A Sailors Lot

Why not 'sail' the coast of Turkey in a gulet?

2012-02-14T07:02:00.001Z

For those who love the idea of a sailing holiday in the Med but don't want to sweat and grind your own way through precious holiday time or navigate through unknown waters, a sailing holiday on a gulet off the coast of Turkey could be just the answer. What's a gulet? Read on... A gulet, pronounced just how it looks, is a traditional designed two-masted (usually a schooner) wooden sailing vessel. They vary in size from 14 to 35 metres, and are used for cruising holidays with a difference along the popular cruising coastline of Turkey. While they are traditional sailing boats, made in Turkey and with lots of lovely polished timber aboard, the need to keep to schedules means that often the gulets often sail only a few times during a holiday. Don't be alarmed at the word 'scheduled'. These comparatively inexpensive holidays combine all the relaxation you expect on a sailing holiday, with the difference that the meals are prepared for you and the sailing/motoring is done by someone else. There are also specific departures where sailing is the priority and the itinerary are suited for this mode of travel. Gulet - it doesn’t need to be sedentary - .. . It's the ideal way to relax, sunbathing on the decks and swimming in quiet pristine waters off the island-dotted coastal waters of the Adriatic. There are also great opportunities to spend day visits and sometimes even overnight stays in some of the many small picturesque communities located along the coastal route. Not that your sailing holiday has to be all sedentary. If you would like to enjoy a good physical workout while onshore there are opportunities to do some hill climbing or cycling included on specific itineraries. Consider yourself fortunate if you happen upon a local celebration such as a festival day or a wedding at one of your stops as you will be invited to join in the activities. Gulet dining - .. . The food does not compare with the opulence of a cruise ship - the menus are limited by the size of the kitchens. While there are many privately owned gulets in Turkey, the owners rarely sail themselves, keeping a crew on board most of the time - a less expensive proposition in Turkey than elsewhere. Gulet cruises range from small two-cabin crafts to larger 24-cabin vessels. Individual cabin sizes are generally on the small size but are still comfortable and ample enough for a one-week cruise. It is easy to begin by shopping online for a range of gulet options, but a good site to check for comparison of size and price is www.adriatica.net You'll also find a full selection of departure dates and itineraries where you can choose your route.

Advanced Wave Sailing tips by Paul Goodison

2012-02-07T07:30:00.001Z

Northampton sailing club among UK’s best

2012-02-07T07:22:00.001Z

A NORTHAMPTONSHIRE sailing club has been recognised as one of the top clubs in the UK after being shortlisted for a national award for the third time in four years. Hollowell Sailing Club, based at Hollowell Reservoir, off Welford Road, has been named as a finalist in the Royal Yachting Association (RYA) Club of the Year Award 2012. The winner will be announced at the RYA Volvo Dinghy Show in London, on March 3. Russell Brayshaw, Hollowell Sailing Club’s Commodore, said: “People know when they come to Hollowell they’ll be given a warm welcome and enjoy our activities in a safe environment, whether they’re beginners or experienced sailors. “We’re a close-knit group and everyone appreciates the value of working hard for the good of the club.” The RYA award recognises clubs which excel at promoting sailing, encouraging people onto the water and make their activities varied and accessible. Hollowell, which has about 550 members, was also a finalist for the award in 2009 and 2011.

Clipper Round-world Yachts Set Sail for Qingdao

2012-02-06T10:12:00.001Z

Fleet of the 2011-2012 Clipper Round the World Yacht Race set sail for Qingdao on Saturday after a week-long stopover at Singapore. The fleet set sail on Saturday morning from the Marina at Keppel Bay for the 8th race of the round-the-world-trip. The route from Singapore to China's northern coastal city of Qingdao, which has been known as a city of sailing since the Summer Olympics in 2008, is 2,580 miles (4,128 kilometers). It is expected to take around 20 days. The race will be challenging as it started in the tropical heat and light headwinds and then, as it goes north, the weather turns colder, the winds come from directly ahead and the sea state kicks up to deliver a real challenge, organizers said. The fleet arrived in Singapore on Jan. 28. The yacht Gold Coast Australia won the 4,600-mile (7,360-kilometer) Race 7 from Australia to Singapore, which is the first part of the 5th leg of the trip around the globe. It was 79 minutes ahead of runner-up Derry-Londonderry. Geraldton Western Australia finished the race by arriving in Batam on Monday in the third position, followed by Qingdao and Singapore in the fourth and fifth places, respectively. The Singapore yacht, sponsored by the world's largest rig builder Keppel Corporation, sailed into the Keppel Bay on Saturday morning to the applause of Deputy Prime Minister Teo Chee Hean and a large crowd. It was a disappointing result for the Finnish boat Visit Finland, which finished in the eighth place out of ten. The team had appeared on the podium four times in the previous six races. Ian Conchie, the British skipper of the boat Qingdao, has said that his team got "every incentive" to do their best in the race towards its home port of Qingdao. "We've got the speed in the boat. We are just gonna work hard as a team, bring it all together, and try and pull it to Qingdao," he said. Qu Zhiguo, a Chinese sailor on the boat, has said that he was hoping for a good result on the race from Singapore to Qingdao, too. "We will be expecting headwinds most of the time. So the speed is going to be fast. It is going to be challenging," he said. The Clipper Round the World Yacht Race is known for the world's longest route at about 40,000 miles (64,000 kilometers), with 15 races on 8 legs. The fleet sailed from Southampton in the United Kingdom in late July last year and is expected to return to Britain in July this year.

