Sailfest......

It all sounds rather silly to me. Are people drunk and then sick? Do they slap each other on the back and say what fun it was? When it's all over do they go back to jobs in Swinton Insurance or Halfords?

The National Fleet runs on the standard UKWA slalom rules- basically I think the kit has to be production kit (so no special customs) and there is a width limit on the boards and a max sail area.  The sort of kit I'm talking of is, for arguments sake, as highly tuned and tested as the 20 grand Merlin or latest head-tuner in the Moth fleet.  It doesn't suit your average pleb like me... it might be quick in the right hands, but it lacks comfort and control, meaning it's dead slow for someone who just grooverides around and fancies the competitive element of the NWF.  You also need to be sh*t-hot at rig tuning- slalom sails have a very narrow wind range, it's not uncommon for sailors to rig up three sets even with a stable forecast.  I'm not dissing this, in fact I wish I was good enough to participate, and who knows, one day I might be. A full slalom set up is going to set you back between £10 and £12k new, although anyone good enough to justify that kind of spend is probably on a trade deal anyway.  

They also observe a tighter rule set- mainly for safety, than tactical usage like a dinghy race.   Coming into a mark at 35 knots is not something for rules nerds to throw their crap about in.  I think a similar attitude seem prevalent in any Moth racing I've seen- they just seem to play sensible at marks.  

The freeride fleet is open to all, and all boards are welcome- anything from the 1970s to the slalom gear above if you want to spend 'megabucks', but heed the warning above, spending that kind of money is not necessarily going to result in the performance gain you might think.  Last year was won by a guy on 1980's longboard equipment- he sails inland near Milton Keynes.  It is utterly fun, but lacks the structure we would think is essential for 'proper racing' in dinghydom.  Last year I was in the water at the gybe mark- middle of the pack there was no way anyone was going to get around cleanly and on hindsight I should have held back and/or rounded around the outside... but my timing was poor and I ended up in the drink with 20 other sailors, booms, sails and upturned boards everywhere.    

So what happened?   I've been in wing mark pile-ups in dinghy events and the language is ripe, the red flags are getting pulled out of those camera film cases and everyone gets really wound up and argumentative- it's just not fun, not unless you are mentally retarded and like that sort of thing.  When faced with that situation, I've just hoped I've not been tthe poor sod who appears to have drifted to outside of all this.... you'll be up before the beak for not 'giving water'  (which in itself sounds like a Victorian medical sample.)

But at the NWF everyone laughed, we helped each other to make sure no one took a boom on the bonce, I even held the tail of one fine young women's board so she could get on and uphaul cleanly.  She had a nice bottom, does admitting that break Rule 2?  A guy I know called Steve 'popped' the head of my sail to speed up my own uphaul process.  He then gave me some pumping tips back down the next leg.  I know, I know, I should have retired... outside assistance, rule 41, but he beat me and we had a laugh about how knackered we were from it.

The prizes are donated by the industry- and the best prizes go to the Freeride fleet.  I saw one guy win a £700 sail last year just for winning one race sponsored by that loft.  He said a big thank you, but he gave it to the kid who won the U21 category.... cue jokes about no one wanting that brand, but in truth it was just a very generous gesture, and demonstrates the goodwill at the event.  

So it's a different vibe from dinghy events- which in itself doesn't make it better or worse, but it's certainly a festival of sailing.  

How can it be a Festival of Sailing without dinghies?  Hmm, you really need to ask???