Derek Priestley

Hi Wayne I have a Clem Edwards vane on my Clem Edwards Marblehead which I'll gladly lend to you to copy. I'll take it to WLYC for the 1st DF TT weekend and give it to Nigel if you're not there. Hope that helps D

Allocation of places. Guys, I've just looked at the website for these Worlds, and adding up the total list of names it comes to only 64 of the permitted total of 78. This includes a large number of FRA entries looking for a place at "Stage 4" of the process. 2 of us, Olly Murray & I are very reluctant to start booking ferries and accommodation until we are notified that we have a place which may be in Feb less than 3 months from the event. This sort of thing happens at almost every international event. So, is there anything which can be done to make the process smoother and easier for the competitors? Derek.

Yes a great read. We have a member at Fleetwood who has just finished one and it raced for the first time last sat showing very good speed.

ME!!!!!

WOW how slow is that?? But of course in those days we knew no better and we were most grateful to DA for providing those small, light and reliable winches! But compare to today when we look for full travel in less than 1 second in order to do ZIP gybes!! ? Progress eh? Derek P

Had a great days challenging racing for IOM's at Birkenhead's annual "Santa Dash" IOM event. And a Dash it was at times! with the wind blowing straight down the lake and very shifty. Sometimes it was very light then it was nose diving conditions, but we had 16 good 2 lap races between 10 & 3 with 2 coffee stops and a lunch break. many thanks to all at Birkenhead for a great day. Next up is Fleetwood's annual Twixmas regatta. held over 2 days sat 28th & Sun 29th December (to blow the Xmas cobwebs away). DF95's on Sat & IOM's on Sunday. Some folks were saying yesterday that they couldn't find the entry details? Well, they're on the MYA website as usual. here's the link to help you. https://www.mya-uk.org.uk/events/#events/event-details/6544e4793c0e0f002888453e/mya-os-no-pay/6544e4793c0e0f002888453e/ Look forward to seeing you Merry Christmas to all Derek P.

A great day at the AGM yesterday, lovely to meet and chat with old friends. A GREAT BIG THANKYOU to all the traders who came, and all those who organised the day. It was almost as good as a day's racing!! Derek.

Hi Darin, I'm considering it as I see that this is the 20th running of the Marblehead WC, and I & J.C. were at the first at Gosport in 1975!!! I've kind of had permission from AM. and I think that nice Mr holiday offered me a boat, so I could be on the ferry ranking points permitting!! Haven't yet looked at accommodation.

Yes!!

IOM RANKING 3 & 4 Fleetwood 13 & 14 July. We already have 40 competitors entered for our mid summer IOM ranking weekend which is special for 2 reasons. 1 It ‘s John Taylor’s retirement celebration weekend, and we’re planning a barbeque for everyone attending on the Sat night. All food is provided and we’ll have a few beers on ice, but if you’re planning to make a night of it (and why wouldn’t you!) please bring your own drinks. 2 BG sails have announced that they will be providing a few goodies to encourage those with “older boats” to come and enjoy the weekend and have something extra to race for. Full story below. BG Sails and Design In our continued support of all levels of radio sailing, there will be prizes at the upcoming IOM Ranking weekend held at Fleetwood for both Retro design and Home Build winners. Winners in each category will be awarded on the best placed combined total scores over both days racing. - Retro design eligibility will be any boat built and registered prior to 1st January 2010 - Home Builds will be any boat built and registered in the name of the skipper competing that is not a commercial supplier. Dependent on numbers in each catagory further prizes may be added. So if you have a Widget, Gadget, Lintel, Topico, Isotonic, TS2, Obsession, Pikanto, Stealth, Ikon, Gadget, Arrival, Robot or any pre 2010 design, or a Home Build of any age or design that is your own handywork, get your entry in. Entry can be made at the links below Saturday 13th July https://www.mya-uk.org.uk/events/... Sunday 14th July https://www.mya-uk.org.uk/events/... See you at Fleetwood! So with this kind offer from BG Sails and all the usual Fleetwood extra prizes and fun, can you afford to miss this weekend racing with and against the top IOM sailors from GBR!!? Get your entries in. See you on the start line!

Just a quick thankyou to all at the Dartmoor MBC who hosted us at the 6m Nationals. Whilst the TP52 (with Dave Hollom designed modified keel) was pounding the waves around the IOW, our 6m's were getting flattened on Dartmoor!! BUT we were made very welcome by all the sailing members of the Dartmoor Mode Boat Club, who have acheived great things at their "pond on the hill". They are to be congratulated for their enterprize and hard work in jetty building, clubhouse, toilets, raised sailing platform, and of course thanks to the ladies for the hot drinks, cream tea on sat and bacon rolls on Sunday morning, all done on a primus stove!!! This was my 3rd visit to Dartmoor, each one as enjoyable as the one before. If you get a chance to go and race there I wholehartedly reccomend you go. Thanks again Kieth and all your members.