Sailing Club Spotlight Tamesis Sailing Club 2

2012-02-03T10:56:00.001Z

Sailing Club Spotlight Tamesis Sailing Club 1

2012-02-03T10:54:00.001Z

Voyage of Recovery sailing for drug and alcohol addicts

2012-02-02T10:49:00.001Z

Alcohol and drug addicts could be offered a rehabilitation programme sailing around the coast of Britain. During the 12-week "Voyage of Recovery" up to 160 addicts will work aboard the Tectona and be taught how to sail. The 1,800-mile (2,897km) trip, starting in Plymouth on 1 August, has been organised by two charities - Phoenix Futures and the Tectona Trust. The impact of the voyage on those taking part will be studied by Phoenix, Tectona and Plymouth University. The voyage will be split into will five-day legs for teams of 12 to allow as many people as possible to take part. 'Life changing' The Tectona will sail from Plymouth on 1 August to Portsmouth for the "official" start of the voyage around Britain. Duties on board will include navigation, manning the sails, hauling up anchor as well as preparing meals and keeping the ship clean. The idea for the sailing programme came from Stuart Plant and Darren Long as part of Phoenix Futures' Innovation Factor, which encourages people to think about new ways of overcoming addiction. Mr Plant, a residential manager for Phoenix, said while sailing was hard, physical work, it involved working as part of a team and helped to boost people's self-esteem and confidence. Mr Long, a former addict, who now volunteers for the Tectona Trust, said sailing had been "life changing in more ways than anyone could imagine". Karen Biggs, Phoenix Futures' chief executive, said: "The Voyage Of Recovery is the latest of a series of innovations that we have championed. "Our long history of delivering recovery services has shown us the importance of continuing to find new and imaginative ways to inspire people to take those important steps toward tackling their addiction."

British sailors win eight medals at Miami World Cup regatta

2012-01-30T07:29:00.002Z

British sailors picked up three golds in a total haul of eight medals at the Miami World Cup regatta. Olympic hopefuls Nick Dempsey, Paul Goodison and the women's match racing trio of Lucy Macgregor, Annie Lush and Kate Macgregor all won gold. Hannah Mills and Saskia Clark took silver in the 470, ahead of development squad sailors Sophie Weguelin and Sophie Ainsworth in third place. Team GB have already named sailors in eight of 10 Olympic classes for London. Olympic Champion Goodison battled past Brazil's Bruno Fontes in the medal race to claim gold in the Laser in Miami. "It's been nice to come and do Miami - it wasn't originally in the plan to come and do this event but after a really good week last week sailing in Key West it made sense to stop by here and work on some of the things I need to before the Games," said Goodison. "There are only I think three regattas that I'll do left before the Olympics, so it's good to be working on the things that I need to and to be improving on the things that I've set out to do." The women's match racing team saw off Australia in their final, Lush saying: "It's a great start to 2012 for us. "It doesn't feel like we've sailed particularly well this week but we held it together, pulled off some great results along the way and we've learned a huge amount which we'll take forward into our winter training. "You can see from the results this week just how tight the fleet has become - everyone is pushing hard so there's plenty of hard work still ahead of us." Dempsey recovered from a disappointing World Championship in Perth last month to dominate the RS:X windsurfer category. "It's quite nice [to win a World Cup] isn't it?" he said. "Getting all firsts this week was pretty good so I'm very happy. "It's definitely all going to plan and it's all on track. It was needed, the result at this event, and I'm really looking forward to the next few months."

