Report from UK

 Paul hasn't got a 'clew' what he's looking at here!

Paul Goodison, Saskia Clark, Stuart Bithel and Adam May at the Dinghy Show

Gold medallist and Laser World Champion Paul Goodison and 470 world No.2 crew Stuart Bithel had both been previously expressing serious interest in the 'A' Class, particularly after Finn champion Giles Scott started sailing one recently.  So, at the 2012 London Dinghy Show, together with Ladies 470 medal winner Saskia Clark,  they seized the opportunity to get a serious close up look at one of these thoroughbred racing machines. Both were very taken with the simplicity for the controls and the mere 75kg all up weight and moves are afoot to get them on board.  

However, it was pointed out by 'A' class sailor, former Olympic Tornado and now Artemis America's Cup design team member Adam May, that it was our patriotic duty to prevent them from doing so before July, saying that once sailed, they would never want to get back into their old boats ever again!

Gordon Upton

British A Class Catamaran Assn


It would be great if we could attract these guys to the A-Class!. The UK is in aboslute numbers the number 1 country in the World. It might be the breakthrough for the A-class in the UK. Well done BACA!

DNA's in Seahorse magazine

3 DNA's in the latest Seahorse Magazine! Cool promotion for the A class we think .

Very cool looking pics of Nathan , Glenn and Stevie during the aussie nationals last january.

Good words also in the interview with James Spithill about AC34 and A class sailing .

Ronstan US midwinter championship

DNA's doing well in Ronstan US midwinter championship

Ben Moon, Bruce Mahony and Bob Hodges finished 1,2,3 in the 28 boat fleet in Florida

Not much of an report yet , we are waiting for some more info .

results at :

https://www.regattatech.com/events/DIYC/AClass12/scoring/showResultsRoster

Cat in the Olympics

Many polls on the internet to see what boat should be selected or what boat will be selected.

From a sailors point of view the Viper, the Nacra 17 and the Tornado are worthy candidates.

The Tornado does not really suit ISAF's criteria but should not be overlooked, The Viper has proven itself over the last 2 years and the Nacra 17  fills a gap with its curved boards.

It is interesting to see that manufacturers like NACRA ad AHPC push their boats for the Olympic bid. I fail to see how they think they will benefit from becoming an Olympic class. The new Olympic class will be a micro class with just a few topsailors  which will eventually drive all clubsailors out of the class.

The Viper class does pretty well on its own and will probably grow bigger without Olympic Status.

The Nacra 17 is aimed at a mixed crew, so I expect her design crew weight to be under that of an F18. If it becomes Olympic it will hurt the F18 less than some would expect as it is not meant to be an alternative for the F18.

Unfortunately catsailors have not the last vote about 'their' Olympic cat. The mixed in mixed multihull is silly as it is, but predicting what boat it will be asks for some advanced 'Kremlin watching'.

As multihull community we are still overlooked by the ISAF as the ISAF is dominated by countries (MNA's as they are called) who have invested in the more traditional classes. ISAF did a good job with the 49'er and a women's skiff is another step but ISAF should have become more high performance oriented and have either selected Multihull open or both a men's boat and a women' boat (I prefer open).

The Tornado has been bashed within the ISAF for the wrong reasons, it was an expensive boat but one should look at the cost of a complete campaign and the T's were durable and up to their task.

I hope that the Viper is not selected and that F16 class embraces its simplicity (and its minimum weight). An F16 class with an 130 kg limit will be thriving and attract many new manufacturers. There is room for such a class and I hope the class will blossom. As catamaran community we will grow due to the new sailors we attract of which many will be yougnsters.

Selecting the T, will hurt no existing class, but it will not attract many new sailors to catsailing either.

The Nacra 17 as Olympic class might wake up the F18 class, which may not longer be considered a box rule class. Too many silly restriction as we saw on the sailcloth gate and silly things as minimum weight for complete rudders.

I think that the F18 should allow curved boards else it might become obsolete as so many standard classes before. It's minimum weight should not drop too much. It is great that both the Viper and the F18 can be durable boats built in low cost materials. Carbon F16's and F18's would cost over 30.000 euros which will introduce a pretty steep entry barrier for new sailors.

There is a realistic chance that either the Hobie 16 or Hobie Tiger will be selected. This will not hurt us as a community but will make Olympic sailing hardly relevant for us. As said before, we get more excited about the America's cup and much less about Olympic sailing. We should not forget though that many of our cat heroes did do Olympic campaigns (Bundock, Ashby, Outerridge, Slingsby, Lange, etc).

As beach cat community we are pretty small compared to the windsurf community and the kiteboard community. I hope that we can  attracct many new sailors to our sport by offering them interesting classes and exciting boats. (F18, F16, A-class). 

As A-class we might profit from the turmoil in F18 and F16 class in the short run but in the long run we need those classes as well to be a blossomming community.

ISAF does little to popularize our sport and does not really promote high perfomance sailing. I hope that the AC can attract a big audience and that the (youngs) viewers will find their way to beach cats.

