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Newbie here 😁 So I bought an IOM.. with a certificate (2018)… Expecting to jump through a few hoops…. Followed the online registration process… WOW… 2 hours after submitting request… a nice new Certificate hit my Inbox. Impressed? Oh yes I am. Many thanks to Jim La Roche. 👏👏

All good points, but they still need a paper copy at the finish line as a paper and pen can write the results down quicker when there are a bunch of boats finishing together.

The latest World Sailing Case book contains a new case Case 140 which covers an incident on the start line when 30.3 or 30.4 are in effect. However the wording of Appendix E 3.7 prevents radio sailing from applying the benefits covered in Case 140. I have written a summary of the situation attached, together with a solution which the regatta organiser may apply to fix the problem. John Appendix E3.7 and Case 140.pdf

It's a wrap. Envelopes opened, all points calculated and confirmed in the presence of 2 independent witnesses. Obviously most had BG in 1st position, except for one entry, guess who, followed by RW, CR and PS, not necessarily in that order I may add ,but Josh sort of spoilt that party. Thanks to everyone that participated in a bit of fun, we will do it again for the Worlds, top 10 though. RESULTS....... VICKY..........13 POINTS GRAHAM.....12 POINTS ANDREA......12 POINTS JIM L R.........11POINTS MICKYBOY....10 POINTS TRACEY.........10 POINTS HARRY............9 DARIN.............9 JOSH...............9 WALSHY..........9 BRAD...............9 PRESIDENT.....8 JIM E...............8 ROB Mc...........8 Tiger................8 1 spoilt paper. Well done Vicky, spend it wisely with any radio sailing manufacturer in the UK.

It was great to return to Greenock MYC after about 30 years, since my last visit. John Taylor and his American wife Sarah, came home from Florida for a family visit and planned it to coincide with the Scottish DF65 Championship weekend. john's sister Helen was also visiting. It was a pleasure to head north on the M6 and not have to battle with the queues at M62 & M56 junctions, then Stoke, Stafford, Walsall, and of course the M42 which always seems to be a constant circular traffic jam!! JT still has his apartment over looking the Clyde at Greenock kindly offered to host Maureen & I for the weekend, and we were made most welcome. The 5 of us enjoyed the hospitality of the "James Watt" local Wetherspoons on the Friday night, where we ate & drank and learned about the town from the photographs displayed within. John & I went off to the sailing on Sat morning to find a very blustery SW wind, which was A+ A or B rig strength depending which part of the lake you were in when the gusts blew through, or didn't!! Stepping inside the clubhouse, I saw several faces I recognised Gordon Rae, Gordon Allinson, Richard Rowan, Robert Rooney, and of course Hughie Shields whom I first met in 1963 at the Fleetwood Vane A Championship! Greenock MYC has had an influx of new members from the nearby Royal Gurrock Yacht Club who, having no sailing in the winter months, all initially bought DF65's and several have now moved on to IOM's. 16 boats took part including 6 visitors. 3 from Fleetwood JT, Paul Middleton and I and 3 from Belfast loch. Richard Rowan the RO for the weekend, set a testing course for our small boats, with 2 long WW/LW laps and a reach to finish. Most sailors opted for A+ rigs despite the strong gusts as the lulls were windless! JT stamped his authority on the race from the beginning winning the first 2 races, he was enjoying the "free air conditioning" after the stifling heat of Florida. He continued to dominate the event for the rest of the day and came out on top after 16 races were completed. At lunch time the club fed us with a hot plate of Scotch meat pie (very peppery) mash, beans & gravy with tea or coffee and biscuits to follow, provided by a lovely lady Mary who looks after the clubs scale boat section. Very welcome & all included in the £10 entry fee. For Sat night Simon Thompson the race organiser had booked a table at a local "hungry horse" pub where several of us gathered. I went chatting to the Irish sailors & discovered that one of them a friend of Peter Baldwin, is an International Race Officer. Better be on my best behaviour tomorrow! Sunday dawned and a flat calm at 9.00 am for the second event which was a separate open DF65 race, with a few less competitors. By the start time of 10am there was a ripple on the water but it was constantly changing direction. However, Richard set a 2 lap WW/LW course and racing started. The race team pushed us hard and by lunch we had completed 10 races. Lunch on Sunday was a choice of 2 soups, assorted sandwiches, cakes and tea or coffee, again included in the £10 race fee. At lunch Richard suggested that after we reached 16 races we could stop for the day before the forecast rain arrived. The Irish lads and I agreed, they could get an earlier ferry and we could be home earlier, so we completed the last 6 races by 2.15 and on our way home by 3pm. Many thanks to Greenock MYC Derek & Maureen Priestley.