Bavaria Yachts Unveils New Vision 46

2012-01-26T14:47:00.002Z

At the world's largest boat show, the 2012 Dusseldorf Boot, Bavaria Yachts unveiled its new, most innovative sailing yacht, the Vision 46 to a large crowd with grand excitement. The development process for the Vision started with consulting cruising sailors from around the world about what would make the perfect sailing cruiser. Bavaria then employed the expert power of Farr Yacht Design and the British boutique firm, Design Unlimited. The result is a boat that will set a new standard in the owner's cruiser category, with a focus on high-end elegance, comfort and easy handling. The new Vision Series offers features that were, until now, only seen on mega yachts. The unique cockpit design has an offset companionway allowing space for a large port cockpit table that is electrically lowered and convertible to a lounging/day bed. The optional push button self-tacking system makes single and short-handed sailing a pleasure. Additionally, Bavaria's docking system employs drop-down bow and stern thrusters, coordinated with the main engine for complete control and accuracy in tight quarters. These and countless other unique comfort and handling features combine with elegant interiors, Farr Yacht Design engineering for fast and comfortable passages, and the premium build-quality and finish found in all Bavaria yachts. This stunning boat is sure to draw attention wherever she drops anchor. "I was in Dusseldorf this week to witness the unveiling of the first Vision hull and I was blown away. I can genuinely say that the Vision 46 is a game changer in this category. It is absolutely perfect for the American cruising market." Says Kenny Feld, Managing Director of Bavaria Yachts USA. The Vision 46, the first of the new series, can be customized with two or three cabins, one or two heads and each floor plan includes a separate shower room. The first US Vision 46 hull will be delivered to Annapolis, Maryland and available for viewing April 2012. Visit www.BavariaYachts.com for more information About Bavaria Yachts The Bavaria Yachtbau shipyard is the single largest yacht production facility in Europe, constructing thousands of performance cruising sailboats each year built by skilled craftsmen using computer-aided, state-of-the art manufacturing processes, and stringent, consistent quality control processes. Bavaria combines precision German engineering with collaborative design expertise from Farr Yacht Design and styling expertise from BMW DesignworksUSA and Design Unlimited UK. Teaming up with market leaders in yacht, ergonomic and interior design reflects Bavaria Yachts' constant commitment to delivering extremely well built, safe, premium quality yachts with powerful lines, striking designs, and innovative features. Introducing a new business model for the industry, Bavaria Yachts USA provides owners with "factory direct" pricing, boats built to personalized specifications, and ultra-efficient purchase-to-delivery lead times of typically around three months. Bavaria Yachts USA also offers an integrated, full-range customer experience from chartering new Bavaria's, to ASA learn-to-sail programs as well as a range of comprehensive Bavaria-dedicated yacht management services.

Sailing Club Spotlight Thorpe Bay Yacht Club

2012-01-26T14:42:00.001Z

Sail 4 Cancer – Helping families affected by cancer

2012-01-23T11:04:00.000Z

Sail 4 Cancer, part of the 4 Cancer charity group, aims to improve the quality of life for those living with cancer. The charity has been active along the Solent for the past 10 years helping families affected by cancer to get away from the stress of living with the disease. Sail 4 Cancer has now established an office in Fareham to better serve families along the South Coast and inform cancer patients and their families about the sponsored respite opportunities available to them. Families are taken on sponsored sailing days, ocean cruises, river boat adventures and park breaks. The charity also provides sailing weekends for youngsters living with cancer to improve their confidence and meet other young people dealing with the disease. 'Families who live with cancer experience enormous stress. From the moment someone is diagnosed with the disease family life is severely affected and often financial strain is added to an already heavy burden. We give families the opportunity to spend time together away from the stress of their everyday lives. We want them to just have fun as a family and use their time together to create special memories' remarked Lizette van Niekerk, Fundraising Manager for Sail 4 Cancer. In 2011 Sail 4 Cancer helped 400 people and this year they hope to help many more families. If you want to nominate a partner, child, friend or family for a much-needed break simply visit the charity’s website or call 0845 408 1849. Sail 4 Cancer is entirely dependent on fundraising and appreciates any donations to help more families. The charity is also looking for volunteers to raise funds by running the BUPA London 10K the 27th of May.

Sailing Club Spotlight Ullswater Yacht Club 2

2012-01-19T10:30:00.002Z

Sailing Club Spotlight Ullswater Sailing Club

2012-01-19T10:20:00.001Z

Extreme Sailing Series announce Cardiff as UK venue

2012-01-18T10:06:00.001Z

Extreme Sailing Series™ 2012 award winning global tour starts on 28th February. The UK round will be staged in Cardiff, the capital of Wales, between the 24th and 27th August 2012. In a three-year deal, Cardiff won the bid to host the UK event of this global sailing circuit that is only one of four events with ISAF (International Sailing Federation) Special Event status, positioning the city alongside the other seven premium international sporting venues hosting an Extreme Sailing Series Act in 2012. The host venue agreement with Cardiff City is backed by a Welsh Government grant for 2012-2014. The Extreme 40 catamarans, raced by many of the world’s best sailors, will race on Cardiff Bay over four days with the event open to the public between the 25th and 27th August as the Extreme 40 fleet race in the circuit’s action packed ‘stadium’ format. Executive chairman of the organising company behind the series, Mark Turner of OC ThirdPole, said: 'The circuit continues to represent perfectly the developments in the world at large, with its balance of east and west, different cultures and languages and variety of conditions. 'Year on year the commercial value to the host cities of securing this event for the host venues has steadily increased, and this is reflected in 2012 developments. A pro-active and innovative host venue is critical to the success of the event, and we are very excited in this respect by the partnership with Cardiff and the Welsh Government.' Cardiff Council’s Executive Member for Sport, Culture and Leisure Cllr, Nigel Howells commented: 'It’s great news that Cardiff has secured the Extreme Sailing series for the next three years, as a council we will do all that we can to support the event. 'Cardiff has proved time and time again that it can play host to a variety of world class sporting events. From top class football and rugby to newer events like Extreme Sailing. Since the opening of Cardiff International White Water (CIWW) in 2010 more and more watersport events are coming to Cardiff, which is helping to attract a new audience to Cardiff and Wales.'

