Cad’s notes

The month of August in the F15 calendar is the time for family regattas. You can virtually sail your 15 in a dedicated fleet every day throughout August, from Cowes week to Poole week. Taking in Bass and Fed weeks, that’s got be a challenge on somebody’s bucket list. I’m also pleased to see 15’s at Dartmouth and Falmouth Weeks – After winning every race in their 15 year old boat in the Day Sailing Fleet at Dartmouth, Tim and Jo Johnson were asked “Is that a standard 15 – or has it been modified ? (The boat's previous owner – Simon Patterson, our chief measurer)

Of course, well done to the winners, including Richard Mander at Cowes – “will anybody beat him ?” and the evergreen Pete & Jo Allam at Poole – what a year they’re having. But it’s also a great opportunity to sail with family and friends in beautiful, relaxed surroundings and introduce them to the delights of the 15.  September now sees us move back to open meetings and there are venues for
everyone’s tastes, including Llangorse in Wales with it’s easy launching and strong classic fleet,  South  Cerney  in the  Cotswolds,  the keen and rapidly building fleet at Aldeburgh on the Alde estuary, the Manchester hotbed of talent at Dovestone and finally our Scottish Championship at Loch Earn on the 25/26 September. All of these clubs will provide us with a warm and friendly welcome.
Please support them if you can and be tolerant and understanding of requirements that Covid may have imposed.

Our inland championships are at Chew Valley Lake Sailing Club on the 9th / 10th October. Bill Chard and the Chew fleet have been working hard behind the scenes to make this event a success and the entry fee includes welcome bacon sandwiches, an evening meal and some free drinks. We can’t guarantee you’ll win the event, but you will have great, close racing in a friendly environment – enter online here 

For those you who are a little rusty, or simply require a tune up, on Friday 8th October (the day before the inlands), Chew and Bristol Water have kindly offered the lake for a training day. Chris Turner, Ovington Boats supremo and the only man to beat Graham Vials across the finishing line in every F15 race, has kindly offered to run the event. If  you’re  interested please drop me an email ([email protected]) £20 / boat represents good value. 

Moving to international matters, Tim O’Brian is representing us at the Flying Fifteen International (FFI) Council meeting on September 7th. The main purpose of the meeting is to open the way to change some class rules in March 2022 as opposed to the normal timings of March 2023. The next worlds have been postponed to March 2023 and FFI believe it’s in the best interests of the class to have a season prior to the worlds to get used to these changes. The proposed changes include the use of radios at events such as Cowes week, reduction in weight and 4 sails available to be replaced each year. I’m sure Tim will update us as to progress. The next step would be for the membership to vote on these proposed changes.

Finally, as I mentioned in the last newsletter, the committee has produced an online questionnaire so we can understand your views on whether next years classic nationals would be better served at a specific inland event (e.g. like this year’s Grafham’s Classic Open), or not. Historically, the classic fleet has not been well attended at HISC nationals – Hayling Bay can be quite a demanding place in a SW breeze. Please let us know your views.

I hope to catch up with you during the remainder of the sailing season, but if I don’t, please feel free to get in contact via email.

Good Sailing,
Ian Cadwallader
Flying 15 GBR 4055
[email protected]