latest spitfire video

damn those guys know how to put a video together... or rather know how to spend an enormous amount of effort on getting footage to use.

that is simply awesome.

WOW

Anyone know the artist and name of the closing song?

I don't know but it always give me a feeling of dread because it's the song Delta pipes on the planes while boarding for international flights. I'm not afraid of flying or anything like that ... it's just loooon flights.

The song is by artist Adiemus, album "Songs of Sanctuary", song "Adiemus"

Not enya...
I have it at home I think but can't think of the name right not.
It has been in a commercial before.

Can hardly wait to see this! When the question of best movie with a cat in it was asked, the Spitfire videos were my choice.

GARY

sorry PTP - I edited my post when I found the actual name.

Thanks Jake.

That's what I call a "medicinal" post! I wish any of the American Cat companies could find a way to produce stuff like that!

Hell, if they would just give Brian Karr (Adventureonline.tv) a fair shake, he could certainly put together something like that.

BK could definitely do something like that, and in HD too.

Wouter,
Why didnt you get Swell to build the Spitfire to the F16 rules? Their website claims "performance similiar to a F18", which is funny, its more like a F16.

Its good in length, width, mast height. Sail area is close so thats easy to change. The only gotcha is the weight. Would 30kg make it noncompetitive? Probably tough to get thta much weight out of the boat.

Bill

These guys are great. Whenever anyone is interested in what a catamaran is I show them the first spitfire video. Usually they want a ride after that.

Matt

I've invited builders to join the F16 setup, I don't force them to join. The Swell catamaran company owners had other plans I guess. Ask them for the "why" ?

They have some very skilled crews on them and they make them go fast, they seem competitive to me although I suspect a small disadvantage. Actually they are rated a little slower then the F18's etc.

Wouter

The Spitfire was designed as a "One Design" by Olympic Gold Medalists Yves Loday and Reg White in 2000 - before the F16 Association was set up. We bought our first one in March 2001.
The boat is fast, but also the guys and girls sailing them in the UK and France are some of the best sailors in Europe. Stuart Gummer was a Spitfire sailor last year - this year he is at the top of the European F18 fleet in a Capricorn. He won in Aruba.
For those who know the name Reg White from the 60s and 70s - he is still racing a Spitfire and even winning some races.
Watching that video makes me want to get the plastic off my new Spitfire and get sailing, but the weather forcast for next weekend is "wintery showers"

I believe the Spitfire is a grandfathered F16 boat; that is, it qualifies as an F16 and could sail in any event as such even though it does not match the rules exactly. It would be fun to see them out with the Stealths, but I understand they have a strong OD circuit in the UK. The Spitfire's record in mixed cat fleet is truly amazing (see Texel and Aruba results)--likely a testament to the high quality of the Spitfire sailors.

Did you forget to tell them about your world domination plans?

Foregoing the Wouter bashing, I think the Spitfire videos are really good.
The videos are one thing, but the fact that they go out there and do this is what really impresses me. Sure, many could produce the same, but not many classes have demonstrated the initative, skills, time, dedication and determination to produce excellent recruiting material like this. For potential catsailors browsing the internet, the Spitfire must be very high on their "cool classes" list. These videos value as catsailing propaganda is obvious.

Looking forward to their next production

Now, if you who are going to race the Tybee500 could get a coach boat to follow you for a day, that could also result in some great footage.

Rolf:

I'm trying. It looks like right now I'll only be able to get a boat for the practice day on saturday and maybe for the start on sunday.

Even that is logistically complicated because the ports may or may not be near the beach we leave or arrive at. If you limit the chase boat to one day then you might get a light air day without much excitement or you might get conditions that the chaseboat can't really contend with - much less get good footage.

How about an ARC 27 as a coach/chase boat? There should be no problem "keeping up"...regardless of the conditions...LOL

Regards,
Seeker

glad you guys like the video, which is shot and produced by class association members not by the boat builders!
I will pass on your comments to them.
Sailing the Spit is probably the most fun i've had on any boat in over 20 years and the sailors are truly a great bunch and very welcoming. Cant wait for the season to start!! another chance to chase Reg White round the course.
He will be 70 then and still a bugger to beat
The Spit and F16 should meet at the Eastbourne Cat Open in July where both are competing, should be interesting

Gary

Gary:

I second those kudos. I thought that was a professional video !!!! Wish all where done that way. Wish Performance Catamaran would make a A2 video like that. That will be my next boat.

Doug Snell
Hobie 17
Soon to be Nacra A2
www.tcdyc.com

Velocity Sailing has built a r/c plane fully equipped with a camera on it, so we will have aerial footage from the start every morning, and possibly for some of the landings. The plane will have onboard a small camera to record and to take still photographs. All of this will be available at the one and only www.velocitysailing.com

RC plane with a camera?
dude.. what happened to the "poor college student?"

I look forward to the pics though...

Several of those UK Spitfire crews are REALLY good. Any sailor can learn alot from racing them. I too am looking forward to see them show their stuff against the better F16 crews. Will prevent these F16's crews from becoming lazy. I pretty expect a good heads-up to the F16's at the first direct comparison. Mixing it up will be a good thing; it should al least be fair as the boats are very comparable in all-out performance.

Great video by the Spitfire guys, once again !

Wouter

Well, Alan has been into planes as long as I have with sailing, so he is in charge of that stuff. He's a master with r/c stuff, so just wait till Tybee day 1 to see what he comes out with.

I don't want to sound like a nay-sayer (I'm looking forward to the footage!) but please have a frequency checker device to watch the airwaves for a time prior to wheels up to have a better chance of not getting a frequency hit in the middle of that low flyby....also note that I believe that the AMA insurance has limitations regarding it's application at specific flying sites. I used to fly r/c too and loosing a plane to some outside influence sucks. Damaging something of someone else's in the resulting mayhem sucks exponentially worse.

Also there are problems with transmitting video over the water. I think Brian Karr learned this. He had trouble with it and went to a tape device attached to the camera.

Mike Hill