A New Year resolution list

First some thank you's.

Thank you to all who have made this year so much fun and I look forward to meeting up through the next year. Thank you to all the suppliers of IOM boats, sails and equipment. Without your dedication we would not be sailing and thank you to all the volunteers, who organise and run out events. We have so much fun through your sacrifices and will ever appreciate what you do.

Back to the new year.

Lets start by looking at the achievements this year:

Built one Alternative and sold 2. I could be a magician or could it be I built one last year!

Met lots of interesting people, loved the companionship.

Sailed in many interesting surroundings.

Mastered the art of setting up an IOM rig.

Learnt huge amounts on what makes an IOM tick and how to build them - at last!

Got a great set of results for the first year's racing.

Chipstead 15th with Alternative A day to forget.

Veterans 15th with Alternative. Lots of turns for collisions.

Bourneville 1st with Britpop (Midland regional champs).

Nationals- 37th out of 76 - that's what happens when you are last off the line in most (Fleetwood) of the starts by losing sight of your boat!

Ranking 3 19th

Ranking 4 3rd

(both Coalhouse Fort)

Frensham open 1st

Ranking 5 (MK) 21st 3 hours sleep in the camper the night before. I hate Geese and local lovers (but not in my van).

Ranking 6 (MK) 23rd Only finished 4 out of 9 races due to broken shroud.

Eastbourne 2nd to Dave Allinson.

Chipstead 1st (Metropolitan and Southern Regional Championships).

Current UK ranking 25. Room for improvement!

In all the ranking races, 50% of my results were top ten finishes. To be honest I thought I would do better than this but given I have not sailed for 20 years, and never radio sailed before now, I guess the results are OK.

1st in the MYA radio sailing ranking list. YES. Got something right.

So what about next year?

Goals

Build one final Alternative. The perfect boat.

Achieve top 5 results in the ranking events and top 10 in nationals

Sail as many Opens as possible including visits to Manor Park, Birkenhead and Fleetwood

Try not to write a blog after too many whiskies!

Have another whisky!

Continue the web site...

Create a Southern power base. We have great skippers down south and need to get them together to challenge the Birkenhead and Fleetwood crowd.

Finally may I wish you all a Happy New Year and may all your dreams for the next year come to fruition.

Onwards and Upwards.

Nigel