Thank you Birkenhead

Footy Class General Discussion (Footy)
1

Trevor
Thank you so much for standing in and assisting for the last two days
I was very impressed with the way in which your club rallied to our cause and especially with the fact that you postponed one of your own races to accommodate us

The event was I consider an outstanding success especially with distant entrants from Canada, Italy, and USA and not forgetting Weston-super-Mare <private joke – those who were there will appreciate it> as well as the rest of the UK ~ I would be honoured if you would pass on our thanks to your members at your next meeting

Your club displayed the warmest of hospitality and friendship in the best of traditions and best of all - in our hour of need.
I am sure I can speak for all those present when I say

“This was a VERY special weekend and an occasion where true Footy spirit was displayed.”

Whilst thanking people, I would like to take this chance to also thank

Graham Elliot ~ Graham we were sorry you could not be there on the weekend especially with all your help, - you missed a good’un.

Russell Potts ~ Russell, you stepped in and rallied us to the cause and with your knowledge and help to make it happen.

Mark, Angus’s minder ~ actions speak louder than words.

And perhaps last but by no means least ~ Angus

Angus I am so pleased you held it together and made it through some very difficult recent times.

Some of our phone bills went through the roof ringing your mobile as I’m sure yours did too ringing us, trying to cajole us into keeping the event going.
Clearly your efforts paid off.

Angus, I tried to think of words to express your Footy ways ~
appreciation, betterment, candour, determination, effort, four letter words, gusto, hastiness, impulsiveness, joy, impetuosity, joy, knowledge, love, motivation, nuance, opportunity, passion, quest, resourcefulness, style, tenacity, utterances, vigour, wit, xxx <see four letter words> y-not, all of these came to mind but by far and away in the biggest proportion…. Is your Zest for Footy’s

Once again thank you all so much for your attendance and help with this event, I’m sure you would agree it was …… “Great”

Best wishes
AndyT

2

I agree with every word said by AndT above, a great meeting, very enjoyable and the foundation was the good people of the Birkenhead club.

My thanks too!

There was a huge variety of weather over the two days, and the interesting thing for me was that the fleet raced in a bunch for much of Sundays races - very close and well matched.

In advance of the official results I have compiled a personal results table:

Overall winner: Footydom
Weather: 3 seasons experienced in 2 days
Wind speed: 0 to 30 kts (top end guessed, bottom end observed)
Races; about 20
Protests: None
Appeals: None
collisions: a few, but none of consequence
Helpful Host club members: ALL of them
Greatest rug styles used: Andy T (Anchor, Swing, square and macrig)
Concorsa d’eleganza: Flavio’s gaff rigger
Workmanship award: Trevor’s Mistralette
Blutack award: Gary (perpetual award for services to blutack)
Fun had: Off my meter
Foreign Guests: Great people who came and raced in a great spirit
Mainspring: Angus - perhaps we wind him up too much?
SPECIAL AWARD*: Gary Sanderson

*The “havn’t we seen Audrey sink before” trophy, which is in the shape of a plug-shaped wee bit of wood

Thank you everyone!

andrewH

3

I simply agree with every one of Andrewh and AndyT’s comments.

Flavio’s boat was amazingly different. At one stage in one of the drifting races when he was right on my Mistralette’s transom it looked just like a Privateer chasing down a bullion ship - his sail markings were brilliant.

Also, during 3 hours in the pub at the end of day one, I think I learned more solid facts about Footy design from Flavio and Bill Hagerup than I have picked up in the last year.

Seriously though chaps - what are we going to do about Gary. He’s now even got a text book on boat design so he will improve even faster. We must come up with a Baldrick Cunning Plan . . . .

Cheers,

firstfooty

4

Can I chip in with some thanks?

I repeat everything that everyone has said above (apart from the quite unnecessarily nice things about me – away wi’ye, and get back to work). From my personal point of view I would particularly like to thank Mark Holcroft who actually works for me from Monday to Friday as a translator’s ‘devil’ (as well as acting as my minder). For him to spend his entire weekend playing with little boats (which basically bore him) and acting as the taxi/chara driver/gopher/ogre-keeper etc. is really above and beyond the call of duty both to me and to the Footy Community as a whole. Thank you Mark.

