Cari amici ed estimatori del Dinghy 12',

Si è appena concluso con successo il Dinghy Day a Roma nella bellissima location del Circolo degli Esteri e, come è ormai consuetudine, inauguriamo la stagione del Dinghy 12' Classico con la prima regata del XVII Trofeo del Dinghy 12' Classico in programma il 7-8 Aprile 2018 nel Golfo dei Poeti e più precisamente a LE GRAZIE. Una nuova e suggestiva location per i Dinghy Classici tra barche d'epoca e classiche che normalmente sono di stanza in questo bellissimo seno del Golfo spezzino. Curerà l'organizzazione dell'evento l'ottimo Circolo Velico La Spezia.

Seconda prova nel mese di Maggio e più precisamente il 5-6 Maggio 2018. Si torna dopo lunga assenza a VENEZIA per una regata dedicata ai Dinghy 12' Classici nella suggestiva cornice della città lagunare al LIDO di VENEZIA con la consueta organizzazione dell'Associazione Velica Lido capitanata da Franco Scalabrin.

Per la terza prova in programma il 9-10 Giugno 2018, si è pensato di confermare una location che da qualche anno è molto gradita da tutti i dinghisti: RIMINI. Saremo ancora una volta ospiti del Club Nautico Rimini.

La quarta prova sarà disputata il 7-8 Luglio 2018 in una località che è una new entry assoluta per i Dinghy 12' Classici, ORTA, dove saremo ospiti dell'accogliente Circolo Velico Orta e del suo instancabile Presidente Gianmaria Brambilla.

Chiuderà la stagione il 22-23 settembre 2018, la settimana dopo il Campionato Italiano che si disputerà nella vicina Punta Ala, una località ormai ben nota a tutti i dinghisti classici per la straordinaria accoglienza che da qualche anno a questa parte ci riserva: SAN VINCENZO che gode dell'ormai collaudatissima cooperazione del Club Nautico San Vincenzo, dello Yacht Club San Vincenzo e del Marina di San Vincenzo nonché delle due anime dell'evento, Marcello Corsi ed Uberto Capannoli.

Come vedete si tratta di un calendario piuttosto articolato con tre locations marine, una lacustre ed una lagunare che di certo renderà interessante la competizione in acqua e, perché no, renderà piacevole anche la visita di posti con notevoli attrattive paesaggistiche e/o culturali.

Ricapitolando:
7-8 Aprile   LE GRAZIE (SP)
5-6 Maggio   VENEZIA LIDO
9-10 Giugno   RIMINI
7-8 Luglio   ORTA
22-23 Settembre   SAN VINCENZO

Buon vento a tutti!

The International 12 foot and DBSC 12 foot dinghy Irish championships were scheduled for Dun Laoghaire for the weekend of 10th September 2017. However, the weather forecast was very poor, so, the Royal St. George Yacht Club decided to postpone the event for one week. The two classes of boats have identical hulls, but the International 12 has all the sail area in the mainsail, while the DBSC version has a small jib. The International 12s were approved equipment for the 1920 and 1928 Olympic Games.

With so much interest in single handed Olympic sailing, it is appropriate that the 12 Footers had their Irish championships a week after Annalise's^* success in Rio. The 12 Footers were used for the Olympic Games in 1920 and 1928.

These two classes share the same hull design, but they carry different rigs, the International 12 Footer has a single sail standing lug rig, while the DBSC 12 has the mast located further aft, and uses the same sail area in a gunter rig, along with a small jib. Racing within Dun Laoghaire harbour commenced with a force two wind from the north-west, on a traditional triangular course.

In race one, two DBSC 12s, Albany and Sgadan quickly pulled away from the fleet, and swopped places several times during the two lap race, before veteran sailor David Sarratt, and his friend Gail Varian, in Sgadan, took the gun.

By race two the wind dropped to a fickle force one, causing the race officer Vincent Delany to reduce the race to one lap. On the upwind beat the DBSC boats performed best, with Sgadan and Albany well ahead of the rest. However, the larger mainsail of the international boats enabled the international boats to travel faster. Cora lead from Pixie at the leeward mark where the entire fleet became bunched, and whistling for more wind. At the finish it was George and his son Andrew Miller in Pixie who took the gun.

When the fleet went ashore for lunch, Sgadan, Albany and Pixie were all sharing the lead on 9 points.

