Silence Is Golden

HOkay Peeps

So its all been a bit quiet on the blog... but only because we've been so so busy Mothing. Now its winter we'll waste a while on windows rather than whipping wildly round Poole harbour on foils!

So here is a little summary -

1. The weather wasn't at all summery
It seemed to blow 2 or 20 kts but anything in a Moth is a joy. And after the windy worlds at weymouth the scales get recalibrated.

2. I said goodbye to my M3
We had our ups and downs but it was an exciting time, and then a big hearty welcome to my new Prowler Zero - "Arjuna".

3. The Powers of Parkstone yacht club....
are brimming with enthusiasm to see the Moth class prosper - which is a marvel. I remember a club full of young talent - and it will be again. So a big thanks to our supporters.


4. Poole week arrived and so did the Mothies.....
Mike Pascall gave us some great w-ward l-ward racing on the Saturday and we explored the far corners of the largest natural harbour in the world on Sunday. (Finally bloody finally I got that foiling gybing malarkey nailed. Whoop whoop). Cheers to you all and to Alan for assisting with emergency trampettes. Dix Point. Ps.. your late night dancing set the club on fire!



5. Poole Yacht Club handicap racing
In the cool cool eves the wind comes and it goes, and so I didn't make as many races from the Poole line as I'd hoped. But when I did - Blimey - Sublimey!! Flat water, a red orange sun hissing towards the horizon and cheers and whistles from the Poole yachties. Lots more of this to look forward to in the Autumn. Nearby mothies are welcome to join the fray....



6. Foiled foil
So I had to get dragged in by the scruff of my neck for only the second time in my sailing career- thanks for the tow. And a right Big Cheers to Mr John Claridge - it was great to hook up again after.. oh about 20 years!! Weird how things come around. And he's as skilled and humorously understated as he always was; more so maybe, brilliant to behold in this "professional" age.

7. Studland Bay Babey
One of my big look forwards to was...... to foil out into the clear blue waters of Studland bay, and the occasion arrived on the invite of Steve Lang (who looked after us so well in Tobago). Studland was informal and fun, and deserves support next year. I got a shock when i flipped off the wing to see my moth foil happily bolt upright towards the beach, leaving me 1/4 of a mile out in the bay. Ho ho ho! How I laughed.

8. The World Championships in Weymouth
I had the plan in my mind for the best part of a year. And John Illet delivered Arjuna in time for a weeks glorious f3-4 blue sky foiling practise before the worlds. Norman was booked into a local hostelry as temp Pub Dog. But work meant I couldn't make the pre-worlds - It was criminal really. ho hum. But my mates got my boat ready in my absence ready for the racing ... Thanks - I owe you. Then the racing got blown off and off and off and off. So what did we do - flew helicopters, did the tiller of doom, scaled roofs and got banned from Weymouth's poshest (dodgiest!) nightclub. When the racing came it was full full on. And this class is a proud class of individuals who make up one team.. lets keep it that way.


9. Powermann bay race and Mothie Open
Skilfully put together by the driving force of high performance yachting in Poole Harbour Mikey Pascall, this was a great event. Gary Ireson was on blistering form and the fab suspects of Alex and Helen, MikeC, and AndrewF made it a classic event. Sorry to the 49erBoys - you're quick but not quick enough - but a great try all the same!!




10. Flighty Knighty
So she's cut and shut her SomnerSpecial and soon it will be foilborne. It'll be great when Katherine can join the action proper with her CarbonFootprint foiler. She'll be quick as she's good and determined. Let it roll...





11. Norman the Foiling Dog
He's cool, he's calm, he foils and he looks for the shifts. Give the dog a bone man, he's got style the helm only dreams of. Whatever next??

















12. The FUTURE is Bright
Get your shades on as next year is going to be BIG for Moths at Parkstone. Richard And Dingers home build foilers are coming along great. Dunc Moses McCarthy will be giving me a run for my money in his new Prowler. Katherine is already foiling fast and will get quicker and quicker. And latest news is that a classic of Moth design will be joining the squad this autumn; A Magnum 8 to be piloted by Kristian Starr (yep!). Its great to see a boat of that age and know its still ahead of almost all the modern plastics... Way to go.

Besty best

Rod
(and Norman)