The new SportsBoat World footstrap

No more Mr Floppy! The old footstraps always had a tendency to flop at important moments and leave you trying to open the strap with one hand whilst sliding your foot in… Not any more. After quite a few prototypes we have made a strap that has a thick plastic laminate inside which will never let you down. No matter how much you trample over it it will always be there, ready for your feet whenever you need it.

The new strap is available at a cost of £18 (inc VAT). We also have a fitting kit consisting of the plastic screw plates and 4 self-tappers which costs £3.60 per strap.

The strap has been designed to retro-fit in the old style (pre-3700 series) boats so must be fitted in the same place, where there should be wooden blocks in the deck laminate which will accept the new fixings. Contact your local dealer or alan@sportsboatworld.com for more information or to order.

As we seem to spend a lot of our time travelling and moving our boat – often arriving very late with no time to thoroughly clean the boat and rig – over the winter we decided to make a mast cover. This is what we came up with: it has a full length zip in three pieces so the cover can be put on even if you have kept the rigging and spreaders on the mast. The spreaders also have custom-made covers which seal with Velcro so that the mast, rigging and spreaders can be kept clean and protected on the road whilst you ship your beloved around!

We only made one cover initially (we obviously thought we might be the only time-pressed travellers on the planet…!) but no sooner had we got hold of ours then we sold it. We have a few more on order so if you want to give your mast the love and care it deserves get your order in now! The cover also comes with a lovely red tail flag so you can comply with some towing laws at the same time!

For more info or to order one at a cost of £200 (plus Vat), complete with spreader covers and crane cover/flag, please contact alan@sportsboatworld.com

In the first of a new series of tuning tips, we talk through setting up your SB20 rig.

Initial rig set up
While the rig is down, you need to set up the top mast shrouds (cap shrouds). Make sure that they are the same length by detaching them, and placing a screwdriver through the pin holes and adjust so they are the same tension. Re-attach them to the spreaders and gently pull the spreader down – if the V1/D3 main shroud comes tight just before the V2/D4 cap shroud then this is a good starting point.

What to do with Caps
The principle purpose of the top mast shrouds is a safety factor to hold the rig in column downwind. So we are looking to ensure they are even side-to-side and not too tight. The way to check this is by looking at them when standing in the boat with the rig set up, but sails down, and slowly pull the backstay on. The tension in them should start to release fairly quickly and at the same time/evenly on each side.

Gooseneck lowers
We make sure these are loose enough to not interfere with anything, until we get to breezy conditions where we start to use vang to depower the main. We then have them set up so that they pull tight and stop the mast moving further forward when the lower part of the mainsail is at the right level of depth.

Mast tune
This leaves us using the main shrouds and D2s as our principle rig adjusters while out sailing. This is how we initially set up the mast from scratch.

Get the mast up in the air with forestay pinned in and each shroud loosely connected. Then, taking each shroud one at a time, completely unwind the bottle screws (taking the middle turnbuckle off from each of the screws top and bottom) and then take even turns on each pair of shrouds. Once they start to tension up, use the gauge to get to base setting (28/24). So long as each pair of shrouds are equal lengths (definitely worth checking before you start this process for the first time), with even turns taken on each side you should be able to look at the rig and confirm it is straight side to side and in column.

A basic simple to use guide for shroud tensions is as follows. You should check that the turns you add below correspond on your boat. Also check your rig gauge with someone else’s. Beware of worn out grooves on your gauge!

Light       28/24     +2/2 (+2 full turns on shrouds and 2 on D2s)
Medium  31/30     +4/1 (+4 full turns on shrouds and 1 on D2s)
Heavy     36/34

The thinking behind these shroud tensions is as follows. A simplistic view is that the whole rig set up is based on a set of compromises at different wind strengths.

Light airs (before needing backstay to depower):
Generally, SB20 mainsails are very full in the middle and top panels to suit the rig profile once backstay is pulled on. In lighter air before needing backstay, they need pre-bend to get an efficient shape. This is only possible by keeping a reasonable level of V1 tension, which causes a problem with getting any luff sag to drive power in the jib, as tension in the shrouds results in a tight forestay.

