Chris and Sam win a light-airs Inlands

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Martin and Adrian take the Stone Open

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Strong Showing for UK Boats at the Worlds

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2017 Nationals – Results

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World Association AGM Notice

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Andy and Roger take Silver at French Nationals

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Nathan and Sam take Silver at Europeans

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Jim & Ian are Scottish Champions

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To the International 5O5 community, from Mike Holt and Michael Quirk

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Nathan and Norman win the Burton Sprints

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Class Training on a Roll!

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French Gems

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Charter Your Boat

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Nationals 2015 – Fantastic sailing!

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2015 AGM

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A Perspective on the PE Worlds

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Terry and Matt take Sheppey Open

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2016 Classic Championships – Details

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If you’ve been following Facebook discussions, you’ll know the intention to run a Classic 505 event alongside the 2016 Worlds in Weymouth.  the document outlining the proposed event is now available for download on the 2016 505 Worlds website.

 

Rule Change Ballot

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Container for the 5O5 World Championships

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Port Elizabeth March 23rd to April 3rd, 2015 – BOOK BY DEC 1st

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2015 Worlds Newsletter

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Shoreham Open Report

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2014 French Nationals Report

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Andy Smith and Tim Needham win the French Nationals

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Vince and Christian win the National Inland Championships 2014

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Stone Open 2014

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Whitstable Open 2014

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Carsington Results

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505 Eurocup Easter Regatta, CNSR France

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Burton Home Win!

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Download originals from Flickr

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Add your photos

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Burton open first event of the year

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Steve Nich and Tiger

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Article on centreboards

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Long Beach Training

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Swiss Nationals Details

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Neuchâtel 4-6th of October

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A Tuning Session

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by Ethan Bixby and Scott Ikle
reprinted from Tank Talk

A rabbit and a couple of balls and you’re off to the races!

Speed testing is great. To win you have to have speed. Yet at some point we all need to practice racing. That can happen at regattas or with a few other boats using rabbit starts and a few marks. Outlined are a couple of ideas that are used during practices at Hobart and William Smith Colleges, and most recently at some of the 505 midwinter east practices. It really helps to discuss these drills will all the participants, or else you will never get it organized on the water.

It also helps to have one boat be the coordinator as to which drills are next.

UPWIND RABBIT RACING

Goal here it to develop a system for upwind tuning and speed that takes minimal time to reorganize. One boat starts on port tack, and the fleet starts by ducking the rabbit and then sailing upwind. The rabbit clears the last boat and then tacks. The group continues on one tack until one boat is “flushed” and is clearly behind. The flushed boat resets the group by tacking and sailing well clear of the fleet and then tacking back. Then the fleet slows, tacks, and then restarts by ducking the rabbit. It is important for the reset rabbit to set up outside enough so that the closest boat can tack and duck to restart safely. The fleet will be starting on both port and starboard tacks and will be alternating starting tacks.

DOWNWIND RABBIT RACING

Goal here is to develop a system for tuning while running downwind that is easy to organize and reset. This is essentially a downwind rabbit start, with the rule that the rabbit boat has it’s spinnaker up and drawing, and the starting boats can only have their poles up. After the rabbit has cleared the starters, it gybes and joins in. Again, the flushed boat makes the call, gybes and resets the rabbit start. Should be able to do this cycle without having to drop the spinnakers every time to restart.

RABBIT BEATS

The goal here is to simulate a racing environment with various restrictions. Windward and leeward marks are set giving 7-15 minute legs. The start is a rabbit start. Then everyone races to the weather mark. Options might be:

Limit the number of tacks each team can take, from 1-4.
Dictate the number of tacks, like each team must put in 6 tacks on this beat.
Have the first gater hit the left layline, and the rabbit hit the right layline, and everyone in-between can do what they want.
Have the first gater have to get to the right layline, and the rabbit have to get to the left layline.
Once Arriving at the weather mark, reset to go downwind.

RABBIT RUNS

Again, the goal here is to simulate a racing environment with various restrictions. Windward and leeward marks are set giving 7-15 minute legs. The start is a downwind rabbit start. Race straight down wind or try some options:

Limit the number of gybes each team can take, from 1-4.
Dictate the number of gybes, like each team must put in 6 gybes on this leg.
Have the first gater hit the left layline, and the rabbit hit the right layline, and everyone in-between can do what they want.
Have the first gater have to get to the right layline, and the rabbit have to get to the left layline.

REACHING DRILL

If you have a third mark, it is set at an appropriate angle for the breeze. At the weather mark, one boat starts the race by going close reach on starboard away the weather mark. Each boat in the fleet ducks the rabbbit, everyone sets their kite and goes. The starting boat, sufficiently sacrificed tries to catch up. Everyone gybes at the reach mark and continues to the leeward mark and then race upwind to the weather mark finish by rounding and then stops to reset.

These are a couple of ideas. From here we are sure you can come up with more ideas to get you ready to race.

2013 Champions – Andy Smith & Tim Needham

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Andy Smith and Tim Needham take the 2013 National Title

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Endeavour Trophy for the ‘More Mature’ boat

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This year’s 505 National Championships will again feature the Endeavour Trophy – pre 8500 505’s.  4 boats as at 4 July – can we make it 8 ???

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Mike Holt Downwind

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 Video of Mike Holt sailing downwind, with a link to discussion of the video on the US site.

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Shotley open report

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Shotley open full of close racing

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Cheap Mast Wanted

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Has anyone got a cheap mast they don’t want?

See ad from Dom

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Challenge Marcel Buffet 2013

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NOR and link to website available on the event page.

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Holty does a runner to Barbados!

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Mike Holt tests the waters of Barbados and reports on the sailing conditions anticipated for the forthcoming SAP worlds.

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Jim Berry Farewell

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Jim Berry retires after 50 years sailing the 505.

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