The Parkstone Poole Moth Open - the official line

The Parkstone Yacht Club Poole Moth spring open was graced with a great turnout of boats and a depth of talent to match. Saturdays forecast of 16-20kts was delivered in gusty, challenging conditions. And as the wind boomed, questions over who’d been winter sailing and who’d held their fitness brewed a tense anticipation prior to launch. Many questions lay unanswered. The Mach2 had its UK open debut and had a reputation to prove. Would the latest generation Prowler foils deliver performance gains atop bullet proof reliability? The Carbon Footprint was ready to fly, complete with mini rig for days just like these. Skilled helms had changed designs over the winter, and renowned talent had joined the fray after only a brief acclimatisation. Over the last few months some would have been training, some sailing, and some plain hoping. The stage was set.

The Mach 2 was first and fast out to the course. And then it was FIFO. First in , first out. The forestay plate had let go. The boats speed was undeniable in Oz and we’ll be hoping the vaunted reliability comes through.

Race one on and two boats only hit the line at full chat as far as I could see from my vantage point back in the war room. Clearly I have some work to do. It’s interesting to note how ones approach and tactics are shaped by the ride. But the early guns were indeed top guns and they locked into clean air and were taking no prisoners. Mike Lennon seemed to carry less ride height than you’d expect, but he and Adam had more speed than the rest of the fleet could hold. Mike and Adam swapped the lead a number of times, with Adam leading round the last leeward mark, but Mike managed to get through on the last leg as they looked for a photo finish. Some helms were being conservative even though the boats had moved on and overstanding showed a lack of understanding.

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Rod and Paul were swopping and crossing around the course, but Paul fought through and deservedly claimed 3rd, pushing Rod into 4th. The whole game has jumped forward; the skills have built through the fleet and foiling gybes are now performed for speed, safety and even style, rather than on hope, a prayer, and a lung full of air.

Race two and Mike was away, then Adam came back, but not quite enough. Rod had a late but high start and perched his way into 3^nd, with Paul pushing on downwind and taking 4^th with Geoff 5^th. Bladerider, Raptor, Prowler, Bladerider, Bladerider. Skill, practise, set up, fitness, then gear sets the order it seems.

Race three and the physical pressure was taking its toll. Mike in the lead, but Adams quick dunking reminded us this isn’t a walk in the park, and Rod was second to the windward mark. Rod held Adam off upwind with good pace till Rod cut in to the island, lost power, and the place. Too safe, too slow, too deep. So Mike got the bullet. Adam was fast downhill and got 2^nd , Rod 3^rd and Jason 4^th.

Race four. Adam with a broken wand nipple, headed home. In keenness and haste Mike and Paul hit the line early and scored OCS. No such fate for Rod who went for a dip in the last minute letting Geoff take the lead never to be caught. Tom had blistering if sporadic, upwind speed. But many an arm was turning to stone, and as the fleet battled on the tide was fast departing and so the race was brief. Geoff 1^st, Rod 2^nd , Jason 3^rd and Doug 4^th.

The racing was tight and everyone on the course showed a real ramping up of skill. A few suffered gear failure or were hobbled by set up. The cold water was intolerant - James Roche ventilated his way round the course like the devil had hold of his foils. Consistency was king and the rewards were there.

There was supposed to be a Sunday, but the wind stayed in bed and although we had a laugh and performed some spinning tricks the racing was done and the positions were fixed as they sat.

The form for the season has been glimpsed and we can’t wait to get out there again. A very big thanks to Mike Pascall RO, and all the rescue and support team along with Parkstone YC for hosting a great event.

1^st Mike Lennon. 2^nd Adam May. 3^rd Rod Harris. 4^th Geoff Carveth. 5^th= Paul Hayden 5^th= Jason Russell

Rock on the Parkstone Open

Okay so this blog has been a Tad quiet and certainly hasn't reflected the massive activity that has been going on with the Poole Moth flying squad. Mr Propper has kindly offered to modify his "wakey wakey - as warm as fresh sick" blog label . Some of us have been out sailing and concentrating on foiling gybes rather than the desk bound computer variety! We know you mean well Mr P... Finally I feel like I am now doing this incredible flying machine some justice. High wind foiling gybes are now getting neat, even if the racing line isnt as tight as it might be. Very light wind gybes are a little more tricky and I have been struggling to get the angles right to keep on the foils at the exits. But that little mast bound windex has helped lots and consistency if not smoothness is now the order of the day. As to the foiling tacks... they were progressing well but i seem to have lost a bit of the feel recently - still work in progress. Its now less than a week to the PARKSTONE MOTH OPEN, and it looks like attendence will be great. The harbour at this time of year is delivering some of the best sailing you can find; it seems vast and is so empty of boats. What a playground!


So we look forward to the event with great enthusiasm and I only hope that the practice and fitness training on the bike pays off. At the end of the day I just want to be sailing in proximity of my mates; an overly competitive attitude (as we have in the j24 at times), can leach some of the fun from the sailing. Moths though are just a pure adrenaline laced joy to sail, racing or no racing. It justs get better and better. It has been a little cold though recently, what with the blizzards. But the technology of the wetsuits etc is so good I always seem to be warm as toast; Norman however has stayed at home and will only be resuming his foiling once the sun can push temps into the teens.
We don't care about the white stuff - we're going foiling !





