It Is Foolish Not To - National 12s' New Cruising Category
by George Finch 1 Apr 07:00 BST
1 April 2023
Artists impression: The addition of davits to a National 12 will make it eligible for 'Cruising' category events © G Finch
The National Twelve Owners' Association are pleased to introduce a new category of National 12 for 2023. After listening to our members, we have now developed a 'Cruising' Category, to go alongside our Non-Foiling, Admirals Cup and Vintage Boats.
The ultimate benefit of the 'Cruising' category is that all N12s can be retro-fitted to comply with the requirements, as the below artist's impression shows.
The addition of davits to a National 12 will make it eligible for taking part in 'Cruising' category events. Our anticipation is that hampers, camping kit, fenders, warps and other essentials for dinghy cruising will be stowed using the davits, as we acknowledge some National 12s do not have adequate storage space for extending sailing.
To make sure all kit is easily identifiable, all cruising-related kit will need to be marked with the boat's sail number. We are working with some suppliers to meet this requirement and will publish the full class approved accessory list very soon.
To make the transition easier, we have been working alongside an Essex-based boat builder, Salmon Hamperkin, to build removable davits, so our class can enjoy racing and cruising in the same day.
We expect a high number of orders for the davit kit, to get your name on the waiting list, please contact the class before midday.