When they returned to the racing area the wind was again very fickle, this time, from the north east, so the race was again shortened after one lap. Cora was recalled at the start which set her at a disadvantage. In the force one wind, Albany the DBSC 12, sailed by brothers-in-law Tim Varian and Gavan Johnson, won race three.

The final race was sailed in a force two breeze which kept all the competitors bunched for the entire race of two laps. Again, it was Sgadan which pulled out ahead with Pixie second. These two were on equal points, and thus the Irish 12 foot championship went to the DBSC 12, and winner of the final race.

The championships took place in Dun Laoghaire on 30th. August under the burgee of the Royal St. George Yacht Club. It is a number of years since a Class Championship was held in Ireland, but since the class centenary in West Kirby in 2013 there is a serious revival of the class, not only in Ireland but also on inshore and lake venues on continental Europe.

Why do two classes have a combined championship? The answer is that the International 12 Foot Dinghy was the one-design boat used in the 1920 and 1928 Olympics. Following these events there was a growth of interest in the class in Britain and in Ireland, and many boats were built in the 1930s. In Dublin Bay in the 1960s there was a suggestion that the International 12 Foot Dinghies as an open boat were taking too much water over the bow, so the Dublin boats were modified by moving the mast further aft, adding a small jib, and a foredeck. Today, the Int. 12s and DBSC 12s race against each other on an equal footing. The boats can be sailed singled handed or with a second person as a crew.

Race one was held inside Dun Laoghaire Harbour in a 4 knot northerly wind, which was unstable and soon started to veer towards the east. George Millers Pixie sailed a perfect race to take the gun from Scythian sailed by Andrew Johnston, and Albany sailed by Tim and Gail Varian.

The wind had settled in the east for race two. Again, Pixie led the fleet from the start and progressively increased her lead from the bunch behind. At the finish it was Pixie followed by Mark and Matthew Delany in Cora who managed to hold Scythian astern. After the two races, crews took their boats ashore for a liquid lunch.

In the afternoon, racing was in Seapoint Bay, the traditional home for the 12 Foot Dinghies in the 1930s. The wind had increased to about 8 knots from the south east with a flat sea. By this stage the fleet were growing in confidence and beginning to put pressure on the dominant Pixie. At the finish it was Pixie, Cora and Scythian who were able to maximize benefit from the ebbing tide.

The final race was run on a larger course with more rounds of the course. Would Pixie be able to win again? Initially Scythian sailed very well, and on the offwind leg she had better speed than Pixie. Then on the second beat the two boats entered a tacking match. At one stage Scythian crossed ahead of Pixie and by the time they reached the windward mark these two had pulled well clear of the rest of the fleet. However Pixie recovered the lead by clever tactics, and she worked hard on the offwind leg and took her fourth win to lift the historic CORA TROPHY.

Analysis: Although the DBSC boats are potentially faster upwind, they appear to have less power than the International 12s on the off-wind legs. At the end of the day the three podium places were taken by the international 12s. The top two boats were sailed single handed which gave them a power to weight ratio advantage in the light winds over the crewed boats.

The following message was sent by Fabio to Pieter Bleeker in response to an article published on Pieter's blog:

I've read your blog Site 12footnews.

I'm very interested in what our Dutch friends really think of us.

We share the passion for classic boats and this is the reason why we must not forget the marine ethical code which belongs to our style of life. Without any doubt, I believe that most of Italian dinghy sailors would like to share friendship and wellness with foreign competitors so, first of all, you should respect the Italian dinghy 12' way. Our history is not worse than the Dutch one, it is just different.

The Italian wooden boats are essentially the same from the beginning. Our rule has slightly changed during the years and we've introduced the fiberglass construction in order to save the class when lots of sailors abandoned dinghy 12' to sail other fiberglass boats. For example, Lodoletta, a truly wooden veteran dinghy 12', built in 1929 and recently restored is perfectly in compliance with the rule of her age and still screamingly fast. In the 50s and 60s the Italian dinghies were sophisticated and their construction was an example of art in wooden boatbuilding.

The history of the Italian Dinghy 12' Class is quite similar to the history of the International Dragon Class. The Dragon was designed by Johan Anker in 1929 and the Class introduced fiberglass hulls in order to survive when all the world was asking for it, and now it is strongly increasing year by year.

You surely know that the finest sailors of the world are racing Dragons and the International Dragon Class is now one of the best and more competitive classes of the world. The Dragon sailors race wooden and fiberglass boats together, all of them with aluminium rig and at the last European Championship in San Remo (Italy), the wooden boat “Debuttant” built by Pedersen & Thuesen in 1959 won overall.