Brain Injury Survivors Win Sailing Races

2012-01-18T10:05:00.000Z

A team of local men had the best times in all three sailing races in their division to win the 2011 U.S. Disabled Championships in the Ideal 18 class on Long Island Sound earlier this fall. Dr. Ted King, 65, of Brentwood, and Atkinson native Jim Scott, 29, of Portsmouth, are both brain injury survivors who met at the Krempels Center, a nonprofit organization in Portsmouth dedicated to improving the lives of people with brain injury from trauma, tumor or stroke. The two competed at, and topped the field of the U.S. Disabled Championships at the Larchmont Yacht Club on Long Island Sound in the Ideal 18 class from Sept. 22 to 25 along with King’s friend Bill Sandberg. Sandberg served as the required able bodied sailor who was on hand to take over in case of emergency. King, an orthopaedic and hand surgeon, practiced at the Exeter Hospital and later Access Sports Medicine, with Dr. Kenneth C. Spengler, Robert H. Bear, and later Joshua A. Siegel from his arrival to the area in 1978, until he experienced a stroke at home in March of 2003. The right cerebral stroke left his left side hemiplegic, numb, weak and spastic. King was an accomplished sailboat racer in his youth, topping the field in a regional junior sailing championship and ultimately placing fifth in a national championship. After his stroke, King tried sailing again through an adaptive sailing program at Piers Park Sailing Center in East Boston. From there, he began working toward the U.S. Disabled Championships in sailing. He approached Scott and asked the former standout high school and college athlete if he would like to take part in the Robie Pierce Regatta in June of 2010. “I wanted to encourage him in his life,” King said. Scott, who sustained a traumatic brain injury five years ago as the result of a drunk driving accident, was nervous about the proposition at first. He had never sailed before his accident and was not sure he was up for the challenge. However, after a conversation with Sandberg, he decided to give it a try. “It is natural when you face new challenges to feel like you cannot accomplish something, but you cannot let that limit you,” Scott said. “You do not know what you can achieve unless you give it a shot.” The pair placed fourth at that first competition and continued to hone their skills as a team leading up to the championships this fall. “It was exciting when we won the first race,” Scott said. “It was a real sense of accomplishment and teamwork, of being part of a team.” Scott is looking forward to future sailing outings with King and is currently working on obtaining his master’s degree in social work at the University of New Hampshire. He also travels to schools to talk with students about his experience as a traumatic brain injury survivor. For King, sailing is one of a number of activities he took part in before his stroke that he has since re-learned such as riding a bike and downhill skiing. Another, driving a car and getting his driver’s license, was made possible through his participation in the DriveAbility program in Exeter. He credits his family’s quick phone call to 911 and early treatment at Exeter Hospital’s emergency department with his remarkable recovery. The team at Exeter Hospital was able to administer a life-saving clot-busting drug called TPA within three hours of the stroke’s onset. “Miraculously, within five minutes of that injection, I regained some motion of my previously numb left arm and leg,” said King who added that education about stroke symptoms is key to successful outcomes. “Symptoms include sudden weakness, numbness, dizziness, confusion, difficulty speaking or understanding speech, and extreme unexplained headache, and/or vision change. Time is a paramount factor if any of these are the early symptoms of a stroke. The life you save might be your own, or that of a loved one.”

