A week of sailing elderly boats, none of them National 12s.....
I have been crewing on "Harkaway" in the mornings. Not sure when she was built but it was the late 1940s and she is part of Peter Wilson's impressive collection of vintage and modern yachts.
Unfortunately, "Panther" a more modern version caught her back stay on Dove Point, a large marker at the end of Halvergate Island, snapping the mast at the jumpers.
"Apache" was lucky to survive an attack earlier in the week by a frisky "Orion" who nearly suceeding in mounting her. Has anyone bred a Dragon in captivity?
Here we are in Tringa sailing through Orford. The pagoda building on the "Island" was part of the Atomic Weapon Testing Program, it is now owned by the National Trust (the Island and buildings, not the bombs!).
The wind picked up after lunch and racing, with a 38.2 mph gust recorded on the Slaughden Sailing Club anemometer. We sailed back under jib only, at times surfing on the waves, recording speeds of over 6 knots against the tide!
The Lapwing was designed by Morgan Giles and No1(Lapwing) was built in1947 for Jill Fowles who continues racing her.
How about some vintage National 12 racing against the Lapwings next year?
Fun on the start line earlier in the week. Perfect weather and some very close racing. Too close at times....The best we can finish will be second overall but third looks more likely.