Same story for the Wianno senior Class (John Fitzgerald Kennedy's beloved boat) best diffused in the USA.

Dinghy is of course quite different from a Dragon, but our wooden dinghies are almost as fast as the fiberglass boats and in some races they do win. A wooden boat tillered by Paolo Viacava won an Italian Championship some years ago. My personal opinion is that a wooden dinghy with an aluminium rig is as fast as a fiberglass one with the same rig. But this is just an opinion never supported by experience.

Anyway, as you can easily understand we are very proud of the development of our boats and consequently (though the Dragon Class uses aluminium rigs) we want to continue to race with wooden rig because we love classic wooden boats. I race dinghy 12' but I have a good experience of vintage and classic boats races in the Med. I raced Al Na'ir III which is a S&S boat built 1964, 47 feet loa and won the Prada Challenge for Classic Yachts in 2002, second in 2003 and I won The C.I.M. Challenge for Classic Yachts in 2004. I still own Al Na'ir and in 2014 we won the Barcolana Classic in Trieste. I also raced Sirius, a N.Y. 32, 45 feet loa, built in New York by Nevins and designed by Olin Stephens in 1936, second in 2007 Panerai Classic Yacht Challenge and winner of Trofeo Città di Trieste in 2012. Last but not least I own a wooden Dragon that I'm restoring.

I'm telling you all this because I would like you to know that you are not the only one who loves classic boats. I would like you to understand that I strongly want to preserve the classic spirit of our boats Dinghy 12' but, at the same time, I want the boats to be both amusing and performing. This way surely attracts young enthusiasts and let the Class grow up. We have a stunning racing circuit reserved to wooden dinghies with five races and many other races with a special classification for wooden boats. For example in the most competitive Italian National Trophy there is a special classement for wooden dinghies. Same thing in the Italian Championship. We really do like enjoying racing!

You wrote that we have only 70 wooden dinghy sailors. The participation to a Race reserved to woodies has an average of 42 boats though there are much more than 70 wooden dinghy owners in Italy Giuseppe La Scala worked very hard to increase the wooden dinghy fleet and I'll do my best to continue in his work.

I remember that, when we came to Holland for your 100th birthday's meeting, you and some other Dutch friends asked to come in Bracciano to race with us. We were very pleased and Giorgio Pizzarello invited you. You also asked for Italian wooden boats for you and Wim to be able to participate at the Bracciano event and you'll get them.

Nevertheless... I've read that you do not intend to program friendship series in Italy, but only in Germany, France and Holland. The Italians are not your friends anymore?

You also wrote that some discussions about standardisation of dinghy took place between Holland and Italy but that did not reach any significant result. It is true because you don't want in any way to optimize your boats for racing conditions different from yours. In fact in Bracciano and in Venice Dutch boats were near to win because of water and weather conditions. I wrote of classic boats that modernized their equipment in order to satisfy their sailors. This is the reason why we don't use cotton sails or ancient ropes anymore. Is it a crime?

I'm quite sure that if you optimize your boats you can easily compete with ours. Think about Giorgio Pizzarello who owns a Dutch dinghy and races her in Italy. When we came to Loosdrecht we were not so fast as you because of our sail plan, not because of our boats! When you write that nobody wants to put water into wine you should think that those who really want to enjoy racing a dinghy, must work on the boat and trim to manage to get just wine. I think this is the spirit of the whole world of classic and vintage boats used for racing.

Last but not least, I believe that the international development of the Dinghy Class passes through the national Organizations, so what I wrote to you is just my personal opinion. Nevertheless I'll be very pleased if you could publish it on your Blog Site. I'll do the same. See you in Bracciano or maybe before in a friendship series if the Italians are invited.

Bert's reply to Fabio:

2015 is the year in which we are starting the second century of the 12' dinghy in the Netherlands. In 2014 we celebrated the 100 year anniversary held at the "Loosdrechtse Plassen". Over 174 12' dinghy sailors where present from all over the world in their classic traditional wooden boats. New and old. Five new dinghies were traditionally baptized and were presented to the dinghy world. It is the oldest one design class in the Netherlands and, against the odds, the fastest growing wooden class. It was a once in a lifetime event. No better evidence of the strength of the Dutch way of sailing a 12' dinghy.

