerous previous compilers and contributors.

I'd particularly like to thank:-

U.K.

Gary Bellamy, Will Perret, David Steele.

N.Z.

Richard Gladwell, Farr Yacht Design, Sea Spray Magazine, Robin Elliot

Australia

Murray Burns & Dovell, Nel Bethwaite.

How it all began

anonymous@undisclosed.example.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 09 Dec 2020 19:21:56 +0000

How it all began

Cherub - A Fast Easily Built 12ft dinghy

(Sea Spray Magazine June 1952)

During the early part of 1951 I designed for myself a twelve-foot hard chine boat of similar type to the English National fourteen foot Merlin Rocket class, but with a less extreme sail plan, I wanted to compete in the pennant class. The restrictions of the Pennant class consist of maximums on length and sail area, the former being 12 feet, the latter 100 square feet for working sails and 90 for the spinnaker.

It did not seem necessary to use the full sail area and it was finally decided to use 93.5 square feet, although on a tall mast, which would provide a more efficient rig. The main reason for deciding on a square bilge design was that it allowed the use of 3/16 inch resin bonded plywood (obtainable in 7ft x 3ft sheets), which is lighter and easier to use, as well as to obtain than planking. This turned out, to my considerable surprise to be cheaper than the latter.

With the English racing-dinghy type of lines (deep-chested planing hull) in square bilge the boat should be stiffer in a breeze, perform as well on the wind and perhaps better off the wind than a similar round bilge boat, except in very light weather. With the extra buoyancy obtainable in square sections and the same amount of rise of floor of the keel, it was possible to flatten out the run aft more than would be wise in a similar round bilge design.

I had planned to start building as soon as Examinations were done, which meant early in December, but during the early stages of developing the design, Ray Early, who had Mischief in the Pennant Class, decided to build from my plan .As he was ready before I was, we began his boat, to be named Cherub, and my own was eventually put aside indefinitely

Cherub proved exceptionally easy to build; keel chines, etc almost falling into position around the long, easy curves. In eight weeks of spare time work, aided for only half of this time on Saturdays and a couple of nights during the week by myself, Ray finished the job. When she was rigged up on the lawn for the first time he felt, I think, not a little proud. So did I Cherub was the first full-size boat from my designs for anyone other than myself.

Our pride proved justifiable, however. Cherub on her debut “ got up ” and planned whenever the sheets were eased a few inches, and has since sailed off scratch in the Pennant class until she has now a fairly comfortable lead on points (She won the point shield and The Auckland Dinghy Association Championship)

At first she seemed extremely tender, and just before the start of her first race she capsized to windward spectacularly. With a little time to become accustomed to her, however, she has proved easy to keep steady. Right from the start she has been easily held down and would, in fact, hold all the sail area allowed in the class. This is not really surprising however, for she is quite a roomy 12 footer, In spite of more than the usual amount of decking both fore and aft.

Costs proved considerably better than predicted, for the original estimate of forty pounds including sails but exclusive of labour, was reduced to thirty-two pounds. Fittings were all made from odd scraps of stainless steel and have proved extremely successful in spite of their lightness

The hull construction is very light by New Zealand standards, but used in conjunction with the plywood, has proved more than sufficient, showing not the slightest sign of working. For the plywood, unlike conventional planking, braces the whole form and seems 100% resistant to the effects of damp and heat. It is also simple to repair: a sharp object will make only a small, clean hole which is easily repaired in a short time as we found after encountering a Wanganui's bowsprit, while any large object would require a great deal of force to render any damage.

John Spencer

(This article was reproduced in Sea Spray in March 2000. Many thanks to the publishers for permission to reproduce it.) The photo was supplied by Peter Tait of Firebug HQ. The photo owner knew Spencer and/or the builder at the time and related the story of how the Cherub got its name. John didn't own the boat, he was a broke architectural student, but helped the owner build it. Apparently the owner had a small and sweet daughter who was constantly refered to as cherub. It was 'cherub this' and 'cherub that' all the time. So much so that the new boat became Cherub too! The photo was taken on launching day in Auckland New Zealand. The twelve footers in those days were known as the Penant class, hence the sail insignia and were a mixture of all sorts. Cherub sailed circles around them from day one much to the delight of the young designer!

Editorial Comment…

Fifty years on its interesting to look at this article with hindsight. I hope it won't be regarded as unfair to say that in 1951 New Zealand was not reckoned amongst the leading Yachting nations of the World. They had been sailing International 14 footers for two or three years, and were obviously very much aware of what Uffa Fox and a then young Jack Holt were up to.

