2017 SAILING PROGRAMME      

LATEST EVENT  Catapult returned 1st-3rd July for a season highlight, the excellent sailing in the beautiful surroundings at  Bala, with Bala Sailing Club stepping in to host the TT racing (alongside the Tinker Tramps, a coincidental multi-inflatable event!) Gareth Ede again dominated the six TT races, but Stuart Ede scored two wins (one in survival conditions in the last race on Saturday.) (Report and photos)

Then on Monday,we ran the traditional fun races (Relay, Pairs, and Pursuit)from the beach back at the Pant-yr-Onnen campsite alongside the Bala Catamaran Club. (Fun races, and TT photos)

Gareth is comfortably on top of the 2017 TT Leaderboard but John Terry's absence bumps him from second, lifting George Evans into second, with Stuart Ede able to count two Bala first places to capture third.

(Below: Syd Gage and George ease down to the gybe mark, Race 1, but the front pack of event winner Gareth (91), Stuart and Paul Ellis (part obscured) are away towards the bottom mark) (Photo Rob Baker with thanks)

  John has revised the personal handicapping, and the Pursuit Race on Monday based on these had the fleet well bunched together. Chris Phillips' hold on the top of the Handicap Leaderboard was threatened by Mike Gough with an emphatic handicap event win at Bala (counting 5 firsts) but he clings on on countback.

 PREVIOUS EVENT  Catapult's third event in the  2017 Travelling Trophy programme had ten boats back at the beautiful Peak District venue of Carsington in May 20th-21st. Saturday's bursts of rain varied the  SW to W breeze from light to strong, and Sunday had good racing breeze, light-moderate, swinging enough to keep it lively. Gareth Ede racked up six first places, and George Evans could simlarly count 5 seconds. One point covered the next three places, showing how competitivethe racing is getting. (Report and photos)

(Below: Downwind tension at Carsington, Sunday. Photo Rosie Fisher, Carsington SC, with thanks.)

    RECENT EVENTS Rutland eased the season in with balmy sunshine and light SSW breeze at Rutland 8th-9th April  (Report and photos)  and then Catapult was back to an established favourite for the May Bank Holiday at Bassenthwaite With strong breezes forecast, three races were squeezed in on Saturday, ahead of the threatened easterlies, which duly arrived to prevent Sunday's schedule. A closely-fought duel between John Terry and Gareth Ede dominated the event. (Report and photos)

   NEXT EVENTS 
The two sea sailing events are next, with the mid-week TT as part of Stone Week on the Blackwater, and open water sailing again at Bridlington for the RYYC Regatta over the August BH. Then Autumn takes us back to Yorkshire Dales 7th-8th October (photo below) and we finish the season again at the Grafham Cat Open on October 21st-22nd.

    DVDs FROM CATAPULT EVENTS; LIST AVAILABLE Syd Gage has worked on the output from his and George's on-board cameras (photo below) to produce great videos of Catapult action, including a season roundup. The list and details here

   SPARES AVAILABLE TO MEMBERS Through the generosity of past Catapult sailor Admiral Sir Robert Hill and previous Secretary John Peperell, the Association has a good supply of spares to keep the fleet afloat in cases of breakage or damage.  John Terry manages the store: list of spares here and guidelines on availablity here

  NEW REPAIR ADVICE Syd Gage has added to his stream of practical advice and detailed instructions with a new article on DIY Puncture-free PU-foam-filled Tyres The article here shows what to buy, and Syd’s excellent photos and instructions (and personal setbacks) show how to change the steel roller bearings to nylon ones (more suitable for water immersion).  Many more are  here, the latest on  Repairing frame bolts  beam repairs, mast buoyancy, and halyard options.  
 
(Below: Syd Gage's camera mounting, picking up the opposition ahead as he concentrates on catching them.)

CATAPULT CRUISING  Justin (below) uses Catapult's shroud adjustment to dip the mast and negotiate the New Cut bridge between the Waveney and Yare rivers: more ) Get in touch with Alastair (at alastairforrest@hotmail.com ) with cruising plans or reports to add to the Cruising write-ups.

   
Jon Montgomery: Designer of Catapult: 22nd February 1935 - 9th June 2009.

 A tribute to Jon here.