The minimum V1 tension our rig can handle without going too straight is 28 on a P2 loos gauge. We then adjust the D2s to achieve the desired profile on the mainsail for the right level of depth in the mid to lower section. All mainsails are slightly different, but 24 is a good starting point. More turns on the D2 give more mainsail depth and fewer turns flatten it off.

With this setting, you can still use some backstay as you start to get overpowered, but you’ll find that you don’t have much range in adjustment before you get starvation creases in the mainsail, due to over-bending the lower section of the mast.

Medium airs (frequently overpowered and needing backstay):
At this point you need to be able to use more backstay to further flatten the mainsail, which requires more D2 tension to stop over-bending the lower rig. We move the D2s to 30, and to allow for this amount of tension without over-straightening at lower backstay tension or getting an inverse bend in the rig, we tighten the V1s to 31.

You should find that you can carry this setup into quite breezy conditions, as can use a lot of backstay when you need to lose power to really flatten the mainsail off. In the lulls, easing the backstay powers everything back up nicely, so the primary controls become backstay and mainsheet, as you’ll find the leech profile changes massively at the different extremes of the backstay position and as the wind strength changes.

Strong wind (always overpowered):
When you are continually overpowered and never releasing backstay on the 31/30 setting, you are likely to benefit from de-powering further. We move the V1 tension to 36 to tighten the jib luff and the maximum D2 we can carry at this tension without over straightening the rig is 34.

Again, backstay should be on tight before you do anything else to depower the mainsail. If you need to depower further, you can release some mainsheet to twist off the top of the leech. Next step we use is to down-track the traveller so that the car is about on the centreline and then beyond that we use some vang to flatten the lower part of the mainsail.

Next month we’ll take a look at more sail control settings for different conditions…

Fancy some European competition? The Belgian SB20 class is well and truly alive and kicking, and holding two great regattas which are open to all visitors this August.

In the run-up to this year’s SB20 World Champaionships at St Petersburg (September 6-12), or as an alternative event for anyone who fancies some fresh competition, the Belgian SB20 class is organising two SB20 regattas this August.

• 15-17 August, PRE-NATIONALS EVENT (sponsored by ‘Brugse Zot’)

• 22-24 August SB20 OPEN BELGIAN NATIONALS

Both events will hosted by the RNSYC in Ostend-Belgium and all SB20 teams are invited to join one or both regattas, with the chance to compete against an international fleet including boats representing BEL, NED, RUS, GER, FRA, GBR, ITA and more. 

Contact info@sb20class.be for additional information or help.

See you in Ostend!

Belgian SB20 Class

Velocitek has just issued an upgrade kit for the popular ProStart unit. The waterproofing kit features PVC strips to help the mounting cradle push on the back of the battery compartment lid. This gives the battery compartment a tighter seal, and can be simply retrofitted. The upgrade kit also contains a new-style silicone gasket, and is available free until May 31.

See more at http://blog.velocitek.com/2014/04/23/prostart-waterproofing-upgrade-kit/

Audi SB20 World Championships – Day 1

In 2013 we started producing and stocking gennakers in different colours. Also proving popular is our “cut-in” customisation service, which is carried out by our loft using exactly the same materials so as to minimise any distortion in the sail. The one-design sail is made in a material called Dynakote which has many great properties for gennakers. However, one of these properties is to repel water – and it does this so well that it also repels inks, so painting logos on to them is not possible, hence the “cut-in”.

We have gennakers currently in stock in red, grey, white, light blue and dark blue, available from us at £1412.25 (inc VAT at 20%).

If you would like a custom colour, which has to be made from the Dynakote range of colours that are subject to availability, then there is an additional cost of £100 (plus VAT) which includes air freighting the custom colourway from the loft. Please allow up to eight weeks for these sails.

Custom logo designs etc can also be cut-in to sails. Cost depends on size and complexity, but is in the range of £300-£400 (plus VAT). Drop us a line to discuss your ideas!

