Prototype National 18 ‘Odyssey’ 2013/14
National 18’ 75th Anniversary Championships
Hayling Island Sailing Club 21-26th July 2013
National 18s from England, Ireland and Scotland gathered at Hayling for the annual championships, almost in sight of Cowes where Uffa Fox drew the lines of the first hull in 1938.
This Championship comes to England once in four years. In 2001 it was at St Mawes; in 2005 and 2009 it was at Portland; this time it was HISC that provided wonderful facilities ashore and expert race management afloat whilst a 3 clubs committee of members of the Blackwater, Bosham and Tamesis Clubs provided the flavour of the class and organised a social programme. Bosham SC also helped with rescue cover.
HISC wanted 30 entries or costs would soar; the dates clashed with Findhorn week; the Irish economy was at a bit of a low ebb and the IOM stalwarts were doubtful starters…..so the committee had something of a challenge. The answer was to make the event as inclusive as possible of all 18s, and so we reached our target…. just. This may be a pointer to future championships where hopefully the new hull will progressively increase in popularity but all other types of 18 must be made very welcome.
The 30 boat entry was divided almost equally between the Ultimate and the Classic fleets, starting five minutes apart. The former included pen-Ultimate’s with trapeze. The latter consisted mainly of wooden boats with hulls lovingly restored and with updated rigs giving them a performance that was not far short of the more modern boats. They came from Tamesis and Cork, but largely from Bosham where there is an enormous enthusiasm for classic boats. All have a story to tell and the oldest; No15 Tinkerbell was built in 1938 and performs as well as any.
Also sailing with the Classics with a similar performance were pen-Ultimate’s not using trapeze, and the Chichester Harbour 18s. All categories were to receive trophies.
A practice race on Sunday was followed by ten races back-to-back over the next five days, and all in Hayling Bay. Winds were variously light, moderate and fresh and mainly from the South, and there was plenty of sunshine. Courses set by Race Officer Mark Wood were excellent, black flags were few and there was the sleigh ride over the ebb tide on the harbour bar to enjoy at the end the day. In other words, it could not have been more perfect sailing conditions.
In the Ultimate fleet, though close among the top eight boats with five different race winners, a battle royal developed between Das Aquaholics from Ireland and Howling Gael from Scotland. Equal on points at the start of the final race, the former had a bullet and was therefore the winner. The latter was runner up.
In the Classic fleet, Toucou from Bosham was the early leader, but it was Nimrod from Ireland that took over and became unbeatable, finishing with the perfect score after discards.
The social side to any championships is very important. Right from arrival when people renewed friendship in the dinghy park to Wednesday’s Class dinner, to Tommie Dwyer’s rendering of Paddy M’Ginty’s Goat late on Friday night, all was a great success. Thanks to Bosham SC for hosting Tuesday evening and to Jess and Hugo Bernie for masterminding entertainments.
The 3 clubs committee has resolved not to disband, and HISC will be pleased to see us again in 2017.
Results overall: 1st Das Aquaholics (Tom Dyer, Peter Hassett, Willie Healy) Royal Cork YC, 2nd Howling Gael (Stuart & Richard Urquhart, Ross Young) Royal Findhorn YC, 3rd Happy Days (Colin Barry, Andrew Moynihan, Peter Stokes) Monkstown Bay SC, 4th Muc D’hoo (Mark Dicker, Kim Waterford, Duncan Hare) Blackwater SC, 5t h Jaffica (Martin Cruden, Ali Davis, Phil Hemiston) Royal Findhorn YC, 6th Fat Girl Racer (Jessica & Hugo Berney, Gregor Davidson) Blackwater SC.
Classics: 1st Nimrod (Colman Garvey, Roy Derrer, Brian Heneghan) Royal Cork YC, 2nd Theorette (Tom Reis, Mimie Curry, Nick Phillips) Bosham SC, 3rd Tinkerbell (Richard Stirrup, Jono Prosser, Dave Hall) Bosham SC.
Other Categories: Pen Ultimates without trapeze: 1st White Tiger (Jeremy & Max Vines) Tamesis and Chi Harbour 18s: 1st Seafire (David Edmund Jones, Andrew Young, Kit Chapple) Bosham SC
Jeremy Vines
Cork Harbour Report
The Cork harbour sailing for 2013 was a great year, great weather and great travelling. The Nations were held in Dublin this year at the National Yacht Club. Great weekend had by all so many thanks to the National Yacht Club for hosting a great event. Congratulations to Colin, Martin and Morgan, Aquaholics 370 on winning the Event.
