We are pleased to announce a new range of plain bearing blocks which use modern design and state of the art manufacturing to ensure a more eco-friendly product, delivering enhanced performance.
The new range will be made using 100% recycled plastics as well as using 20% less material than the previous version. Using the outer cheek and ultra-strap from the 20 and 30mm dynamic range allows us to manufacture the new plain bearing blocks more efficiently. This will help to reduce the long-term impact of plastics and un-recyclable materials on the environment.
The new range of plain bearing blocks will also feature a grey sheave to differentiate them from the existing dynamic range, which has black sheaves.
Plain bearing blocks offer great static loading capabilities at a low weight and cost. This makes them perfect for take-up systems or applications that don’t require high dynamic performance.
We have been supporting the 420 Class Development Programme by supplying new hardware for the use of the sailors who need it most. Heres a summary of the clinic in Chinese Taipei:
The final on the water session for coaches and sailors at the Chinese Taipei clinic saw sailors take on a light breeze day to put their race strategy into practice and demonstrate the significant improvements that have been achieved.
The final day advanced the coaches and sailors to learn more about race strategy, including how to prepare for a race, what to consider, how to prepare and execute a race strategy. New found skills were then put into action out on the water with practical sessions on boat handling, mark rounding and how to secure that perfect start.
Back ashore, head coach Nikos Drougkas led the final debrief, before 420 Class Vice-President Jose Massapina presented certificates of achievement to all.
Twenty-six sailors and coaches from Chinese Taipei, Hong Kong, Indonesia and Thailand joined the five-day clinic which equiped coaches and sailors with knowledge and expertise in the 420 Class, through a mix of shore side theory and on-water practical sessions. Topics included:
•   Tactics
•   Strategy
•   Skills Setting
•   Boat Preparation
•   Training Exercises
•   Running a training programme
•   Effective Briefing/Debriefing
•   Racing Rules and Race Management
•   Video Skills
•   Psychology and Physiology
•   And more …
The Clinic was a mix of on-water sessions, lectures, exercises and presentations led by head coach, Nikos Drougkas (GRE) with Jose Massapina (POR), 420 Class Vice-President responsible for development. Find out more about the clinic and the 5-Day Programme.
Team Allen Review – GP14 Allen Nationals 2019 Abersoch
BySzymon Matyjaszczuk
After seven weeks of sunny sailing in Southern Europe we had to come back at some point. Myself and Jack Lewis (my helm) decided to try our luck at the GP14 nationals in Wales. We expected cold and windy sailing which Abersoch delivered.
Day one it was around 10-14 knots of breeze with a gate start which was a new experience for us. We had a good start at the beginning of the gate where we rounded the windward mark 3rd. As we sail onto the top reach, we lost out to a couple boats as we didn’t know how the fleet reacted on the reach. As it turned out that the fleet goes high on the reaches so that they don’t get rolled. Then we had a good downwind moving back to the top ten where we gained two more boats on the upwind where we ended up finishing 8th.
Day two the breeze was significantly stronger on day two at around 15-18 knots which meant the beat length was increased dramatically which my legs weren’t pleased about. We then finished that race in 7th which we were pleased about. Then we had a bit of a shaky start rounding the mark in the top 20, but we kept pushing for places all the way round the course till we were in a top 10 position on the last top reach where we had an overlap and had to gybe high which led us to a messy capsize where we then scored a DNC.
Day three It was too windy for any racing as it was gusting 35 knots on the racecourse. As the day was canned, we decided to pick up our 420 friends surf boards to go surfing with Sam Watson and some of the Irish Friends at Hells Mouth which was a superb way to spend our lay day.
Day four the conditions were still breezy wind still at 20 knots and it was going to be a long day on the water with 3 races. First race was tough where we finished in 24th. Then we had a line start which we preferred as it gave us more options. We executed a good pin end start then. Rounding the windward mark in the top 10 and keeping that position around the course. We lost a bit on the upwinds as we didn’t have as much weight as rest of the teams but gained them back on the downwind legs as we worked the waves hard and our light combinations benefited us down wind meaning we finished 7th. Then we had another not so good race which we struggled in finishing 21 but where happy with our full last day of racing.