The first SB20 Grand Slam of the season, over May 2-4 2014 saw a strong fleet of 25 boats from 7 nations, representing France, Britain, Russia, Italy, Belgium, Germany and Monaco. Just as for the World Championships last year, the Mediterranean venue of Hyeres offers great sailing with a real mix of conditions. On Friday we had very British weather that seemed to suit the British boats with 35 knots and some rain, which cleared up and dropped right away to nothing, forcing Race 3 to be abandoned – much to the relief of some!

Day 2 was warm and sunny with a building breeze that started at 10 knots and saw the day finishing in a perfect 20 knots, allowing four excellent races to be completed. For Day 3 the forecast was pretty light and while the excellent race team from COYCH tried in vain to get us racing – one race was started (allowing the SportsboatWorld team to once again show how average they can be in 2-3 knots of wind!) but the race committee had to bow to the inevitable and send the fleet back in

Well done to our hosts the COYCH for running some excellent racing and great hospitality in the evenings, including refreshments brought to the crane whilst de-rigging – that sets the bar very high! Thanks also to the SAX bar, which always looks after us so well. Hyeres is a great venue – good facilities, great restaurants, good breezes. The SB20 fleet will be back later in the year for the French Nationals, and no doubt for a Grand Slam event in May 2015. The next stop for the Grand Slam circuit is Torbole on Lake Garda, Italy over May 23-25, which is always a favourite.

Results:

1st John Pollard, Rob Smith and Steve Proctor Excellente

2nd Jerry Hill, Alan Hillman and Chris Quentin SBW.com

3rd Alexey, Egor and Kirrril M Team

4th Ian Armstrong, Mark Sherwood and Michael Gifford Trouble & Strife

5th Ed Russo, Phillippe and Gilles Black Magic

In the second part of our series of tuning tips, we look at sail settings for different conditions

Mainsheet trim

There are many ways to skin a cat here, and in general they all work, so use what works for you!

1) Traveller up and vang sheeted – the most common way

2) No vang, use mainsheet and traveller

3) Or a bit of a combination of above

The safest set up is keeping some twist in the mainsheet. The boat stalls very quickly if over-sheeted. Jerry Hill says, ‘I generally try to keep the traveller up as long as possible to keep the boom on the centreline and drive lift out of the lower leech, providing a small amount of weather helm and lift off the rudder. I’d always use backstay as the first control to depower the mainsail, before considering easing the sheet and then down-tracking the traveller.

‘We put the Cunningham through the lowest hole on the mainsail in all conditions and find this allows us to pull the bag out of the lower luff in lighter conditions and gives enough range in heavier winds to flatten the sail and pull the draft forward.’

How high to set up the jib?

The height of the jib effectively controls how open the leech of the jib is. Higher means tighter leech, lower opens the leech up.

Set the foot of the jib about 1-2 cm off the deck. We use a tape mark on the forestay and a horizontal line on the luff tape of each jib, which we have in the same place to get consistency on jib height.

How tight should the jib Cunningham be?

This is one of the controls we adjust the most. We’re always looking to just pull the creases out of the luff of the jib, without pulling it too tight. If we seem to be going slow, one of the first things we do is release this a bit. Remember: when pulling on very hard, the top of the jib may open up significantly.

How do you use the jib tracks?

Most of the time these are as close to the centreline as you can get them – make sure the cars are the correct way around, with pins on the outside. We track out a few holes (up to 8 full holes) as we start get back-winding in the mainsail in stronger winds. In very windy conditions your jib trimmer becomes vital and being able to uncleat and ease effectively through the big gusts is very important.

New sails

Love buying them or hate buying them, they do make a difference! Clearly they are a significant expense, so sensible planning about when to use them – and when not to! – ensures you enjoy the best value out of your new armoury. Most of the top teams will put up a new set for the world championships, and maybe one other new jib mid-season, and then manage their slightly older sails through other events.

While not putting up your new sails on a really windy day seems logical, the speed difference between old and new will still be there, sometimes more than expected!

