THE BENETEAU 21 IRELAND NEWSLETTER

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1 THE BENETEAU 21 IRELAND NEWSLETTER A Class Association for Beneteau First 21s, 210s, 211s and 217s Issue 1 February 2011 Introduction Welcome to the first issue of what will hopefully be a (reasonably!) regular e-publication for the Beneteau 21 fleet. As most readers will be aware, a fleet of seven Beneteau 21s raced as a class in the Dun Laoghaire Motor Yacht (DMYC) September series last year (2010). An inaugural meeting was held during the series, in which it was agreed to establish a class association committed to developing the fleet in Ireland, and more specifically in Dun Laoghaire. Our medium-term aim is to have the fleet recognised as a one-design fleet by Dublin Bay Sailing Club (DBSC), and to be given our own start. In the short term, we hope to promote one-design racing at smaller events, from this year s DL Regatta to the DMYC September series. Progress has been rapid, and we are particularly grateful to Joe Conway for organising the new class webpage ( and its associated discussion forum well worth joining for anyone who hasn t done so already. As will be clear from the following bulletins, getting and keeping boats on the water must be the fleet s key aim this is the only way in which we will achieve our objective of one-design status. On a lighter note, it will also provide more enjoyable sailing (and racing!) for everyone involved. The newsletter includes a whole series of suggested races, meetings and sessions which will stand or fall based on the support of class members. So if you re interested in a particular event, let us know. And if anyone not directly involved with the present newsletter has ideas, suggestions, or comments, let us know through the website ( Wishing everyone a great 2011 season. The Inaugural Meeting Ten people representing seven boats attended the first class meeting on 19 September last, at DMYC (by kind permission). It was agreed to form a class association to promote B21 racing, specifically one-design racing, and a number of initiatives were agreed (below). The class decided to base its safety regulations on those of cruiser 3, in which boats currently race in DBSC. A number of other rules relating both to safety and racing were proposed and provisionally accepted (see Towards a One- Design Rule, below). Broadly speaking, the class, which encompasses Beneteau 210s, 211s and 217s (and potentially other design variants), seems to be keen on open one-design status, rather than any very rigid system. Discussions are ongoing and focus on the forum section of our webpage, which everyone is encouraged to join and contribute to. A meeting is planned for the beginning of the sailing season, in which these and other rules will be formalised, and the class association launched. Further information will be circulated on the webpage. Inaugural Class Dinner Andrew Bradley of Chinook organised our inaugural class dinner on 26 November last in the Royal Irish Yacht Club. Over 30 people attended representing 6 out of the 7 racing boats in Dun Laoghaire (the seventh being prevented by last minute work commitments). We were delighted that John McCarthy and Tony O Driscoll, whose B21s are based in Baltimore, were also able to join us and we hope, now that we have made contact, that even more will be able to come along next year. A great night was had and Andrew spoke briefly to welcome the fleet to the Royal Irish. On behalf of all in attendance, he extended a special thanks to 1

2 Stephen who organised for us to have our own finish in the DMYC September series and has been the catalyst behind the formation of the class. Thanks to Andrew for organising the dinner, hopefully the first of many! T (Tango). The Beneteau 21 Class flag in the DMYC September Series The flag was last used locally by the Dublin Bay 24 one-design class a one-design class which sadly has left the Bay. Skerries: Jolie Brise (217) JC Jacquier We also made contact with Sligo YC. A number of Beneteau 21s raced there at one point, but unfortunately there are none there now. There are rumours of a boat at Clontarf, and several (?) at Mountshannon, but we have not yet made contact with anyone from either location. If anyone knows any Beneteau 21 owners at these or other locations, please let me know (Hugh Kelly or hkelly@amlservices.com). Local News - DL and Ireland The key to recognition as a one-design fleet is the number of boats racing regularly (see Towards a One-Design Start, below). At the inaugural meeting, it was agreed that the DL fleet should try to make contact with as many boats as possible, and we were delighted that representatives from two other boats came to the class dinner (above). The seven Dun Laoghaire boats which raced in the September series, and which are committed to the coming DBSC summer series are: Capilano (211) Seamus Storan Chinook (211) Andrew