Anyway, when this young Kiwi architecture student (well expatriate Australian really, but John Spencer was always a New Zealander in everything but birth certificate) sat down to design himself another boat no-one could have expected anything world shaking. But let's examine what happened. He starts with a Merlin Rocket (U.K. Clinker built restricted development class, round bilge), and decides to build it hard chine in plywood so the boat is lighter.

Key Point No 1 - Make the boat light!

The characteristics of the hard chine shape (and possibly the lower weight enables

Key Point No 2 - Lower the Rocker

He also anticipates off wind performance gains from the hard chine shape. The boat also turns out to be much easier to build and cheaper.

Key Point No 3 - Make racing boats accessible to many more people

And finally

Key Point No 4 - It Wins!

I'm not going to claim that all these key points weren't spotted elsewhere - especially number 3 - but I will claim that no-one put it all together as early and as thoroughly as John did. I'll also claim that John was a direct and irreplaceable influence that made the Kiwi sailing scene so exciting and vibrant in the 60s and 70s. Finally surely no-one will disagree that the result of that exciting sailing scene is the America's Cup, and the fact that New Zealand is now one of (if not the) the leading Sailing Nations in the world.

Jim Champ April 2000

Collection of all nationals and worlds reports

anonymous@undisclosed.example.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 15 Sep 2025 10:28:53 +0000

