Pirate Footy Festival ~ Clevedon 14th June 2009

Mark this is excellent news ~ seriously if you want any help just let me know, you have my email
Rgds
AndyT

The good news just keeps getting better!
I have had confirmation that the event will be covered by MMI & our local paper The Clevedon Mercury. - The reporter rang me up to ask to use a photo for the “Whats on” section and says she will come and take some photos on the day!!

Well true to their word the Clevedon Mercury published our event in this weeks paper they are also attending to take photos and by the looks of the Weather for Sunday says sunny intervals @ 20C – no rain so we are on track for a fairly settled day so no worries.

A couple of club members are completing new Footy’s for the event and there has been lots of interest

The marks for the course are to be denoted by a Treasure Island, a Galleon and a Wreck

Roger Stollery is also lending us the Internet course and we have a “Top Gear” style score board with magnetic strips that we can enter times on during the day and these will be entered into the NZ postal challenge.

All in all its going to be a great event
I got “Blow-me -Down” completed today complete with her secret weapon

Going for sea trials tomorrow so will give you more news then
Just need to make a treasure chest for the island

Rgds
AndyT

Not to rain on this great party event, BUT, the 2009 Third Postal Classic was stated as a July event and I am sure Brett does not want any cheating.

Maybe Brett should make the start date June 14th and then Bill Hagerup could do the same for his NH Regatta.

They could also have an IC course for spectators at the Wooden Boat Show in Mystic Seaport, CT. See who can get Brando around the course the fastest. What do you think Flavio?

I feel that it would be a wonderful idea to have an internet course available within each important footy event

Even if the the recorded time - may be - can’t be considered as an official one ( with reference to Brett Postal classic ) it would be a nice addition to the day.

Let’s imagine a big blackboard with “best score + skipper name” shown from morning to late afternoon.

It woul be also a nice “marketing idea” to have bystanders have a chance to test their potential as future footy skippers.

With reference to Frank proposal about Mystic, it seems that such proposal will also follow the spirit of the day aiming at an active partecipation from - not yet footy addicts - < see relevant specific rules about the race >

Unfortunately it seems that in mystic tidal stream is a big problem, and race has been planned to take advantage of slack time

Other efforts around the buoys after and before the race could be affected by a stream speed in excess of a footy maximum speed.

It would be nice to have childrens swimming pool to have a proper test area ( also no jellyfish zone )

flavio

Andy,

On seeing the completed pics I am of the opinion that your latest bottle boat is a crewed device:D

Its also fun and quite silly, and I like that in a boat
andrew

My Dear Footy friends and Pie-Rats
I have written already written to Brett on the subject of dates in the hope that our times will be taken into consideration however as yet I have not had a reply.
I’m sure that Brett will do what ever is right and so will we ~ IN THE TRUE SPIRIT OF FOOTYDOM ~ and have a damm good time enjoying it!

With regard to scoring the internet event Charles Smith is kindly bringing a White Board with magnetic strips.
The skippers name and time will be entered on the strip and then attached to the board.

As new times are entered they will be added with the fastest time always remaining at the top of the board followed by the next etc.

If you have seen the “Top Gear” program this is an identical scoring system to that.

The Score Board will be able to be seen by all and the public ALL day

This is a FUN event everyone will get some sort of prize ~ its that sort of day

Now I needs yer elp pleezz!
I’z had’a bit’a luck, an beena sneekin a’ look an I’z gotta sekret t’ show e
Haza look at this ere pictamap ~ I’z erd d’at ther bez gazillions of dubloons of treasure buried sumwere there

But e’ has t’ be careful like, coz it be protected by two of the most deadly Pie-Rats in Clevedon.

I’z got’a crew o’meown but they bez a bit Lillyputtian an dumb struck t’boot, so can e cum an elp I t’ get dem dubloons tomorra?

Well, where are all the good photos & discussion?

what a devastatingly good day that was;-WELL dONE Andy!!!:D:D

It was indeed a great day: sun , sea, sand and er, footy activities with a lot of good friends!

Thank you Andy and the Clevedon club and everyone who contributed to the bonhomie of the day.

ffffastffffrank - your message timed at 03.17 when most of the participants were sleeping the sleep of the weary!

I took a few pics which are more atmospheric than documentary:D

The venue - near perfect

Local wildlife

Andy’s Blow me down, well sailed by Alistair

And between official events - this happened. Fun sailing, talking, relaxing and buttonholing unsuspecting members of the public.
andrew

Dear Mark and Karen
Whilst the pleasure was all mine, I took a huge pleasure in organising it.
Whilst it was hard work, it was MORE than worth the return in the compliments I have recieved to date.

I would be rewarded tenfold in my heart, if could just get your K2 to a position where it is the same set up as mine to help you get get going.

You have demonstrated to us with Gary’s “Duck” at Bourneville, that given the chance you can beat the pants of most of us with your dingy experience.

I do so want to get you going with your K2. You have seen how mine goes. With your natural ability, yours will be equally as good - and with your experience - way better
I just need the chance to help you!

I can come to you in Swindon or we can meet at Clevedon and spend a day together getting your K2 right.

We can use “Double Nelson” (GBR222) as a bench mark and tune yours accordingly
Please let me give you the hop up - you can do it - and like me it will be beneficial to our recovery process.

Very best wishes
AndyT

AndrewH ~ you have exemplified the example we all wish to emulate and demonstrate to the rest of Footydom and set as a standard or benchmark to aspire to.

