Grafham cat open 18th and 19th Oct 2008

Add me to the probable, sail 515. I'll be the one in the back of the fleet with my small main <img src=

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ditto, I've only got a old small main too...

I'll be there. Are we still OK to camp?

Paul

Dumb question from the newbie: shall I get my boat measured? All the NOR always include some verbiage about a measurement certificate, and frankly nobody seems to care. Are your boats, sails, mast, all measured? By whom? Do we care?

Paul,

Yes camping will be possible, just need to book in advance.

NOR etc will be out soon.

I will be coming.

Simon,

We have been mustering some interest at Datchet. I think you can add to the probables:

Wayne
Nick
David B
Me (David T)
Nigel

I think that makes 13. I have yet to talk to Graham and we have a new boat arriving soon (John) but as yet have not spoken to him. So possibly another 2 as well? Best get those prizes ordered.....

Excellent

the Notice of Race is available now.

We are not starting and racing with you guys I know but there with be a smattering of Spitfires coming to the Grafham Open this year.
Five from eastbourne certainly maybe 2 or 3 dart16s too(yes some do race!)Dont like the really really sticky stickers we have to put on the hulls to identify ourselves as Spitfires though!
Despite the fact they are yucky green (and really really sticky)we have a 2foot spitfire logo on all the hulls near the bow anyway!

We always enjoy Grafham, even last year with no wind!
Here is some advice about no wind opens
Last year we hired bikes on Sat and rode round the reservoir and Sun we invaded Cambridge and went Punting!
This proved to be highly entertaining as we made rubbish progress down the river.
I lost my stick, and it turned into a race.
In the seniors punt we had been leading the race obviously making good use of our pole and paddle, until some Chinese boat people rammed us and headed us off towards the bank. Desperate measures were called for as Ricky in the youngsters boat punted past us.
We were wedged against some fallen branches and the race looked lost. Then we saw it, floating just under the surface, a dead squirrel. Mark quickly dragged it with the pole over and onto my paddle, ammunition we giggled. One deft flick of the wrist it would fly through the air and knock Ricky off the punt, brilliant. We just had to win the race
The pressure was on, I knew Lynn was rather taken by my punting but I owed it to Mark who was keen to impress Claire and further his chances of some nudie-prod. This would shake off the gay label given to him at last years dinner by a gaggle of ladies whose advances he spurned. We looked at the two ladies reclining in the front of the punt they looked so gorgeous and happy enjoying a romantic river cruise.
The boat was steadied and we took careful aim, a mighty heave and the projectile was sent on its mission.
Alas we had not allowed for the fact that the grey squirrel Scurus carolinensis has a large and very bushy tail ideal at soaking up water. With the added weight of water the trajectory was not quite as intended, the squirrel flew straight up in the air about 12 feet spraying water as it went. It crashed through the leaves of the tree and disappeared
Time seemed to freeze as I looked at Mark and we both grimaced there was a crack a loud rustle and just after about a gallon of water fell on the front of our punt and over the girls
Scurus carolinensis reappeared, by now I would imagine it had reached its terminal velocity as it and its tail struck both ladies on the head and fell into the punt.
I thought about telling them how sexy their ‘just out of the shower look was’ but I was unable to get any words out for laughing and I fear Mark had already pissed himself such was the shaking of the punt
A passing punt of Italians as one cried out oooohhhh poor thing, what happened?
Lynn turned to them wiped the water from her face and said

perhaps it choked on a nut

Will it be as much fun this year?

Gary and Team Eastbourne

gary,

The Stickers make the spotters on the CTB job easier.

We'll have 100 boats on one course if it's windy and some of the fast boats are lapping quickly.

I got mine off faitly easily last time.

I'd expecting around 20 Spitfires, 20 F18's 13 F16's 12 Shadows, 15 Hurricane59's, maybe 6 A classes, a few T'sin the fast handicap and and maybe 10 or so more single handers.

It's going to be Fun.

I'll be there Friday night with my Tent !!!!!

tent.... are you mad?
we will all be in the restaurant at the travel inn bulking up on food and lager

see you there
Gary

Club bar will be open for part of Friday night and late Saturday night.