Two years Advanced Racing Catamarans

December 2009 PJ and I started Advanced Racing Catamarans. Easter 2010 we introduced the DNA in Cesenatico. This Easter we will have sold and delivered DNA number 100. We are doing 50 boats a year now and are very happy with the support we got from so many sailors. Our aim was to make a competive A-cat available within the A-cat community and to attract new sailors to that community.

We succeeded with the first part but I think that we can and should attract more new sailors.

The pro sailors have discovered us now, but apart from some Moth sailors we do not attract many from other classes. We do think that the A-cat is the ideal boat for many others. It is a simple boat, very refined and suitable for both the pro and the middle aged clubracer.

People who sail a Finn or Laser could sail an A-cat as well. It is even suitable for the sporty yachty who spends now a fortune on his boat and crew while he could have more fun with less effort on a DNA. Perhaps we should tell others more about our love for the A-cat and its wonderful simplicity.

The latter both in rigging the boat and sailing it. We hear that people are afraid that they will not be very competitive but what we see is that a good helsman becomes competitive pretty quickly. You do not have to be James Spithill or Dean Barker to sail an A-cat smoothly. 

As a company we want it to make easier for sailors to buy ready to play boats, that's why we will start making our own masts and will offer trailers as well.

As a company our aim is to sell at least 80 boats every year, this will lead to a more continuous production with lower costs and higher quality.

One objective is to double the installed base of A-cats in Europe within 3-5 years.

When we started we thought that we could make even cheaper boats due to declining carbon prices. What we underestimated was the amount of money needed to setup a state of the art composites factory. Tooling costs are significant and with our tooling we can make 200 hundred boats per year as well.

The first 2 years of a be company are not the easiest, financial pressures and time connstraints were huge.

Life is improving though, I will sail more races this year and we have a great crew of motivated boat builders. PJ and I are less bothered by operational stress and can put more effort now in promoting the class and the boat.

We welcome input from sailors  about product improvement and product innovation. The class remains a development class and we are happy to learn from others.

Right now my garden is full of snow and the Dutch people are only talking about ice skating, but I am longing to go on the water again and do some serious trapezing downwind.

CU all on the water soon.

trapezing downwind can be fast but can also be slow..

Nathan Outteridge on his DNA

Got the pic from sailing anarchy, don't know the photographer, but thanks for the cool shot!

Hey guys,we already know these boats are made for pushing hard...

Nathan Outteridge said, "I was pushing the boat pretty hard to stay ahead of time, when I heard Tom’s bow go down. I was just about to get off the trapeze when a puff of wind came in and instead of getting in the boat I ended up going right around the front and ended up under the cross beam”.

from : sailing anarchy

Final race Aussie Nationals

yo..oooo. Stevie loses control over his DNA and 2nd place in the championship...

Great championship concluded:
Glenn wins, Nathan Outteridge 2nd, Darren Bundock 3rd , Stevie Brewin 4, Jimmy Spithill 5

all on ..... DNA
Congratulations to all from Team DNA !
(and off course deep respect to Scott, GM, finishing 6 on his own boat....ok,ok, we can't have them all....)

from Sail-world.com

The final day of the Championships was another postcard day on Lake Macquarie, NSW. Blue sky and a light 10-12 knot sea breeze greeted competitors for the last race in the 2012 Australian Championships, hosted by the Wangi Amateur Sailing Club, with the minor placings to be decided in another race of 'champions'. After eight races Steve Brewin, (2011 A Class World champion) was three points clear of Wangi Wangi local Nathan Outteridge (three times 49er World Champion). It was a clean start and Darren Bundock (14 catamaran World titles, two Olympic Silver medals and member of Oracle's America’s Cup Syndicate) led at the top mark. Scott Anderson (1984 Tornado Olympic bronze medallist) was second.

Glenn Ashby Champion 2012.. btw : when is he going to skipper an AC ?

Tom Slingsby (four times Laser World Champion) rounded fourth behind Andrew Landenberger (1996 Tornado Olympic bronze medallist) and Brad Collett (2011 NSW and Queensland A-Cat Champion). Australian legend James Spithill (skipper of 2010 America’s Cup winner BMW Oracle) followed, then Outteridge with Brewin two places further back. On the next laps Bundock, Anderson, Landenberger, Outteridge, Spithill and Brewin battled for the placings. It seemed that Brewin could stay with the 49er champion. On the top of the upwind leg for the third time, Brewin was on the wire struggling with a jammed downhaul as he started to reach to the clearing mark. Suddenly he dropped his mainsheet, the boom swung away, he capsized - it was all over. Brewin took an eternity to right his boat. He was 17th when he finally passed the clearing mark and by that time the leaders were approaching the finishing line.

Down at the finishing line Bundock crossed ahead of Landenberger and a fast finishing Outteridge, who slid across the line four seconds ahead of Anderson. Slingsby was next, then Brayshaw and Collett. Spithill was ninth, Brewin 14th. Within minutes they were back in the boat park. It does not pay to get between a sailor and his trailer on the last day of any regatta. Nathan Outteridge was smiling. ‘Steve was staying close initially. I was keen to try to drop us both back into the teens and then have a drag to see who could best sail through the fleet. On the last run I was really pushing. Just stoked to get second overall against this fleet.’