There’s certainly something Australian about the pictures…

Results

Derek, Just an update from the IOM Registrar. It seems this IOM was originally yours. I have found an old photo of the boat sailing with your personal number on the sails (67). It must have been sometime after 1996. The registrar mentions below.... Hull 1667 is on the register as a Paracite named Para+, according to the register Derek was the original owner, first measured by A Kissick 23/05/1996. It was last owned by Iain Ferguson from 03/2008. JT

After a cracking weekend of Vane sailing we got ourselves back into the workshop on Monday to make some improvements to a few existing designs after some great feedback from customers, and also finalising some new products. Our aim is to create a one-stop-shop for all your component needs and bit by bit we are getting there. The main "Improvement" we have made this week is to our printed Clew Fitting . The older design could be over tightened to prevent it moving on the spar, but now it will snug up tight without needing the bolt that holds the clew of the sail to be too tight. Another item we revised was the Proteus mast heel. A very small change here to help the heel account for mast rake. On the "New" product side we have pulled out an Adjustable Fairlead design from our archives and, after some tweaking, made it available in the shop. Then we created a mast heel for the Vickers mast step. Thank you to that regular customer of our that pushed me to do this, you know who you are. Finally we have had added a z-hook and jib boom counterweights to our shop. We do not manufacture these ourselves, but we buy them in and resell them with a small markup. It's all about making everything available in one place. Thank you to all those Customers who visited our shop this week, whether you browsed, purchased or left us a review, we greatly appreciate your interest and custom. Next week we hope to bring you some good news on a new winch drum that we are working on. Keep watching, a number of you have asked us to do this, I only hope we can satisfy your wishes. Have a great weekend everyone. Regards Wayne

Last weekend, 52 skippers from all over America and beyond gathered in Hobe Sound, Florida. The regatta was set for four days, with sunny weather and temperatures in the 70s, although the breeze was a bit light and variable. We had four fleets and managed to complete 18 rounds of racing by the end of the event. There was a nice mix of IOM designs on display, including two wooden boats: my own 'Gillette' and a beautifully crafted 'Alternative.' One thing, I want to share is that sometimes, unexpected scenarios happen during a race that skippers can’t control. The top skippers seem to find a way to navigate those fine margins to achieve success, a quality I am missing. A big shoutout to Peter Feldman, who raced consistently throughout the regatta and took home the win! When I chatted with Peter, he mentioned he’s aiming to compete in the UK Championship this April. As for me, I’ll be heading back to the UK soon and I’m looking forward to racing with friends, both in the championship and the West Lancashire Ranking race in March. Those who follow You Tube, will know there is a lot of video footage of the regatta online provided by Dan Shier, so I invite you to browse at your leisure. Regards JT Gillette Alternative Alioth Version 4 K2 Proteus Solaris / Polaris V12 Venti VISS Skippers

Hi Richard, (I believe,in no official capacity), that as both the FRA and CRO proposals on differing kicker/vang restrictions were not passed, that the rules are as read prior to an emergency 2024 change that was not IRSA ratified. While it may have initially passed at events (by some measurers), there are equally a number of measurers around the world,(including myself), concerned that without genuine area restriction, that the kicker/vang may not be in line with a closed class rule set. Precedents and previous rule changes/banning of equipment due to size would support this. The recent IOMICA voting reflected the divided opinion on just how big a kicker/vang can be before it is considered larger than its purpose. I expect the freshly elected IOMICA Technical Officer will have this issue at the top of his to do list leading into the big events this year. Until that happens, the class has not officially ruled either way on the kicker/vang legality as an official class interpretation was never sought or given. In the meantime, as suggested above, both your supplier and MYA Technical official will no doubt keep you and others in the same position up to speed should any change be needed. Cheers Brad

It can be useful to set your failsafe to a slight turn, and sails mid way out, in case of loss of signal due to range, it may then sail back into range 😊

That Jim for you. A diamond (in the rough)