An Aegean adventure: Catch the sailing bug in beautiful Bodrum

2012-01-17T10:12:00.000Z

Flying into Bodrum on Turkey's Mediterranean coast, we seemed almost to be skimming the barren mountain tops as the plane descended. My wife and I were looking forward to a week of relaxation, as our holiday package had promised oodles of supervised activity for our 12-year-old twins. The Sea Garden, it transpired, was a new addition to our tour operator's list of properties offering family activity holidays, and they were keen to establish its reputation for water sports in particular. The popularity of Turkey with British holidaymakers has grown steadily over the past decade. Three years ago, the country overtook Spain as our most popular destination, as the strength of the euro sent many of us in search of cost-saving alternatives. 'OK. So let's see you all try it now,' said sailing instructor Charlie, as we sat in a bar jutting into the turquoise Aegean. Sadly, he wasn't talking about downing one of the free cocktails the bar specialised in. It had become clear that we were all being encouraged to take part in the programme of water sports on offer. Already we were being taught the correct arm signals to use to attract the attention of Charlie and his expert sailing colleagues, should any of us be unfortunate enough to fall out of a boat during our stay. Hang on a minute, I hadn't even agreed to get into one! three-hour course on basic sailing skills was recommended for those who, like me, hadn't clambered aboard a dinghy for donkey's years. So, before long, I was being made to capsize a small, single-sailed boat called a Pico, while our instructor, Sam, shouted directions from the shore on how to right it. An exhausting but invaluable lesson, as it later turned out. Doug, a fellow holidaymaker who had signed up for the same course, lost his hat in the water, exposing two stitches he'd required after his windsurfer capsized the day before. He was beginning to wonder whether a small boat was the easier option he had hoped it might be. The children – Eleanor and Daniel – were off at their Kids' Club, which offered lots to do and qualified instructors to do it with. They'd already taken a shine to Sabrina, who looked after the ten to 13-year-olds and took them for games in the pool, cricket and kayaking. Other instructors taught windsurfing and sailing in small boats called Bugs. The day after my course I surprised myself by heading off, straight after breakfast, to see if I could do some more sailing – and was amazed to find they were happy to let me take out a boat on my own. Old man and the sea: Malcolm before his mishap I struggled at first to remember which hand to use on the tiller and which leg to keep straight, but I soon began to get the hang of it. Until, that is, I was forced to turn or end up on the rocks ... and suddenly forgot everything I'd learned the day before. I must have pulled on the tiller instead of pushed, whereupon the boom whacked me on the head, the sail flapped in the breeze and the next thing I knew I was in the Aegean. But, even though Ahmet, the lifeguard, was there in a flash in his speedy inflatable, I managed to stand on the daggerboard and right the boat. And once again I headed across the bay beneath a sail full of wind, at what felt like a tremendous pace, feeling quite proud of myself as I sat out over the edge of the boat to balance it. 'Did you see me out there?' I asked the family after I'd handed the boat back to its rightful owners. 'Yes, Dad,' said the children with what, I felt, was a little too much hilarity. 'You had a builder's bum!' said my daughter, as they collapsed into fits of laughter. Keeping my swimming shorts up had been the least of my worries. Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/travel/article-2087472/Holidays-Turkey-Catch-sailing-bug-beautiful-Bodrum.html#ixzz1ji1P5MdV

Teenage champions sail away with major regional award

2012-01-17T10:02:00.001Z

Brothers Mat and Ben Lulham-Robinson from Yeadon Sailing Club have been presented with a major regional award. Mat and Ben Lulham-Robinson have been named the RYA Yorkshire and Humber region young sailors of the year, an award which recognises the outstanding achievements of young sailors across the country. Matt, 14, and Ben, 13, from Burley-in-Wharfedale, were recognised for their results in the Mirror dinghy class. They were junior European champions in 2010 and junior World champions in 2011 and they even made their own sails on their bedroom floor. “We are so proud to receive this RYA trophy particularly as it is such a well recognised and respected award,” said Ben afterwards “We’re excited about being selected for the RYA 420 transition training squad.” “Winning this award has made us even more determined to continue to work hard to achieve some great results in our new boat in 2012,” said Matt. “It is a big step up from the junior (under-16) Mirror class to the youth (under-19) 420 boat, but we are looking forward to the challenge. We have been training and competing over the Christmas and new year holiday and the latest suit of sails, which we helped to make, are even faster than our previous ones.”