Darren Bundock, the final race winner was third overall. ‘It was good to get out in front today. I won the race in the first gybe, just wish that Ashby bloke was here so I could have beaten him today.’ Steve Brewin was philosophical. ‘Oh well s**t happens!! I was really enjoying the battle with Nathan. He did it well - he was sitting on me. I made a mistake. I only had a little downhaul brake and I was trying to fix that and I shouldn’t have been and I let go of the main. Game over. ‘On the way out the sail fell down and then the downhaul went. Then I was in the water, so trouble comes in threes

‘I could have sat on the beach and done what I did here. But you know what? There is another regatta soon, then another Worlds. ‘I will look forward having learnt by my mistakes. Sure I was beaten into third place overall but it was a great, great regatta.’ Jimmy Spithill finished fifth overall. ‘A really impressive fleet, 70 boats, and a wonderful regatta. With the curved (dagger) boards, trapezing, Glenn and Nathan are on another level downwind; they are real naturals on the wire while the rest of us look like a bunch of teabags. ‘Myself, Dirk (de Ridder), Tom and Darren are taking our boats to San Francisco. On the trapeze downwind in SFO will be a blast! ‘Just to be able to mix it with Steve Brewin, Scott Anderson and Andrew Landenberger, who have had so much time in these boats, was wonderful. ‘Lastly a special thanks to Tony Outteridge, who got every race away on some great courses.’ Scott Anderson, the 2012 Grand Master Champion, finished fourth overall. ‘It’s absolutely fantastic that these guys have committed to A-Cats. Now the AC on Cats and these are the perfect boats to learn the basics. If you stuff it up, the boat tells you very quickly. Good on the guys for coming.’

Stephen Brayshaw said ‘Brilliant, brilliant racing. Not being a professional I am just stoked to come eighth in this amazing fleet. We have really, really enjoyed having to top guns here.’ Tom Slingsby, still coughing gasped ‘Last night’s rum did not help my cold. But I am getting this boat figured.

If I started today I'd be looking OK, I just need more time in the boat. If I take it to San Francisco where there are strong breezes. I'll look for a 'kiddie’s corner' where I can venture out one day.’ John Kostecki (Oracle Racing tactician) laughed ‘OK, ok, I’ve done enough practicing, now I am ready to start the regatta!!’

Full results : here

Australian nationals : Best fleet ever says The King

A-cat King And Australian Champ Glenn Ashby on his DNA

From Sail-World.com

After eight races in the nine race series, Glenn Ashby, seven times A Class Catamaran World Champion, has won the 2012 John Cootes Furniture A Class Australian Championships being sailed on Lake Macquarie, NSW.

First into the boat park after the completion of the day’s racing, Ashby was smiling. ‘Every National win is important but this field, with so much depth of talent and competition, is definitely the strongest fleet I have ever sailed against in the A-Cats at ANY level. ‘It’s fantastic, the top guys coming in from other classes, here giving it a go. The fact that these guys want to come sail in the A Class Championships is a giant tick for multihulls.' Ahead of the first race on day 4 of the Championships, there was a delay waiting for the breeze to moderate. Race 7 of the series started in a 16 knot south south easterly, under grey clouded sky.

At the top mark Ashby, Steve Brewin, Darren Bundock, Nathan Outteridge and Tom Slingsby were all close to each other. On the second lap Ashby was just eight seconds ahead of Bundock, Outteridge and Brewin, then a gap back to James Spithill in fifth. On the second beat Ashby fell off the back for his boat, just managing to hold onto the mainsheet and tiller extension but he recovered to retake the lead. It was Ashby’s tightest victory finishing just 12 seconds ahead of Darren Bundock, with Nathan Outteridge four seconds further back, then Steve Brewin followed by James Spithill. Outteridge was shaking his head. ‘I missed all the shifts on the last run’ he said.
For race 8, the breeze was 16-17 knots off the start line. Brewin and Ashby were fourth and fifth up the line at the gun. 95% of fleet went left. Heavy gusts hit the fleet, with lulls of six to seven knots between them but it was much softer at the top of the course. At the top mark for first time, Slingsby led by 21 seconds with Outteridge second, then Brewin and Simon McKeon. Ashby was ninth but fought his way forward to be third behind Slingsby and Outteridge. Down the last run Outteridge was on the trapeze, as was Slingsby just behind him. As the two leaders powered down the course leaping from pressure areas at hot angles, Slingsby suddenly put his bows in but recovered. Just a few seconds later Outteridge did the same then capsized and Slingsby sailed away. Shades of Qingdao and the 49er Medal Race for the World champion, but this time with nothing broken, Outteridge got his boat up and struggled across the line, just ahead of the fast finishing Ashby. Ashby said ‘Nathan and Tom certainly sailed very well today.

