Old Nationals reports

[JimC]

I was raiding the Yachts and Yachting archives recently for old Canoe reports, and while I was at it I took photos of some of the old reports I never found for the Cherub web site in my day. They're in bound volumes so not good to put them on a scanner, but it means they don't OCR well.

If anyone is interested in having these to transcribe to make your history pages a bit more complete PM me and I'll send you 40MB of images! Includes 1962, 1965, 1972, 1976, 1977 and 1978 reports.

Jim C

[BenR]

Jim, that would be great. Very important to keep the history of the class together for future Cherub sailors.
Do you have Drop Box or similar?

Ben

[Neil C.]

Jim Champ kindly sent on his photos of these historic Cherub Nationals reports to me, which he managed to retrieve from the Yachts and Yachting archives. I have started transcribing them. Phil, when you have a bit of spare time (that's a laugh with small kids and a job), perhaps you could add these to the "Old Nationals Reports" section of the website.


1962 report:

Cherub National Championships
1962 – Cowes Corinthian Y.C.
(Transcribed from the report in Yachts & Yachting)

The fifth National Championship of the Cherub Class ended at Cowes on Aug. 3rd with the last of a series of races. The meeting was sponsored by the Cowes Corinthian Yacht Club and conducted by the Royal Corinthian Yacht Club. In all 23 boats took part and there were 21 starters in the final race.
“Whisper” (J.D.Stevenson, Luton), which was third at the end of the first round, was dismasted during the second circuit. Two other helmsmen retired and another was disqualified for not answering a recall. Result 1st, “Whisky” (C.Hornsey); 2nd, “Seraph” (E.Spash); 3rd, “Sundance” (G.Littledale and sailed by M.Sargent).

The championship placings were:  1st, “Whisky” (C.Hornsey, Portsmouth) 87 ½ points; equal 2nd, “Whisper” (J.D.Stevenson, Luton) and “Conradin” (R.Gregory, Lee-on-Solent) 72 ½ points; equal 3rd, “Seraph” (E.Spash, Bembridge) and “Blue Streak” (R.Thorne, Cowes) 70 points; 5th “Sundance” (G.Littledale, Cowes) 68 points, and 6th, “Scoubidou” (M.Joliffe, Cowes) 67 points.

[Neil C.]

1965 Report:

Cherub National Championships Report
1965 – Harwich Town S.C.
(Transcribed from the report in Yachts & Yachting)

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).

[Neil C.]

1972 Report. Anyone know what "Jamstrangler" means?? Sounds like something from Roger Mellie's Profanisaurus, but this was way before Viz comic.




Cherub National Championships Report
1972 – Teignmouth S.C.
(Transcribed from the report 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.

1st, “Tickityboo” 12 ½ 
2nd “Lollipop” 15 ¾
3rd “Jamstrangler” 17
 4th “Coarctation” 24 3/4

Original report by R.W.A Paddey.

[Neil C.]

1976, 1977 & 1978 to follow when I get round to it.............

[ade white]

Thanks Neil, nice little read, the picture in 62 shows close competition. I bet there was some swearing at the next mark on that one.
Cool, James Bond sailing Cherubs in '72. Would have been even better if it was Roger Moore he was sailing with.

[Neil C.]

1976 Report. Seems the fleet was dabbling with wing masts. K.Ellway features in the results, still a well-known name in the Cherub Class today, 38 years later.


Cherub National Championships
1976 – Warsash S.C.
Transcribed 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

[Neil C.]

1977 Report. The winner, "Hot Dog", I believe is still alive and sailing, but was sold to somebody in the French fleet a few years ago. There is a photo in the attachment if you open it.

Cherub National Championships
1977 – Dabchicks SC
Transcribed 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.

[Neil C.]

1978 report. Nick Mason crewed the winning boat. Nick was class president by the time I started in the class in 1990. My lasting memory of him is turning up to my first Cherub event - a training weekend at Lee on Solent. I was expecting it to be quite serious with blackboard-based lectures and stuff. It turned out the only thing black was the two pints of Guinness that Nick bought each of us before we even got in a boat!! Top bloke.

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