Forward-thinking veteran

2012-01-16T08:00:00.001Z

Bob Preston is amused by the suggestion that had fate followed a slightly different course, he might now possess an Olympic yachting gold medal. Actually, he admits he was never really that close, despite his former tornado skipper Rex Sellers eventually winning gold with Chris Timms at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics. Sellers would also win silver in the same class four years later in Seoul. The fact is, Preston recalls with some humour that Sellers had sacked him as his crewman about five years before Los Angeles. They'd sailed together at the 1972 world cherub championships, finishing second, and moved up to the tornado class before a personality clash eventually ended their relationship. Preston's not the least bit concerned about the failed partnership. The seasoned 61-year-old Nelson sailor has since followed an entirely different path and just 10 days ago in New Plymouth, he won his sixth national paper tiger championship title. He'd won his first way back in 1979 – the same year as his split with Sellers – ahead of further successes in 2004, 2005, 2009 and 2010, with this year's title completing a handy half dozen. Preston freely admits that he could do without the competitive intensity and financial pressures associated with Olympic campaigns. "You needed that extra level of killer instinct which I never had or wanted really," he says. "I think I just realised that I didn't have that extra bit [and] you've got to be good at raising that extra finance and that just wasn't me, which I accepted." He's now clearly found his niche on the New Zealand yachting scene and the one-man multi-hull paper tiger provides the perfect fit. He's been sailing tigers since 1974, having followed the customary procession of P class, cherub, laser, 470 and moth classes since first hitting the water as a 12-year-old. The tiger's now his domain and there's little he doesn't know about the boat. "Skippering a trailer sailer or skippering another boat is all right, but the laser, which is a class that everyone relates to, is a very physical boat, and I'm not that sort of yachtie really. "I'm a touchy-feely type – and I like the tuning side of the paper tiger because you've got quite a lot of choice with sails and foils, so it's a combination of things. "It's just like a car really; you've got the steerage, and some people's steering is better than others. It's knowing what you're looking for, which is the feel of the whole boat and knowing how to go about getting that feeling. Ad Feedback "The ideal yacht is one that you don't have to change many settings because it's tuned for overall conditions, whereas some people do fiddle a bit, but I don't. Too many people fiddle; it's a mental thing; and I'm not a fiddler." Nor is Preston interested in the mind games that some of the other sailors indulge in. "I don't get psyched out and there's a lot of psyching going on. I don't do it to other people, but other people do it to each other and try to do it to me but give up after knowing me for a wee while. "Just before the race I do settle into a different mode than what I would normally be sailing in. I've always been able to switch on just before the start gun goes – it's just a concentration level that's really intense. You've just got to stay there." Six titles clearly place him among New Zealand's all-time elite in his class, although several of his successes haven't come without incident. He almost knocked himself out during his 2009 championship-winning campaign in Nelson. He'd already sewn up the title ahead of the seventh and final race of the series in Tasman Bay, and despite not needing to sail, opted for one last dash on the water. However, it turned into the most eventful race of the week for Preston when trouble struck on just his second approach to the bottom mark. "I was heading toward the bottom mark and a couple of boats got a little bit out of control and sort of forced me to take evasive action," he recalls. "I gybed; the boom hit me on the head and I capsized and ended up with a bit of a dizzy head." He eventually regained his composure and continued but eventually decided that enough was enough and, with the series already in the bag, withdrew from the race. This year's successful campaign also produced some anxiety after Preston was forced to compete with a patched-up mainsail. He'd torn the sail on a marker pile in Nelson Harbour during his buildup, requiring local sailmaker John Leydon to complete some urgent repairs. It meant Preston entering the five-day regatta with the sail untested. "I didn't know if it was going to hold together or what, but it didn't seem to affect me too much. That sort of thing can play with people's heads a bit, but I've learnt not to let that sort of thing come into it. "The first time I used [the repaired sail] was the first race. I didn't have a chance to try it out because when we got up there it was pissing down with rain." He also had to fight off the effects of flu during the first three races, with illness actually forcing him out of the first race sailed in heavy 25 knot winds. As his health improved, however, so did his competitiveness. If his extensive sailing experience has taught him anything, it's ensuring he's always competitive at the start line. "The starts are so important and over the years you develop your own style of sailing and your own style of starting and you get to know the people around you, you know, who to be near and who not to be near. "Starting is one of my strengths. If you get a bad start and you end up in the 20s or 30s, you can catch up, but it's very hard to get past the top eight or nine. There's lots of boats going at very similar speed, so you can catch up to them. But it's very hard getting right to the top. "Most of the time you'll find the guy who gets the clear air start – there's usually four or five guys who will get good clear air and you'll all meet at the top mark together and it's all on from there. "The idea of not making any mistakes is high in priority and I seem to be able to pick what is a mistake and what's not." Preston likes to use the analogy of a snooker player thinking "five or six shots ahead" in his approach to sailing. He tries to stay mentally ahead of the competition. "I can see [what's developing] in five seconds time and I know where I want to be in five seconds time, whereas with a lot of other people, that five seconds time is now. In another five seconds they're where they shouldn't have been." Squash provides another useful analogy, specifically a player's ability to control the T and dominate an opponent – something Preston's also familiar with in a yachting context. "You can sail against someone who's a little bit better than you and wonder how the hell he does it, but you can still do that same thing to other people. So I relate to that squash scenario quite a bit and I quite often think about that, about who's going to try and dominate me and how do I counteract that." Preston's consistency on the national scene is also remarkable in the sense that Nelson doesn't have a competitive paper tiger fleet. Dave Shaw, who won last year's national title in Wellington, is the only tiger sailor in Nelson, and the pair interact freely and frequently when it comes to preparing their boats and training for regattas. Preston certainly isn't concerned about the absence of a local fleet, with six training sessions usually enough to get him ready for a national championship event. "I just cruise and go windsurfing when it's blowing and have a bit of an idea how many times I'd like to sail my tiger before the contest. It doesn't bother me, no, but it would bother other people. "It's just part of the overall plan that I've followed. But it's quite good to set a goal each year, which is the nationals and then peak at that time." Increasing age doesn't faze him either. Despite the obvious stress on legs, back and arms, Preston's learned to adapt. "Everyone when you get to this age, you've got your joint problems and neck problems and if you push it too hard you can actually do more damage, so I sort of know how far to go. "It's knowing how to relax and that concentration thing, being able to switch off and switch back on again. "That's the good thing about the tiger, it's not too physical. "It's like most things, you get out of it what you put into it."