Darren and Steve had their time at the front but these windier conditions probably suited the bigger guys as they can accelerate better in the puffs, they can put the bow down and rip across to the next puff. ‘First downwind in the first race, I was sailing into a wobbly puff just as I was coming in off the wire to gybe and the rig unloaded and the hull came down quicker than I expected. I lost my balance and fell off the back but I had the mainsheet and the tiller in my hand. I flipped the boat back up quickly and I was still in touch and managed to get round the top mark in the same pressure band and get back into the race. ‘In the second race I was happy to let Tom and Nathan go. Anything can happen in these races and it nearly did. Down the last run, I consolidated ahead of Steve and Darren and I was happy to take a few on the chin and stay between them and the mark.

‘An amazing regatta - we will talk about this for years to come.’ Nathan Outteridge was smiling too. ‘The last finish was something else. I was trapping downwind, battling with Tom. I gained on each of the runs and on the last one I got ahead but he was pushing hard. ‘Downwind trapezing on days like today you can really work the modes - so many options. ‘I was bow forward but not far enough, so I jumped out onto the trap to go forward and then as I was coming out of the foot straps to go back inboard both Tom and I hit a big puff and the bows went in. I let everything off and hoped the boat would not go over - but it did. Luckily I managed to get back up and finish ahead of Glenn.’

A rueful Steve Brewin explained ‘The first race today I got fourth. In the second race I came round the mark doing well, into a hole and they gobbled me up … fourth to eighth and I ended up ninth. ‘Now I have a fight with Nathan on my hands tomorrow.’ Outteridge is keeping the pressure on Brewin, the 2011 A-Cat World Champion, for second place with Brewin three points ahead with one race to be sailed. Tom Slingsby was coughing and spluttering, fighting off a worsening cold, as he hosed down his boat. ‘I had a shocking first race, two swims. But the second race today was the best race of the series. ‘I was pushing Nathan and we got a big gust before the finish, we both put our bows down and I was the only one that popped up.’

James Spithill came over to apologise to Tom. ‘I smashed into Tom in the prestart before last race. ‘I will claim the credit, I gave him a little spark up, you know a love tap. I said come on mate get it all together and he did.’ Simon McKeon related ‘I was neck and neck with Tom for the lead 400 metres from top mark then I busted the centre board, it just snapped. Maybe I hit something, perhaps a shark? Definitely not a sunfish. And that was the end of my race but I had to go past the top mark anyway, on my way back to the Club.’
Darren Bundock summed up the day. ‘Amazing racing, just to have all the good guys from all the different classes get into the A-Cat is awesome.’ Glenn Ashby is the 2012 A Class Australian Champion. Steve Brewin currently lies second with Nathan Outteridge third.

One race is scheduled for tomorrow, Saturday 7 January to conclude the 2012 John Cootes Furniture A Class Australian Championships.


Full Results : HERE

Ashby vs Brewin

stevie on the DNA flying in the light stuff

though fight on the light day... From Sail-world.com

The first race on day 3 of the 2012 John Cootes Furniture A Class Australian Championships, being hosted by the Wangi Amateur Sailing Club was delayed until 2pm, by which time Australia's cricket captain Michael Clarke had reached 300 runs. It was coincidence but by then the east south easterly had lifted to six knots. After a two hour delay and a general recall, PRO Tony Outteridge hoisted a black flag. A clear start for most of the fleet but not for Dirk de Ridder. His ‘need for speed’ was too great and he was black flagged. James Spithill was the clear leader at the top mark with Glenn Ashby second. Next time around it was Stephen Brayshaw in the lead from Grant Pellew, Tom Slingsby, Jack Benson, Pieter-Jan Postman, Chris Cairns and Steve Brewin. On the next top rounding Spithill sailed in on a long starboard lay line approach while Ashby came in fast on the port lay line and he grabbed the lead before the clearing mark. Behind them came Brayshaw, Nathan Outteridge and Brewin.

At the top mark for the final time Ashby led Brewin and Spithill. They finished in that order, ahead of Outteridge. The wind had built to 11 knots by the start of the second race of the day, Race 6 of the series. Ashby was on the pin. Outteridge just squeezed in one up from the pin, while Darren Bundock was four up the line. Ashby missed the first shift and at the top mark for the first time Lucas McDonald led Pellew, Outteridge, Jack Benson and Postman, ahead of Cairns. The second time round Brewin was leading veteran Scott Anderson, Chris Batenberg and Ashby.

First into the boat park was Steve Brewin and he was smiling. ’Happy to go 2, 1 today. Glenn had a brilliant first race; I guess I learned a bit watching how he sailed. 'In the second race I got out pretty well, with Outteridge and Spithill. Glenn was back a little, which made my life easier. I had a good first run and got the lead and disappeared. ‘I will have to win the last three races to have a chance of winning the 2012 title. One bad move, like I did yesterday, and the regatta is over.’ Glenn Ashby said ‘In the first race I managed to sneak away after two good beats and managed to consolidate downwind. In the second race I started at the pin and I had a beautiful start, but it went down about 10 degrees. Everyone got in a 15 degree lift and speared off. I took my medicine and was deep at the top. I finished fourth. ‘You needed to be much more aggressive and I was not, I should have gone for the corners. But I will take a four any day of the week in this high quality fleet. ‘Stevie (Brewin) and I always have a good tussle, let’s hope we can get some decent breeze tomorrow that we can sink our teeth into. It will be a lot of fun.’