TIME TO REVIVE THE CHAMPION’S CUP? Back in the 1970’s David Hollom, donated the “Champions Cup” for competition amongst the class Champions in Radio sailing. . Invitations were initially extended to all National & District Champions and later when the Ranking lists were introduced ther were used to select the invitees. The event held over 2 days with day 1, 2 boat Match racing, and day 2 fleet racing and the scores combined to find the winner. Initially the Marblehead was used successfully for many years, and later the event was sailed in the IOM class. Interest from sailors fell away, and the event has not been held for several years. Readers of the Yachts & Yachting website will have seen the report of the recently held Endeavour Trophy, (Champion of Champions) in the Dinghy world. This annual invitation only event was held as usual at the Burnham on Crouch YC and for the first time for several years, all boats were supplied and were all the same Melges 15 Dinghys. None of the Champion entrants had the chance to sail the boats before the Friday of the event. It occurred to me that we in the radio sailing world could attempt to revive our “Champions Cup” by adapting a similar approach using one of our “out of the box” classes, Laser, DF95 or the new up coming IOM “Mint” from Joysway. So is now the time to bring this once very popular event back?

The CRYA IOM Class Championship regatta was just held at the Saltspring Island Sailing Club (SISC) on Sal Spring Island, on the west coast of British Columbia. links to photos and youtube videos of the races may be seen on the West Coast Radio Sailing Club web site https://westcoastradiosailing.ca/ There was a regatta within the regatta for a fleet of 'woodies'. Enjoy! John

Put a small triangle/ half circle of deck patch over the front of the pulley to allow the sheet to ride over the top.

Hi Simon Never used LiPo batteries are did not like the risk while charging plus the checking of discharge level! Went straight from NiMh to LiFePO4. I have found that 1000mah battery gives me between 2 to 3 hours sailing in anything except top end of rig sailing conditions. For the sake of peace of mind when racing I usually swap the battery out at 2 hours. Did contemplate obtaining a 1600mah Life to ensure a mornings sailing without concerns. I am either using a RMG or Hitech monster power arm winch and it does not appear to make any difference to duty cycle. Not had any issues with winch performance (speed or power). Happy with my choice. Regards Eric

I think you are being wound up! No more tricky than any other 6M.... Like any R/C yacht, your starting point is pretty standard. Check she floats on her lines, in particular, the stern just clear of the waterplane. Check the bulb has around 1 degree of nose-up tilt, the 6 doesn't need more. Set the mast perpendicular to the deck, that is, around 1 degree aft rake with respect to the waterplane. Then make sure the mast can rake from there, around 2 degrees forward and around 6 degrees aft (ie there is enough adjustment in jib stay and backstay and no fouling of the booms with deck fittings). Set jib pivot point at around 22.5% of foot (ie between 20% and 25%). Adjust the sheeting radius for the jib so the jib and main booms are parallel when they reach 45 degrees. For beating, sheet the main boom to 3 or 4 degrees, the jib to 12 or 13 degrees. For running, check the gooseneck axis tilts the main boom down and tightens the leech. Set around 6% camber in the foot of the jib, 8% in the main. Set main twist so that the top batten is around 15 degrees off the main boom, jib twist around 10 degrees off the jib boom. I've not yet found shrouds and spreaders to be important in first setup, except to check that they can be adjusted to ensure control of mid-mast bend as the backstay is eased or tightened. Go sailing and balance the boat to taste with mast rake. Be patient before deciding on the amount of helm, the 6 takes a little while to get up to speed, and while getting there does not like to be sheeted full in. You'll then be ready to fine tune. Good luck!

Can't help with the ID, but pretty sure the rudder is on backwards - pivot point needs to be forward of the centreline (actually ahead of the centre of pressure). If it isn't then the hydrodynamic forces will be trying to increase the rudder angle rather than reduce it. The servo would certainly hold it but any slop in the linkage would cause the boat to be very difficult to steer in a straight line.

Hi Andy, 40lb single strand wire is what i have used on all of my boats. Same Malin Stainless steel leader wire brand i use for shrouds and backstay. The issue with dyneema and before that dacron on leech lines is the amount of stretch under load making minute adjustments difficult and any setting moving under different wind conditions. Near imposible to get repeat consistent adjustments. Just loop ithe wire at the top over the hook that goes into the mast and put a loop in approx 100mm above the jib boom that leaves enough room for a dyneema and bowsie adjuster at the bottom. Cheers Brad