The Royal Cork Yacht Club is welcoming SB20s to two big regattas this July. From July 6th-11th the world-famous biennial Volvo Cork Week will be playing host to a large Sportsboat fleet. This year’s Cork Week offers four days of top quality racing and a full week-long programme of great shore side activities and entertainment.

Then from July 25th-27th of July the club will also be hosting the SB20 Irish National Championships, with a scheduled 10 race-series and entertainment on both nights, which organisers promise to make it a truly ‘unmissable event’.

The entry fee for both events includes crane and storage of boats on site for the two weeks between events if you choose to do both.

Volvo Cork Week €265

http://www.corkweek.ie/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/NOTICE-OF-RACE-2014-Updated.pdf

SB20 Irish Nationals €145

http://www.royalcork.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/SB20-National-Championships-2014-NOR.pdf

We’re looking forward to the second event on the 2014 Grand Slam circuit, at Lake Garda in Italy.

The Grand Slam is also a key opportunity to get some practice on Lake Garda before next year’s world championships, as racing will be hosted by Yacht Club Circolo Vela Torbole, the organisers of the 2015 worlds.

The Italian lake is world-famous for its perfect sailing conditions of strong breezes and flat water. The venue lays on near-constant winds each day, with the ‘Pelér’ breeze, which typically blows from north to south early in the morning, then the famed ‘Ora’ wind, which blows from south to north, takes over from late morning until late in the afternoon offering fantastic racing conditions. Add in challenging effects from the surrounding mountains, and plenty of Italian sunshine, and it’s easy to see why Garda is such a favourite among regatta organisers.

The Italian Grand Slam has attracted around 30 boats with a strong international fleet that includes visitors from the UK, Russia, France and Monaco. Nine races are scheduled over a busy three-day programne, with registration on Thursday 22nd May, then three races per day planned for Friday 23rd to Sunday 25th.

See more event details at http://circolovelatorbole.com/it/regate/2014/

The second SB20 European Grand Slam event of the 2014 season was held from 23 to 25 May at Circolo Vela Torbole on Lake Garda, a favourite venue amongst all the crews. Not only was this the club where 110 boats contested the 2010 Worlds, but the fleet will return next year for the 2015 World Championships, from 6 to 10 July 2015.

Twenty-seven boats from Italy, UK, Russia, France Portugal and Germany competed, including champions from not only the SB20 class, but also the Star, J/24 and Melges 24 classes, and Alexia Barrier, who recently came a very credible third in the AG2R Figaro Transatlantic Race.

The Torbole racecourse is always a challenge, and for those with aspirations for next year’s Worlds, it was an important chance to get a feel for the racecourse. Many theories are abound: some say go hard left, some say hard right – very few people – especially after this regatta – will suggest choosing the middle.

Seven races were contested over three days. The first day saw very light airs and, after the race officer got the fleet out for a late start at about 4.30pm, one race was completed and a second abandoned halfway through in a failing breeze. For Day 2, the race officer suggested an 8.30am start in the northerly breeze to make up for the lost races. Many of the great and the good of the class swiftly rejected this idea, and reverted to the usual 1.00pm Garda start time. The classic Ora breeze was in and enabled four great races to be sailed, after which the fleet enjoyed a dinner at the club laid upon by one of the local Italian restaurants. Day 3 was rounded off with two races.

Consistency was key and few teams managed to keep a high score off their cards. In the end the team that came out on top was ‘M Team’ from Russia, sailed by Alexey Murasmkin, Egor Ignatenko and Kirrill Frolov. Despite a little wobble in the middle of their series, they rounded off Day 3 with two wins to emerge as winners by 2 points ahead of the consistent Italian teams of Mario Brenco and Nicolo Bianchi. The British teams, despite some strong showing at times and three race wins, lacked the consistency to challenge.

After another great event, the Grand Slam circuit now moves onto Kiel in July, before a Cowes Week Grand Slam in August and this year’s World Championships in St Petersburg from 8 to 12 September, 2014.

