So, the TT Series is back and it’s kicked off with some DF65 racing at Weecher. Unfortunately I didn’t make it and I haven’t had a report from anyone that was there so the reality is the results. These are posted below and at least show that 23 skippers pitched up and enjoyed 10 races up on the moors.
Looks like Derek and Tush were well ahead of the chasing pack where things were pretty tight, as they usually are!
DF95 racing tomorrow.
Just a quick note about the online entry for Rounds 1 & 2 of the 2021 TT series. It’s open on the MYA site, links from the event page.
In other news there have been exciting things happening on the International Class Association front. A week or so ago there was a meeting of the founding members of the ICA who elected Executive committee members and discussed a few bits and bobs. There is a more detailed account available on the .world website, clicky here to take a look.
A cautious approach from the DF Racing UK committee has seen an 18 month period with no organised TT events. We did try a couple of things later last year but it wasn’t to be. So we’ve held our nerve until now and are reasonably confident that we’ll be able to serve up a back half of 2021 packed with DF yacht racing. First up we’ve got an event at Weecher on the 24th and 25th July and the full details are available by clicking here.
Then we are in Poole in early September for the DF65 Nationals, followed at the back end of September by the DF95 Nationals at Fleetwood. Second weekend in October we are heading South to Eastbourne and we finish the shortened season back up North at West Lancs in early November, a firm favourite.
We’ll update event pages as we get NoR’s for the remaining events at Eastbourne and West Lancs. Fingers crossed we’ll catch you pondside before too long.
So, we’ve had a communication from the current rules committee who have sent us some new DF65 and DF95 rules documents which clarify a number of things that have come up since the last revisions, including the repair situation.
“The current DF Rules Committee have been hard at work collating and assessing all the small rule changes that have suggested for both classes, as well as making some larger, fundamental changes ahead of handing the rules over to the new DF International Class Rules Sub-committee. The new DF65 Rules (version 1.7) & DF95 Rules (Version 1.3) can be found under the relevant class headings on the www.dfracing.world website along with supporting diagrams where necessary.
There are two versions of each class rules available. A straight copy of the Rules and a version which highlights the changes and gives some explanation as why they have been introduced.
The main changes you should look at cover ‘Repairs’ (65 & 95) which try to clarify what is an acceptable repair to the minority of hulls that show cracking around the finbox. This issue is being worked on by the designers and the Licensed Builder, but for now this new rule defines the extent of the repair. The battery Pack rule now defines the positions of battery packs and many smaller changes covering items such as the Winch Line Clips etc.
The DF65 rules have been updated to bring the wording and definitions inline with the DF95 rules, mainly on the subject of Sail Numbering, which now removes the reference to the RG65 class rules. In the Sails section the Mainsail Foot Profiles are defined using a published template rather than the slightly vague ‘fair curve’ description in the old rules.
None of the changes should should affect existing boats, they have been made for added clarity and greater commonality between the two DF classes.
As ever, the most important Rule (A.5 Spirit of the Rules) should be your guiding light.
Good Sailing all.
John Tushingham”
So Boris is affording us a few more freedoms on Monday morning and, apart from this Indian Variant, all looks to be heading in the right direction. Most of the UK has now had at least one stab in the arm, there are those who have had both stabs and with them comes the feeling of confidence that we might be able to get out there and enjoy more of what we like doing.
With this in mind we have some events news that might interest you as a DF Racing skipper. To compliment the two National Championships in September we have decided that it would be sensible to offer a little more racing over the second half of the year.
We’ll start up on the moors above the Aire Valley at Keighley, on the weekend of the 24th and 25th July. Never has there been a more open air venue than this and it’s a great place to go racing with DF’s.
August is a free month, we had hoped to head down to the Cotswolds but that might have to wait until next year.
September has already got both our National Championships in place with the 65’s at Poole at the front end of the month and the 95’s at Fleetwood towards the end of the month. These are both events not to be missed, the 65 Nationals still has spaces available but the 95 Nationals were fully subscribed within two weeks of the entry opening.
October 9th and 10th will see us on the South coast at Eastbourne. A great venue which has held numerous DF events over the years including both Nationals.
To round off the 2021 calendar we’ll be heading North once again to one of our favourite venues, West Lancs YC at Southport. The dates are 13th and 14th November, so it’ll be cold and the days will be short but we’ll be sure to get some good racing in.
We’ll do 65’s on Saturday and 95’s on Sunday for all of these new events so you’ll get a good chance to race both boats in good company over the back half of 2021. Of course all of these events, Nationals included have a huge caveat attached, we would hope that they all go off as planned, however if circumstance dictates that we are unable to run any of the events then we’ll have to take it on the chin and deal with the situations as they are presented. Hopefully the UK as a whole will behave over the coming months and we’ll be all be able to continue the enjoyment of the freedoms we are being offered.
In the meantime we’ll post the event NoR’s as we get them through along with entry details too. We hope to see you pondside before too long for a long awaited catchup.
Afternoon folks, so some of us are back at the pondside trying to remember what to do and how to do it after a winter layoff. I guess it’s like the olden days when dinghy clubs took a winter break!
Anyhow, behind the scenes there has been a lot of great work done by a working group to format and sort out how the DF Racing International Class Association should be started and run. The work started just after the DF95 Globals in November 2018 and the working group have shared their progress over the last few years.
They are now ready to crack on some more and are ready for the next stage of the process. There is plenty of good work going on and you can view the progress over on the DF Racing World website – Clicky here to take a look.
Morning Folks, hope we are all perky on this Sunday morning. Just a quick note to let you know that the DF95 Nationals NoR has been updated due to the unprecedented entry numbers. This now means that you’ll get three full days of racing at the championship which can only be good news!
Check out the updated NoR and entry list by clicking here.
Get your act together if you want to go to the DF95 Nationals, there’s only a few spots left with over 70 skippers entered so far.
The DF65 Nationals at Poole are filling up too with nearly 40 entries so far. If you are planning on going get an entry in soon as there is also an Airshow that weekend which will put some strain on the local accommodation.
Check out the relevant event pages for current entry lists.
Hot on the heels of the entry opening for the DF95 Nationals, now over 60 by the way, we have had a smoke signal from the guys down at Poole RYC with a NoR and word that the MYA online entry should be open from this morning.
We’ve got an event page sorted so clicky here and have a look.
We’re up to 50 entries already within four days of opening the entry for the DF95 Nationals. As predicted the promise of some great racing at a fantastic venue has stirred people into action and given fifty skippers something to look forward to at the back end of September.
If you haven’t already got your entry in then crack on otherwise you could miss out. For a full entry list and details of how to enter the event please head over to the event page by clicking here.
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