January 2010 - Rooster Grad wins Battle of the Classes Event by Steve Cockerill
This year’s Battle of the Classes was an interesting one. Last year I was part of a Streaker Team who managed to finish 2nd and 3rd to Andy Couch in his Phantom. This year I entered with the Graduate with just a little anticipation and a lot of self pressure. I was being crewed by a young lad, Harry Kennedy, weighing in at 35Kg. The pressure was partly expectation and partly that my reputation was on the line having suggested that the Graduate had a place in dinghy sailing in the UK as the perfect puddle boat for a parent and child, I now had no excuse but to deliver a decent result. To read on and see the video clip from the event - click here
Members of the GDA received a new ballot paper several months ago following the completion of the first Rooster / Boatyard Graduate Dinghy (shown cased at the Nationals). The boat was carefully scrutinized to ensure that it conformed to the current GDA class rules and a ballot was drafted to modify the existing class rules to allow for the construction techniques etc. employed by our new builder. The GDA are pleased to announce the results of the ballot, and are very pleased to give the green light to full scale production. Two new Grads have already been completed and Rooster Sailing are now taking orders. The results of the ballot are below:-
Proposal 1.
To add to Rule 2.2 .....and using moulds certified by the GDA. Conformance will be verified by measurement of the first three boats then every 5th boat produced and after the first 20, every 10th boat made from these certified moulds will be deemed to be Graduate dinghies.
For: 96%
Against: 0%
Abstentions: 4%
Proposal 2.
To amend Rule 7.2 and increase the maximum weight of correctors from 7Kg to 10Kg.
For: 94%
Against: 2%
Abstentions: 4%
Proposal 3.
To amend Rule 4.5 to allow the fitting of bilge rubbing strips to be made optional.
For: 91%
Against: 5%
Abstentions:4%
Swarkstone Open Meeting - Race Report & Results, 21st June 2009
A mix of visitors & home boats turned up for the Open Meeting at Swarkstone on June 21 st. . The solstice forecast for a hot, mainly sunny day with 5mph winds was not quite what we got, the wind had started to fill in before the 1 st race was underway & the sun was obviously having a lie in after a late night partying at the hog roast.
The Wilsons (alias Rocky & Nora, sorry Dave, we still know who you are!) got off to a good start in Race 1 & were first to the windward mark, why do RO’s always put that where spectators can’t see? Dave Shaw was close behind having the advantage of local knowledge, or was it just canny sailing? The race was a close one with Dave Ivins gradually overtaking first Dave Shaw & later Dave Wilson, (with three Dave’s in the race Rocky & Nora are starting to sound increasingly attractive). John Moore & Andy Henstock got off to a good start but had forgotten the GPS & went to the wrong mark, come on boys, there were only three in the course & yes Andy, it may have been a good beat but it wasn’t the right one! Callum & Rory Mc Kenzie had trouble with the main & had to sail a couple of inches short. Due to Moore’s mistake they still gave him a run for his money & finished just in front on the water but lost out on corrected time. Mick Papp in Blue Streaker finished 6 th. It was good to see Flasher’s sister dinghy out on the water again & sailing against her.
Race 2 saw Dave I. get off to a good start with Dave S & W plus Callum & John M all fighting to be first to the windward mark. Dave I was first there & from then on the winner of the second race was never really in contention, Dave increased his lead & romped home well ahead of the rest of the fleet. There was some place changing elsewhere with Dave W coming in 2 nd, John M in 3 rd, after finally getting the hang of a triangular course, Dave S, 4 th, & Callum 5 th. Mick Papp was now singlehanding, having been deserted by his crew & brought the fleet home.
The wind had continued to increase for Race 3 & was now a respectable 3 to 4 with some big shifts. This meant there was some nifty tacking going on in some quarters to prevent collisions & more exercise for helm & crew alike, which made for an exciting race to watch as well as sail in.
John M scared spectators & Wilsons alike, when he tacked on top of them instead of going behind, due to a massive shift at the crucial moment. The blood curdling roar/scream that issued from the Wilson boat was certainly not a gentlemanly ‘Starboard’ & sounded more akin to something Attila the Rabbit would utter. The race was really close throughout & at one point produced a classic picture of five Grads all in line, which made the hairs on the back of the neck, stand on end. Where’s the guy with the telephoto lens when you need him? Dave Ivins held them off to win again, securing him 1 st place overall.
Many thanks go to the duty crew at Swarkstone for their hospitality & a super day out both on & of the water.
Place
Sail No.
Helm & Crew
Sailing Club
1st
2878
Dave Ivins & Lesley Johnson
Bolton SC
2nd
2974
David & Sandra Wilson
Broadwater SC
3rd
2846
John Moore & Andy Henstock
Sutton in Ashfield SC
4th
2903
Dave Shaw & Cheryl Plant
Swarkstone SC
5th
2742
Callum & Rory McKenzie
Ogston SC
6th
2845
Mick Papp & Helmi Burton Papp
Swarkstone SC
2009 Graduate Nationals Results & Report
This years Graduate Nationals were a huge success, with 32 boats taking to the water to compete for the coveted title. It has been nearly 20 years since the class enjoyed a fleet of this size, and is confirmation of the resurgence the class is enjoying currently. The success of the new large sail plan has now been reinforced, with the first Rooster Graduate taking to the water at the event, winning all but one of the bank holiday weekends races.
Full race reports can be viewed on the Yachts and Yachting web site, along with photos from the event. - CLICK HERE