Results:

1^st RUS 3708 Murasmkin Alexey, Maschio, Frolov Kirill, Ignatenko Egor

2^nd ITA 3578 Brenco Carlo Mario, Maschio, C. Fracassoli, N. Dal Ferro, M.Pagani

3^rd ITA 3620 Niccolð Bianchi, Maschio, Pietro Negri, Cristian Ferro

4 ITA 3099 Paulin Gian Matteo, Maschio, Mazzotti Michele, Celli Cristina

5 GBR 3044 John Polland, Maschio, Rob Smith, Steve Procter

Sportsboat World are pleased to announce that White Formula, the builders of the SB20, are supporting the competitors’ BBQ and beverage provision once more for our AAM Cowes Week Grand Slam. Speaking to Rob White last week as we collected two new boats from Brightlingsea he volunteered support saying that he had enjoyed last year’s so much he wanted to be a part of it again!

We shall be announcing further supporters of this great event shortly but unless you don’t like the thought of great racing, fantastic socials that include the infamous Royal Yacht Squadron Cocktail Party – and the opportunity to use the legendary “Pink Kite” – then don’t ignore the reminder to avoid the late entry hike in fees. If you need any more info let us know and we can tell you how to book into the amazing UKSA mooring, accommodation and social package that we are laying on. Hope to see you there where Jerry and I will be sailing as well as supporting the event with spares and handing out beers!

Sail numbers…….

With the new smoke sails we carried out some extensive studies, statistical analysis, and destructive testing, as well as asking the opinion of our wives and some local race officers.

About what you may ask?…well the sails are EXACTLY the same as before, the sole difference being that the scrim in the cloth has now been changed to the colour black rather than white.

This has an impact on what colour SAIL NUMBERS you should use.

We use black sail numbers as:

1. We think it looks the best (but if you are looking for style gurus ignore everything from Jerry or myself);

2. The race officers said it was easier to read in black;

3. Hyde advised black would be best;

4. Our wives said so.

So…. a quick guide to what colour numbers to put on your sails:

Black is white, white is black and smoke is black.

If anybody is thinking of doing the UK Nationals those fine people at Stormforce Coaching, who are also the title sponsor of our nationals this year, still have a boat available for charter.

Stormforce will be supporting the event in all sorts of clever ways, although free beer after racing would seem the jump out attraction for us! Charter includes a race-ready SB20, including a full set of three standard race sails, outboard engine and class safety equipment, buoyancy aids, hand-held VHF and boat insurance. Find out more at http://www.stormforce.biz/

The 2014 UK Nationals take place from 26-29 June – so book quick! – at the Royal Torbay Yacht Club.

In the third and final part of our series of tuning tips, we look at how boat prep can give you a speed edge

Your boat preparation should include making sure that your hull and foils have no dents or scratches and everything is nice and shiny! Use McLube Speed Polish on the hull before big events, and preserve all that hard work by using the undercover when trailing.

Be obsessed with keeping the rudder in really good condition and doing everything possible to stop the keel getting scratched and knocked in transit or when lifting. Whenever out of the water, pack the keel with the new high density foam packers from SportsBoatWorld, which keeps it really solid. Before dropping the keel we always try to flush a load of water down the box to get rid of any bits of grit and then keep the boat level so that it doesn’t rub on the sides of the keel box. When we trail, try and slide some plastic sheets between the keel and keel box to minimise movement and damage. The foils should line up vertically, and the keel tight in the keel box and the rudder should have minimal play.

Be careful about putting a wet rudder in the rudder bag as this may lead to osmosis. Rudder fittings also need constant attention: replace the bronze inserts regularly, and keep an eye out for cracks on the stainless fittings and on the rudder blade – if you find any, seek professional advice on how to repair them.

After sailing, flush all the blocks with fresh water as often as possible. Replace running rigging as soon as you see signs of fray or the outer cover deteriorating – steadily shorten all the running rigging to minimum length. Ropes that are too long are heavy and cause snags. Make sure you are using a spinnaker sheet with a rat’s tail type splice that attaches to the clew for faster gybes. Change the jib halyard cleat from the spinlock to the Harken cam and plate – this means that you can adjust jib height more accurately.