Congratulations to Tom Dwyer, Peter Hassett and Willie Healy in Das Aquaholics. 2013 National 18 Champions hosted at Hayling Sailing Club.
Congratulations to Colman Garvey, Roy Darrer and Brian Heneghan of Nimrod. 2013 Nationals 18 Classics Champions.
Cork Harbour National 18’s Southcoasts Championships:
Saturday last saw 11 boats on the starting line in Cuskinny for the Southcoasts in a very shifty 12-15kns North-Northwesterly breeze. Peter Crowley, our Officer of the day, ably assisted by Marie Crowley and Willie Healy excelled in getting us 3 great races for the day. The ever consistent D’Good D’Bad ‘nd D’Ugly with Ewen Barry and Crew wrapping up the event with a 2, 1, 1.
We had the publication of the 75 year history of the class from Brian Wolfe. The Launching! Eithne Payne, Brian Wolfe, Author, and Tom MacSweeney, Marine Writer and Broadcaster, in jovial mood launching the eagerly awaited 75 Year History of the National 18 Dinghy at the Royal Cork Yacht Club(11.12.13). Picture Robert Bateman
Prototype18 Report
We launched the National 18. What a boat. She slid out of the truck needing only four people to lift her. Aquaholics on the other hand needed eight….!
Hitting the water that day, highlights included:
- Fantastic exciting sailing in 0-30 kts of wind
- Wonderfully stable boat, faster, lighter & very comfortable for all the crew
- Safe and easy to right after capsize.
- New smarter systems to reduce the loads and improve the experience in higher wind conditions
- Occasional temper tantrums observed by some when asked to step out of the boat and allow others to play
Fifty three people sailed her during the period at Cork representing all age brackets and both gender….
- Pensioners to under 12’s
- All boy teams
- All girls crew reigniting the age of girl power
- Husband & wife team with wife admitting new kitchen might be on hold
- Father and young sons out for a blast
- Pirate boarding party from a rib out of Currabinny (Nice one Grattan)
- IRL, Eng, FRA, IOM passport holders.
So a massive success capped off with a brilliant laying up supper and entertainment on Sat night 16th. The National 18 prototype was also formally named “Odyssey” at a Champagne ceremony. Don’t worry we didn’t waste to much of the bubbly on the boat..! Congratulations to the Berney family who won the competition to name the new National 18 prototype.
Willie Healy (Cork Class Secretary)
Royal Findhorn Yacht Club Report
Last season saw a low turnout from the Nat 18s fleet, most crews have moved to the RS400 which is a lot easier to sail in the bay and obviously takes only two to sail.
There were sporadic outings for Ian Underwood’s Hi Flyer and Martin Slack’s Wavebreaker. I even got out myself a few times to blow off the cobwebs.
Our Scottish Championships were held in September last year. It was a beautiful weekend for sailing and the competition between Jaffica and Howlin Gael was as strong as ever, the Urquhart boat coming out the eventual winners. This victory gained Howlin Gael entry to the Scottish Champion of Champions during October which the won. Well done lads and it is a win which is long overdue.
Three Scottish boats travelled to Hayling Island for the Championships – Eastern Promise, Jaffica and Howlin Gael. The general feeling was that it was one of the best Championships ever with “Champagne” sailing every day. Again Jaffica and Howlin Gael showed that they could compete and beat the best with consistently good results. It was neck and neck going into the last day’s racing with Howlin Gael having to beat Tommy Dwyer to take the title. But the wily old sea dog managed to hold them off and secure the Championships for himself, but it was a great performance by the Howlin Gael team.
The prototype 18 has been sailing in Cork during the last months of their season. All the feedback I have seen is very positive. It is now in England where it will be sailed the classes. It is also entered into some large regattas so it will be interesting to see how it gets on. It is planned to have the boat in Findhorn sometime in May when I am sure there will be a great deal of interest from the class and others.
This year the Championships in Wales beckon and the Scottish contingent will be there to do their best.