In January 2015 I became the successor of Henk van der Zande as chairman of the Dutch Twaalfvoetsjollenclub. It is thanks to Henk and his committee, and those who went before them, that the Twaalfvoetsjollenclub is in such good shape today. They in turn became successful because of their members. Great sailors, with so much affection for sailing a traditional wooden boat. People who are members of a sailing family and who share a vision about their passion: sailing in wooden boats, sailing in fair competition, getting the best out of their sailing skills and strategic insight. But most of all people who find it important that traditional and sustainable values are preserved. It was in the annual meeting of 2013 that the members voted to preserve this tradition. It was a democratic decision and at this moment there are no signals that that vison has changed.

I'm part of that vision because of the way I voted in 2013 and because I think that the board of our Twaalvoetsjollenclub has to abide by the decisions made in 2013.

The Royal Dutch Watersport Association is anticipating a dramatic reduction of competitive and recreational sailors. In their 2010 report they predicted a 40% reduction in competitors in sailing events. Against that expectation the 12' dinghy is still growing. In the 1960s the 12' dinghy in the Netherlands was in great problems and people suspected that the end was near. At this moment we are healthy and growing. I have not found any reason for this development other than the image of the 12' dinghy and the consistent vision of keeping the 12' dinghy traditional. It is very well suited for the Dutch weather and water conditions. And the sailors are also fond of the social aspects of sailing this lovely boat.

I did not yet have had discussions about this Dutch vision of 12' dinghy sailing with sailors from other countries. I do know however that those sailors also have very valid reasons on which their vision of sailing came alive. At this moment it is my personal opinion that structural upgrading or downgrading of the dinghies in the different countries is not realistic.

In his letter from Fabio Mangione says that the Dutch dinghy sailors should respect the Italian way of dinghy sailing. He also asked if the Italian dinghy sailors and the Dutch are still friends. In my opinion these points are of great importance. What I have heard from Dutch dinghy sailors is that they have good memories and warm feelings for sailing in Italy with Italian dinghy sailors. One of the problems, however, is the focus on the different views of the development of the 12' dinghy. Where the Dutch seek for tradition and excelling in strategic sailing and boat handling to win a competition the Italians like the technical component to the essential instruments in their dinghy. The technical component has the purpose to make the dinghy faster. I feel upmost respect for that vision with the remark that in the Netherlands we also have a vision. History in the Netherlands has shown modernisation is not often successful. Indeed, it has destroyed some classes.

In response to the two questions mentioned by Fabio Mangione I would say, yes; there is friendship between sailors in Italy and the Netherlands, and yes there is respect for the Italian vision of developing their dinghies. Those two components are the basics for a good future in our sport.

I would like to end with the Volvo Ocean Race. Knut Frostad decided to stop the race to further develop the VOR70. More and more budget was needed to compete and safety was compromised. At this moment the race is on and the race is close. In an interview last year it was Bouwe Bekking from team Brunel who said that he was happy because the race would be with similar boats focused on the basic of real good sailing. But Bouwe is Dutch ........

For Fabio I wish him a successful time as president of the classic wood section of the AICD. I look forward to compete with you all on the water and speak joyfully about everything and especially how we enjoy sailing our 12' dinghies.

Over 8000 visitors passed through the turnstiles of the first Salon Nautique du Léman which was held in Morges on the banks of Lake Geneva last weekend. Now, we just need one of two of them to buy a Dinghy and join our fleet…

As the only wooden sailing boat at the show, Frédéric de Rutte’s beautiful Colombo Dinghy was bound to attract a lot of attention. In fact, our stand, was one of the busiest at the show (not least because of the copious quantities of wine offered by Frédéric)

We were very happy to welcome Giuseppe la Scala and Renzo Santini who took the opportunity to meet officials and inspect the facilities of the Club Nautique Morgien which will host next year’s Swiss & Global Cup/Swiss Championships event on the weekend on July 11th–13th, 2014.

My thanks to Denise, Zoë, Frédéric, Xavier, Michel, Bjorn, Nicolas, Pierrot & Pierre-Yves for their help in assembling and staffing the stand.

Bonjour à tous. Ci-dessous un petit compte rendu de la classique de Sciez qui a eu lieu le 3 et 4 aout 2013.

Enfin le 3 et le 4 pas tout à fait car la fête a commencé en fait le 1 aout par une petite croisière picnic, qui a emmené les participants de la base nautique de Sciez au port des pécheurs d'Anthy sur Léman. Le temps était beau et ensoleiller et accompagne d'une petite brise bien sympathique. Le picnic au bord de l'eau était très convivial comme d'habitude.