Collection of all nationals and worlds reports

Nationals Reports

Year	Venue	Results (Crew, Design, Boat)	Report
2025	Paignton Sailing Club	Paul Croote and Andrew Whapshott (Marmite)	2025 Report
2024	Dale Yacht Club	Andy Peters and Jill Peters (Usagi)	2024 Report
2023	South Shields Sailing Club	Phil Alderson and Carol Alderson (Zero Gravitas)	2023 Report
2022	Mumbles Yacht Club	Jonny O'Connor and Alex Harris (A&E)	2022 Report
2021	WPNSA	Andy Peters and Jill Peters (Usagi)	2021 Report
2020	Not Sailed	COVID-19
2019	Mountbatten SC, Plymouth	Jonny Harris and Alex Harris (A&E)	2019 Report
2018	Pembrokeshire Yacht Club	Andy Peter and Jill Peters (Usagi)	2018 Report
2017	Stone SC, Essex	Eddie Briddle and Sam Curtis (Riot Van)	2017 Report
2016	Royal Torbay Yacht Club	Paul Croote and Ed Higham (Marmite)	2016 Report
2015	Mumbles SC, Wales	Andy Peters and Jill Peters (Usagi)	2015 Report
2014	Weston SC, Southampton	Clive Everest and Alex Everest (A&E)	2014 Report
2013	Babbacombe Corinthian SC	Andy and Jill Peters (Usagi)	2013 Report
2012	Pwllheli SC, Wales	Graham and Eddie Bridle (Riot Van)	Day 1 Day 2 Day 3 Day 4 Full 2012 Report
2011	Lee on Solent SC, Hampshire	Graham Bridle and Eddie Bridle (Riot Van)	2011 Day 1 2011 Day 2 2011 Day 3 Prizes
2010	Largo Bay SC, Scotland	Chris Lewns and Tom Pygall (Antidote To Panel Games)	Day 1 Day 2 Day 3 Day 4
2009	Babbacombe Corinthian SC, Wales	Peter Barton and Roz Allen (Ronin)	2009 Report
2008	Pembrokeshire Yacht Club	Peter Barton and Roz Allen (Ronin)	2008 Report
2007	Weymouth NSA	Will Lee and Lucy Lee (Atum Bom)	2007 Report
2006	Largo Bay, Scotland	Will Lee and Lucy Lee (Atum Bom)	2006 Report
2005	New Quay, Wales	Andy Paterson and Tom Gruit (The Shiny Beast)	2005 Report
2004	Portland Castle SC, Dorset	Andy Paterson/Alex Paterson	2004 Report
2003	Stone SC, Essex	Andy Paterson/Alex Paterson (The Shiny Beast)	2003 Report
2002	Pembrokeshire YC, Milford Haven, Wales	Andy Paterson and Ross Clark (The Shiny Beast)	2002 Report
2001	Castle Cove SC, Weymouth, Dorset	Robin Russell/Will Lee (Green Slug/Dangerous Beans)	2001 Report
2000	Mayflower SC, Plymouth, Devon	Andy Paterson/Alex Paterson (The Shiny Beast)	2000 Report
1999	New Quay, Ceredigion, Wales	Dave Roe/Claire Spens -	1999 Report
1998	Hunstanton SC Norfolk	Dave Roe/Claire Spens -	1998 Report
1997	Babbacombe Corinthian S.C. Devon	Andy Paterson/Alex Paterson	1997 Report
1996	New Quay, Ceredigion, Wales	Graham Dickenson/Sarah Tindal	1996 Report
1995	Mayflower SC Plymouth	Helen Marsh/Dave Roe	1995 Report
1994	Weymouth, Dorset	Dave Roe/Helen Marsh	1994 Report
1993	Babbacombe Corinthian S.C, Devon	Dave Roe/Helen Marsh	1993 Report
1992	Rock SC, Cornwall	Dave Roe/Helen Marsh	1992 Report
1991	Lee on Solent SC, Hampshire	Dave Roe/Wendy Barclay	1991 Report
1990	Royal Torbay YC, Devon	Dave Roe/Wendy Barclay	1990 Report
1989	Seasalter SC, Kent	Dave Roe/Wendy Barclay	1989 Report
1988	Weston SC, Southampton	Guy Lewington/Alex Windsor	1988 Report
1987	Harwich Town SC	Guy Lewington/Alex Windsor	1987 Report
1986	Lymington Town SC, Hampshire	Guy Lewington/Alex Windsor	1986 Report
1985	Hayling Island SC, Hampshire	Guy Lewington/Alex Windsor	1985 Report
1984	West Mersea, Essex	Malcolm Jacques, Howlett,2624 Rebel	1984 Report
1983	Lee-On Solent, Hampshire	<WRAP group><WRAP column>1. Will Perrett/Joe Green, 2608 Edna Average 2. Guy Lewington/Alex Windsor, Murray mod Snow, 2705 Flat Stanley 3. Malcolm Jacques /Mike Gregory, 2615 Ballistic Missile</WRAP></WRAP>
1982	Warsash, Hampshire	Ian Brown/Pete Selby	1982 Report
1981	Worthing, Sussex	<WRAP group><WRAP column> 1. Guy Lewington 2. Bill Deeley/Alan Moore, Deeley 3. 2604 Tramps Like Us.</WRAP></WRAP>	1981 Report
1980	Dabchicks SC, Colchester	1. Dave Finch/Pete Lavender2. Tony/Jill Hows3. Dave/Shiona Babcock
1979	Eastbourne, Sussex	<WRAP group><WRAP column>1. Bill Deeley/Alan Moore, Deeley, Strictly Liquor Love & Laughs 2. Chris Forman/Nick Mason, Forman 8, Blitz 3. Martin Clark/Gill Garden, Nice Legs</WRAP></WRAP>
1978	Lee on Solent, Hampshire	Chris Forman/Nick Mason, Forman 8, Blitz	1978 Report
1977	Dabchicks SC, Colchester	David Finch / Pip Lavender, Hot Dog, 2530 Hot Dog	1977 Report
1976	Warsash, Hampshire	Tony Hows/Jill Hows,Spithead Special, 2450 Easter Beagle	1976 Report
1975	Grafham Water, Cambridgeshire	Dave Finch/Peter Lavender	1975 Report 1
1974	Harwich Town SC	Tony Hows/Jill Hows, Forman 4d,2350 Peanuts	1974 Report
1973	Felpham S.C.	Gordon Williams/Alick Hodgson	1973 Report
1972	Teignmouth	Gordon Williams,/Alec Hodgson	1972 Report
1971	Lee-on-Solent SC	Rob & Margaret Gregory	1971 Report
1970	Grafham Water SC	Brian Vincent/Frances Smith	1970 Report
1969	Hayling Island SC	Merris Catton(first female helm to win a UK Nationals?)
1968	Royal Victoria YC	Keith Godwin/Roshan Verghese, DOB
1967	Grafham	Keith Godwin/Steve Hulland, DOB ?
1966	Unknown	R. Gregory
1965	Harwich Town SC	Nigel Vaughan Smith/Jim Leslie	1965 Report
1964	Cowes	Martin Jolliffe.	1964 Report
1963	Stokes Bay	Martin Jolliffe.	1963 Report
1962	Cowes	C Hornsey	1962 Report
1961	Cowes	M Sargent	1961 Report
1960	Unknown	R. Casson
1959	Unknown	<WRAP group><WRAP column>1. Alfie Hawksworth in 10 Pink Champagne 2. Ben Bradley in Hangover 3. Paul Browne in Vodka.</WRAP></WRAP>	Unknown
1958	Unknown	R. Casson