Day five It was really light meaning the RO had put up a two-hour postponement. Unfortunately, the wind had filled in half an hour later. After the postponement had ended we had a line start again which we were happy about as we knew that was one of our strengths. We won the pin and port tacked the fleet working our way out to the left but only managed to make it in the top 10 at the windward mark. Sam Watson just behind us who had port tacked the fleet as well then we had gained a further 2 places on the bottom reach as we stayed on the inside and high using the tide to drift us down. Unfortunately, we went left where there appeared to be more breeze, but we had not put tide into account and had lost a lot of places on the upwind to the boats that sailed towards the cliffs on the right. Then the wind had completely died, and the racing was cancelled promptly where we got a tow in by the safety crews.
Day six the wind was reaching 35 knots again meaning the racing was canned for the last potential day of racing. We packed up my dad’s boat and awaited prize giving later that evening.
Jack and I had enjoyed the racing so much which wouldn’t be complete without the hard work done from Venessa Deveroux and the RO and his Crew and getting an amazing quality of races completed in such difficult conditions. Also a big thank you to Allen for supporting us and the championships as it’s always good to have the best performance dinghy kit behind our backs. It was an amazing experience and will definitely do the worlds in Skerries Ireland next year where we will probably be a few pounds bigger for the boat as we both get older.
What was hard about the championships? The hardest thing about the championships was the amount of hiking we had to do as we normally sail the 420 and don’t have to use our legs to keep the boat flat. On downwind legs in breeze we didn’t have enough weight to keep the bow from nose diving.
What were the most valuable lessons you have learned from the championships? One thing that was really good was practicing our close racing tactics which we mainly use in lighter airs in the 420. Also, we had learned that as a sailor you should check for stats yourself. As we failed to do so on the light wind race where we knew there was a lot of tide but failed to put that into the focus on our race strategy as we didn’t check the tide and apparently after asking a friend who had said after racing he had measured 6 boat lengths on the pin which had led him to round the mark significantly ahead.
2019 Allen GP14 UK National Championships – Overall
By Mike Senior and Vanessa Devereux
The GP14 fleet made a welcome return to South Caernarvonshire Yacht Club for their 2019 UK Nationals, following an 8-year absence with a fleet, of 56 boats. Unfortunate weather conditions throughout the week meant only 6 out of the scheduled 9 races were completed. However, there is probably no better place to find alternative things to do when racing is cancelled.
First out of the blocks on Day 1 (Sunday) were Russ and Ali Cormack from Budworth Sailing Club, mastering the light to moderate SW breeze, to win Race 1 which was sponsored by Ginger boats.
Sam Watson and Andy Thompson resumed their season winning form on day 2 with two bullets in Race 2 sponsored by English Braids and Race 3 sponsored by Gibson Sails to catapult themselves to the top of the leader board in an increasing moderate SW breeze.
Day 3 (Tuesday) – Racing was cancelled by excessive wind, although some of the sailors couldn’t stay out of the water and went surfing down at Hell’s mouth.
Day 4 (Wednesday) was originally scheduled as a rest day, but tactically used to catch-up from Day 3. A further race was also held due to the very light and very windy forecasts for Thursday and Friday respectively. A breezy day resulted in lots of opportunities for significant downwind gains and regrettable periods spent upside down for some.
Jim Hunt and Liz Senior won the opening race of the day; race 4 of the championship sponsored by Pinnall & Bax, leading from start to finish. Mike Senior and Chris White continued to recover from their habitual early week brain fart and won the remaining 2 races; Race 5 sponsored by Dinghy Shack and Race 6 sponsored by Impact Marine. Sam Watson and Andy Thompson had another solid day to consolidate their overall position with a 6, 2, 2.
Day 5 (Thursday): following a 2-hour postponement and subsequent rounders match, the fleet launched into a rather pleasant force two south westerly. Following two general recalls and a black flag the fleet eventually got away. However, 50 minutes into the race the wind decided it had had enough. The race officer had no other choice but to abandon race 7.
Day 6 (Friday) – Cancelled, like pretty much every other event in the UK that day. The class cleaned the beach in the rain as the ever hopeful packed away their boats.
Therefore, Sam Watson and Andy Thompson are the new GP14 UK National Champions, following a very successful 2019 campaign and an impressive championship performance.
Silver fleet was won by Peter and Stephen Boyle from Sutton DC with Peter also winning first youth helm coming 7th overall. In second silver were Jack Lewis and Szymon Matyjaszczuk from Welsh Harp SC; whilst in third place were Paul and Tom Simes from Cardiff Bay YC.
Bronze fleet winners were David Johnson and Collie Delaney from Sutton DC in 32nd place, followed in second by Les Burns and Alice Morris from Hollingworth Lake SC. In third place was James Ward and Richard Whitehill from Papercourt SC.
