Championship Week

A busy week.  Samantha in Torquay for the 420 National Championships and Joanne in Workum, Holland for the Topper World Championships. Sure beats going back to school tomorrow doesn't it Jo.

Tay Yacht Clubs Association Youth Regatta

With Samantha coaching at Royal Tay Cadet Week Joanne decided to accept a long standing invitation from cousin and Topper 4.2 maestro Alastair Ferguson to come sail with him on the very tidal waters of the famous silvery Tay.

Having made a very last minute decision to take advantage of grandad's better condition in the hospice and head over to the 2012 Topper World Championships at Workum in Holland this also presented a great chance to shake off the Topper cobwebs and get in some practice.  Joanne was therefore delighted to enjoy four hotly contested races in the TYCA Youth Regatta and come away with the Topper class win and also the much coveted overall trophy for the all classes handicap race  comprising a variety of Lasers, Toppers, few as and RS 500, a terra and various other assorted youth vessels.  Joanne was also able to confirm the very high standard of the local competition which shows that Samantha's coaching had perhaps been of some help to the enthusiastic home fleet.

Well done all.

Tummel week 2012

Although family illness still presents a major cloud, especially for dad, the silver lining is that the first time in about four years we have all been able to participate in Tummel Week.  This is a brilliant family sailing week in the beautiful setting of Loch Tummel Sailing Club our original sailing home where we both took our first trips afloat.  Ten all classes handicap races over five days with boat swaps and fun racing very much the order of the day.  We mixed it up in 420, 29 er and RS200 and had a great time.  We even recorded our first ever race win in the 29er on the windy final day but oh boy we need to buy some ratchet blocks for the kite sheets!

Flanders week 2012

Jen and I ready for launch

With grandad still seriously Ill and too much happening at home to allow much travelling or serious training Samantha was delighted to be asked to go to Belgium to participate in the annual Flanders Youth Regatta crewing in a 420 with fellow Scottish sailor Jennifer Abraham.  The weather was brilliant for the trip down but the planned post regatta holiday was terminated by a torrential downpour which flooded out the campsite and had possessions floating away.  In between there was some great sailing in a wide variety of conditions and lots of opportunities to practice boat repair and be reminded of the importance of better preparation next time!  Next planned 420 outing will be the UK Nationals in August provided we can get a new rudder and stock sorted out by then.

Summer 2012

It has been a long time since our last post on the blog.  Winter training in the Radials came to an end with the RYA Youth Nationals at Pwllheli which was not our most successful ever event and was also Samanthas last competitive outing as a Youth sailor.

A catalogue of disasters had occurred just around the time of the Youth Nationals ranging from the theft and destruction of Samantha's car when she left it between Laser Qualifiers to fly back for a weekend of squad training with the Scottish Squad on Cumbrae to the sad news that grandad was very unwell with prostatic cancer and had to be taken into hospital and was near death for a time.

Following these events and the long winters training we were both ready for a bit of a change and so we have been taking some time out to sail in other boats.  We have tried swimming around a 29er in various wind strengths and states of tide.  Samantha has also tried some 420 crewing and Joanne has taken a fancy to helping a 420 whenever she can.

We have also purchased an RS200 which is a better boat for local club sailing both at Dalgety Bay and at Loch Tummel where we have been glad to return as more active members this year after several years away on the campaign trail.

It has also been great to get a chance to help some younger sailors and do some coaching at our clubs.  Samantha in particular has coached at Youth weeks at both Loch Tummel and the Toyal Tay Yacjt club.

Meanwhile Joanne has also been working hard on her school exams with some success and has also had at school exchange trip to Germany and also a week long outward bound week in the Scottish Highlands.