Derek Priestley

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!!

Shaun has explained perfectly about setting up the Laser sail. Oversheeting upwind is your enemy!! after sailing / racing R/C Lasers for about 20 years and being luckyy enough to win 2 Nationals, I still find setting the sail mto get a nice curve in the leech a bit of a dark art!! BUT is a fleet of about 15 they are a great challenge. Also they're almost unbreakable, so great value for money!! Enjoy your Laser.

Sorry Derek, Of course your Trimaran should have been included in my list of unusual boats on offer at the trade show. I sincerely hope that you find, or have found, someone to enjoy it. Congratulations once again to Solent MYC for winning the MYA League "Step Up" trophy for the most improved club in 2024. My son & I paid a visit on Boxing day morning to see the annual RLYC kids model yacht race. there was very little wind unfortunately, but it was most interesting to see all the different designs & builds that were attempting the challenge. Saw a few famous faces from Yachting Royalty!! Took me back to the 70's when I was there with Dave Hollom racing Ashanti Marbleheads with JC, Tim Fuller, David Wargh and Bob Jefferies. Happy Memories.!

A585 Windy Harbour to Skippool Those who regularly travel to sail at Fleetwood will finally say goodbye to the extensive roadworks on the A585 (Skippool) in 2 weeks as the long under construction Singleton bypass is finally opening on 18th Dec. Hopefully this will ease the 12 mile journey from the M55 J3 to Fleetwood MYC! Merry Christmas!

There were many bargains to be had at yesterdays trade show & boat jumble. From fully finished IOM lightweight A rig jib booms for £25 to a Britpop with 3 rigs for £600. A gentleman was making room in his garage and had 4 IOM's for sale at bargain prices and there was an triple crown with rigs in a rig box for offers which ended up being free to a good home!! There were 3 tables with assorted parts & fittings and assorted sails for various classes, and various hill, fin & rudder parts. If you need a new fin for your 6m or A you could have bought one! In addition to all this PJ sails &Potter Soloutions were there doing brisk buisness and Alioth 3D printed IOM's were there chatting to everyone. There was a gentleman with a "LOOS" type shroud tension gauge for £30, and John Tush talking about DF rig set up, followed by Bill Green answering questions about RMG winches. All in all a great morning. If you could have been there you missed a treat. many thanks to all the traders & "Boat Jumblers" who came. Derek

Stollery Daredevil?? Witty Typhoon ??

That boat dosen't need any restoring!!!!!!!!!!!!! It just needs sailing!! And....................... where better than Fleetwood MYC's Classic & Vintage Marblehead regatta May 2024!! See you there David Lindsay!

And there's to opportunity to see the various annual MYA Awards being presented, and to congratulate the winners!

On the subject of OPEN Events ...............................The entries have just opened for the Fleetwood Twixman DF95 & IOM OPEN events. Festive fun in the sun!!! First entry already in from an Eastbourne member. All are welcome! Merry Christmas. Derek

Hi Dorian, I have a simple solution to this. As you cross the line, KEEP SAILING !! so that there is no possibility of any problems. I've lost count of the number of events when I've had my head in my hands at the finish line with problems caused by boats bearing away and sailing back through the fleet ! So keep sailing!! Derek

Entries have now hit 30!!!!!!!!!!!!! Last chance if you want to be with us. Closing at midnight TONIGHT!!

Entries now up to 24 with still 4 more promised!! Can we make it 30!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 2 days until closing 9days until event starts. Come on and enter.........you know you want to!!!!!

Entries for this event have now reached 20 with several more promised. The closing date on the NOR is Fri 22nd September at 2359hrs.................... so please DO IT TODAY you know you want to be there!!!!

We went & we did 24 races and it was a great weekend. Thanks to all at Weecher Radio sailing club. special thanks to Phil holiday for the loan of an F6 marblehead allowing me to take part. On to the Radio A class at Gosport in 2 weeks!!

“A” CLASS CENTENARY RADIO A NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP GOSPORT 29/30 SEPTEMBER. We’ve had a great year celebrating the Centenary of the founding of the International A Class (Model Yacht racing’s 1st International class) and coming up next is the National Championship for Radio A Class, taking place at Gosport over the weekend 20 Sept & 1 Oct. The full NOR and entry form is on the MYA website and a copy will also be found on the Gosport MY&BC website. There are already 15 entries on the Gosport website list and several more are in the pipeline, so it’s looking like a great weekend’s get together for A class sailors. There’s evening dinner for all at the Lakeside restaurant, where we can re live the days racing.........or forget about it!! For anyone who is not an A class owner, I believe it may be possible to charter a boat from Gosport or Hampton Court MYC as both clubs have several in their clubhouses. I am your PRO for the event and I can promise you sunshine, blue skies, and a beautiful 10 knot wind straight down the Cockle Pond. What more could you ask? So, why not come & join in this once in a lifetime unique event. I look forward to seeing you at Gosport. Derek Priestley

Well done Simon!!

In my long experience as RO for many championships, the fleet will soon tell you, verbally and by demonstration, whether your start line is correct or not. If you have 24 IOM's evenly spread along a 36mtr long line it can be considered correct!! even though it may not be tangential or perpendicular !!

sorry that should be pleasant!!

"We are involved with an often pleasant hobby which is a group of friends playing with model boats." How true!! Sometimes a plesant couple of hours with friends is spoilt by someone who thinks we are racing for the Crown Jewels!!!