Once we get the solid water off the boat !




Our garaged Mothies - Richard and Dinger have now been joined by Edd who aims to get Spitfire 3 from their mold. Spitfire 1 is coming on really well and I'm so impressed by their skill and aptitude. I can't wait till the first boat is finished and they get out there and share the buzz.




Adios

Rod

Sorry - normal service will shortly be resumed - GONE SAILING

Hey how about looking at some nice fonts while I'm out sailing?


This is arial small
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This is courier normal

This is georgia normal

This is lucida grande normal

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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)

Knight Flight

She’s only been at it five minutes and despite a few early dunkings, by Jove I think she’s got it. Very interesting to see someone from the world of freestyle windsurfing take to a moth and begin with waterstarting as the chosen method of taking flight. So here’s a warm welcome to Katherine Knight and her purple wonder - an axeman derivative from the stable of Chris Somner, and well pimped by the hand of Mr May – our hearty thanks.

Despite the chilly water and weird winds Katherine’s been keen as mustard to get out there. No fear here. I cut my now crowned teeth on low riders, and those narrow ones are rather tippy, and that’s without the breeze blowing F1-F5. So nice one Katherine – we look forward to seeing you on the start line soon.

Later in the year we’ll be joined by Richard Edwards and Simon “Dinger” Philbrick whose boats are progressing well. Next to join the Poole Pilots in his Prowler Zero will be Duncan “Moses” McCarthy, and lets hope he gives Southworth a run for his money, who’s apparently been testing his new Bladerider in his back garden, if the latest rumours are to be believed…(?)

So who are the next mothies to join the Poole Flying Squad. Mr Devereux? Bob "Sidekite" Alexander? And then of course the Powerman team need a really fast boat in their fleet. Lets hope so…

Eagles fly high

Just another note of thanks to everyone who helped to make the Parkstone open such a success.

We were a bit worried about making sure there was enough water in the course area of the harbour during racing. (You don’t want to be the one responsible for grounding anyones recently developed kit!)

It was great to see the latest designs one the water that have been kept under such close wraps. Although there were a few set up problems these were eclipsed by times of blistering speed which took things to a higher level.

Ventilation was certainly an issue but then the water was very very chilly. We can but look forward in anticipation as the season heats up.

Rod

When I was a lad and boats were made out of trees

When you work at a sailing school and earn enough money to buy yourself a bag of chips and a hangover you look for something sensible, reliable, practical and affordable to sail. Yeah right. And so it was back near the dawn of time that I spent a drunken evening in a dim smoke filled caravan at Rockley point sailing school in Poole (can you see the emerging thread that holds this blog together?) .

Imagine if you will a Hagrid like fellow, fuelled on a bottle of cheap red wine, with flares big enough to swallow a beach and he was raving about phobias, magnums, petrochecks, Harvey wallbangers, wombles and skols. Jim Baumann was his name – or Jimbo to his friends. Where are you now? He was, and I hope still is, a very unique and quite distinctive character and so I hope hasn’t bitten off more than he can chew.

And the next day when I saw my folks I proudly announced I’d bought a Moth, a petrocheck, I never saw it in writing so the spellings wrong but that’s how it sounded. Apparently it was conceived – because moths back then were the result of a long hard labour, in Czechoslovakia or maybe that’s where the big tree was found from which it was hewn. £200 quid or so. Deep V hull, more rocker than billy idol, a wooden unstayed mast borrowed from the Victory, and a lovely billowing white sail made out of some long dead Nazis parachute. She was fun and pretty and had varnish and she went quite well in light winds…. And I loved it.

In those days homebuilt Moths sometimes needed a little maintenance, and some seemed sponsored by Isopon. Posh for plastic padding. But my girl, she never needed fixing on a daily basis; Jimbo was always "refining" his Dragon from the ahead-of-his-time designer, Sean Cox.

No.. she was not one for daily gripes and niggles. She was saving herself to depart of this world in one gigantic epic flourish. I had always been puzzled how that unstayed mast stayed up there. And then one very windy day the mast ripped the poor girl open through foredeck to bow. And she was gone. Sad day, but she went how she went. With grace, and style.

So to Lymingtown I travelled, and met a great big black tail-wagging skinny-dog called Shelley. And John Claridge – he's a very nice man. Norman would have liked Shelley.

Norman -

My Mum and Dad always took cakes for Shelley when we visited the Johns Moth “Factory” in Lymington. The factory was renowned in Japan where it had assumed gigantic mythical proportions as a result of the fantastic boats that rolled off the production line. (All the best Ichino if you’re out there – “Now we go down boozer?”). And so John built me my very own new boat, a beautiful gaboon and sapele (am I right?) Magnum 3. State of the art and oh so narrow. 7.5 secs to 60 was quick too, then. And John gave me a sailing lesson at Rockley point – free. None of this £600 a day stuff! Those were the days. John did wonder though - out loud, waist deep in water, if I would ever get the hang of it. And may still do.

And then when I was all grown up I got a magnum 5, and I could sort of sail it. It was really, really narrow, and quite cool.

Thanks again John.

They were, and are, great boats.

Best

Rod

To be continued. ...