Proposals for £8.3m sailing academy go on show

2012-01-13T10:40:00.001Z

PLANS for an £8.3m sailing academy will go on show giving people the opportunity to give their opinions. The academy, in Pwllheli, designed to showcase the town to the world, is expected to provide a major shot in the arm for the area’s economy to the tune of around £1m a year. Ellis-Williams Architects in partnership with local architects Dobson:Owen have been working on initial designs, which are now open for all to see. This marks the start of a consultation process, with the designers on hand to explain how their preliminary design for the development will work and to receive feedback. Councillor John Wynn Jones, who leads on the economy for Gwynedd Council, said: “Good progress is being made on the sailing academy project with building work set to get underway in 2012 and the project completed by the end of 2013. “The architects appointed by the council have come up with an exciting initial design for the development, and we hope that as many local people as possible come along to the consultation day to let us know what they think. “This event is the first phase of this process of contacting, consulting, and listening to the community.” Gwynedd Council leader Cllr Dyfed Edwards added: “Without a doubt, Pwllheli is one of the top sailing venues in the British Isles which already hosts a number of high-profile national and international sailing events and regattas. “This flagship development will enable Pwllheli to attract bigger and more frequent races and competitions to the area. “Along with the economic boost, the development will also provide local people, and children especially, the opportunity to take part in water sports. This in turn will lead to more of our young people developing careers in the local outdoor activities sector.” The information event will be held at Pwllheli Sailing Club on Tuesday, January 17 from 12pm-8pm. The exhibition will remain on display at the sailing club for the remainder of the week, and will be on show at Neuadd Dwyfor in the town during the week commencing January 23.

Teenage Dutch sailor, 16, approaches end of solo voyage in stages around the world

2012-01-13T10:34:00.003Z

AMSTERDAM — Teenage Dutch sailor Laura Dekker is nearing the finish of her solo sailing trip around the world almost the same way she began it — in good spirits, despite endless debate about the terms under which she is allowed to be at sea. Now 16, Dekker is on the final leg, a long stint from Cape Town, South Africa, to the Caribbean island of St. Maarten, where she set sail in 2010. Amid blustery weather, she’s on pace to reach port in Philipsburg around Jan. 24, her lawyer Peter de Lange said in a telephone interview Wednesday. But in her native Netherlands, the story of her voyage has once again been overshadowed by conflicts with the Dutch school system and bureaucrats about approval for her trip. De Lange confirmed a report in De Volkskrant newspaper Tuesday that truancy officers issued her father a summons to appear late last year after a newspaper quoted her as saying she hadn’t been giving her studies full attention. De Lange said the report was a misunderstanding, based on her saying she needed to concentrate on sailing while weather in the Atlantic was poor. When her father refused to turn up, the truancy agency notified child protective services, infuriating the family. “Who knows, maybe they’ll be waiting for her with handcuffs at the finish line,” De Lange said. He added that the incident now appears to have blown over. But Dekker told a Belgian radio station by satellite phone on Friday that while the voyage had been a “dream come true,” she is considering moving to New Zealand when her trip is finished. Dekker has citizenship there because she was born on a boat off the New Zealand coast. De Lange said tensions may evaporate once the trip is over, given that Dekker is two years older than when she first announced her plans, and she wants to return to school anyway. A Dutch court originally blocked her voyage and only permitted her to set off after she bought a bigger, sturdier boat than the one she originally planned to use; fitted it with advanced navigation and radar equipment; enrolled in a special correspondence school; and took courses in first aid and coping with sleep deprivation. There are no questions of world firsts or records attached to Dekker’s trip. Guinness World Records and the World Sailing Speed Record Council have decided they will no longer recognize records for “youngest” sailors to avoid encouraging dangerous attempts. Unlike other young sailors to circumnavigate the globe in recent years, Dekker stopped at ports along the way to rest, repair her 38-foot (11.5 meter) ketch Guppy, and catch up on her studies before resuming her trip. Her circumnavigation attempt started two months after Abby Sunderland, a 16-year-old American, had to be rescued in a remote section of the Indian Ocean during an attempt to circle the globe. Jessica Watson of Australia completed a 210-day solo voyage at age 16. Dekker is now on day 508 of her voyage. “After another heavy squall with winds at 40 knots and rain streaming down, it slowly became a calmer night and a wonderful day,” Dekker said in her most recent journal entry, published on her website Tuesday.

Sailing Club Spotlight Oxford Sailing Club 2

2012-01-12T10:18:00.002Z

Sailing Club Spotlight Oxford Sailing Club 1

2012-01-12T10:15:00.000Z

Ainslie to sail with champion Oracle before entering America’s Cup with new team of his own

2012-01-11T12:09:00.000Z

LONDON — Three-time Olympic gold medalist Ben Ainslie will sail in next year’s America’s Cup with defending champion Oracle, gaining experience for what he hopes will be a title challenge with his own team.

Ainslie said on Tuesday that his Ben Ainslie Racing outfit will compete in the America’s Cup World Series beginning immediately after this year’s London Olympics. Then he’ll join the crew of Oracle’s Defender for the 2013 America’s Cup in San Francisco.