Keep an eye on the spreader bracket, especially on old masts – these can be re-welded but replacing them is advised when you see cracking. The new spreader brackets are a thicker gauge. Think about having the boat re-painted below when it starts getting scratched – we have seen many boats where the paint has become damaged and the plywood bulkheads become wet and rotten: not fast!

Keep the boat as a dry as possible between events. Ensure the boat is dry below when you pack up, leave the hatch open, and secure the cover properly with the main halyard on the attachment point to stop water gathering at the back.

Down below is an often ignored area. Ensure you have the correct safety gear that the event requires, but make sure you don’t carry any extra, and make sure what you have is sensibly light. If you are carrying an engine make sure you have a bungee method to secure it in place. On deck keep the extra gear you carry to a minimum – a Gerber, a couple of lengths of Spectra, some split rings, a spare block or two and some tape will fix most things.

Electronics

You have plenty of options here, it really depends on what information you want to see, and what you’d find distracting:

• Tacktick Race master – a wheel-based transducer for true speed through the water, though it does vary on each tack as it is not set on the centre line. Also has depth and a good flux compass.

• Velocitek Prostart – Great start line functionality, but GPS-based speed and compass.

• Novasail – Has similar start line functionality but a flux compass.

• We are now allowed to have a combination of the above, so using the Velocitek with a Tacktick micro compass (or now the new Velocitek Shift) is a popular choice if you want to use the start line tool.

June 26-30 saw the UK SB20 fleet head down to the English Riviera for the 12th Stormforce Coaching SB20 National Championships at the Royal Torbay Yacht Club. A later start on the first day gave competitors plenty of time to arrive in Torbay, and with the help of Sportsboat World representative Alan Hillman, there was ample time and advice available to make sure all the boats were finely tuned and race ready.

Jerry Hill (3722) took the early lead in the results winning the first race with John Pollard (3724) taking second, then building on this with a great win in the second race to take the lead overnight. Andy Oddie (3462) also had a good day on the water finishing the day with two consistent results which placed him in third after two races.

By the end of race two the wind was increasingly light and shifty but with two races on the results sheet (and only one broken nose…), the SB20 Nationals were off to a great start and received a very warm Commodore’s welcome on Thursday evening.

Day two saw thunder, lightning and showers throughout the day – but this wasn’t enough to stop the SB20 fleet from completing four races. Jerry Hill won the first day of the day, putting him back into a strong position. Chris Darling won the second race of the day in style on his brand new boat, no. 3723 ‘Darling Associates‘, with Mark Gillet (3149) and Tom Clay (3106) following closely behind in second and third.

The new UK SB20 chairman Adrian Peach in 3720 was first to cross the line in the third race of the second day (race 5), with John Pollard and Joe Llewellyn (3082) securing the other top 3 places. But Joe and his team weren’t finished there, and having tasted a top three result they went on to win the final race of Day 2, with Jerry and John close behind in second and third. With six races now completed the end of day two saw the discard kick in, which was much needed for some boats.

A huge thank-you goes out to Westaway Sails who, for the second year running, sponsored an evening of the SB20 nationals with a happy hour at the bar of Royal Torbay Yacht Club. It was a fantastic evening giving the fleet a chance to discuss tactics and boat set-up at the halfway point of the regatta.

Saturday proved to be a frustrating day for sailors and race committee alike. With torrential showers and breeze from all four quarters at some stage, the race committee tried in vain to get a race away, they then sent the fleet ashore for an hour before bringing the crews out again in what appeared to be a stable breeze, but which then died away leading to the abandonment of the racing for the day. There was also a worryingly light forecast for Sunday

The saving grace of the day was the ‘Posh BBQ’ sponsored by Bollé Sunglasses. SB20 competitors enjoyed steak and salmon followed by an array of desserts and most importantly a competitors’ raffle. Crews were able to win sets of t-shirts for their boats, free rounds of drinks, and lots of other prizes including three sets of Bollé sunglasses from the latest polarised marine collection.