Darren Bundock explained ‘It was a hard day. In the second race around the top mark I think I was back in the 40’s. On the first downwind I took 20 boats, in the next downwind another five and then slowly got up there. It was very patchy. You would just be sailing along and then completely stop and someone 50 metres above you was fully stretched on the wire.’ James Spithill agreed. ‘It was very shifty and pretty tactical. I wasn’t as fast as the other guys downwind but I was able to find a couple of shifts and just hang in there up the top. ‘For a while I didn’t even know if we would get a race in but I reckon Tony (PRO Tony Outteridge) is doing a great job. We got some great races and I am looking forward to tomorrow.’ Pieter-Jan Postman was second at the Finn Worlds at Perth 2011 and is enjoying his A-Cat experience. ‘I am new in the class and I’m a bit heavier at 103 kilos, about 20 or so more than Nathan (Outteridge). ‘The A-Cat is a great boat. It’s a totally different game (to the Finn) and you make different angles. Every day I learn a lot so I am really keen to get this boat under control. I only sailed it the first time six days ago. ‘I am having a lot of fun. It’s a great venue with good hosts. It’s fantastic and a really friendly atmosphere.’ Seven times A-Cat World Champion Glenn Ashby, dropping his last race fourth place, currently leads the series from 2011 A-Cat World Champion Steve Brewin. In third place is Darren Bundock, leading Nathan Outteridge on a count back.

Full results : here

LOTS OF COOL LINKS ABOUT THE RACING:

videos of the first few races :: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hovL91SoN6Y

and here:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lT_m8S7WfnU

and another here:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pa24YlmEP0k

pictures :

http://www.a-cat.org.au/2012-nationals/sail-world-photo-gallery-for-the-2012-nationals/

and here:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/73409289@N05

and here with stories and other stuff:

http://www.wangirslasc.yachting.org.au/

other good reads : what about advertising the A class in AC community ....

http://www.americascup.com/en/Teams/ORACLE-Racing/Latest/

good blog of Grant Pellew DNA sailor Team Harken :

http://harkenracing.blogspot.com/

A cat australians DNA's at the front

A boat builders dream pic : 4 DNA's ahead at the first mark : Spithill,Slingsby,Ashby and Bundock.....

mmm ... what else can we wish for ?

A-Cat Australians - DNA' s Flying at the front
from SAIL-World.com

The 2012 John Cootes Furniture A Class Australian Championships are being sailed from the Wangi RSL Amateur Sailing Club on Lake Macquarie NSW and after four races have been completed, seven times A-Cat World Champion Glenn Ashby leads, courtesy of three wins and a second. Second overall is his long time Olympic class skipper Darren Bundock, with 2011 A-Cat World Champion Steve Brewin in third. Wangi local hero Nathan Outteridge, dual 49er World champion and Moth World champion is fourth, followed by America’s Cup skipper James Spithill and four times Laser World champion Tom Slingsby, fifth and sixth respectively. Andrew Landenberger, who finished fourth at the 2011 Worlds, is seventh ahead of the leading Grand Master, 56 year old Simon McKeon, 2011 Australian of the Year. David Loutit, the leading Master is 21st overall, while Adam Beattie, the top ranking Junior, is 22nd. Carolijn Brouwer the leading female sailor is 28th overall, an impressive performance as she has sailed on A-Cats just four times. Race 3 of the Series started in a light, seven knot easterly after two general recalls, under a black flag.

Tom Slingsby was first to the top mark, ahead of James Spithill, Nathan Outteridge, Bob Baier then Darren Bundock and Brad Collett. Steve Brewin was back in ninth ahead of Andrew Landenberger but on the second lap the leading group changed. Brewin was ahead of Baier, with the three first lap leaders now buried. Brewin had a solid light weather win finishing 40 seconds ahead of Ashby who powered past Bob Baier and Bundock on the last run. Slingsby, Spithill and Outteridge finished ahead of Landenberger, Olympic Tornado silver medallist Jack Benson and Scott Anderson, the 2011 A-Cat Worlds runner up. It was a big step forward for Brouwer in her third ever A-Cat event, finishing 18th behind McKeon. Oracle Racing’s Dirk de Ridder and John Kostecki finish 34th and 36th respectively. Race 4 started in a ten knot easterly. With a blistering start Outteridge led Spithill, Stephen Brayshaw, McKeon, Slingsby and Bundock, with Ashby two places further back. But Ashby, the downhill king, powered into the lead. Bundock finished second ahead of Outteridge and Spithill.

Glenn approaching top mark . You can see our new style daggerboards clearly..