See you on the water
Kevin Davidson (Class Captain)
Tamesis National 18 Fleet – 2013 Report
The Tamesis National 18 fleet had a year of real highlights and a significant lowlight. The lowlight was the passing in June of Richard Howells, our class captain of many years, after a less than seven week illness. His cheerful presence and his willingness to take on any challenge in working for the club and his helpfulness to people in getting their boats afloat are sadly missed.
The major highlight was holding the first National English Championship in September, along with our UK Inland Championship. The beautiful specially commissioned trophy, presented to the class by Richard Howells and Jeremy Vines, was to commemorate the class’s 75th Anniversary. It was completed shortly before Richard’s passing.
The inaugural racing for this English National 18 Trophy (sailed under boat-type, ‘Classic’, ‘Penultimate’ and ‘Ultimate’, handicaps) was handsomely won by Joe and Tom McLaughlin sailing Heat-wave (343). They also won the UK Inland Championship Maddison Cup for finishing ‘First-on-the-Water’. The UK Inland Championship National 18 Trophy (awarded on the basis of individual ‘Person-plus-Boat’ handicaps) was won by Chris Pollard and Simon Veysey sailing the oldest (1961) boat on the water, Thumbelina, 253.
Another highlight in the season was the arrival in December of Odyssey, the potential ‘new design 50kg lighter hull’ National 18. The idea was that various Tamesis sailors could try her out before a vote in July on whether it is adopted. Unfortunately, so far only two Tamesis crews have been able to try her because of the Thames flooding and a stream of up to 6 knots even when the flooding has receded. The consensus however is that she is ‘slippery’ and in Cork’s online videos has undoubtedly proven her ability to plane very fast (and is also much easier to right after capsizing!).
A further highlight was the success of the National 18 Class Championships at Hayling Island, jointly run with our sister clubs at Bosham and Blackwater. This is a ‘new’ location for the championship, not having a championship there for many years. Unfortunately, Tamesis boats did not bring back any silverware.
Average turnout for the Summer Series was slightly down. Zephyr, 374, sailed by Ian Burnett and alternately, Anne Bayne and Angela Caldera won both the Langdon-Down Challenge Cup, for on-the-water results and the Peter Fayers Cup for Handicap Results … the latter only decided after the 19th & last race of the Series.
In May, at the second big N18 weekend event, Heat Wave (343) sailed by Rob Wilder, Tom McLaughlin and young Milly Wilder won the 1937 Tamesis Anchor for on-the-water results, while Zephyr, 374, sailed by Ian Burnett and Anne Bayne won the 1832 Queen Adelaide Cup for handicap results.
Other trophy winners were: Geniveve 266 (Eddy Simmonds & Graeme Lythe) won the long distance Claude Russell Cup; Ocatillo 316 (Charles Fox & Steve Katz) won the Thursday Evening Silver Boat Trophy; Heat Wave 343 (Rob Wilder, Tom McLaughlin) won Easter Series Lobb Cup. One over the Eight 349 (Doug Pope & Jose Ugarte) won both the RNLI Pennant and the Autumn Regatta (no trophy). So the ‘chocolates’ were spread all across the fleet.
Ian Burnett
Secretary’s Report 2013
After a shaky start and many, many emails to Mick Kneale I may be getting the hang of this post. For those of you who are not aware or not yet set it up you can all pay you subs via a standing order set up to the class account.
For details please get in touch with me.
The more of you that pay this way the easier it is for myself and others to collect all annual subs in a timely fashion and prevents me walking around at the next Championships with my clipboard and pen!!!
The prototype is up and running and there has been some great coverage on it via Keiran Dwyer when it was in Ireland and Kaan Yargici and Oliver Houseman from England on Facebook. For those of you that are not members of the national 18ers page sign up as it is a great way to share information, ask questions and just generally keep in touch.
Finally the National 18’ Championships 2014 are to be held at Abersoch SC Wales. For those of you that are interested in attending www.abersochtouristinfo.co.uk is a good website to find out information on the area and accommodation. Peter O’Donovan is working hard to ensure that we have a good championships but he needs numbers to cover costs so the more the merrier. Any more information on these championships will come through Peter either in Facebook or via email. I hope to see as many of you there as possible.
Claire Laurie
National 18 Class Secretary/ Treasurer