Le vendredi 2, la 6m JI classique et la classe dinghy 12' commençait leur régate en début d'après-midi toujours sous un chaud soleil. Le vent tout d'abord assez faible a augmenté quelque peu pour permettre le bon déroulement des régates. Samedi matin 3 aout fin des régates pour les 6m JI et les dinghy 12'. Il est a noté que les deux parcours différents mais pas trop éloigne permettait aux uns et aux autres de s’apercevoir, voir même de se croiser.

Samedi après-midi et dimanche : la classique de sciez réunissant plusieurs types de bateaux se déroulait avec un vent assez soutenu ce qui permettait une belle régate et de nombreux rebondissements dans le classement.

Tout ceci est à voir sur le site du classique. http://www.classiquedesciez.fr/

Je vous recommande aussi le reportage de la commune de sciez http://www.ville-de-sciez.com/Actualites/Aout-2013/News-Classique-de-Sciez-Art060813.html

Quelques photos ici aussi:
http://photospassionart.canalblog.com/albums/classique_de_sciez_2013/index.html

Je remercie les dinghistes qui sont venus et ont participes a cet évènement. Jurri Rooyackers et Irene, Marie Claire Guegan, Pierre Moneger, qui sont venus de loin, mais aussi mes amis Suisses Frédéric, Steve, Xavier, sans oublier les français, Etienne, Sylvain, et tout particulièrement Nicolas Saumagne qui ne pouvant pas participer a eu la gentillesse de mettre son bateau à disposition.

Je vous invite tous d'ors et déjà à prendre vos dispositions pour venir à la 15 ième édition de la classique de Sciez qui aura lieu en 2014.

Our Italian Centennial Championship was the 78^th Edition and on this occasion it was decided to combine it with the 17^th edition of the Trofeo SIAD Bombola d'Oro. The organization, being an Italian Championship, has been concentrated in Santa Margherita Ligure, so everybody was together. Logistically it was a huge amount of work, not least because all the boats were weighed and controlled prior to the first race.

We have had 119 registered competitors, - all of them Italian excepting a young Turk, a Swiss and a German couple. We completed 5 races, all challenging and with a lot of wind.

The overall victor, by just one point, was Giorgio "Dodo" Gorla ( sailing a GRP Lillia). An extraordinary sailor of 68 years who has won two bronze olympic medals and two world championships sailing in the Star Class, Dodo fell in love with the 12' Dinghy in 2011, when we were all in Venice for the World Cup. He didn't compete in the World Cup event, but he was attracted and curious. Originally from Piedmont (Novara) Dodo has spent his whole life in Venice where he was, before retiring, a chemist.

Paolo Viacava, sailing his GRP/wood boat, finished second, and so loses the Bombola d'Oro after 13 previous victories.

The final podium place was taken by Emanuele Tua. (GRP/wood)

The first 12' Classic Dinghy, sailed by Italo Bertacca, finished in 7^th position overall.

On Wednesday 22^nd we have had the ceremony, at the Santa Margherita Castle of 1500, where we had our portable exibition The 100 Years of the 12' Dinghy and the first emission of the now-famous Dinghy postage stamp.

On Fiday night, along the harbour, we enjoyed the usual gala dinner with fireworks.

Almost 200 Dinghy lovers attended the official opening of an exhibition to mark the centenary of the Dinghy Class at the Galata Museo del Mare, Genoa on March 9. The exhibition, which features the very first Italian Dinghy, Pierino, will remain open until mid-October.

The event received extensive press coverage, including a feature on the RAI 3 national television channel and an article in La Stampa.

A number of notable helmsman who had started their sailing careers in Dinghies and several sailing club presidents were keen to pay their respects to Pierino which was built for Piero Reggio in 1929.

Members of the Italian Dinghy Association and their guests then moved on to the Yacht Club Italiano for their annual prize giving and gala dinner during which Dinghy historian Paolo Rastrelli presented his latest book which details the history and evolution of the class in Italy.

Links:

• RAI 3 report
• La Stampa report
• Galata Museo del Mare

• Membre d'Honneur : Fred Udo (Pays-Bas)
• Président : Jacques Blanken
• Vice-président : Claude Brillet
• Membres de la commission technique
• Président : Eric Ogden
• Assesseurs : Jean Pol Kerbaol, François Séruzier
• Secrétaire : Marie Claire Guégan
• Trésorier : Gilles Michel
• Chargés de communication : Loïc Blanken, Gwendal Jaffry