Brewin was sixth, Slingsby eighth, McKeon ninth, ahead of Anderson and Baier. Brouwer was 20th. Kostecki was 33rd and de Ridder was OCS. Glenn Ashby was smiling (as you’d expect) as he signed back into the boat park. ‘We are almost at the half way mark in this regatta and it's looking like it might be light for a bit longer. ‘If that happens, Stevie (Brewin) is always the one to beat. He is the long-time, light wind specialist and Darren (Bundock) is light too and really consistent. ‘This is one of those places where both sides of the course are working, the middle is a bit wobbly sometimes. ‘Although you can rip off really fast one way and have good speed, if you don’t keep your eyes open you can get caught. I had some shocking beats today but getting a second after being fourth at the top mark on the last downwind, knocking Darren off and slipping through past Bob (Baier) at the finish behind Steve was a fantastic result. ‘I’m very happy with a two – it’s definitely a keeper in this fleet. ‘I managed to get off the start line well in the last race and had a clean line at the top mark. It’s a lot easier when you can have your bow in front and you can steer where you want to and gybe when you want to and tack when you want to. It was nice to come away with a win in the second race.’ Steve Brewin was pleased with his race 3 win. ‘I was ninth at the top mark and then sailed into the lead down the first run. These conditions suit me, I am a little lighter and I power up a bit earlier. ‘In the second race I went to the right and the breeze bent left. Massive loss, a couple of hundred metres - Goodnight Irene.’

Darren Bundock, now firmly in second place overall, was he usual relaxed self as he hosed down his Cat. ‘That last race I actually had a really good start and I crossed everyone and then I tacked and just parked and ended up tenth at the top mark. ‘Luckily I had an awesome downwind. I was third by the bottom and I had a little bit of pace on Nathan (Outteridge) and I got him on the second downwind.’ Jamie Spithill commented ‘Lighter conditions today, which was just a different set of challenges but I enjoyed it. It was very tactical and I had a couple of good races, but it was pretty tricky downwind. ‘It seems Tom Slingsby and I seem to have our own little match race out there. It’s the battle of the red heads. ‘The approaching storm kept the wind speed down and kept it right because normally it should get dragged left and kick. It will be interesting to see what happens tomorrow.’

The 49er and Moth World champ stylish at the offsetmark..

Nathan Outteridge explained ‘In the first race I just got lost on the downwind and I missed a bit of a puff and then on the second beat I didn’t fly a hull for two minutes and everyone just went right around me. It was a bit tough but after that I caught up on the next lap to get a seven. ‘The second race was good. I just nailed the pin end start, tacked on the lay, ducked and weaved a bit and then the only ones who tacked in a good spot were Tom, Jimmy and Glenn. It was just a convergence on the top mark.’ Tom Slingsby was looking a little rueful. ‘I just haven’t practiced in light winds downwind and I was just losing five boats every downwind. I would gain on some of them back up the beat. I need more time in the boat. I am improving but not quick enough. ‘The first race was good. I led around the top and lost my usual five downwind and then gained two at the beat and then lost five, and in the end it was good learning.’

The 2012 John Cootes Furniture A Class Australian Championships continues until January 7

Full Results : here

Glenn Ashby still King of the A-cat

6 DNA's leading after 4 races...

Report from from Sail-World.com

Postcard conditions today on Lake Macquarie, NSW for the start of the 2012 John Cootes Furniture Australian A Class Championships. After a general recall in the first race, Principal Race officer Tony Outteridge gunned the fleet away just before 12:30 in a steady 14 knot east north-easterly sea breeze.

At the top mark for the first time it was dual 49er World Champion and Moth World Champion Nathan Outteridge ahead of Tom Slingsby but Slingsby capsized just after the clearing mark. Bundock sailed into third, Simon McKeon was fourth and ahead of Glenn Ashby. Using his superior down wind speed, seven times A-Cat World Champion Ashby sailed away to a 300 metre win from Outteridge and Bundock. McKeon was run down by 2011 A-Cat World Champion Steve Brewin, who beat him by just eight seconds.

In the second race the breeze was beginning to lift. It was 16 knots from the same direction. Bundock had a perfect pin end start, won the drag race to the left hand corner and was first at the top mark. Down the second run Ashby sailed through his Tornado partner. Brewin was third and McKeon, the C Class pioneer who has done virtually no sailing in the last 12 months having attended some 300 functions and made 300 keynote speeches as Australian of the Year, was a strong fourth.

It was another impressive performance from Ashby who has a different trapezing style to any other A-Cat sailor. His body is much lower on the trapeze and his airborne hull seems to just skim over the waves, both upwind and downwind. His boat is therefore very flat and flat is fast. Ashby explained ‘It comes from the Tornado days. Darren (Bundock) was a low trapper and I needed to be lower than the helm, so I’ve always been a very low trapper. It provides maximum efficiency and I need that because of my lack of vertical stature. (Glenn is 5 foot 6 inches tall). ‘Today I did not quite get that first work right in either race. I did manage to get the downwind right and I got to sneak back past a few boats and then I was able to stretch out. ‘Tommy (Slingsby) got the glory at the top in the first race and then lost it. Boat positioning and speed from both Tom and Nathan (Outteridge) is very good and their boat handling skills are superb, they just need more time in the boat. ‘With a nice couple of Ashby sails they have plenty of speed. I have a new development Doyle Stratis sail - it seems to be performing really well downwind. ‘Today was some of the best racing I've ever had on the A-Cats. 16-18 knots and the earlier start time made for flatter water and really enjoyable racing.’

