Rated 4.9 out of 5 on Trustpilot
Rated 4.9 out of 5 on Trustpilot
5 Star Rated by Sailors
Trusted For 13 Years
Over 55,000+ Orders Shipped
90 Day Risk Free Returns
Price Match Promise
Don't Miss Our Weekend Savings
August 22, 2017 3 min read
I recently competed at the British Optimist nationals, the event was sponsored by Gill. I was hoping the the day races were going to live up to the windy forecast and it defiantly did. I arrived at the nationals on Saturday before going out for a short sail due to a lack of wind. Since my parents were not at the event I stayed with my friend Haydn and his awesome family, the Sewell’s. They must be my lucky family since I stayed with them last year!
The first day of racing on Sunday we had two races in roughly 20kts. Due to a bad tactical decision on the second beat I picked up a 3rd which would soon turn out to be my discard! In the second and final race of the day I had an intense race against a Spanish competitor however I managed to win the race which put me third overall. A solid day. Bringing on Monday the wind was slightly lighter and 4 races made for a real intense day. Altogether I scored 2,1,2,2 which put me into first overall and concluded the qualifying series. I had a one point lead due to extremely good sailing by my competitors. Tuesday was the first day of the gold fleet, this was where the races became intense. I wasn’t happy with my first race, scoring a 9 which should of been much higher. I had a bad start and then was out of phase with the wind. However I managed to round off the day with an 8 point lead. Due to extreme winds the next two days of racing were cancelled. This gave me a good chance to relax and go to the cinema with friends.
Friday was the last day of racing and with three races scheduled it was all to play for. My mum came down and stayed Thursday night since she wanted to see how the last day unfolded. In the first race I kept my nerve and managed to hold off Duncan from Hong Kong, to win the first race. In the next race despite having a bad start I played the shifts well and rounded the top mark in second. I then sailed a very good second beat and won the race. This meant that I had become the winner of the event with a race to spare. And for the last race, I must of been too eager since I picked up a black flag...
Throughout the week I wore the Gill Thermoskin suit and top, combined with the hydrophone leggings and top. This kept me extremely warm and the kit dried very quickly. I would recommend this kit for all the windy and wet conditions that Britain can throw at you all year round. Thanks to my sponsors Gill, Sailing Chandlery and HD Sails for supporting my sailing. Also thanks to my coaches Sarah and Nick for helping me throughout the years. Again, thanks to the RYA and IOCA for they opportunities they provide in sailing. It is a great feeling to win the nationals two years running, and to win the junior fleet a year before. I’ll look forward to updating my blog with all my challenges as I transition into a 420.
I made a mistake on my order and it was put right at zero cost to me ! Amazing !
I’ll certainly be back
Product exactly what I wanted
Good cover, made of a thick tough material and fits the boat well. The drawstring really helps tighten it around the boat and keep the rain and dirt out! There is enough extra space under it to fit your mast and boom on a deck tidy under it. Looks great in the club berths!
Very happy with the complete set of wheels with pins & washers - all in excellent condition & arrived as scheduled. Thank you.
Works well, towing noise considerably reduced and no further damage to underside of gunwales.
These are a revelation compared to the silly key ring type pin. So easy to use making rigging that bit quicker and easier! Great service as always from Sailing Chandlery A*
Excellent service and prompt delivery.
Best on the market!
Our son broke the sheave in his ILCA traveller block. I ordered the full set, which arrived the next day - absolutely brilliant service, sensible price and a quality product
Bought these to fit to the under boom sliders on a Super Spars boom to use for the main sheet. Block is compact and fits close to the underside of the boom keeping main sheet as close to boom as possible.
Quickly delivered from Sailing Chandlery.
I’d not realised that my previous boom was a problem until it became rather banana shaped. The Holt replacement is just the ticket and was delivered promptly. Good value for the money.
Excellent product and prompt delivery
I bought these for summer dinghy sailing as I found my short fingered leather gloves were getting uncomfortable and I needed some protection for the tips of my fingers. I have only worn them once but was very impressed. They fitted nicely, didn’t get soggy and I didn’t notice any discomfort.
Easy to put on and adjust and fits well. I went for a larger size than the size chart suggested as I was the top end of the medium measurement with a wetsuit and spray top on adding a bit extra. The only thing that I feel lets it down is the packing it comes in, I would have liked something like the breathable bag the Rooster buoyancy aids come in.
Mast tape was delivered promptly, and whilst it does not look like much, it works brilliantly on my older Laser with significant wear on both the mast and hull
Had the boom and mast in stock. Order processed quickly, great service and local so could pick them up. Friendly and helpful staff as always. Thank you
Save up to 40%on your next order.