Competing in their first championships the last two boats who were both from Frensham Pond has received one days coaching from the class. Bruce Craven and Tim Farnell-Watson in 55th and in 56th place Kate Whyatt and Jon Denyer.
Next up is the Irish Nationals (16-18 August) at the 2020 World Championship Venue, Skerries Sailing Club.
All photos by kind permission of Richard at Sailpics
Youth Team Allen Sailors Finish 5th at RS Feva Worlds
Joey Taylor and Terry Hacker recently finished 5th at one of the highest attended RS Feva World Championships.
Here is a short write up from Joey about the event –
The RS Feva fleet headed for Follonica, Italy, for the biggest ever RS double-handed event with 23 different nations represented and 200 boats in probably the most competitive World Championships fleet so far for the class. With our boat very kindly being transported on top of a Norwich School minibus, we were able to fly out and see the sights of Pisa before heading on to the venue.
We were able to get some training in before the event which helped us acclimatize to the heat, prevailing light winds and sloppy chop before the 2-day qualification series started on Monday. With the fleet spit into 3 flights, we got off to the perfect start with a bullet in race 1, followed by a not so perfect 20th and a good 4th leaving us 15th overall overnight.
We stepped up a gear for day 2 with three top 10s allowing us to discard the 20th and leaving us 12th overall heading into Gold fleet for the remaining 3 days of the regatta.
Day 3 dawned to the now expected heat, light winds and sloppy chop. Unfortunately, it didn’t go great for us in the first race as we struggled to get off the line and ended up 19th. Things didn’t improve in the second race as, after a good start, we were yellow flagged as we crossed the fleet putting us pretty much at the back after we had done our penalty. We recovered to 23rd in that race and then finally got our act together with a 4th in the last race of the day.
Day 4 was looking good for us with a 5th and then 4th, but unfortunately the 4th turned out to be BFD. This must have really focused our minds as, after several general recalls, we won the last race of the day, which included beating Simon Cooke (championship leader and a NZ ex Olympian and former 470 World Champion). Despite the BFD, we were now up to 5th overall with everything to play for in the last 2 races.
We woke up on the last day knowing we had a shot at the title, but also knew that we couldn’t afford another BFD or bad race. We held our nerve in the first race and came 2nd, putting us right in contention for the Youth World Champion title. With everything riding on the last race we were really conscious not to be over the line but held back just too much and couldn’t find clear air up the first beat, eventually finishing 26th. At the time we were disappointed, but we learnt a lot from that last race and won’t make the same mistake again.
Whilst it’s very easy to dwell on what could have been, overall, we are really pleased with how we sailed in what is our least favorite types of conditions. To be 4th Youth team and 5th Overall at a World Championships with 200 boats, and to have been in contention for the title with one race to go, was a real achievement for us.
The RS Feva is an amazing fleet. We were so lucky to have the Worlds in such a great venue with great racing and time to swim and play with friends on the beach after. For those staying on the campsite, our first experience of Foam Night was brilliant! Thanks must go to everyone at Follonica Sailing Club and RS for putting on an amazing fun regatta, to all the parents for getting us and our boats there, and to Allen whose support has really helped us.
Allen Endurance Series After 3 Rounds
With only one more event remaining in the Allen Endurance Series, it’s still all to play for.
Now in its second year, the 2019 edition of the Allen Endurance Series has been well attended at all 3 of the events so far this season. A total of 93 boats have taken up the challenge to win the £500 overall Allen voucher with more new entries expected for the final event, The IOS Round The Island Race, where there will be another £100 voucher for the race winner.
Simon Northrop sailing his F18 has already taken home two of the £100 event winning vouchers and is looking good to take the overall win. However, It’s still all to play for as the series does not include any discards.
The final round of the Allen Endurance Series is taking place on the weekend of the 31st / 1st September. The IOS Round The Island Race is a long-established, long-distance event designed to test sailing skills and endurance over a 40-mile course. Sailed clockwise around the island, starting and finishing at IOS Sailing Club, the race includes tidal sea, river & estuary sailing. It Is one of the longest dinghy and board races in Europe. Open to all classes of dinghy, catamaran and sailboard.
If you have been part of the Allen Endurance Series this year, we would love to have your feedback. Anything you would like to change, add or improve throughout the series? Get in touch with marketing@allenbrothers.co.uk
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