Worlds and Intergalactics

Year	Venue	Results (Crew, Nationality, Design, Boat)	Report
1996	Sydney, Australia	Roger Perret/Adrian Manning	1996 Report
1991	Auckland, NZ	Geoff Laws/Andrew Stone	1991 Report
1989	Sydney, Aus	Tony Dillon/Dave Gibson,	1989 Report
1985	Auckland	Greg Hartnet/James Synge	1985 Report
1983	Brisbane	Bill Wallace/Phil McNeil	1983 Report
	Felpham, U.K.	1. Derek Snow / Keith Snow, Murray mod. Snow, KZ2705 Flat Stanley2. Bill Wallace /Phil McNeill, Murray,KZ2567 Queenie SJB43. Phil Smith/Vicki Weeks, WOP
1978	Milford, N.Z.	Mark Patterson/Dave MacKay -	1978 Report
1976	Henley S.C. Adelaide, Australia	Nicola & Julian Bethwaite	1976 Report
1974	Torbay, U.K.	Amanda Wilmot/Andrew Buckland, Aus -	1974 Report
1972	Auckland, New Zealand	Steve Marten	1972 Report
1970	Inaugural Worlds,Perth, Australia	Russell Bowler/Peter Walker, NZ Nationals	1970 Report

Historical Publicity Handouts

anonymous@undisclosed.example.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 09 Dec 2020 19:21:56 +0000

Historical Publicity Handouts

Publicity handout from 1960

Publicity Handout from 1985

I was there...

anonymous@undisclosed.example.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 09 Dec 2020 19:21:56 +0000

I was there...

How it all began

Early 60s Development in the UK

She's a Foaming Beaut

David Steele on building a foam sandwich boat in 1970

Around the 1972 Cherub World Championships

1972 World Championships - Steve Marten

1974 worlds from sea spray magazine

Impresions of the 1974 and 1976 Cherub Worlds from Nicola Bethwaite

The Flat Stanley Story

Editorial from 1987

The Ashes Trophy

Fitting Out and Handling Pole Kites

anonymous@undisclosed.example.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 09 Dec 2020 19:21:56 +0000

Fitting Out and Handling Pole Kites

By Jim Champ

There seem to be quite a few folk restoring old Cherubs these days, so I thought this would be useful.

Rudyard Kipling wrote

“There are nine and sixty ways of constructing tribal lays,

And every single one of them is right!”

Much the same applies to Cherub Spinnaker systems. What you're going to get offered here is substantially what I have on my vintage boat Queenie SJB, somewhat crossed with what I used on Halo, my Bistro, which was the very last Cherub to be built in the UK with a pole kite system.

Spinnaker Pole.

This needs to be nine feet long and very substantial. Superspars used to do one that was basically two two/thirds of 505 poles sleeved together to make the extra length. I'm sure they could make one for you if you need one. There were also some really bullet proof ones made from two Needlepar topmasts sleeved together. I imagine either company could make one to order in the same manner. Even so the sleeving was sometimes prone to bend, as indeed it has on my Superspar.

I prefer, and writing this now advise a double ended system. I still think single ended systems are easier for beginners at Cherubs, but I'm finding that without other people to learn the tips and wrinkles folk who are just getting into sailing a pole kite Cherub have a lot of trouble setting it up. You tend to need a stronger pole for double ended systems though, but almost everyone used to break at least one until they got one of the good ones as noted above.

End fittings on the pole need to be very good. Ideally you should be able to just push the pole on from both top and front. I like the Ronstan RF2569, but I have broken them too. You need a reasonably substantial trip line between the two end fittings to release them remotely, not just thin twine. In the middle I use a keyhole system, with just a bullseye fairlead. A solid fitting for the keyhole is best, something similar to a RWO R4282, but just a rope loop works OK for me for casual sailing. Whether you have a rope loop or a keyhole fitting it needs to go inside the trip line, because the trip line also serves to keep the uphaul/downhaul on the pole and indeed the pole attached to the boat.