Darren Bundock, smiling after his excellent start in the second race, secured a second and a third today to be in second place overall. ‘It was nice to get around the top mark first for once, for a little fellow. (Bundock is very light). ‘Glenn is in a different class downwind, if I am going to make a move I have to get some guts and get out on the wire. ‘It’s a different thing digging these boats in downwind; you don’t get a second chance. I saw Tommy go in and I saw Nathan go in too.’

Steve Brewin, the current A Class World Champion, had a giant stack when his boat leapt into the air on the reach between the top mark and the clearing mark in yesterday’s practice race and he was unable to control it from two metres out the back. Brewin said ‘The curved foils just generate too much lift in strong conditions on the reach. My good mast broke in the capsize. Luckily I had a second mast rebuilt and was able to get going. I am thinking I might have to change to centre controls to get my weight forward. Anyway it’s good to be back in the hunt today with a three and a four and a third overall.’ Nathan Outteridge, the dual 49er World Champion and Moth World Champion is fourth overall after a second and a sixth today. ‘It was nice to lead the first race for a bit. I was never going to win it but it’s nice to have some speed. But it could have been a lot worse. Upwind you try to stay flat. If I try and get as low as Glenn I can’t get in again, or I hit the water and become slow. Downwind these A-Cats are a big challenge. I am still watching Glenn and trying to copy his technique.’

Four times Laser World Champion Tom Slingsby was back at 15th in the first race but was fifth in the second to be 10th overall. ‘I had two good stacks in the first race. I rounded second and was a bit cocky; I tried to do all the controls from the wire. I had not even practiced it and it did not work. ‘I can’t trapeze down wind. I am just not that good so I just sit there and lose ground but it’s a lot of fun.’ 56 year old Simon McKeon was also smiling. ‘A lucky day, my head was in the right space. I have been on holiday for three days and feel good. ‘I am an old guy who feels really fat and flabby. But I got two good starts, and then stayed with the good guys, who showed me the way. I just had to stay upright. I am very happy with a five and a four and I’m fifth overall. I think I should go home now’ he laughed.

The final words came from Ian Johnson, the A Class President. ‘The conditions were straight out of the A-Cat brochure. Just watching Glenn motoring downwind is worth the event entry price!’

After four races on day 1 and 2 of the 2012 John Cootes Furniture Australian A Class Championships, Glenn Ashby leads Darren Bundock with Steve Brewin third.

Full results here

Glenn Smooth as always on the DNA...

Australian A-Cat Nationals 2012 – from Sail-World.com

Ashby fires the warning cannon

The last A Class Catamaran race Glenn Ashby sailed on Lake Macquarie, north of Sydney, was when he won the 2009 World Championship. Today he fired a warning canon in the practice race for what will certainly be one of Australia’s most competitively fought National titles, the 2012 John Cootes Furniture Australian A Class Championships being sailed once again on Australia's largest salt-water lake, the site of the 2009 A-Cat Worlds and the 2011 Moth Worlds. This is not a usual Country nationals, there are more medals clinking here than you can believe. These Championships will be a unique event on the world sailing scene bringing together a slew of America's Cup sailors along with three current World Champions; Tom Slingsby (four times Laser World Champion) from Gosford, Nathan Outteridge (three times 49er World Champion) from Wangi Wangi and Steve Brewin (A-Class World champion), all sailing these high performance, high tech A Class 18 foot catamarans. From the America's Cup arena come five sailors; Oracle America’s Cup Syndicate Australian sailor James Spithill (skipper of 2010 America’s Cup winner BMW Oracle) John Kostecki (ten World championships, U.S. Olympic silver medalist and tactician on 2010 America’s Cup winning BMW Oracle), Dirk de Ridder (Volvo Ocean racer, BMW Oracle and Oracle AC45 mainsheet trimmer) Darren Bundock (14 catamaran World titles and two Olympic Silver medals) and Glenn Ashby (Emirates Team New Zealand, with 14 multihull World titles and two Olympic Silver medals) and three former Olympic medalists Andrew Landenberger, Chris Cairns and Scott Anderson. Today 69 boats took to the water for the practice race. In many classes that means two general recalls while the fleet tests the mettle of the PRO and then a bunch of retirementes after the top mark.

Not the A-Cats. PRO Tony Outteridge(Nathan's Dad) gunned the fleet away from a clean start and the fleet headed hard left. James Spithill was first to the top mark ahead of Glenn Ashby. Behind them the fleet was pushing hard, in the case of the 2011 A Class Catamaran World Champion Steve Brewin, too hard. As Brewin accelerated from the top mark his hulls flew skywards to the right and then, as he fell off the back of the boat still on the trapeze, skidded hard left and capsized. As his mast hit the water there was that familiar crunching sound - broken mast and torn sail.