Bradley & Paul Morgan Frutti di Mari (211) Niallo Carroll Isolde (217) Peter Carroll Small Wonder (211) Hugh Kelly Syzrgy (211) Rowan Fogarty Yikes (211) Joe Conway In addition, we have made contact with the following boats in other parts of Ireland: Arklow: Blew Bubbles (210) Sean Cassidy Baltimore: Just Mitchin (211) Tony O Driscoll Yinyang (211) John McCarthy Malahide: Mon Reve (211) Brian Stewart International News (the UK and France) We have also been trying to make contact with boats overseas. We believe there are between B21s sailing in Windemere. Stephen and Joe have been trying to make contact with the fleet there, but with the exception of some Youtube footage (!?!) ( ), we have not had any success so far Conor Maguire found a website advising of a Beneteau First regatta in Dinard, France (near St Malo) on 25 and 26 June Conor and JC have tried to make contact both through the website and directly with the local club but without success so far. If we can make contact and are welcome, a few have discussed putting one or two Irish crews together and bringing over or chartering a couple of boats. Anyone interested in travelling over for this event, please let us know by return and we ll let you know if we make any progress. Sure, it could be a bit of craic! Towards a One-Design Start Considerable progress has been made on a onedesign rule (see Towards a One-Design Rule, below), and on establishing a class association. A less abstract concern is pushing for one-design racing, and in particular for one-design starts in Dublin Bay. The class are very aware that not everyone has been born and raised in DBSC, and that the initial process of signing up, let alone racing, can be slightly intimidating. If I, or any other member of 2

3 the acting committee, can help in any way, please don t hesitate to get in touch, either through the website or directly (sharriso@tcd.ie / ). There is also the possibility of an Introduction session (below). At present, there are four strands to promoting onedesign racing in Dublin Bay. 1. The most important is DBSC. Broadly speaking, the club are impressed by our enthusiasm and are in no way opposed to the principle of a B21 class racing in Dublin Bay. However, a lot of other fleets are looking for starting times too, and we will need to fight our corner as a result. DBSC would expect a registered fleet approximately 14 boats before they would give us our own start. This reflects their assumption that it takes a fleet of this size to sustain six boats at the start line throughout the season. A number of suggestions relating to the subdivision of cruisers 3 / cruisers 4 were made, but none have proved viable, and it is therefore certain that the B21s will be racing with cruisers 3 in DBSC again this year. We are, however, negotiating the possibility of a B21 prize / trophy for Thursday races this year. This will essentially hinge on the number of B21s registered for racing, so get your entries in early, and if you know of anyone with a B21 who might like to race with DBSC this year, start arm-twisting! It would also be really helpful if individual boats could confirm with the class, as well as DBSC, if they are intending to race. Even if DBSC decide not to record individual finishes, the class could keep records of its own finishes, and investigate the possibility of awarding its own prizes for series one and two. I doubt anyone would object to contributing to, let alone winning, a few bottles of wine! 2. Dun Laoghaire Regatta (7-10 July). The pressure on starts at the regatta is, if anything, more intense than Dublin Bay, with up to 525 boats due to compete in some 25 starts, if previous years are anything to go by. DL regatta would expect at least twelve boats to enter before considering us for a start, and are really looking for fifteen definite entries plus. As with Dublin Bay, if we don t get our own start, we ll form part of the cruiser 3 fleet. For those who haven t taken part in Dun Laoghaire Regatta before ( it s a fantastic event, with or without a one-design start. Four days of racing right across the Bay, with great après-sail in the evening. Visiting boats are very much encouraged, so it could be an ideal opportunity for B21s from other locations to try out the best of Dublin Bay sailing. As with DBSC, could you let the class as well as the regatta committee know if you re planning to enter it will make our negotiating position much stronger. 3. The DMYC September Series. It s a long way away, but DMYC were delighted to have the B21 fleet in last years series, and are very keen that we compete again this year. I have received a firm commitment that if we build on last year s numbers (7 boats), we will be given our own start as well as our own finish. B21 sailors based outside Dublin may also like to know that the club should be in a position to offer moorings to any visiting boats for the duration of the series. Further details will follow later in the season. 