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Santa Irene Club de Vela Newsletter - 2nd April 2008
Climate Change!! Well there are plenty of things happening around the world. Here in Spain, we are having more than our fair share of strong winds. Sunday the 23rd of March it was F5 off shore, not what we really wanted at Garrucha, so we retired to the El Rincon Bar Restaurant after messing about with our boats. The Catamaran sailors and friends on the playa las Brisas, Villarocos had already arranged a B.B.Q for that day.
When Houri and I arrived with our sausages in the afternoon it was well under way. No sailing but a good day; we did our good deed for the day, when we were able to pull a Spanish couple's car out of the soft sand.
Not much change on Sunday the 30th, calm in the morning, then the wind increased earlier than forecast, F5 to F6 a yachtsman's gale 22 to 27 knots. The Cats had moved on to Terreros because the sea was rolling in on the playa at Villricos and were able to sail for the first couple of hours in the morning. Never the less I was happy to sit in the warm sun at the local chiringuito and muse over the coming weekend – 5th and 6th of April; when the Aguilas Sailing Club were having a National Championship regatta for the "Optimist" from the Murcia region. This regatta is for Girls Only, 8 to 15 year olds, Houri and I will be there, talking to as many youngsters as we can. I'll remind you the "Oppie" is that 7ft 6in little boat looks like a bath-tub, but believe me it a very good sea boat in the hands of these young sailors.
There has just been a Meeting of "Oppies" at Lake Guarda, Italy. Very often you can expect 200or 300 boats these Meetings, but at this meeting in late February there were 999! Had I known, I would have taken one of mine to make the number up. At the last "Olympics ", 70% of the Medallists started their sailing in "Optimists", Ben Ainsly probably the world's greatest Dinghy sailor started when he was 6 year old. If you are a Parent and want to know more look at www. International Optimist Dinghy Association
So where do we go from here? How about the TP 52, yes it's 52ft long. Back in 2001, Three Millionaire Yachtsmen were having a drink in a Bar on the East coast of America and talking about building new boats, but they all had different ideas. Tom Pollark a friend suggested they build 3 all the same, he said keep it simple, safe and reliable and so the TP 52 was born. By 2007 European Owners out numbered the Americans, Perhaps this was due to King Juan Carlos, he invited our friend Tom Pollark to Spain for a chat and told him he wasn't going to buy one of his boats, he was going to buy Three. Well if you've got it –spend it!! As a result of all that, this year the Global Championships for the TP 52 were held in the Mediterranean at Porto Cervo, Sardinia. It won’t be long before they come to Spain.
Time to get our feet back on the ground! Two of our new members, Debbie and Lyndon have been looking for a dinghy, they may have found just the thing –a "420". It's the best news I've had for some time. The 420 is a class we can build up, it a class that is raced at many Spanish Clubs, a boat you could bring over from the UK, a boat for young or old. I think the designer must have had a word with Tom Pollark because he kept it simple.
Do you want to go sailing? Come and talk to me Sunday mornings on Garrucha slipway.
Take Care
John Talliss
Tel : 950 475 157
Movil: 658 548 790
E-mail John@Sailrway.com
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