'Try an 18 Day' at Grafham Water Sailing Club
by Tom Hill 3 Apr 2017 22:29 BST
1 April 2017
Try an 18 day at Grafham © Matthew Kiddle
A fleet of some of the UK's best 18ft skiffs met at Grafham this Saturday to show off for the fleet's annual Try an 18 Day. The wind held throughout the day to get plenty of sailing in across 3 boats. Another 2 skiffs were there on the water, getting some pre-season training in.
22 sailors were swapped in and out of the skiffs throughout the morning. There was a diverse range of sailors of all ages and abilities. Sailors from many boat types made the trip up including 49ers, Musto Skiffs, RS800s and 420s. It was also great to see a couple of young groups of sailors from Marconi SC and Brightlingsea SC head up for the day and have a go in boats they had only dreamed of sailing before.
The wind began to drop in the afternoon, allowing the boats to be handed over entirely to new teams to let them loose and feel how the boat sails with only them in control! This also lent itself perfectly to get a couple of the more mature generation of sailors to try there hand onboard.
Here's what a few of the sailors had to say:
"Really great boats. Now I want one..." Lachlan Pearman
"A well run, thoroughly informative, safely delivered and exciting 'Try It' Day" Judy Templemen
"I've got to do this again!" Grahame Smith
The fleet are about to start their UK circuit in a fortnights time where they will be sailing on the Solent on Easter weekend over the 15th and 16th April. For more info on this or anything else 18ft Skiffs, head over to uk18footer.org