It’s about having FUN and enjoying ourselves. This Class allows us to do exactly that. We need to demonstrate by our actions that – yes there have to be rules – but as a developmental Class – we occasionally need the ability to bend them in order to advance the Class for its benefit and that of others.

Sorry if I am being a bit blunt but that’s the way I feel.

This weekend’s event has been beyond my wildest dreams ~ yes it personally cost me a bob ort two – but just lets pause a minute and think what Footy’s have done for you? This is not a take take Class its a give give one.

The time energy and knoweledge I have recieved from the Class has been tenfold to what i have given and its all been for FREE.

I estimate that this weekends event personally cost me circa £100 ~ this pails into insugnificance the time others have given freely by phone or by the lake to help me.

On that thought, I say please have a look at the pictures on
http://www.clevedonmodelboatclub.co.uk/footyp3.asp and judge for your self.

It was like a holiday atmosphere ~ we were so relaxed.
“Hey it’s a nice day lets have some FUN”
So that’s exactly what we did ~ did we enjoy it ~ You bet we did!
Rgds
AndyT

I really enjoyed seeing all the photos from both Andy’s and the big smiles. What a beautiful spot in the universe and a lot of creative fun you all must have had. It would be nice to see a group photo with names. It looks like a few of you may have more time than sense. Oh, the details on the island and the pirate bottle boat take cake. Next time, get a windmill turning to make the guys below deck do a little rowing.

I look forward to returning to Tanglewood in November and get something similar going. Thanks for sharing.

Dear Footy Friends ~ I am aware that some of you do not like to put on Fancy Dress but rest assured it was not compulsory and no one was made to feel the odd one out if they did not make an attempt.

Far from it ~ talk to anyone who went there, we had an absolutely fantastic day it was a chance for every one to let their hair down and have some Footy FUN, talk make new friends and relax in the sun.

The event raised the level of our Class to the public through A5 leaflets that they could take from strategic points from the sea wall above us that gave them a perfect vantage point to view our proceedings.

Even before the event started I had lost count of the number of public who came to me and said this is exactly what this facility is for well done and please come back and do it again.

This carried on during the day when I was not in the water ~ although I expect that in itself generated some interest ~ we just had the perfect day for our event.

Attached is the report of the meeting explaining the antics we got up to together with pictures at the link to Clevedon’s website where you can see them.

I was very touched when Charles and Sheila Smith came to me in the car park afterwards and told me the bad news ……

“Andy sorry but we have to break this to you as gently as possible ~ you have to do it all over again in 2010!”

I must admit it did take some putting together and yes you will be happy to hear that I did agree to do it again

Next year it will be Footy Fiesta 2010.

Please have a read through the attached and come back to me with what you think and any ideas of things you might like to do, I will see what I can do

Very best wishes to you all

Rgds as always

AndyT

Andy,

You wrote a very entertaining description. It must have been a lot of fun.

It was, it was a lot of fun:D

The only possibly biscuit crumb in my blanket was Voooortrekkkkker nearly sinking in the salt water - I got her out of the water with 1mm of freeboard left.

Rinsed out the inside with lots of fresh water and dried everything - all the electronics still work and trials on my garden pond show the reason for the sinking was leaks round the transom - easily fixed.

I try and learn from successful people - I admired the handling and speed of Charles’s Ant/Bug, and noticed its VERY powerful rudder. So Voortrekker (VT) is going to get a makeover with lowered rear deckline, exposed servos, HUGE rudder and AAA or Lipo cells

K2 was going like a train, too in the hands of a total novice (mike/luke/fred won’t mind the truth) He had a ball and won an event at the first time of asking - I was impressed by both Mikes skill (and evident enjoyment) and the K2

andrew

Hello Footy friends

Well our antics on Sunday made it to the paper View full articlewith lots of pictures View pictures

This was without doubt an event that was enjoyed by all who attended.

If you feel that you would like to say something about Footy’s or the story click the Comment icon in the article (please)

Best wishes to you all

See you at the next event

WaltH ~ thank you ~ yes it was a chance for me to re-live the day and try to express Footydom with its lighter side ~ Not that it was not electric ~ the Blind leading the blind :blindfold was so intense with concentration participants were doing exactly that panting by the end of it from the sheer concentration.

All of the races were designed to be something different and intended to get skippers talking and working together as a team not just competing against each other.

Well we did the Caribbean Pirate theme :pirate: this time ~ what theme do you think I should do next year Pacific?

The sunsets we get here are equal to those in Honolulu ~ may be I should do an Hawaiian theme, we do not have the turquoise waters, blue lagoons, huge mountains, active volcanoes but we are friendly and we have a great lake and I’m sure I could encourage some of our colourful Clevedonian’s to sway in grass skirts with flower lei’s to some beatiful “IZ” song

The pub by the lake is always having BBQ’s and we could have a great time:zbeer:

Andrew - just athought about exposed servos. I would normally be sailing with little collars around the external necks of the servos doped with grease (Teflon from Halfords) to keep the water out. They were not on the boat at Clevedon ( I had been fiddling a bit of course and forgot) But certainly in blowing weather and particulary in salt you will need them They don’t seem to affect the movement of the arms. I cut them out with a hollow punch from a bit of thin spong kitchen stuff.

Cheers

Charles

Cheers
Charles