Practicalities of the day included plenty of free parking, a variety of high quality food, from sandwiches to a Thai food stall, and an uncrowded, unhurried atmosphere created in part by a strolling group of musicians, alternating with a lone piper playing his pipes.
This year the show runs from 18th - 21st May. N.B. Dogs are not allowed on the site.
More On Outriggers! (JohnB)
Continuing the discussion of outriggers by DaveP, DennisD and IainH, PeteH's outriggers were fitted to LisW's 18 ft. Jensen at a ratio of 4.5 to 1. They did not appear to want to pitchpole even under what I regarded as extreme conditions for a canoe - F6/7 and possibly more in the worst of the gusts. Their advantage of course is that they are small enough to stow in the boat if you want to go 'naked'.
Surely the benefit of a flexible mounting is that you do not develop high stress points and their associated stiffening, which brings extra weight? Their drawback is that the beams are not available for backstays and the like. Our small sailing canoes have always tried to use an unstayed mast, the light canoe structures being barely stiff enough to support the high-tension set-ups one sees on dinghies.
Windage of the beams and outriggers is also a significant part of the drag and I would think that DaveP's dressed up ladder (sic - Ed.) would be a pretty good air brake. The drag of the leeward outrigger is also significant. On my own boat its windward ability is considerably improved if I sit out to weather and ease the load on the outrigger.
Onward and upward.
And Now A Word From Our Sponsons (DaveT)
This winter I've been doing some experiments with an idea to make easily attachable/detachable sponsons. Despite the current interest in outriggers I would still like to sail my open canoe in the spirit of the canoe sailing that first brought me to the group. But appreciating the need on occasion to improve the seaworthiness of my craft, even on inland lakes and lochs when the wind gets up unexpectedly, I noted the performance of JohnS's 'Shorn' in all conditions, on occasion stormy (remember Ullswater?). Hence the current winter project that, despite trials, tribulations and the occasional swear word, I am confident will lead to a successful conclusion. This should prove worth a trial at a club meet early in the season. (Can't wait for the fun - Ed.)
OCSG - A Common Purpose (DougF)
The OCSG is a unique organisation because its members join for one reason only - to sail a canoe. For 10 years we have steadily built up membership of like-minded people with this common purpose. Whether we sail to cruise, to race or just to mess about in boats should not matter. What should matter is that we share our sport and leisure with one another. I write the above because I am just amazed that our very revered founder and much-respected commodore should suggest (GOSSIP No. 109) that some have joined the wrong club.
We are delighted that the BCU regard us as the premier sailing group in GB. We are all entitled to share in this accolade. Our founder can take credit for forming the OCSG and the membership for sustaining it. We are in the OCSG for different things, and if we were not then it would not be the premier canoe sailing club in Great Britain. Come on, Mr. Commodore, just join in the fun, steer yourself down the middle of the road with your ear to the ground. Listen to what the members want; give it to them and we will not fragment. This is their club in its present form and they are staying with it.
Competition And All That (JimB)
Dear Ed.,
I enjoyed your opening salvo, not bad when you consider this time of year to be the doldrums for GOSSIP copy.
The commodore struck a note with me when he gave his broadside about the ethos of the group. Competition and all that. I remember an occasion when I passed a boat - quite an event for me. On glancing back I noticed that the usually uncompetitive member did a double-take, went into Greco-Roman crouch, grasped sheet and tiller with whitened knuckles and looked round for that extra gust of wind. He left the upstart wallowing in his wake and for all I know settled down to continue enjoying his leisurely sail.
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