Birkett 2013
Printed From: Yachts and Yachting Online
Category: Dinghy classes
Forum Name: Dinghy development
Forum Discription: The latest moves in the dinghy market
URL: http://www.yachtsandyachting.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=10954
Printed Date: 16 Jul 25 at 9:34am
Software Version: Web Wiz Forums 9.665y - http://www.webwizforums.com
Topic: Birkett 2013
Posted By: fleaberto
Subject: Birkett 2013
Date Posted: 03 Jul 13 at 2:34pm
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Who's going?
I'll be up there from Friday and really looking forward to it again  ------------- Lightning368 'All the Gear' (409), Lightning368 'Sprite' (101), Laser (big number) 'Yellow Jack', RS Vareo (432)'The Golden Rays' |
Replies:
Posted By: Ruscoe
Date Posted: 03 Jul 13 at 3:43pm
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I am there in the D-One. Going up Friday afternoon.
Conditions looking OK saturday but a shocker on Sunday! Not going to be a fast boat event this year! ------------- |
Posted By: getafix
Date Posted: 03 Jul 13 at 5:20pm
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Nose bleed altitude that far nowth I'm afraid... do people actually sail up there, can they afford it still? I heard on the other threads that dinghy sailing is now only for rich southern softies who work in banks or courts during the week and require their butlers to do the rigging of the 'jib cunningham thingy' for them. For those brave enough to venture up there, then highly recommended! Have to go and help out at a school fair otherwise I'd go just for the giggles.
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Posted By: winging it
Date Posted: 03 Jul 13 at 5:27pm
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I have an entry with the 14, but the boat still has not fittings on it....
------------- the same, but different... |
Posted By: rogerd
Date Posted: 03 Jul 13 at 8:10pm
| Chris and Lois are up there Nessa and Pat an Sandy. I was planning to go but life gets in the way all the time and I still have no mast. Next year |
Posted By: iGRF
Date Posted: 03 Jul 13 at 8:33pm
Yep they do I've seen some of them that have come down here, sail all winter in a shorty just to show us southern fairies what real unfeeling numbskulls they are.. 
The trick is when you go up there and sail on their *reservoirs, be sure to pee in your wetsuit then surreptitiously let it enter their water table, so when they take the piss you know that they will shortly be drinking yours.
*The real reason all Northen Muppets are made to wear dry suits if they come down here ------------- https://www.corekite.co.uk/snow-accessories-11-c.asp" rel="nofollow - Snow Equipment Deals https://www.corekite.co.uk" rel="nofollow - New Core Kite website |
Posted By: Ruscoe
Date Posted: 04 Jul 13 at 9:41am
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I'm taking my bike with me, looks like Friday evening MTB and probably Sunday if it stays this light! ------------- |
Posted By: yellowwelly
Date Posted: 04 Jul 13 at 9:48am
remind me again why I decided not bother travelling to many events again... Ah yes, a block in the diary using up a family pass for months in advance... a bloody long drive that has a high risk of attracting 3 points and £60 quid if trailing any great distance... sleeping in a car.... and the big ones, NO WIND and NO WAVES to play in.... enjoy Russy, and thanks for reminding me again why club sailing is so much less hassle. ------------- |
Posted By: fleaberto
Date Posted: 04 Jul 13 at 1:56pm
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Yep, looking like another light one - last years Sunday race was less than the current forecast!
Still, it's just a bloody good laugh of a weekend so I'll just go out and see what happens.
I'll be in the EPS rather than the Lightning this year - more room for lazing around in the sun to be honest - plus I've had a new sail made so a chance to show it off in it's shiny, virginal glory.
Anyway, if you're going then I hope you enjoy it  ------------- Lightning368 'All the Gear' (409), Lightning368 'Sprite' (101), Laser (big number) 'Yellow Jack', RS Vareo (432)'The Golden Rays' |
Posted By: jaydub
Date Posted: 04 Jul 13 at 5:08pm
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Never done the Birkett before because I've always regarded it as one of those 'why on earth do people do that' sort of events.
However peer pressure from those that have been there and done it has broken down our resistance, so we'll be there.
Unbelievable that the wind that has been blowing constantly for most of te last 2 or 3 weeks has decided to do a disappearing act for the event.