A few weeks to go...

I met with our main Sponsor last week (Cook's of Bedford) and we have a good set of prizes planned.

Looks like we'll have a good collection of boats in the Single handed fleet.

Hope to see lots of you soon!!!

Ahoy! My pre-registration is in, I have my camping spot all booked (Camping in October in England, my dream come true!). Be afraid, I'm coming <img src=

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I'm trying to convince my neighbor to join us as well, he recently bought Nigel's old Stealth. One issue is with cars, if we both take ours, we leave our wifes and kids without a car for the whole week-end... Unfortunately I can't tow my cat behind my motorcycle!

Anybody got any experience in double stacking cats on one trailer? Is the boat solid enough to support another one on top of it? Anybody willing to lend us a dual (or more!) cat trailer (one can dream <img src=

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Has Nigel got a new Stealth?
As for double stacking, I have put an A Class directly on top of the Stealth before now with the Stealth sitting on the normal trailer cups. When Paul and I went to Zandvoort last year he customised his trailer so both were independent of each other. This year John A took two Stealths back from Mumbles with him, he used an old tyre on each beam corner and ratchet strapped everything. I think it worked!
As long as the trailer is in good shape, the cups are well padded and you can avoid the mast foots and travellers causing damage you should be fine (famous last words)

Don't forget a means of attaching the masts and put your beer in an accessible place!

Nigel is now the World Champion, OK he has bought the World championship winning boat from Dave ( who had a decision to make, house extension + laser or Stealth ) and is sailing it just like a champion should, bloody fast particularly upwind. <img src=

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Just found out that the Club Bar will be open from 18:00 on Friday.

Closing when it's no longer busy, but I am not sure what the definition of

busy

is.

Sounds like a great time..too bad I can't make another trip to the UK. <img src=

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Hope you all have good weather and perfect wind.

Don't worry Joanna, it never rains inside the Pub. As for wind there will be plenty of hot air <img src=

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Is any body considering going up Friday to either sail Friday of just to benefit from an early beer or two ?

YES;
I'm taking the wife Skiing in the morning and then I'm coming up to Grafham. I'l Planning to be there by about 13-14:00 and then rig and go for a sail; then put the tent up and then hit the bar.

Does anybody need any chandlery? I'll have some Maffioli and Dyneema in the van but that's all at present.

Let's see, I need a new main, a new spi, a longer spi pole, some gel coat, dyneema to rig the pole, four hull craddle, a mast support for the trailer, anti slip tape for the daggerboards and the rudders and a new tapered main sheet. Now that's for what I need. Now let's talk about what I can afford <img src="<>/smile.gif" alt="smile" title="smile" height="15" width="15" />

Sorry, I'm probably really thick and missing something obvious, but I have to ask: where is your wife going exactly for skiing in this season? None of the resort in the northern hemisphere are open yet, and destinations in the southern hemisphere are all closed now or closing down really soon. So unless she jumps on a plane to some really exotic skiing destination I don't know about I'm really really curious...

[Later edit]

Assuming you come up the A1 from the M25; after you have gone thru the Hatfield tunnel, look slightly to your right.

Just behind the sailing lake there is a hill with 2 ski lifts on it 🙂
<img src="<>/cool.gif" alt="cool" title="cool" height="15" width="15" />

That thing? What do you ski on? concrete? Those British people are really weird... <img src="<>/shocked.gif" alt="shocked" title="shocked" height="15" width="15" />

View Larger Map

Yep; to the left of that is a dry Ski slope.

Currently training to be a Ski Instructor after being Credit Crunched out of The City.

Sorry Guys, best laid plans and all that....

Paul and I won't be at Grafham with our two boats <img src="<>/frown.gif" alt="frown" title="frown" height="15" width="15" />

Youngest son Robert managed to come a cropper at the park yesterday and has literally smashed his elbow. Anne and daughter have already paid up for a trip away this weekend so it's down to me to play nursemaid and Paul's decided to go windsurfing instead (he can't tow a boat on his licence but he can, obviously, stick some boards on the roof of his car).

Plan is now to be at Datchet on 1/2 November with both boats.....

I hope you all have a great weekend, I wish I could be there too.