Down the run it was an Ashby ‘master class’. He sailed away from the fleet and extended on every run. Three windward leewards and 30 minutes later, Ashby crossed ahead of a smiling Darren Bundock. The two sailors won Olympic Tornado Silver in Qingdao, China and they have almost 30 World Championships between them in multihull classes. Third was Andrew Williams, then Brad Collett, Andrew Landenberger and Stephen Brayshaw, followed by four times Laser World Champion Tom Slingsby, America’s Cup winning helmsman James Spithill and dual 49er World Champion Nathan Outteridge. Just a few places back was Simon McKeon, for a long time the fastest sailor on the planet with Macquarie Yellow Pages. With just 24 days left as Australian of the Year, McKeon was having a blast back on the multihull scene. The fleet was quickly back on the grass in front of the Wangi RSL Amateur Sailing Club with giant smiles everywhere, after a fast 20 knot hit out under azure blue skies. Before the practice race Ashby had warned he was rusty - just two days on the water in A-Cats this year. Ashby smiled. ‘It was one of those days, pull on everything as hard as it goes and hit the left hand corner. One of those breezy days when its semi survival and semi pushing. I had a couple of good trapezing runs downwind and managed to pull away a couple of hundred metres. ‘A good hit out and I am looking forward to tomorrow.’ At the top of the boat park Darren Bundock was explaining some finer technical points to his wife Carolijn Brouwer after her very first A-Cat outing. He felt she had done well just to get round without crashing. ‘Not a bad practice race, a little breeze blew out the cobwebs. Glenn had it pretty wick'd up today. The guy is insane downwind. ‘A lot of guys pushing really hard on the practice run, which is a bit strange really. ‘I saw Stevie (Brewin) getting washed out the back still hanging onto the trapeze in mid air and thought ‘that is going to hurt’. ‘That was a good mast. He spent two days fitting it out and got half a race out of it so that's going to make for a long night.’ Simon McKeon said ‘It was a bit of a war of attrition out there. It was five to six knots more than I was expected and the forecast is quite a bit heavier over the next couple of days. ‘There are 20 full time professionals in this fleet and they will work overnight to make any repairs.’ James Spithill had a big grin. ‘That was great, just happy to beat Glenn around the first mark. He overtook me pretty quickly down the run. Tom (Slingsby) got me just on the line and Nathan (Outteridge) was just behind me. Had a swim on the second run, so that cost me a few places. Not sure what happened to JK (John Kostecki and Dirk (de Ridder). ‘But it was awesome, awesome, and just unreal. It does not get much better than that.’ Spithill was right - it was awesome racing and that was just the practice race. Watch this space!! 2012 John Cootes Furniture Australian A Class Championships commence January 3 and will continue until January 7 2012.

Event website http://www.a-cat.org.au/
by Australian A Class Championships media

New daggerboards

Today PJ and I fitted the first set of the new daggerboards in one of the new boats (which have the same cases as the old boats).

The daggerboards are 10 cm longer than the old boards.

We think that the new boards will improve the performance both upwind and downwind. Upwind especially in the light to medium stuff and in big waves. In medium conditions it will be comparable to the old boards. In strong winds you an easily pull up the boards 5 cm as you have easily too much lift even upwind. The amount of lift created by the boards is the same, while the tipdistance remains the same.

The longer boards fit the new ARC mast very well. The thinner mast makes it easier to steer higher and the long boards help you to gain and maintain the extra height.

Downwind the boards will have extra grip, which means that you can trapeze earlier and easier.

Weight of the new boards is roughly the same. We changed to a much better  glue, as we broke some boards due to spots of non-hardened glue. The new moulds ar every precise which has resulted in a better form definition and a highet surface quality.

The longer boards have a bigger area and that causes some extra drag, the induced however is lower due to the increased aspect ratio.

We first make the boards for the boats we sent to Australia and the USA. Boards will be available for sale in January. We had to postpone the production of our ARC masts to January due to the effort we had to put in the new moulds for the foils ad the making of the foils which are lagging the produced boats.

Just or Christmas we have reinstated our normal production order in a completely reorganized production facility and will do 2 boats and 2 masts per week. ( We can do 1 complete set of foils per day if we need too).

Pics will come later this week.

new rudders

What you see are the first two new rudderblades  before finishing (left an old blade). High gloss no pinholes straight out of the mold. The new rudders are 15 cm wide (was 17,5 cm), and are 8 cms longer.

We had quite some issues with the old blades, which could split. We have a one shot process now, with continous fibers and the blades are no longer hollow. The weight is much lower (700 grams vs 1100 grams) while the amount of carbon is even higher than in the old ones. The new blades can be fitted in the existing rudderstocks, if you replace the pushrods as well.  We first have to make the blades for the boats we send to Australia and the USA, early January  others can buy these too.