4. Other Regattas. While most club regatta planning is still sketchy, there is a longstanding tradition of DL boats sailing (racing) from DL to the Clontarf and / or Howth Regattas, starting themselves at the DBSC hut and crossing the home regatta finishing line. These events are races, but given the nature of the course, they are normally quite relaxed, and (for example) normally involve sampling the host clubs hospitality before sailing home in company. Before proceeding with this line of attack, it would be very useful to know how many boats are at least theoretically interested in taking part in such local regattas. If people are definitely interested, could they let me know (sharriso@tcd.ie / ). I will, of course, keep the fleet informed of any and all developments on these fronts. Numeral 3. The fleet will sail in the handicap cruisers 3 class for the coming (2011) DBSC season, but possibly with a class prize for Beneteau 21s. We need to encourage more boats to race in order to be awarded our own start! 3

4 Class Sails At the end of last season and after the very enjoyable DMYC September Series, a number of boats expressed interest in buying new sails. It seemed the perfect opportunity not only to extract a discount for a bulk order but to begin the move towards class standardisation. A number of sail makers were considered and in the end we decided to run with North Sails. Hugh of Small Wonder was tasked with the job of researching sail cloths and making a recommendation to the fleet. Sail cloths were rated and Stephen (Isolde), Joe (Yikes) and Hugh met Prof Maurice O Connell of North Sails before recommending the following cloths and designs to the Class: Main Sail: M-1P clear film, APEN 06 & 09 (Pentex) radial with one reef. No. 1 Jib: J-1PT APEN 12 (Pentex) radial with Taffeta and horizontal battens. No. 3 Jib: J-3PT APEN 18 (Pentex) radial with Taffeta and horizontal battens. Spinnaker: Asymmetric A-3 Superkote 75 (nylon) radial. Notes: 1. All the sails are horizontally and vertically computer moulded. 2. North currently use a Contender fabric. If this changes, they will substitute an equivalent fabric. 3. One of the boats in the fleet (Yikes) already has a No. 3 jib. No. 3 jibs are not significantly smaller but are much flatter in design than No. 1s and suitable for wind strengths in excess of approx 18 knots. It is proposed that any boat may carry a No. 3 in their sail locker if they wish and may use it when racing but, but there is some debate as to whether boats should be allowed to change their jibs during a race. If you have any comments on this proposal, please log into the forum on the fleet website All agree that one of the appeals of the B21 fleet is and should remain affordability and that the move towards standardisation should be (a) gradual and (b) limited. 1. It is proposed that owners only be obliged to change their sails to this standard as and when their existing sails need replacing and that they can continue to race with their existing sails without penalty. Those currently flying asymmetric spinnakers may continue to do so. 2. When purchasing a new mainsail, owners may opt for sliders or bolt ropes. In the case of jibs, owners may choose to keep their furlers or to switch to hanks or a foil at their own discretion. Such a flexible approach has been adopted successfully by the First 31.7 fleet. Most are choosing to move away from furlers for safety (because of problems with furlers jamming) and performance reasons. Furling gear reduces luff length and therefore the max possible sail area. If the jib is to be furled, it also eliminates the use of horizontal battens although a vertical solution is possible. For those who wish to retain the option of furling gear for family cruising, it should be noted that furling gear can be removed and replaced relatively easily. The idea of limiting how often sails can be replaced has also been mooted. The Puppeteer fleet limited sail changes to a maximum 1 set per 3 seasons except where a sail has to be replaced for reasons other than simply performance improvement, e.g. if a sail is destroyed beyond repair. Other fleets of similar size also restrict the number of times sails can be replaced. Any views on this would be welcome on the forum on the fleet s website In the end, 5 boats decided to replace one or more sails and in return for a consolidated order for 3 mains, 3 jibs and a spinnaker (with snuffer), a 17.5% discount was secured from North. 4