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Posted By: Ruscoe
Date Posted: 04 Jul 13 at 11:34pm
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James , the fact I am willing to take a day off work and drive 200 miles to get there regardless of the forecast suggests how good this event and stunning location are. I would much rather do this event then sail 3 out of 4 Sundays in perfect conditions at home clubs. Racing the same folk week in week out getting the same results! Dammit I am bringing, bike, boat and beer with me! Enjoying the most beautiful countywide this county has to offer! ------------- |
Posted By: yellowwelly
Date Posted: 05 Jul 13 at 9:06am
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I'm sure it's lovely Russ, have fun with the bike and beer, and hope the boat bit isn't as forecast. "it's a good day for ducks"  ------------- |
Posted By: iGRF
Date Posted: 05 Jul 13 at 5:03pm
You're going up North where it will in all probability rain, to nod to folk you haven't a cats chance in hell of understanding, who hate you because you are a southern poof, sailing a poofs boat not made of good old 'honest' yorkshire wood, all because you are demo donkey and have no choice in the matter, so are trying to sugar coat it. We on the other hand are going to enjoy a sunny beach weekend in Gods back garden soaking up the rays and churning through the tinnies maybe even chucking the empty ones at stand up paddle boarders if we're feeling benevolent if not we'll chuck them full. Have a crap time, we're not jealous at all... byeee missing you already ------------- https://www.corekite.co.uk/snow-accessories-11-c.asp" rel="nofollow - Snow Equipment Deals https://www.corekite.co.uk" rel="nofollow - New Core Kite website |
Posted By: winging it
Date Posted: 05 Jul 13 at 8:59pm
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I am jealous. I want to be there.
------------- the same, but different... |
Posted By: yellowwelly
Date Posted: 05 Jul 13 at 9:42pm
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Well I hope Messrs Chandler, Garvin and Hamster buy you a beer or three at your nationals in a couple of weeks... I have to admire your commitment Russy- driving all that way at 60 mph to take one for the team to help get the PN up for next year. Bravo squire. You'll make a bandit out of it yet.
 ------------- |
Posted By: yellowwelly
Date Posted: 08 Jul 13 at 11:03am
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results... http://www.ullswateryachtclub.org/Portals/0/RacingResults/The%20Lord%20Birkett%202013.htm" rel="nofollow - http://www.ullswateryachtclub.org/Portals/0/RacingResults/The%20Lord%20Birkett%202013.htm ------------- |
Posted By: Ruscoe
Date Posted: 08 Jul 13 at 11:13am
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Great weekend, Loads of wind Saturday especially round by the Island. Annoyingly i swam about 5 times gybing. Highlighted my cockyness and lack of time in the boat as i was coming out far too hot from the gybes. Cost me massively prob 10 minutes in total. Sunday looked like a bit of a drifter so i decided to earn some brownie points back and set off for home and take the family out for a meal. Totally worth the trip again, for those of you that have not done it you really should give the Lord Birkett a go. great racing in simply the most beautiful part of our green and pleasant land! ------------- |
Posted By: AlanH
Date Posted: 08 Jul 13 at 2:06pm
| Quite agree with Ruscoe. It was a great weekend, fantastic weather all weekend. More wind than forecast on both days too, so don't believe your forecasts too much. To those who blogalot, but dontsailalot, my advice is - get out more. Even if you can't afford the time to go to many meetings in a year, you should put the Birkett high up your list. Its a lovely place to visit quite apart from the sailing. |
Posted By: yellowwelly
Date Posted: 08 Jul 13 at 4:43pm
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Nope still not convinced.... Glad I've got this in the diary rather than some inland handicap race.
http://nationalwatersportsfestival.com/ The fact that Russ made a call to bail on the last day is quite telling- I appreciate his honesty, and have no hesitation in admitting I would have done the same, although maybe with a little less grace given if was an entire weekend of passes used and 200+ miles for a skunking. ------------- |
Posted By: Ruscoe
Date Posted: 08 Jul 13 at 4:54pm
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Sunday was definately sailable Jimbo. If i hadnt ballsed up the Saturday with a crap 115th and a load of swimming i would of sailed. It was a drifter at times but the kite would of filled. I also had to think about being away for 3 days this weekend as well. So decided i would head back. Oh an i forgot to mention the stinking hangover!
Seriously though its such an amazing event, a real testiment to all things great about our sport. lets be honest i couldnt careless about were i came. If i did i would sail a boat that suited the event. Albacore or 49er. Even then my ability is the limiting factor. i just love being part of the festival! Racing on a start line with 250 other boats, exporing probably the finest inland sailing waters this country has to offer. Not to mention great food and beer.
