BIFFA - Flying 15 Newsfeed

DM has added to BIFFA Newsfeed to the lower part of "Datchet Man". You'll find it next to the statistics counter, under the BIFFA photo on our Blog Page.

My FF has no nose.... How does it smell?

As it happens, we have two boats in our fleet with a shortened tiller - the most recent of which is Steve Bell's new boat, 3827. I was talking about this with Howard Shawyer, who as you will know has been Flying Fifteen racing for longer than he would admit. Anyway, Howard came up with this story about a chap with one leg at Grafham who used to sail fifteens years ago. For mobility reasons, he also shortened his tiller. Howard says though that he used to hang up his artificial leg up in the mens' changing room while out sailing. The key question of course, is "how did he tack?".
Howard has a very dry sense of humour and he may be pulling my leg (sic). Did you know that we had been racing together for about 5 years, when we were chatting between races in 3644 one day, and we discovered that we went to the same school in Cardiff....

Weather Outlook for Racing on Sunday

The windguru outlook for Sunday morning is F2 northerly, temperature about the same as last week. In fact, all about the same as last week!

Richard Stenson is looking to crew for someone!

The FF Autumn Open Meeting - The Commodore Goes on Record.....

Some very interesting commentary from Dart Class representatives !! Note the Commodore's second entry !!!

http://pub44.bravenet.com/forum/static/show.php?usernum=3742624459&frmid=12&msgid=1137795&cmd=show

A New Trophy Idea from Mike Firth...

The Admiral has come across an old FF Compass in his shed and is wondering if it could make an interesting Fleet Trophy. What could we award it for?? DM is not sure that we have a Family Trophy any more, and as we have a number of Father/Son and Husband/Wife Teams perhaps we could award it for "Best Family Team"?? Mike is wondering what we do about unmarried-living-together Teams? DM thinks we should let them qualify so long as they don't win it - ha ha ha ha !!!

What would you award it for??

Your ideas please to datchetman@flyingfifteen.com

Datchetman says, "Tweet".......

You can now follow Datchetman on Facebook and Twitter!! If that's what you enjoy..... and whatever floats your boat!!

In a similar way, you can also follow Datchetman via Yachts and Yachting's Flying Fifteen page.

Tweet, Tweet.......

New FF Website from Goacher Sails

Have you seen the new Flying Fifteen section in the Goacher Sails website? It's a huge improvement and getting to the FF tuning information is a lot easier. Apparently the website is done by Steve's wife, Shelagh - and a super job she has made of it. You can check it out by clicking on the Goacher Sails link at the lower section of Datchet Man.

Datchet Man has Influence ??

DM can report that just days after sniping remarks in our Blog about the defunct hot air dryer in the male changing room, the one with the "it will all need rewiring problem",.... the hand dryer is now fixed - Bliss!!!! We have also heard from the Admiral's Mole that final plans for the Changing Room refurbishment have been discussed between the Contractor and Club Management - Hurrah !!

Race Report - Sunday December 5th

DM left home this morning with 8 inches of snow on the driveway - so very surprised to find precisely zero snow at Datchet. However, the crisp conditions and duvets kept many people away and four boats rigged to race.

Andy Murphy was in attendance but went home through lack of spinnaker sheets. Good news there is that Andy will team up with Andy Partington for the Winter Series and beyond. David Hume was also ready to go, but Dominic has apparently hurt his shoulder and may be off games for a couple of weeks. Steve Bell, and I think Jonathan Baggott, have their new boats in the workshop. Bob Millar is recuperating from his eye Op, and VC was away on family duties. According to Firth Snr., Firth Jnr was in bed.... no word of Tony - probably doing another triathlon. No sign of Andy and Nadia - who are becoming a rumour in their own lifetimes. Richard was held up for an hour by a carriageway closure on the M25, so three boats started race one. Richard took tea with Mike Firth, Admiral of the Fleet, and fixed BIFFA, agreed the new "Family Trophy" should be open to those living together, the future definition of "Silver" and the changing room refurbishment - as there was only time for one mug. Out on the racecourse, it was blowing 6-8mph SW and about a piping 4 degrees eventually. The fleet got away cleanly and John Hanson built an enormous lead with great speed and cunning - and frankly romped it from FC and his new Aussie crew - and then Mervyn sailing his new 3536. Mervyn said boat speed was fine, but he just needed to point the right way more often.

In race two, charged by hot tea, Richard and Howard made it 4 boats on the line. The PRO elected for a mass start, so with plenty of Toppers to intimidate, we immediately took a general recall. It was a bit of a short line, but the Race Team were gradually getting hypothermia, so were forgiven. Start two, got away cleanly. Committee boat end was generally a bit popular, but Richard and Howard took the pin end (because the Tacktick said that was the end to go for - amazing) and carved their way up the left hand side of the first beat crossing the entire fleet on port just at the top mark, RS bowsprit jobs and all. That set the pattern for the race, with John and Helen fighting to close the gap and nearly succeeding on the last spinnaker reach home. How does that Girl do it? It was Richard and Howard who took the gun, John and Helen 10 seconds behind, then the FC, followed by Mervyn. That makes it five wins in seven starts for Richard and Howard - there were rumblings in the Fleet that since the boat's recent secret trip to Windermere, it should be renamed "Hand of God"....

At this point it was blue skies, and a warm 5 degrees. Coming ashore we were all as warm as toast. The breeze though was dying and we are in for a sharp frost. Today's catering report = "OK".