Sunday saw an earlier start to schedule in four races and give the competitors a second discard. The breeze was a reasonably stable 6-8 knots, but forecast to die out later in the afternoon. In another good day of racing, race 8 saw a strong performance from female helm Natalie French and her team in 3571, who went on to win the first female helm trophy.

The races were very tense with the three main protagonists, Jerry, Joe and John, keeping a close eye on each other – however after four close races and only three points separating 1st and 2nd place, Jerry Hill in ‘Sportsboat World’ maintained a better level of consistency and was crowned the 2014 SB20 National Champion. This is Jerry’s third National Championships win, added to wins in 2003 and 2008.

With competition in the SB20 fleet hotting up we are all eagerly awaiting the Cowes Grand Slam event in August and then heading over to St. Petersburg, Russia in September for the World Championships – good luck to everyone competing.

Stormforce Coaching SB20 National Championship 2014 Results:

1^st Sportsboatworld.com Jerry Hill, Richard Lovering/Alan Hillman, Craig Watson 15pts

2^nd Excellente John Pollard, Rob Smith, Charlie Hook 18pts

3^rd Henri Lloyd/Forelle Estates Joe Llewellyn, Ben Vines, Jerry Vigus  27pts

Full results at http://www.rtyc.org/hosted2014/sb20/sb20e2014os.html

We only made a few sets of these up initially but they were all gone within 2 weeks! It has taken us a while to make some more but we are pleased to say that they are back in stock and available at £40 plus VAT. Pester your local dealer for some and if you do not have a local dealer then please let us know and we can add the postage and send some out to you!

For those going to the AAM Cowes week SB20 Grand Slam you are going to be in for a treat! With the 2 races a day format of racing that you will not experience anywhere else on the Circuit you will be amazed at how much fun you will have both on and off the water!

Saturday night will see the class barbecue where with thanks to the class suppliers and supporters, Tony Castro the SB20 designer, Rob White the SB20 builder, Hyde Sails, Selden Spars, Harken deck gear (and of course us at Sportsboat World) you will have an opportunity to meet everyone responsible for the continued provision of the best value one design sports boat racing in the universe. There may well be some light refreshments (as well as food) to ensure the evening goes swimmingly!

As well as the attendance of these fine companies we have also got a few more sponsors onboard so a huge thanks also to Bolle sunglasses for their continued support and new for us this year Dubarry who have very generously offered to support our class dinner and prize giving with some of their world famous footwear offerings.

Also not be missed…(unless you forget your jacket and tie) is the Sunday evening cocktail party on the lawn of the Royal Yacht Squadron. PLEASE remember dress code as they are strict and it’s worse (according to Jerry) than not being allowed into a dodgy  Essex nightclub for wearing trainers.

We are expecting around 30 boats….it is going to be great!

Just a reminder for those planning to do the whole of Cowes week that it is worth investing in a polish with this stuff:

unless you want to end up with this:

The Sportsboat World team were understandably delighted with their win at the UK nationals. Sailing our new Grey decked offering from White Formula, we were joined by a further 4 boats in the top 8 that were sailing the new Sportsboat World boats.

A big thanks to Richard Lovering who sailed for the first 2 days and Spike who managed to last  the whole regatta. The whole team is now looking forward to Cowes Week and the much anticipated trip to St. Petersburg in September for the worlds.

If you would like to discuss your requirements for a new Sportsboat World SB20 then please contact Jerry or Alan.

These footstraps do not fall flat as they have a plastic laminate that makes them sit up. Large enough to get a boot under if required but if you are used to your straps lying flat on the deck (so you cannot get your feet in) then just remember  where they are as you cross the boat when tacking and gybing! Straps cost £18 each (Inc VAT), they are available with a fitting kit if required (£3.60 per strap inc VAT) which consists of 4 screws and 2 plastic strap plates simply screw them into the deck in the same place as the old ones as there are wooden blocks there designed for this purpose.