The mast fitting must be stainless steel and strong. Plastic ones will bend and break. Locate it exactly opposite the gooseneck fitting, not higher up like most boats. If you put the fitting high up on the mast the compression loads from the pole will put an S-bend in the mast, which not only turns the mainsail a horrible shape but also trebles the risk of losing the mast in a pitchpole! Down at the gooseneck its stabilised by the lower shrouds (you must have lower shrouds!) and the rig works much better.

Halyard

The spinnaker halyard is the only one you really need in a Cherub. It needs to be as low friction as possible, which really means a thin rope. Sorry! With no other halyards in the mast you know it won't get tangled up. The hoist height depends on the shape of your sail, but I think we used to set them too high. With asymmettrics we've learned that there isn't that much difference in having the sail closer to the water, especially as you get less heeling moment with the sail lower. Basically the halyard needs to be high enough that the sail doesn't drag in the water when the wind drops - about luff length above the deck is probably about right.

Downhaul/Uphaul.

This is where you get most variation. I now prefer the downhaul to come back to as close to the mast as possible, and use vectran or something similarly low stretch. It needs to have a two to one purchase to a cleat on the back of the daggerboard case where the helm can lean down and adjust it. The uphaul should go well up the mast - about the spreaders is good. A height adjustment on the mast is useful, but not essential. I don't bother now. It doesn't need a purchase because you won't often adjust it sailing. People used to use all sorts of arrangements with shockcord and so on to pull the pole forward, but with a bit of practice you really don't need to bother. I've even stopped using some elastic to take up the slack on the downhaul when the pole is stored, although its not a bad idea.

Sheets.

The sheet must be very low stretch. Buy good ones. If the guy stretches on a tight reach and the pole goes round the forestay it will break. With four feet or so of pole beyond the forestay it has lots of leverage.

The sheets should go round a turning block about halfway down the cockpit. Usually opposite the mainsheet between helm and crew. From there I always found the best layout was to run them forward along the topsides, through a block in the topside face and with a cleat inside. This is impossible unless you have either short sidetanks or else a special cut out in the sidetank for the sheet - a feature you'll see on a lot of 1980s boats. If you can't run it forward through the topsides it needs to be run to somewhere where you can put another turning block and a cleat. The cleat is a pretty much essential on a pole kite system because you have to adjust the guy as well, and because the sheets are more likely to be washed over the side - or worse still down the bow and under the stem.

Guy.

You need a reaching hook (Ronstan RF91, accept no weaker substitute!) as far forward as you can readily reach - probably level with the mast. You also need a cleat there, positioned so that you can cleat the guy on or off the trapeze. These are the highest loaded fittings on the entire boat and need to be spectacularly strong. Plastic will disintegrate. You will probably want a sheet catcher on the stem, because its even easier to lose the sheets without a bowsprit to catch them. Rubber hose in a loop screwed each side works nicely.

Pole Stowage

The pole is always stored on the boom. To make a bracket to support it get a piece of sailbatten or something similar about a foot long. Drill a hole in each end, aand then screw it to the boom in the middle so it sticks out each side. Tie a piece of line from the hole in each end up to the special eye on the mainsail you always wondered about (if the sail was cut by a Cherub sailmaker) or failing that to the bottom batten pocket. When you stow the pole you slide it along the sail through the rope loop and it rests on the sail batten.

At the front end you can have a couple of stainless eyes like the one on the mast, or else a little loop of rope. Either way you put the pole end fitting in this to keep the pole stowed neatly.

The Hoist

Get the boat on a very broad reach, but not quite a run. Put the pole out first. Hook the guy on the pole and push it out, taking the sheet with you. Have the guy in the reaching hook and cleated at the “not quite touching the forestay” mark that you absolutely must have on the guy. Once you have the pole well on the way to clipped on the helm can start pulling up the halyard, but you must get the pole on before the sail is halfway up. If it fills before you get the pole on then you won't get the pole on! You'll find that if you push the pole right out to the tack when you hoist it will stay there, there's no need to hook it up to the sail or anything like that. Hook on the trapeze as soon as you've got the kite up ready to fill, and point up very gently - the power and apparent wind will come rushing in and if you aren't careful you'll get blown over.

The Reaches

Once the sail is up handling isn't that different from the crews point of view, but this is a Cherub. You will have loads of apparent wind and inb a breeze you will normally sail all reaches with the pole two inches from the jib luff. The helm should sail the boat as they would for an asymmetric class, the techniques are all the same. All the books will tell you that its a good idea to keep the luff and leech the same height. This isn't true in a Cherub - the pole is so long compared to the foot that when set on a reach the clew will be appreciably lower than the tack, so forget about that!

