Welcome to Comet Class Association
The Comet web site aims to give you information on the fast, friendly and fun single handed sailing dinghy, the Comet.
The Comet Class Association organises over 20 events each year. Although these are open to all Comet owners and helms, only members of the association are eligible to qualify for the various travellers trophies and enter the 2 championship events.
The class association also publishes a newsletter at regular intervals throughout the year. Each issue includes reports on the open meetings and championships, information about forthcoming events, lots of Comet tips and rules updates.
Information about our open events and championships can be found on the calendar.
News
The News can be very long and to avoid missing anything please click the following links which will take you directly to the individual item further down the page
| 2020 Nationals | 2020 Dinghy Show | 2020 Calendar update | Sail Setting | Alan Browning |
2020 AGM
It may seem early to be mentioning the AGM but their are 3 vacancies that need to be filled at the AGM.
Our Chair, John Sturgeon, has to stand down as his 3 year tenure ends at the AGM, but for continuity he will remain on the committee for one year to smooth over the transition and offer any advice that may be required.
After many years’ service Michael Ettershank is resigning from the Committee and his role as Results Secretary.
For personal reasons Nigel Austin has resigned from the Committee and his role for management of Trophies and Prizes.
All of the above are open to all members of the Association. If you are interested in taking on one of the above please contact John via chairman@cometsailing.org.uk for more information.
2020 Nationals
If you are considering camping, glamping, caravaning or motorhoming for the Nationals at Bala see the Nationals in the calendar for important accomodation information.
2020 Dinghy Show
Yes it’s that time of year to start planning your christmas list of Comet and general Sailing gear, especially with the bargains to be had at ‘Ally Pally’ at the end of February! I wait while Andy stops choking and gets his breath back!!
We will be having a stand at the show and Chris Robinson is, again, our show co-ordinator.
For upto date general information see https://www.rya.org.uk/dinghy-show/Pages/visitor-information.aspx or for speakers / talks see https://www.rya.org.uk/dinghy-show/whats-on/Pages/speakers-stages.aspx
Tickets for the RYA Dinghy Show can be bought at Dinghy Show tickets. The following code will give you a 10% discount on online tickets: RYAEX857713.
2020 Calendar
Steve Gregory, your Events person, has been burning up the ether organising both of the Championships and a comprehensive array of Open meetings across the country for, hopefully, you to attend.
A printable version of the calendar is available by clicking this link – Calendar (opens a .pdf file)
Sail Settings
Recently I received an email asking for advice on setting a Comet sail and it got me thinking. Back in the day Keith Lamdin produced a booklet explaining his opinion on how to set a Standard sail. Since then Andrew has brought out 2 new sails – the Mylar (Black) Xtra and recently the Dacron (White) Xtra. In his introduction to the White Xtra Peter Mountford offered some limited advice as to how to set it. So it is about time for a real update.
Therefore I am asking for help in creating a knowledge base for each of the 3 sails for most conditions, so that the table below can be completed. If needed please copy the table into Word or similar and fill in how you set the controls for your set of sails in as much detail as you are prepared to give away and then email it to me. I will, then, create an overall set of settings and publish the results.
Sail |
StandardMorrison |
StandardHyde |
Mylar (Black)Xtra |
Dacron (White)Xtra |
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Kicker |
Outhaul |
Downhaul |
Kicker |
Outhaul |
Downhall |
Kicker |
Outhaul |
Downhaul |
Kicker |
Downhaul |
Outhaul |
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Wind |
F1 |
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F2 |
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F3 |
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F4 |
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Alan Browning
Before Christmas Norah sent me an email informing me that she and Henry had received a card from Anne Browning saying that Alan had died a couple of months ago. Below is her email that she wished me to pass onto the Association.
Alan had a stroke about 4 years ago and never got his health back fully, although he was able to continue with a lot of his interests.
Both he and Anne sailed Comets at Frensham Pond and he in particular did some of the Open meetings in the area. He’d often turn up towing his Comet with his Reliant Robin! He took over as editor of Perihelion from John Windibank and was on the committee for several years. He made it clear that his views in the newsletter were not always those of the Committee! He made a variety of proposals to ensure that the prize structure for racing included helms throughout the fleet – having gold, silver and bronze fleets was only one of his ideas. One of his innovations was to create a map showing the grid reference for every known sailing club which had Comets, which, in a pre-computer/satnav days was very useful.
Having said that, Alan used a computer to compile Perihelion and was at the forefront of technology. He acquired one of the early speech-recognition programs which he used to good effect for his “Talking to…….” series athough I think that he must have spent hours and hours editing the results. He asked Phillip Hossell about his early life and the program typed “I came from grim Siberia”. Alan eventually interpreted this correctly as “I came from the Grimsby area”!
Apart from sailing, Alan was a musician and played bowls. The Comet Class Association owes him a debt of gratitude for all his work on the magazine and for all his enthusiasm and ideas.
Members Area
The password for the Members area has been changed.
Measurement Rules
The new measurement rules to include the White Xtra are in the member’s area.
Comet Clubs
The Association would like to know of any club where Comets are sailed, please have a look at the Clubs page and if you know of other club(s) where Comets are sailed please e-mail me.
Thanks
Nigel Fern
