
National Eighteen Class
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National 18 Invitation Regatta won by Ian Handley
Ian Handley won the National Eighteen Foot Class Invitation Regatta held to give leading helmsmen from other classes a chance to sail 18s in a series of five races at Tamesis Club on Saturday 31 May. The light and variable wind and fast running stream gave the contestants excellent starting practice as all the starts were downstream. Inevitably, there were several recalls, leaving premature starters with the difficult task of returning to cross the line, but their frustration disappeared when they eventually reached the first mark and found they were able to get through the opening gap left by the early leaders as they in turn struggled to avoid being swept even further downstream. Jeremy Vines, the Race Officer and regatta organiser, lengthened the course when the wind increased in strength and a moderate northerly breeze offered some faster racing. But the stronger wind did not last for long and shifted from NW to NE, making the Middlesex bank the preferred side for the run upriver to Canbury. The five invited helms were Ian Handley (yachts), Joe McLaughlin (Solos), David Baker (Merlins), Ollie Houseman (Merlins) and Peter Simmonds (Lasers) and their crews were Anne Bayne, Maxine Webb, Peter Johnson/John Dunkley, Doug Pope and Chris Pollard. The boats sailed were Heatwave (343), Antedote (348), 1 over the 8 (349), The Goose drank Wine (369), Zephyr (374) and Rhapsody (375). Helms and crews swapped boats in the last two races to give them the opportunity to try a different rig and to move up the points table. Ian Burnett was Assistant Race Officer, Richard Howells was in the rescue boat, and lunch and tea were provided by Anne Bayne and Maxine Webb. Overall results: 1 Ian Handley 12 points, 2 Joe McLaughlin 13 points; 3 David Baker 14 points, 4 Ollie Houseman 16 points, 5 Peter Simmonds 21 points.
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Lining up for the downstream start
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Bunching at the downstream mark
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Running up the Middlesex bank
The National 18 was originally an Uffa Fox
design from 1936, which was christened the Uffa Ace. It
was tough, with a heavy metal plate, an excellent racer-cruiser on the
sea, and fleets sprang up soon after the war at several locations
around the coast. There
were 18s at Tamesis by the early 1950s, and, largely because of the
tall rig, large mainsail and good manoeuvrability, they
also proved to be good river boats.
It is a restricted
class, thus allowing development as new ideas and materials emerge. It was in 1970 that the
first GRP boat emerged, to a design by Ian Proctor, and built for
Murray Vines at Tamesis. New
hulls are now built on the west coast of Ireland using the Class mould,
and are generally equipped with Proctor masts and McWilliam sails. Thus new boats have become
virtual one-designs.
The Tamesis fleet of 16
boats - the largest in the UK - is a mix of wood and GRP. The oldest dates from 1938
and the newest was launched in 2004.
Each boat has a character of its own.
Racing at the Club recognises both first past the post and
handicap giving everyone a chance to win the numerous Class trophies.
The annual championship
rotates between Cork, Findhorn (near Inverness), the Isle of Man and
Tamesis, and attracts about 30 entries.
The river is not an ideal venue, so we have to organise it
elsewhere e.g. St Mawes in 2001 and Portland in 2005.
Points
1st
316
Ocatillo
Charles Fox Hugh
McLaughlin
8
2nd
375
Rhapsody
Jeremy Vines
Anne Bayne
21
3rd
349
One over the Eight
Doug Pope
Livia Olivari
25
1st
316
Ocatillo
Charles Fox
Hugh McLaughlin
9
2nd
375
Rhapsody
Jeremy Vines
Anne Bayne
13
3rd
349
One over the Eight
Doug Pope
Livia Olivari
26
1st
375
Rhapsody
Jeremy Vines
Anne Bayne
2nd
369
The Goose Drank Wine
Barney
Smith
Maxine Vines
3rd
316
Ocatillo
Charles Fox
Hugh McLaughlin
1st
375
Rhapsody
Jeremy Vines
Anne Bayne
2nd
266
Geniveve
Ted Neal
Roy Doughty/Steve Osgood
3rd
369
The Goose Drank Wine
Barney
Smith
Maxine Vines
1st
375
Rhapsody
Jeremy Vines
Anne Bayne
2nd
266
Geniveve
Ted Neal
Roy Doughty/Steve Osgood
3rd
333
Red Dragon
Richard Howells
Colin Reid
The
Tamesis Anchor 3 Saturday Races, No Discard On-the Water Results
1st
375
Rhapsody
Jeremy Vines
Maxine Vines
2nd
349
One over the Eight
Doug Pope
Mike Stephens
3rd
316
Ocatillo
Charles Fox
Hugh McLaughlin
1st
349
One over the Eight
Doug Pope
Mike Stephens
3rd
333
Red Dragon
Richard Howells
Ralph Griffiths
3rd
316
Ocatillo
Charles Fox
Hugh McLaughlin
The
Silver Boat Trophy - Thursday Evening Series - 9 Participants, 3
Qualifiers
1st
316
Ocatillo
Charles Fox
Hugh McLaughlin & Chris Pollard
2nd
375
Rhapsody Jeremy
Vines
Anne Bayne & Max Webb
No
racing, the strong winds won!
1st
340
Tangerine Dream Mike
Adams
Gillian Tickle
2nd
334
Trojan
Peter Adams
Elizabeth Tickle
3rd
333
Red Dragon Richard
Howells
N Wain
RNLI
Pennant 1 Race Handicap Winner
1st
316
Ocatillo
Charles Fox
Hugh McLaughlin
For more details please contact Tamesis National 18 Class Captain: Richard Howells (phone 020 8949 5515)
National 18 Association website: www.national18. com
Club Points Tables: NATONAL 18 SUMMER POINTS 2009
NATIONAL 18 SUMMER POINTS 2008 NATIONAL 18 OPEN 2008
Ian Burnett reports (05.10.08):
"With this race (Sunday 5 October), Ocatillo has won the 2008 Summer Series both on Handicap and On-the-Water with one race to spare (in a class more used to resolving the Summer Series in the last race). This series win is the result of consistent sailing and regular turn out by Charles Fox and his regular crew Hugh McLaughlin."
The National Eighteens race for both On-the-water and Handicap trophies.There are three types of National 18 in the fleet (Classic, Penultimate and Ultimate), with the fastest 21st Century Ultimate being over 40% faster than the slowest pre-Second World War Classic. The Handicap racing is therefore seen as the glue which binds the fleet together. The handicaps are personal to the helmsman coupled with the boat in which he/she is sailing having handicaps for up to seven helmsmen in some boats. The aim is that every National 18 that goes out for a race has an equal chance of achieving a good position. The link below gives further information on how this is done; shows how the good results are spread right across the fleet, and the latest Handicaps.
Points tables designed and maintained by Ian Burnett.
National 18 syndicate plan: THE GENIVEVE SYNDICATE
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27.06.09