So 30 of us went and raced Marbleheads at Datchet for the weekend. The standard varied widely and is reflected in the scores & positions. The conditions were very difficult in the extreme and posed several problems for the race team, when we had to move courses and back due to the changes in wind direction. Conventional rigs were used by all except Peter Stollery on Sat but all boats used swing rigs on Sunday in the lighter winds. As for me, I spectacularly failed to acheive my goal of being in the top 10 (finishing 15th) and now back home reflecting on the weekend I probably over estimated my abilities. But having said that I very much enjoyed the weekend and enjoyed talking to everyone & reminissing with many about the Radio Marblehead Championship. Long may it continue!! (buy probably without me!!)

Really looking forward to the 50th anniversary of our weekend at Elstead Moat back in September 1974!! Back then I was sailing a 23lb Dick Priest "Bewitched" vane M, with a large square hole cut in the deck with a sail winch of a screwed rod with a traveller and micro switches to limit the number of turns that the drum rotated! Very hit & miss. Finished 12th out of 26. This year I have very kindly been lent a Grunge, by my good friend JC. Can I make single figures?? Watch this space!

Is the piece of cake to eat whilst you're removing the numbers?

Stephen B There are lots of events to travel to I'm going to loads. Ask my wife!! A Few are......... Calssic & Vintage F/S Marbleheads Fleetwood 50th Anniversary Radio Marblehead Championship Datchet 6m Nationals Dartmoor F/S A Practise weekend Fleetwood RG 65 TT Bournville IOM Ranking Fleetwood df95 Nationals Keighley F/S A Nationals week Fleetwood 6M ND Championship Fleetwood That take us up to September!

Just a quick note of BEST WISHES to all our df65 sailors, Paul Middleton 06 Dave Burke 30 Tushy 51 Dave Adams 56 J L R 57 John Brierley 84 David Coode 87 Mark Payne 128 Simon Fairman 666 (Spoonsy) And not forgetting Babycham Dave NZL23 !! who are travelling to Sweden over the coming days. All the very best of luck & sucess to you all. Derek P

It would certainly fit within the class but I'm afraid it would be a bit "outclassed" by todays modern flying machines!

Just got home from Poole and AM & I have had eggs on toast for breakfast!! I'd like to echo Darins thanks to everyone at Poole, from Peter & Lesley Wiles to Patsy & the gang who made the tea & cakes. So, as Darin says that's it for 2024, except it's not as there are 2 ranking weekends, Fleetwood in July (Entries open) & Chelmsford in September. Look forward to seening you there. P.S. Peter W........... time for a cup of tea and a custard cream or 2!!

Hi Lester, I remember it well!! 2 weeks of vane World Championship (M & A) at Fleetwood followed, after a day off, by a week at Gosport. 3 glorious weeks of sailing!!

I realised a few weeks ago that its 50 years this year since RADIOSAILING began in earnest within the MYA. Yes I know that there were radio A class racing at Poole Gosport and YM5mOA (Hampton Court RYC to you new commers!) , but by early 1970's people were starting to put radio equipment into Marbleheads and there was an explosion of radio marblehead racing around the country. Recognising this development, the MYA and the Guildford MYC organised, in 1974, the the first Radio Marblehead National Championship. This is an anniversary worth celebrating, and I urge all radio Marblehead sailors young & old with aincient and modern boats to join us at this years event at Datchet RSC over the weekend of the 1st & 2nd of June. There were 4 people present at the first Champs who are still racing today. John Cleave, Roger Stollery, Peter Stollery, and myself. Peter Stollery I hear you cry, surely he's much too young!! Well yes he is, but nevertheless, he was there, in his pram with his mum!! So why not come & see us, we can regail you with stories about how my Marblehead (a Bewitched) design weighed double (26lbs) the weight of the winning (Teacher's Pet) design at 13lbs. probably why David Waugh won, & I was a lowly 12th!!

Or you're sailing "by the lee" and need to gybe?

2 pieces of plastic & a soldering iron makes the shape Tape &eylet the corners and your done!!

Not quite the same thing................ but, back in the late 1970's we hels a 24hour radiosailing event using radio Marbleheads. The event was organised be the Ashton Park MYC Manchester. It was an endurance event (rather like WLYC event for dinghys) and you had to complete as many laps of the cource as possible in 24 hours. 1 boat with up to 3 sailors was the team. The event was wone by the local club members 2 Barry's Jackson & Axon. It was held at a rether inclement time of the year....early November. We had Fog, Rain, Sleet, BUT very little wind!! In later years, we held the event at Fleetwood over the longest day weekend ...........much better. Perhaps we should revive the event??

Hi Simon, This was David Creed's 2nd IOM design, he did around 1986/7. We still have one at Fleetwood which competes fairly well with a small handicap start od 60secs in a 10 minute race.

Just read the report by Nigel Barrow about the "Have a go" stand of DF65 yachts is a pool with fans at the RYA Dinghy show this weekend. With R/C Yachts unable to attend this year, Datchet club took on the challenge of providing sailing for the attendees at the show and managed to get some 700 people "having a go" Well done Datchet! Fantastic publicity for our sport!!