Racing for Oracle will help underwrite what Ainslie estimated to be the $3.8 million cost of putting his own team together and the experience will be invaluable as the 34-year-old Briton aims to take BAR into the America’s Cup two years later.

“We have no intention whatsoever of competing as a challenger for the 34th America’s Cup,” Ainslie said. “It’s just not realistic in the time frame that we have in terms of putting the team together.

“But we very much hope to be a challenger in the future with the 35th America’s Cup and moving on.”

Ainslie won his Olympic golds in the Laser and Finn class, but the America’s Cup represents a big step up in difficulty.

The world series is raced in identical AC45 wingsail catamarans and the America’s Cup showpiece race utilizes even more high-powered AC72 boats.

Ainslie only recently set foot in an AC45 for the first time, sailing with Oracle chief Russell Coutts on San Francisco Bay and under the Golden Gate Bridge.

Coutts said Ainslie showed enough on that short trip to convince him he can make the step up.

“Ben’s the top of the tops and it was pretty clear as soon as he jumped onboard the boat he had a great feel for the boat,” Coutts said. “The fact that he’s a four-time Olympic medalist doesn’t guarantee anything. I know from personal experience that there are times when he could end up with a bit of egg on his face.”

Neither Ainslie nor Coutts expects that to happen. After all, the Briton has already showed he knows how to meet new challenges.

Ainslie took silver in the Laser at the 1996 Olympics and, after winning gold in Sydney in 2000 in the same class, he switched to the Finn, a heavyweight dinghy. He won golds at Athens and Beijing and could become the most successful sailor in Olympic history with gold at this year’s London Games.

“He’s obviously a very determined sailor and he’s got a track record second to none,” said Coutts, whose four America’s Cup titles make him the most successful skipper in the 161-year history of the competition. “He’s very determined and very talented. Even though these boats are very different, talent’s the key thing.

“I’ve got no doubt he’s going to adapt to this new format very well. It suits very, very good sailors and actually amplifies their skills.”

Ainslie is still respectful of the challenge ahead.

“It’s full on racing these boats,” Ainslie said. “They are the ultimate racing machine. You make one error of judgment and suddenly a lot of people are flying in different directions. It’s going to make for very exciting racing.”

The commitment to international sport’s oldest trophy — which originates from 1851, when the schooner America humbled a fleet of British ships in a 53-nautical-mile race around the Isle of Wight — doesn’t affect Ainslie’s Olympic hopes.

He will compete in the Finn class again at Weymouth and Portland, the Olympic venue on the English Channel, and said he was still open to the idea of sailing at the 2016 Olympics.

“We’re going to race in the 2012-13 world series and that doesn’t start until late August 2012, so there’s absolutely no impingement on my Olympic plans,” Ainslie said. “I remain 100 percent focused and committed on that. This will kick in after that.”

The 2013 America’s Cup will be Ainslie’s fourth foray into the competition.

After the 2000 Olympics, Ainslie joined the American One World Challenge and he helped Team New Zealand hoist the Louis Vuitton Cup four years later. In 2008, he joined TeamOrigin as skipper only for the British venture to decide against competing in 2013 following changes to tournament rules.

Sailing duo secure Olympic spots

2012-01-09T10:21:00.002Z

Young sailors Luke Patience and Stuart Bithell have been named as the latest members of Team GB for the London 2012 Olympics.

Patience and Bithell, both aged 25, will compete in the men's 470 Class, the British Olympic Association announced on Monday, 200 days before the opening ceremony of the Games.

The pair had to see off the challenge of double Olympic silver medallist Nick Rogers, sailing with Chris Grube, and double world champions Nic Asher and Elliot Willis to win the selection spot.

Team GB sailing team leader Stephen Park said: "Campaigning to represent Team GB at the Games in this class is probably the hardest challenge.

"Luke and Stuart have come a long way since they started sailing together back in 2009, and are a classic example of how getting the right complement of skillsets for helm and crew in the boat can really launch sailors' careers."

The pair won silver medal at last month's world championships and the confirmation of their inclusion brings to 21 the number of athletes who have been selected for Team GB.

Patience, from Helensburgh, Scotland, said: "Even though we weren't sailing together at the time, Stuart and I by complete coincidence were in the same room when London was announced as the hosts of the 2012 Olympic Games. I feel so privileged and am so excited to have been selected.

"We have just one goal and that's to win a gold medal this summer in London so selection is by no means the end of the job."

Bithell, from Rochdale, added: "Although we never doubted ourselves, it's still a big relief to have been selected and to know that we'll be there on the startline at our first Olympic Games and doing our best to bring home gold.

"As our coach put it when we learned of our selection 'we've climbed one peak, now we need to climb another, and the sunset's a whole lot nicer from the next one'."

Copyright © 2012 The Press Association. All rights reserved.

Disabled Sailing World Championship 2012

2012-01-09T10:13:00.002Z