The rules say: (IRSA Supplementary Class Rules - https://radiosailing.org/download/irsa-supplementary-class-rules-2020-4/ C.11 IDENTIFICATION ON SAILS C.11.1 A boat shall display: (a) her class insignia and (b) a sail number on all sails and (c) national letters on her mainsail as required by C.12.1. C.11.2 National letters and sail numbers shall be in capital letters and Arabic numerals, clearly legible and of the same colour. The colour shall contrast with the colour of the body of sail. Commercially available typefaces giving the same or better legibility than Helvetica are acceptable. Digital fonts are not acceptable. I know it's easy to criticise and I'm more aware than most how hard it is to write good rules but the above are a beautiful example of how not to do it. Firstly Google Arabic numerals and see what you get! Secondly, "typefaces giving the same or better legibility than Helvetica ..." is entirely subjective; and thirdly what on earth is a " digital font" in this context? I recently acquired a vinyl cutter and was trying to find out which variation of the figure four I should use. The Racing Rules of Sailing (G1.2 a (4)) say " a sans serif typeface" so I'm none the wiser.

I've sent you a PM

To avoid trying to hold a ruler or tape measure steady in just the right place - and not yet having the experience to tune only by eye n intuition! - I've created this 3d-printable gizzmo for more easily making repeatable rig measurements: On circular booms ~5-11mm dia., for measuring foot depth (e.g. IOM/DF95/DF65). Against the mast, to measure gap to jib boom ("3 fingers" is a subjective measurement!) Against the backstay, to measure leech twist. Measurements can be taken between inside-edge(s) if you prefer, or the V underside allows for measuring from the centreline regardless of spar diameter. (Just add/subtract radius if necessary). Happy to hear any ideas for improvements. A variation to sit on SAILSetc rectangular boom could certainly be done - the relative dimensions just don't allow a one-fits-all. The g-code file is offered for free, but please don't make/sell for profit. If you find it useful then a modest donation to https://prostatecanceruk.org/ would be kind.

IntroductionFirstly, we must express our gratitude to the MYA for providing us with our own Forum space to support our business. The MYA makes significant contribution to all stakeholders in Radio and Free Sailing, and we are sincerely appreciative of their support. Thank You to Our CustomersWe would also like to extend our thanks to everyone who has chosen to become a customer of Cat Components. Your continued support and the positive feedback you share are genuinely valued and greatly appreciated. Our BackgroundCat Components was established in 2025 after Nigel Brown of Catsails and I began working together to address several rig component challenges we were facing. It soon became clear that these issues were not unique to us, as many others we spoke to were experiencing similar difficulties. Initially, we promoted our products via Catsails.co.uk and towards the end of 2025 we made the decision to launch a separate online store for components and additional 3D printed products, CatComponents.co.uk . This allowed Catsails to continue to focus on the sails and accessories which it has successfully supplied for many years. Product Development and Customer EngagementOur range of products is continually growing, and we actively welcome input from both current and prospective customers. Whether you have suggestions for improvements or ideas for new products, we encourage you to get in touch with us at info@catcomponents.co.uk . We are eager to hear your thoughts and recommendations. We are committed to serving the UK and international Radio and Free Sailing community for many years to come.

I thought woodies had Andy written on the left boot. Planking always looks good.

Older IOM in working condition. Two good rigs. This boat won’t win you a championship but it will get you on the water. Available in Fordingbridge, New Forest at a giveaway price of £195. Contact me on formula2.4ltd@gmail.com. Steve Bullmore

Hi I'm a novice and sail/race twice a week with Kinghorn Fife Club. We race twice a week are their clubs in Yorkshire Lancashire that do the same? Thinking of moving South in next couple of years.

There are a lot of carbon Marbleheads around that are not having problems, my Marblehead aerial pair are just under some deck patch material at deck level, and I don't have a problem. The 2.4Ghz doesn't really like going through anything, including water and people. Stand with 5 other sailors between your TX and the boat and you may get a problem. Don't forget that for maximum signal ideally your tx aerial and rx aerial should be parallel, i.e. don't "point" your tx aerial at the boat. With respect to distance I have recently been sailing a DF65 on a large lake at 350m away, and with model aircraft much further away.