The Run.

In a serious breeze you will probably want to gybe downwind like an asymmetric boat. Pull the pole back a moderate amount from the forestay - say about 30 degrees and pick your point for the gybe. Running dead downwind in a breeze, even with the kite, is not a great experience. Light winds are the only time when you sail the boat like any other conventional kite boat, except that with the long pole you can get an incredible amount of kite out from behind the jib.

The Gybe.

Frankly this is why we changed to bowsprit kites. See this picture! Get off the trapeze onto the fastest reach you can still keep the boat flat on, cleat the current guy with the sheet cleat and the pole fairly well aft, and unclip it from the reaching hook. Go into the gybe fast with as much speed as possible, get the boom across as soon as possible, but gybe onto a very broad reach. Clip the new guy in the reaching hook and cleat at the mark, get forward, take the pole off the mast, trip the old guy with the line, switch the rope loop/keyhole fitting on the downhaul to the other side of the fairlead, put the new guy into the end fitting and push the pole out again. Avoid pitchpoling while doing this (the helm may have to be hanging off the transom). Power the boat up gently (apparent wind will come rushing in) get out on the wire, and congratulate yourself on completing what was probably the most difficult manouver in dinghy sailing prior to the introduction of the Axeman narrow Moths!

You may do a bit of swimming while you get used to this. We all did! There is more on this in the downwind section of the heavy weather sailing article. Basically it comes down to picking your moment for the gybe, getting into the gybe with enough speed on, and not coming out of it too fast or too high.

The Drop

Power down as for a gybe and its usually easier if the helm pulls the retrieve in. When its about half way down the crew gets the pole off the mast and stows. Leave the sheet in the pole fitting until the pole is on the boom, it reduces the risk of dropping it over the bow. Tidy up the sheets as quickly as possible and head upwind again.

Publicity handout from 1960

anonymous@undisclosed.example.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 09 Dec 2020 19:21:56 +0000

Publicity handout from 1960

The New Zealand Cherub Restricted Class Dinghy

L.OA. 12 ft.
Beam: minimum 4 ft. 8 in., maximum 5 ft.
Sail area:
Working sails l00 sq. ft.;
Spinnaker, maximum dimensions l4 ft. x 14ft x 9ft.
Mast, LOA 20 ft. minimum weight stripped 13 lb.
Spinnaker Boom, maximum length 9 ft.
Hull weight stripped 110 lb.

The Cherub is a modern, lightweight, high performance racing dinghy. Construction is from marine plywood The design is based upon two concepts, that of the hard chine boat from amidships aft and the conventional round bilge sections forward. The merging of these two constructional principles is known in New Zealand as a 'disappearing chine'. The chine fairs away forward and at the bow the hull is either moulded from strips, or the plywood skin is slotted to give the required shape.

The majority of the class have been amateur built and many interesting constructional features have been successfully tried. New boats in the class have no frames and in order to have the minimum of 3 cu. ft. of buoyancy as laid down in the rules they usually have a watertight bulk- forward and side tanks. The class is novel in this respect, hall shape restricted only, while the sail plan is one design as far as maximum measurements are concerned The number of battens in the mainsail is also controlled at six, and they must all be full length. The area of round in the jib and spinnaker is unlimited Three battens in the jib are optional, depending on the individual. The Cherub also carries a spinnaker, the maximum dimensions being l4 ft. x 14ft x 9ft

Although this gives opportunity for a parachute spinnaker, in New Zealand this type has never found favour among the smaller classes, the old single luff type being preferred. It is found that the 'flat' type spinnaker can be carried on close reaches, a thing that is denied to the ballooner or parachute, and any Boat that does not fly one on a close reach is usually left far behind. This type of kite does not seem to lose anything in the way of performance when matched against the chute on a flat run or broad reach and is definitely not such a difficult sail to get drawing properly. This explains why the spinnaker booms are far longer than the British norm, the maximum length of the boom being 9 ft. and the average length in the class 8'6in. spinnaker is cut virtually as a reaching jib, experienced crew being able to gybe this in about 45 seconds. The mast is stepped on deck and the maximum height of the spar is 20ft. Rigging is optional, but usually limited to shrouds and diamonds with one set of spreaders.

