Mirror modernisation
The Mirror class is looking to update itself with a centre mainsheet system. With the Topper having recently permitted centre sheeting, it seems to be all the rage. It's hard to imagine there could be enough room in the Mirror cockpit to accommodate such a set-up, but that will be left up to the individuals to decide. I spoke to honorary class secretary Simon Lovesey to find out what was behind the move.
Simon says the centre sheeting proposal is one of a number of moves to modernise this classic little dinghy. The other major discussion is to allow a simple Bermudan rig using alloy spars, as opposed to the existing wooden gaff rig. It seems a shame for the class to abandon its quaint old gaff rig, but Simon points out that sailors will have a choice. If they want to persist with gaff-rigged wooden spars they can do so, and no doubt many cruising sailors will continue down this path. But for the racing community, finding the right spars and tuning the gaff can be a time-consuming and expensive business. Alloy spars would be a good deal cheaper than their wood equivalents. Indeed the alloy mast should come in at around £250 which is the cost of a wooden gaff alone.
Cost is one part of the equation but strength and consistency are another. "We're sailing with more rig tension and higher purchase vang tensions than the boats were originally designed for," Simon explains. "Wooden parts have an issue of failing, and so the alloy rig should overcome that problem."
Over the years the Mirror has nurtured many of our best sailors. Ian Walker won the Nationals in the late 80s and I remember him saying just how important it was to get hold of the right boat - one that was stiff and also made the most of the tolerances in hull shape. In other words, you could buy boatspeed. But now the Mirror comes in foam sandwich form, and these FRP versions have been proven by one of them winning the European Championships. A fully kitted race model is available for around £3500, so it sounds like a good value package.
The other reason for modernising, and particularly moving towards the new mainsheet arrangement, is to broaden the Mirror's appeal as a youth class. Simon explains: "We're now the only RYA junior class without a centre main. That puts us out on a bit of a limb. RYA training methods tend to revolve around the centre main, so we're a bit out of kilter with that. For the younger sailors it's easier to control than the transom mainsheet, which they find pulls them towards the back of the boat." Apparently the Topper sailors are reporting fewer injuries since adopting the centre main, because the body is not so twisted and sailors can hike more symmetrically. That alone should be a good enough reason for the Mirror to switch over, but first these things have to be ratified at international level.
It's amazing to see how many familiar names appear in the entry list from the recent Nationals, won by well-known Laser and 505 sailor Hector Cisneros and his son Ben. Other names further down the list include top Fireball sailor Vince Horey and many of my colleagues from the 14 class, or at least their offspring. The Mirror seems to be going through quite a resurgence. Indeed, Ian Walker is reported to be tracking down his old boat in which he won the championships, so that he can introduce his eldest daughter to the class.
Simon says the junior sailors are coming on strong right now, and are challenging the seniors. Dan and James Ellis won the previous two National Championships and have now migrated to the 420 class, but apparently there is plenty of new talent coming through. Simon believes the Brits can win the Worlds, which take place in Sweden this summer. Just two years ago only two Brits appeared in the top 10 of the Worlds in Australia, with Aussie and Irish teams dominating the top rankings, but the balance of power could be shifting back in the Brits' favour. "Brits scored 1,2,3 at the Europeans," Simon notes, "so we think we'll be the ones to beat in Sweden."
As well as the quality going up, so are the numbers. The recent Nationals turn-out of 91 boats in Poole was the best in years, and with the Europeans due to take place there next year perhaps the Mirror can crack the 100-club once more.
At last...a national sailing centre
So the Weymouth and Portland National Sailing Academy has been officially opened by HRH the Princess Royal. It's fantastic that this has been built. I find it quite amazing that GBR has done so well in recent years without such a facility. In fact it's probably our 10 medals from the past two Olympic Games that have enabled this £7.85 million facility to be built at all. You couldn't ask for a better stretch of water for this to be situated near. You've got the shelter of Portland Harbour for beginners, or for any of us when it's windy. And if you want to scare yourself you can venture out into Weymouth Bay and get an idea of what the Southern Ocean must be like. Of course, next month we will find out whether London is to host the 2012 Games, in which case this facility will become the Olympic sailing centre. It will be a busy place indeed.