For those looking at this when you buy your carbon tube a number of suppliers will sell matt or gloss finish, the gloss is exactly the same tube as the matt with a gloss coating on top so is oversized, if you want a reasonble fit buy the matt and make sure both diameters come from the same supplier, makes life easier and whilst it is very small, uneven sanding could make a difference to the bend characteristics of the mast

Hi all, After attending the AGM and jumble sale, I came away feeling quite disappointed. The MYA make a huge effort to organise this every year, and the traders dutifully turn up with their goodies to show and sell. There were some amazing bargains on offer from brand new boats to RMG winches at half price. Yet the members that did turn up were only interested in parting with a pound or two here and there. Personally this has cost us two days out of our production facility, and £200 in accommodation and fuel. I know others went to huge effort to bring their boats and rigs to the event with nothing to show for it. Another disappointment was observing members turning up, having a Quick Look round, then sitting down to eat the free lunch, and leaving while the jumble sale was still in full swing, not bothering to stay for the AGM. I personally didn’t eat as by the time I had finished and packed up, most of the food had gone. I always like to support the MYA AGM, and another observation was that most of the members in attendance were the regulars that you see every year. This brings me to these questions: Do we need a jumble sale or trade show at the AGM if it’s attended by pretty much the same members each year ? Should the AGM and jumble sale be in an area where some of the bargains to be had might be more appreciated . Should it be in a more central location, like it used to be. Your thoughts please. Nigel Brown.

You can use Afleet for the series as well. Create a new "event" for the series and insert the individual overall results for each round of the series. Change your discards as you require....

Hi Eric. You are correct. We are finalising that at the moment and should be able to share a price in the next day or two.

The Vintage Model Yacht Group are a good source of help and information on old models. You could try emailing the Secretary at vmyg.secretary@btinternet.com or the Chairman at Martinbandey@aol.com

Great rig measurements doc arrived via email from red ant, and much better that version 1, clearer explanation. See if it goes any better…..

Buy a BritPOP! 🤣

My phone is android and the picture hanging feature is in a 'toolbag' app that came with the phone. Must be many similar apps readily available.

I have a picture hanging function on my phone - does the same thing as a lazer level.

Hi John, Not sure why they move it but its in two places now, one for all content and the other is for individual forums.

As an add on to the above, I had an email from Tim at Benson Kites re Skyshark tubing in longer lengths to try to make masts in one piece. his reply is below for anyone interested. Dont know if these tubes are usable on an RG65, or maybe to thick......... Hi Andy, the longest I have is some old (used) Sky Shark 8P at 94cm, they're not pretty but structurally still sound. The 8P were made specially for the Airbow kite and are extra stiff. You can make them look nicer by sanding them in a drill with wet and dry paper. Postage is £10.00 The rods will be £7.50 each...

Hi, I am treasurer for a Model Flying Club and the account is with TSB, and it is currently free. However ....... I understand that Santander is taking over TSB so I might suffer the same fate.

My thoughts are that In light airs you need more twist in the main, so to get the majority of the sail back to where it normally sits the boom must be sheeted in more.

IMHO, boat speed is your friend in light airs and I adopt your "if in doubt let it out" principle

Make up your weights and securely wrap in deck patch material sealing with bow-bumper glue.

Could it be a VENOM? An Australian design from 2005 ish?

Most that I've seen these days is a hole in the front of the mast, and a stainless hook with an eye. Eye usually perpendicular to the hook, crimp shrouds to the hook, hook placed in hole in mast. Simple, easy to replace shrouds when needed. Deffo my preferred method

It was over at Adelaide for the SA IOM and Ozzie ION Nats Mar 2024, Red Ant Yachts had a great setup with a large digital countdown display great for us def skippers.

It does seem that the latest DF digital servos are prone to this problem and I suspect that it is a fundamental design issue. It is probably still worth trying a few things to confirm. Try the winch in a different channel on your Rx Try your winch on a different Rx Try a different Tx Try a different battery and leads I suspect that none of these will make any difference. If so then there is not a lot you can do My guess (and it is only a guess) is that the control algorithm has been too highly tuned for maximum performance (speed / position accuracy). Whilst it works well when the winch is new, if the electrical / mechanical properties change over time then control accuracy can degrade. I wonder if a new version will be released or perhaps even a software upgrade will become available.

I’ve checked my Cedar Club and I think my dimensions are even wider than yours so perhaps my guess was wrong. My (roughly measured) max beam is 250mm and the transom closer to 130mm. also the tumble (deck flange rounding) is a larger radius on my hull than your photos suggest, so perhaps another clue that it’s not the same design. good luck finding a match.

Looks like a Paul Lucas cedar club circa 1990s? to me. I recall a carbon Kevlar version was available but I only had the glass fibre hull mould, so I’m not sure if the carbon Kevlar had that weave or not..