But i dont need to sell it to anyone, its widely regarded as one of if not the best events of the year. Even with Windguru getting it wrong and inflated fuel prices they still had 230 other boat entered!! ------------- |
Posted By: yellowwelly
Date Posted: 08 Jul 13 at 5:01pm
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115th out of 230 is bang middle of the fleet... I wouldn't consider that a balls-up mate, even with the capsizes.
But yes, 'push your luck' for a drifter, or bank some brownie points and look forward to next weekend more... I reckon you made the right call  ------------- |
Posted By: Ruscoe
Date Posted: 08 Jul 13 at 5:09pm
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It was fairly shocking mate, the wind had picked up and i wasted about 10 minutes messing about dropping the kite in the water about 5 times. That 10 minutes would of catapulted me up the fleet, to a respectable position. Also the 230 doesn't reflect the people that actually finished mate. Only entered. i don’t want to do anyone who finished below 115th a disservice, but I sailed terribly. ------------- |
Posted By: jaydub
Date Posted: 08 Jul 13 at 5:20pm
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Well we broke our Birkett virginity this year and had a great time.
No swimming for us although we had a moment when Ruscoe (I think - only D-One entered IIRC) forced us into an aborted crash gybe not too far after the island.
Not an event to take too seriously as there are some areas of the lake where it is difficult to predict what the wind will do, but great fun nontheless.
We'll be back next year.
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Posted By: Ruscoe
Date Posted: 08 Jul 13 at 6:05pm
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I was the Only D-One, sorry if i forced you to crash Gybe? Hadnt realised i had forced anyone to make any snap decisions, i banged most of the corners downhill. ------------- |
Posted By: jaydub
Date Posted: 08 Jul 13 at 6:48pm
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No worries. Straight forward port and starboard going downhill. Just difficult to see anything the other side of an assymetric spinnaker and you were really trucking anyway, so we weren't going to risk trying to cross you. ;)
We baled out of the gybe as the boat wasn't flat enough and went behind you.
We' were alraedy starting to lose touch with the two leading 200s anyway, so no harm done
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Posted By: Matt Jackson
Date Posted: 09 Jul 13 at 1:17pm
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We binned it twice in hurried gybes on Saturday either getting pushed too far into bays or avoiding capsized boats, rescue craft, islands and steamers. Felt much better after hearing that a rather wet, forlorn D-one had struggled as much as us (we were in the pink 400 you chatted briefly with Ruscoe). We had our own issues (shredding the kite 10 minutes before the start) and finished 129th but enjoyed every minute. Sunday was sooo much better than forecast (for us at least as we got away in the first pack) with the (knackered spare) kite filling the whole leg.
The sun shone the whole weekend which always helps but I understand this happens every year
 ------------- Laser 203001, Harrier (H+) 36 |
Posted By: Ruscoe
Date Posted: 09 Jul 13 at 2:34pm
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Matt, I'm sorry I can't remember that. You sure it was me? I guess so I was the only d1. Wasn't really a struggle more an inept sailing ability on gybes this weekend. Glad I have got it out of my system before nationals. Did I chat to you on or off the water? ------------- |
Posted By: iGRF
Date Posted: 09 Jul 13 at 2:57pm
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Are my eyes deceiving me or did an EPS hand you a butt sandwich?
Now I wish I'd gone... ------------- https://www.corekite.co.uk/snow-accessories-11-c.asp" rel="nofollow - Snow Equipment Deals https://www.corekite.co.uk" rel="nofollow - New Core Kite website |
Posted By: jaydub
Date Posted: 09 Jul 13 at 4:55pm
We could have been treated to the novel sight of two EPSs racing.