5 Rig and Sail Tuning Session As part of the deal struck with North Sails, Prof Maurice O Connell has agreed to give us a session on board one the B21s before the 2011 season, on rig and sail tuning. Further details will be ed to everyone and posted on the website in due course. Please note that ALL owners, helms and crews are encouraged and welcome to attend, not just those that have purchased North sails. Winch Maintenance Winches sit on the deck in all weathers, and only tend to attract attention after they ve broken. Joe Conway has kindly offered to hold a winch maintenance session before the beginning of the season. Details will be ed to all those who have submitted contact details to the fleet, and will be posted on the website in due course. Centreboard Maintenance Some Beneteau 21s have experienced difficulties with their centreboard / lifting keel systems. If there is sufficient interest, the class also hope to have a session on this subject at some point later this year. Expressions of interest should be submitted to the website Introduction to Racing in DBSC It has been suggested that some boats may be interested in an Introduction to Racing day, or at least afternoon, before the beginning of the season. This would potentially include an introduction to Dublin Bay start sequences and course cards, tidal tips, basic starting and finishing tactics, and recap of some of the when boats meet rules. If anyone would like to take part in this, can they submit expressions of interest to the website Yikes (IRL 1883) racing in Dublin Bay. She came third in the handicap DBSC Turkey Shoot (Autumn League) Towards a One-Design Rule As will be clear from this newsletter, the class have begun the process of moving towards a one-design rule, and status. It is important that this should be a group decision it is, after all, our fleet. There is no formal process within DBSC for recognition as a class association (as opposed to being given our own start, above). Joe and Stephen are in communication with the Irish Sailing Association on the same subject. For legal reasons, it may be necessary to set up a limited company we will report back as soon as possible. To fulfil the requirements of Dublin Bay, we need a set of class rules / constitution, and four officers Class Captain, Vice Captain, Safety Officer and Records Officer. It makes sense that this latter could double as class secretary. Depending on the implications of our talks with the ISA, it may also be necessary to have a treasurer. If we are serious about setting up a class association, we need to move towards a formal set of class rules soon preferably before the start of the season, and certainly before our next definite one-design event (the DMYC September series 2011). As has been pointed out elsewhere (see Hugh on sails), we think that rules should be kept as open 5

6 as possible, but keeping rules entirely open will remove many of the advantages associated with one-design racing. Potential class rules are already being discussed on the class forum, accessed through the webpage ( All those sailing B21s are encouraged to join this forum, and to contribute to these initial discussions. These discussions should lead to a formal document which will be debated at some point in the future, possibly in May. Full details will be circulated well in advance of this date. Rules can be divided into two groups: safety and racing. Safety: These rules relate to the safety of the boats and those sailing on them. As we will continue to sail in Cruisers 3 this year, we have to comply with their safety rules. They also make a great deal of sense. At the inaugural meeting, the following were also suggested 1. Engines: all B21s must race with the engine in place on the transom the process of moving the outboard amidships (i.e. down in to the cabin) is awkward and should be avoided: it also means that the engine is not immediately accessible in the event of an emergency (i.e. man overboard). 2. Lifting Keels: All B21s must race with their keels fully down. Lifting the keel dinghystyle makes the boats very unstable, and could risk a capsize. Racing: Rules intended to make the field as fair as possible, making the class one-design as opposed to handicap. 1. Forestays / Furling Gear. The class will allow either a standard forestay (with hanked jib) or a furling headsail (as originally supplied). 2. Travellers / Fixed Mainsheets. Traveller systems are allowed, as are minor modifications to the mainsheet anchor point on the cockpit sole. 3. Either conventional or asymmetric spinnakers can be used. Due to the nature of Dublin Bay race courses, however, the fleet recommend that anyone fitting a spinnaker opt for a symmetric. 4. Sails: as part of the group negotiation with North Sails, a number of suggestions have been made (see Hugh Kelly s piece, above). These rules represent just some of the issues relating to both safety and one-design status which the B21s will have to consider, and members input is very important to this process. The forum page promises to become a lively place over the next few months, and all should feel free to start new threads, ask questions, make suggestions etc. The more input received before the class rules are drawn up, the less controversial the final meeting to pass these rules is likely to be! 6