Top Clubs and Scottish Skiffs
Multiclass events seem to be gaining favour at the moment. The big handicap events in the winter - the Bloody Mary, the Grafham Grand Prix etc - have long been popular but we are now seeing handicap of varying forms in the summer season. The Scottish Skiff Grand Prix Series is gaining a foothold, with three events of five already staged this season. Richard Stenhouse tops the rankings in his Musto Skiff, but is followed by an International 14 sailed by the two Gavins, Homer and MacKinnon. It's good to see the 49ers and Laser 4000s both well represented along with a smattering of other fast classes. The Trident-UK sponsored series has two remaining fixtures this season:
13/14 August Scottish Skiff Championships at Prestwick Sailing Club
17/18 September Royal Tay Yacht Club.
If you are interested in taking part, visit the website www.scottishskiffracing.com or email Musto Skiff sailor and series organiser Ian Renilson: IanR@sunrise-engineering.com.
Entries are soon closing for another multiclass event, the Crewsaver Top Club regatta which made such a successful debut last year. This year's event, to be held on 24/25 September at Grafham Water SC, is expected to exceed last year's turnout of 30 clubs as it becomes more widely acknowledged and the competition becomes fiercer. Entry has been made easier this year and the entry fee has been reduced to just £90 per club. So, if you think your club might have what it takes to steal the Crewsaver Top Club crown, go to the website at: www.topclub.org.uk.
The event requires each club to enter a fast, medium and slow handicap boat, and it is the combined scores of all three boats that decides the winning club. Much like the Admiral's Cup really, except that while that event is in decline Top Club shows every sign of getting stronger. My tip for success is make sure you include a Fireball in your line-up ;). As the Fireballs point out in their own literature, they have won just about every major winter handicap event over the past year. Quite how they escape the clutches of the Portsmouth Yardstick system I don't know, but the very best of luck to them. Long may their good fortune continue.
The Olympic flame
I used to be a Fireball sailor and what a fine boat they are. The last one I owned was the first ever Delange from Australia, called Chrusan' Downunder. It was a Kevlar/epoxy hull but still looked classic with its wooden deck. Actually, having been dropped 30 feet on to tarmac from the hold of Boeing 747 and having been set alight by some reprehensible youths in Leicester, Chrusan' wasn't looking her best by the time I bought her third-hand, but I loved her all the more for it. Truly she was a boat with character. I find it pretty difficult to get emotionally attached to modern plastic boats though.
The other problem is that plastic boats are not environmentally friendly if you decide to burn them. Not that I've ever had the urge, but Jerry Rook from Lyme Regis sent in this story about two of Britain's Olympic heroes of yesteryear. Jerry writes: "Alan Warren, who won the Merlin champs six times (when Merlins were undoubtedly ‘the' boat to excel in - there were fewer classes then) was finally recognised by the RYA as an outstanding talent and they loaned him and his crew David Hunt a Tempest class boat to go to the Munich Olympics. They were unlucky to get only silver medals - the sea breeze came up from behind in the last race and having been nearly a leg ahead they were overtaken and finished 8th in that race.
"Alan and his crew bought the rather secondhand boat cheaply from the RYA and kept it at David Hunt's wife's smallholding. It did not come out until the next Olympic trials as Alan was much more keen on sailing exciting Merlins than dragging the slow keelboat about. Rumour has it that the boat was used to grow mushrooms in.
Despite the boat looking old and tired Alan and David won the next Olympic trials which were held in heavy weather at Weymouth. The Olympics themselves were held in light weather on Lake Ontario, Canada and the old wreck was completely outclassed.
"On the way back from the last race Alan took out a can of white spirit and summoning a passing RIB, splashed the inflammable liquid over his boat. Casually stepping into the RIB, he threw a match and the boat duly went up in flames, slowly burning down to the waterline before sinking into the waters of the lake.
This caused a sensation for the rather bored yachting journalists gathered for the Olympics and was the only Olympic yachting item that made it into many newspapers round the world. When Alan returned to Blighty he christened his next new Merlin ‘Afterburner'."