But finally, and perhaps most importantly, my hearty thanks to the entrants who supported the event. Given its labour pains there was every excuse for opting out and staying at home or even visiting your mother-in-law – but enough people to make it a serious event turned out and, so far as I can see, every one of them had a great deal of fun. Thanks for coming, folks,

5

I can add only one word to the comments of other friends :

GREAT !

great meeting
the really first brick of a future international footydom home

great model club
from refreshing cups of coffe, to the gift of club badge or a wispered advice about best zones of the lakes to sail ( … stay close to the bank ! )

great sportmanship
only smiles, no protests, a lot of cooperation repairing ( a lot ) of damaged model

great fun
may be that reasons to be happy about the event have been different in each head, but in any case it was evident that all of us have been enjoing the meeting - no doubt about it -

great Angus
( and I am not referring to his own “displacement” :wink: )
he has been - as expected - the true center of gravity of our event
his friendly help to “overseas” partecipants has been invaluable

yes : thank you birkenhead !

Flavio

Folgore ITA 5

6

Look at the state of this!!! Do you see what we have here!!! Outside of Christendom, I know of no other sport, club association etc. where arbitrary people come together from all corners of THE WORLD, behave like, & can truly, call each other brothers. (Not forgetting the sisters involved). Help, support, complement, encourage, freely share ideas, thoughts & more. This event just hosted by Birkenhead is undeniable proof of that. I feel EXCEPTIONALLY blessed to be part of & be able to contribute to such a group of amazing people. Everyone I have met I count as my friend & thank you all for welcoming me in.

GOOD JOB BIRKENHEAD, & GOOD JOB TO ALL THAT WERE THERE & OTHERS THAT HELPED MAKE IT HAPPEN. I would like to add my agreement to all that has been said in previous postings. Not an untrue word. I was delighted to see, as Andrew said before, that the fleet was very competitive, & racing close.

It is worth mentioning that this was not the cake walk for me that many may think. I was constantly reminded, on more than one occasion, & by numerous skippers, that if I was to win that race, I would need to have my wits about me & CONCENTRATE. I particularly enjoyed the short course, & would like to see races longer than one lap about the same size course, even in stronger winds.

I would personally like to congratulate & thank Flavio, Hagerup William, & Charlie Mann for coming the large distances they travelled to make this event complete. Good effort gentlemen. I hope this is just the beginning of an extraordinary friendship between us, & look forward to close racing again in the future.

About the text book Trevor, It won’t do me much good until I have learned to read, the pictures are interesting though. This should give you guys a bit of time to hatch your cunning plan. Just wait until you see what I turn up with next time.

Cheers for now. Gary.

7

may be not the longest, but most probably the hardest in Footy racing hystory.

I have started thinking about my new boat for the approaching birkenhead 2009 event, and in an never ending research of the “best” design a lot of times I have asked myself how much really was the unbelivable “scale storm” during the first day ( 5 july 2009 )

after a deep research I have found the answer :

[FONT=“Arial Black”][SIZE=“7”]gust speed 36-37 kts
mean speed 27-28 kts[/SIZE]
( not to mention the rain showers )

unbelivable isn’t it ?

see below the enclosed graph ( courtesy of liverpool observatory ) as well nice pictures of another “model fastnet” event in birkenhead and a nice example of british summer

something to remember …

f.

[/FONT]

8

Flavio,

Your photos go to prove that it is not only Footys that bury their bows when over sailed for the conditions.

Cheers,

firstfooty

9

Hi All,

For those of us in the more remote parts is there any chance of some pics of the footies? Also results and details of the boats would be nice.

Thanks
Peter & Clare

10

Peter and Clare

No doubt you will have gathered that the original event took place last July, and made a considerable impact on the people who attended and subsequently all those that they beat round the ears:D

The results and pics are found at
http://www.rcsailing.net/forum1/showthread.php?t=4606&highlight=birkenhead

One of these days we hope to sail footys with you on the same bit of water; but in view of your progress it had better be sooner rather than later:D
andrew

11

Hi Andrew,

Thanks for that.
No we hadn’t taken notice of the posting dates.
Flavio’s post seemed to make it sound like the event was last weekend.
Last July we hadn’t even heard of a Footy (except football) so have no idea about the event.

Regards
Peter & Clare

12

Pete and Clare ~ you missed a treat ~ I feel sure that this year will be just as good and I am busy preparing for it.