Looking ahead to 2015... already!

by Ben McGrane, P&B 21 Sep 2014 18:27 BST 21 September 2014

LOOKING AHEAD TO 2015!

Seems a bit mad to be writing this but there are only a few events left this year and then we will be into the winter handicap events and before you know it the dinghy show will once again be upon us!

I always think this is a good point of the year to look back on the season and review how it went. Did you get the results you had hoped for, were there any obvious mistakes, if so what were they and could you do it any differently next time. Thinking about how your sailing has gone this year now means you can perhaps still make the most of the final few events of season to overcome those weaknesses, identify new objectives and get ready for another year.

The sail juice series really gives sailors something to target through the winter and I can’t emphasise enough just how much you are missing out by not giving it a go, why wait until next April to go racing when there are well organised events with great support happening each month? Admittedly the cold isn’t every sailors dream but with modern sailing garments it is quite surprising the conditions you can sail in without noticing the weather isn’t perfect.

For me personally it feels like the season is just getting started, with the I14 World Championships taking place in January we are now four weeks away from loading a container so every chance to sail or work on the boat really counts. Once the container is loaded it then becomes a case of looking for alternative sailing options to keep on the water. We will race the Australian teams in the middle of their season which gives them a distinct advantage whilst also racing on their home waters which I’d expect them to know well, it will be interesting to see how it all pans out but with the top few teams in the UK all pushing hard to get an edge on one another it could prove hard for the rest of the world to fill the top spots.Perhaps the most challenging aspect of racing in an ISAF development class is that anyone can turn up with a boat where they have worked out a package that is simply quicker and they will be hard to beat, for me it is part of the attraction, all you can do is push yourself and the kit to be the best you can in the time you have and with the funds available, then when you come up against the teams you haven’t seen for 2 years you can only sail your best and see if it was all enough.

Other than beginning 2015 with a World Championships I’m already thinking about the Merlin and XOD next year, the job list of things that I’m looking to change for both boats is coming together with a view to going that bit better than in previous years. The XOD has been a really different experience and I’m completely hooked, it’s not my normal type of sailing but perhaps that is the attraction along with knowing it could easily take a few years to get to the point of really having a shot at winning Cowes Week.

Whatever you are looking to achieve this winter or next year make sure it starts with contacting P&B, our class experts can update you on all the latest developments in your class to make sure you have the latest and fastest kit. New boat orders for early next year are already filling up along with slots for boat maintenance, refurbishment and upgrades.

Top this off with the best range of dinghy chandlery and clothing for dinghy racers and cruisers it is well worth visiting one of our stores or visiting us online to get kitted out for the winter or to grab a deal on end of line 2014 products.

P&B Northampton – 01604 592808
P&B Fareham – 01604 592808

Check out the P&B Blog to see how the P&B Race Team have performed in 2014!

A Season in Review
This has been a very different year for me and sailing in new classes always presents a new challenge, as always I have learnt a few things and enjoyed some new challenges.

XOD
The XOD has got my attention which many will question as it isn’t the kind of boat you would normally see me in, but the standard of racing coupled with the requirement to learn Cowes as a venue before you can really hit the front of the fleet means it isn’t something you win first time. Still I was pleased with 11^th at Classic Cowes and 20^th at Cowes for a first effort, getting OCS on the squadron line and other tactical errors which in hindsight were all a bit school boy should mean we can hope to do a better job next time round.

X22 did us proud and will be back in the P&B South workshop this winter for some more modifications and we will continue to develop the sails package in the areas we have identified can be improved ready for the 2015 season. Watch this space!

B14
With limited time in the boat we had a strong year in the B14 winning Weston Open and following up with a convincing win at the nationals in variable conditions. I’m really happy with the developments made on the sails which gave us speed across the wind range and the boat at 14 years old is looking good for years to come. With the inlands this weekend I hope we can finish the year on a high!

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