Each owner is free to develop his own ideas as regards design, construction and fittings, but the rules of the class are so phrased to keep all the boats fairly similar, and so far no freaks have been produced which have had runaway victories. The premium is still on good gear, crew work and tactical skill, Crew is limited to two. The National Council of the Cherub Class Owners association recommends building to I. Pryde's Carousel or John Spencer's Modified Mk 2 design. Both of these boats have been well tried and are consistent place winners in all major events. Although knock-up centreplates are not specifically banned almost every boat uses a daggerboard, which is universal practice in boats under 18ft in New Zealand.

Fittings and Gear

A few comments follow on the type of fittings and gear used in the Cherub Class, although what is given cannot be taken as a norm because the majority of owners make up their own requirements to their own fancies and consequently there is a large diversity of equipment. Rigging is generally of stainless plough wire, although the 19 strand stainless wire rope has lately found some favour, no doubt due to the Talurit splicing system. Sail material. Synthetics are permitted in the UK; in New Zealand are on1y permitted for spinnakers because sufficient quantity are not available far all owners to equip their boats with full sets of sails due to import restrictions. Trapezes are permitted in the class rules, and they are a necessity for those who wish to carry a spinnaker on a tight reach in moderate to heavy conditions. I might add that trapezes are carried on nearly all the small classes in New Zealand. Kicking straps are essential for good performance and they are generally adjusted by way of a rigging screw. Mainsheet arrangement on in the majority of the boats on the same pattern as the National l2a and Fireflies. However there is a trend towards the New Zealand standard, which is identical to the Continental Flying Dutchman arrangement, namely from the horse down the boom to the cockpit floor and then to the helmsman's hand. Suction bailers and draining ports are permitted. The latter have not been used by more than a few boats but everyone uses suction bailers or Venturi's as they are known in New Zealand Halyard winches are a very popular item with most owners; spinnaker halyards arc now all being fitted internally. Jib halyards are virtually unknown in this class because all favour using the luff wire of the jib as a forestay; this system certainly keeps the luff of the jib bar tight. Rotating masts are now accepted as a standard fitting.

This handout must be circa 1959/60. It looks to be NZ modified for the UK

Publicity Handout from 1985

anonymous@undisclosed.example.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 09 Dec 2020 19:21:56 +0000

Publicity Handout from 1985

The text from a publicity handout from 1985

The Cherub

The Cherub Dinghy started in New Zealand in the early 1950's and spread to the UK in 1956. The Class has been active in this country since that time and more recently the UK fleet has followed a new positive and independent policy.

High Performance

The Cherub is a true high-performance dinghy. With a hull weight of only 110 lbs a sail area of 125 sq feet and a trapeze, the Cherub will easily plane to windward. Add the 130 sq ft spinnaker on its 9ft pole and the downwind speed is electrifying. On 3-sail reaches, Cherubs have the speed to overtake much longer boats such as 505's often enough to cause considerable embarrassment The present Portsmouth rating of 115 has now been overtaken by developments in 1984/85, and modern Cherubs are probably fast enough for a rating of about 113. At only 12 ft long, the Cherub is only beaten by the Australian 12 ft Skiff (which has the advantage of 2 trapezes and unlimited sail area).

Development Class

The Cherub is one of the select band of racing classes which permits development within the class restrictions, and the class policy is one of controlled and steady improvement. This allows the class to stay abreast of state-of-the-art dinghy sailing and ensures its long term future. The development concept permits individuals to tailor their boats to their own preferences and different hull designs encourage a wider range of crew weights than can be accommodated by a one-design.

Construction

Any form of construction is permitted. Both plywood and f.r.p foam sandwich hulls are competitive. Amateur built boats are common and successful Well built hulls remain competitive for many seasons and boats up to 6 years old can compete at the front of the Nationals fleet.

Crew

The Cherub is a boat for energetic light to medium weight crews. Competitive total crew weights range from 16 - 23 stones, although those at the extremes need to select their hull design more carefully. Because of its light weight, the Cherub responds instantly to good boat-handling and speed and agility count for much more than brute strength.

Cost

The Cherub is one of the cheapest high-performance dinghies. The light weight, combined with sensible rules, discourage the complexities which add so much cost in other classes. Professionally built boats can be put on the water for rather less than the equivalent “off-the-shelf” one-design spinnaker/trapeze boats. Amateur building can save another 40% from the total cost.