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Posted By: getafix
Date Posted: 09 Jul 13 at 5:10pm
that may have caused some kind of rent in the space-time continuum, I'd like the lake to be there next year when I plan to make the pilgrimage
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Posted By: getafix
Date Posted: 09 Jul 13 at 5:21pm
| interesting to see an Albacore come 10th, Wayfarer 17th and a Tempest in between at 12th, very well sailed no doubt, looking at the quality of the fleet around them, but progress eh...? |
Posted By: fleaberto
Date Posted: 09 Jul 13 at 5:32pm
...that was me graeme, though I'd hardly suggest I handed anyone their arse  I was just casually sailing my own 'race' - trying to pose to my g/f on the spectator steamer actually - as, up to that point, all was well in the world of EPS-ing.....until just after passing the steamer where the wind objected to any form of steady progress and saw me struggling around the island/panic-tacking/stuck-in-irons in front of any number of very fast downhill mentalists ....spent the whole downwind leg (nearly seven miles!) absolutely bricking myself after one big (double) swim. Even when things actually returned back to normal, I just felt like a Viet-vet, remaining shell-shocked all the way Great sail on Sunday - and benefitting from those that went home. Light wind but very sailable and a lovely beat all the way back (wind went to the opposite direction to Saturday) to finish right with one of my mates on the line. Result? phht, irrelevant.....sunshine, huge amounts of beer, music, chat, friendly people - planet dinghy really is a small world. A proper festival of sailing. Loads of families, soaking up the rays and atmosphere. ...and some beautiful boats to pore over. Dinghy porn of the highest calibre  ------------- Lightning368 'All the Gear' (409), Lightning368 'Sprite' (101), Laser (big number) 'Yellow Jack', RS Vareo (432)'The Golden Rays' |
Posted By: Rupert
Date Posted: 09 Jul 13 at 6:11pm
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Lee, sounds like a great weekend out. Talking of EPS's, a friend of mine at Whitefriars is buying one from Manor Park, apparantly, but not yours? We will have 3 at Whitefriars then, once John has fixed the rudder on his. ------------- Firefly 2324, Puffin 229, Minisail 3446 Mirror 70686 |
Posted By: RS400atC
Date Posted: 09 Jul 13 at 7:27pm
Under PY, why should an old class not do well? Fair spread of RS400's through the results. What PY's were the Alb and the Icon given? |
Posted By: Matt Jackson
Date Posted: 09 Jul 13 at 7:34pm
Not sure you can read much into the Alb PY. That was Judy Armstrong, Inlands and Scottish champ, last years Birkett winner and finished in top 15 over the water on Sunday. ------------- Laser 203001, Harrier (H+) 36 |
Posted By: sten
Date Posted: 10 Jul 13 at 10:00am
 Photo by Tim Olin
Well worth going, excellent scenery, challenging race with good social. sun and wind on Saturday couldn't be better but still enjoyed the light wind Sunday race, especially the RS300 port tacking the fleet |
Posted By: winging it
Date Posted: 10 Jul 13 at 10:15am
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On a long down wind leg like that surely the more versatile syms will have the upper hand?
------------- the same, but different... |
Posted By: sten
Date Posted: 10 Jul 13 at 10:32am
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half the fun of the race, you never know
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Posted By: fleaberto
Date Posted: 10 Jul 13 at 11:12am
Possibly from Blithfield? just up the road?
Anyway, yes, just a great weekend overall....despite the 32 insect bites, lost (prescription) sunglasses, sunburnt back, two-day hangover and the shock of seeing the foiling moth on it's way back, seemingly before I'd even crossed the startline  ------------- Lightning368 'All the Gear' (409), Lightning368 'Sprite' (101), Laser (big number) 'Yellow Jack', RS Vareo (432)'The Golden Rays' |
Posted By: PeterV
Date Posted: 10 Jul 13 at 12:12pm
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Yes a great weekend but my back is still sufferring. Gybing all over the place just to go straight downwind did seem very unneccessary and I also found out that running by the lee up to 20 or 30 degrees with the boom out to port is a great defence against assymetrics on port tack! ------------- PeterV Finn K197, Finn GBR564, GK29 Warsash |
Posted By: jaydub
Date Posted: 10 Jul 13 at 5:59pm
| As the assymetric at the back of the queue, I had plenty of time to ponder how the hell your boom stayed where it was. I reckon 30 degrees was a significant understatement of how far you were were running by the lee, as we were pretty much beam reaching in on port at the time. |
Posted By: GybeFunny
Date Posted: 10 Jul 13 at 8:28pm
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I did it for the first time this year in my Scorpion, I thought it was a great event, very well run by some very helpful volunteers. I had wondered how they would cope with so many boats all wanting to launch at the same time but it all worked fine and the stewards at the entrance were very helpful in finding me a parking place and helping with everything else I needed. As Winging it said I would have thought it would have suited a conventional spinnaker more but I think the wind was sometimes better on the left and sometimes on the right so the assymetrics could get to the best bits easier rather than me just sailing down the middle, that said the Albacore just picked a side (the left) on the run on Saturday and it obviously paid for them and I am very happy with my 34th place at my first attempt! I hope to get the chance to do the event again in the future but it is such a long way from Kent!
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Posted By: patj
Date Posted: 14 Jul 13 at 7:59am
| Just back on line after extending the Birkett weekend into a holiday and had a great first event despite the lack of wind on Sunday and spending the downwind leg wishing we had a kite. Finished 144th overall in our Albacore - no they aren't all fast! |