Organisation

In the UK the class is run by its members, for its members. We make all our own decisions within the Owners Association. There is an active and enthusiastic Committee and members are kept in touch by a quarterly Class Magazine

Navigation

anonymous@undisclosed.example.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 09 Dec 2020 19:21:56 +0000

History

The Ashes

anonymous@undisclosed.example.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 09 Dec 2020 19:21:56 +0000

The Ashes

The Ashes Trophy is awarded at each year’s UK Cherub National Championships for the mightiest piece of boat destruction. But where did this trophy come from?

The Ashes Urn contains the venerable remains of the 1978 UK National Championships winning boat. Cherub 2534 was designed, built and helmed by Bill Deeley, a Cherub grandee with no fewer than 6 designs to his name. Known as Bad to the Bone in her later years, she was a regular feature on the UK Open Meeting Circuit. Sadly she suffered a fatal shroud base to daggerboard case split during a windy 1994 National Championships, due to carrying a much bigger rig with vastly higher rig tension than was originally intended. After an unsuccessful repair attempt, she was prepared for the funeral pyre at the 1995 Scottish Cherub Open meeting.

The 1995 Scottish Open was particularly well attended, including Class President of the time Simon Roberts. After the Saturday’s racing, the partying went on well into the night, featuring a smart Royal Tay YC dinner, a Splendid performance by the President and a Ceilidh Band who kept the assembled throng on their feet. In the wee small hours the Cherub sailors made their way down to the beach for the ceremonial torching. After a short but emotional speech from her helmsman and much saluting, a gallon and a half of petrol (unleaded) was deposited in the buoyancy tanks and under the foredeck. Unfortunately, by this stage nobody had the co-ordination left to actually light the matches. About 5 minutes went by, during which time the petrol silently vapourised in the tanks. Finally the Team Scotland crew managed to light a chip wrapper and throw it in. The blast which followed knocked a few sailors off their feet and led to a rash of complaints by the local residents! The following morning the ashes were scraped into the ceremonial urn and after a great deal of pleading with the Yacht Club committee, the helmsman managed to retain his membership.

The original intention was to bring the Ashes Urn to the World Championships of 1995/6 to be awarded to the highest placed UK or Australian boat in true Ashes fashion. Unfortunately the issue got confused by the winners being a pair of Australians sailing a boat built to the UK design rules. In the end the trophy was awarded to Dave Roe for wrecking every spar on his boat over the course of the regatta and thus missing out on a near certain victory for the UK Fleet. Since then the Trophy has been awarded for maximal boat destruction at the UK Nationals every year. The original IKEA Urn remains, but the trophy could do with a nice new carbon fibre base if anybody fancies a little winter project…?

Strictly Liquor, Love and Laughs

UK Cherub Trophies

anonymous@undisclosed.example.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 09 Dec 2020 19:21:56 +0000

UK Cherub Trophies

Some are shiny. Some are heavy. All are coveted.

Racing Trophies

The Simpson Cup

This is awarded for first place at the UK Nationals.

The Sheila Fleming Challenge Cup

This is awarded for second place overall.

The Harwich Trophy

Since 2005 this trophy has been awarded to the first placed 1997 rules boat at the Nationals. Originally this trophy, donated by J. F. Dedman in 1963, was awarded annually to the winner of the open meetings hosted at Harwich Town SC. The trophy is now on long loan to the Cherub Association by kind permission of HTSC.

The Ancient Image

This is a copper photoblock showing an image of Cherub Number 1 on a beach in he 1950's. It is awarded for the first placed 1990's rules boat at the Nationals.

The Lady's Teapot

This is awarded for the first placed Lady.

The Nick Mason Trophy

This is a large half model of a Italian Bistro, which is awarded for the best year on year improvement at the Nationals.

The Newcomer Trophy

This trophy was donated to the Class by Richard Taylor.

The Rosebowl

This is awarded to the winner of the travellers trophy.

The Queen of Hearts

This is awarded to the winner of the Inlands.

Other Trophies

The Ashes

This is an urn with the ashes of a well known cherub. It is awarded for the biggest example of boat destruction seen in the Nationals. Full story

The Didgeridon't

This is a small labelled didgeridoo which is awarded to the team who came to the nationals with so much promise, but things went a bit wrong.

Prix d'Elegance

This beautiful silver tray is awarded to the prettiest boat at the Nationals.

The Phoenix

This mounted naked silver lady is awarded to the boat which had the most comprehensive makeover before the Nationals.

The Davy

This miner's lamp is awarded annually for going down the mine in the most spectactular fashion at the Nationals regatta. It was presented to the class in recognition of Dave Roe's contribution by Daryl Wilkinson.