Dead Hornet?

[roger]

As I was trying to get two Hornets to Roadford I started what I thought was a quick paint and cover job on K140. I took the tatty old slot gasket off to find a little bit of soft wood. I dug about with a chisel (wish I hadnt) to find a whole length of rotten wood. So now the poor old girl has a large hole through to the bouyancy tanks and crew deck through the side of the centreboard case.
So looks like only Shoestring to represent the Hornets at Roadford this year and the planker will have to go out of the shed until I decide if I can repair her and whether its worth the hassle.

[Rupert]

That is sad news. Don't give up on her yet, though! Wood hardner and epoxy are wonderful things...

[davidh]

Roger,

hang on in there - for this summer I have heard little news that is 'good' regarding the health of the Hornet fleet. So, you might just have an appreciating asset there in 140!!

D

[Rupert]

Should that have an "a" in it, that sentence, as in "a little news that is good"? Or is there almost no good news?

[davidh]

Rupert,

No - I think I had it right first time... there is little in the way of good news for the boat right now

D

[roger]

I blame the short sighted attitude of those that still think it is a major class and can support a week long nationals. I offered to set up a classic wing and try to get more boats out on the water. Even one more per event would make a difference.

I have to say we found them (with a few notable exceptions) a pretty unwelcoming bunch. In fact when we turned up at Salcombe for the second day of the two day event not a single person came over to say hello except for Tim Coombes who was more than helpful whenever we met him.

They were the first fleet to turn their back on fastsail and the SGP which was set up to help the smaller fleets. The fireballs and 5o5s dont need it but the Hornets do.

It is such a shame when the boat has so much heritage to call on but they seem to be unable to use that to their advantage.


As far as 140 is concerned I havent given up on her yet but she is at the back of the queue for the time being.

[Ancient Geek]

I have had an admiration for The hornet, the first overseas regatta I went to was The Hornet Worlds at Rungsted north of Copenhagen as the lightweight crew! I have grown a lot since then. It was then and I am sure still is a very good boat, but then I could think of a few truly excellent classes that are shall we say cliquey? The success and continued success of the Fireball, 505 (To name the two mentioned.) and others is the welcoming inclusiveness. "How can we help" is so much better than "you have got one? Well good luck!"
It is the inclusiveness and instant help that is so good about the CVRDA and this site.

[alan williams]

Hi
Sad to say but I was a Horneteer for 35years (and still sail one a occasionally), and became more and more disillusioned with the class. The class did little to retain it's fleets and never raised it's game with the challenge of the new SMOD's which the Scorpian did very successfully. Instead of looking for cheaper builder's to keep the cost down of new boats they went for ever more expensive manufactures and did not support the builders that they had Tim Coombes and Tim Baker, to the extent that Tim Baker became so feed up that he sold the mould to the Hornet Assoc. The new builders both came up with horrible looking all glass boats which tried to look like SMOD's. Instead of producing beautiful looking boats (still available from Tim Coombes in that hitech material plywood). The jump in and sail boats were all so very expensive £10,000 plus compared to a Fireball at £8500 and the cheaper SOMD,s. Roger I tried in the late seventies to start a classic wing non- Revolution division by awarding a trophy for the Nationals The Stormbringer Slate. This was awarded at the time for the first boat intially over ten years old but should then have been awarded for the first non Revolution, Coombes once they became eligible.
Cheers Al Finn 424 etc.

[davidh]

Roger/Al,

Whilst researching for the Firelfy talk I have uncovered some quite useable film of very early (pre-Shoestring, 2 digit sail numbers early) Hornets sailing, that shows quite a bit of detail.

I had thought that there might be a Hornet weekend to come at Netley but it does not look good - otherwise I would have brought along PC and a view to help entertain you before the drinking starts

D

[roger]

Roger/Al,

Whilst researching for the Firelfy talk I have uncovered some quite useable film of very early (pre-Shoestring, 2 digit sail numbers early) Hornets sailing, that shows quite a bit of detail.

I had thought that there might be a Hornet weekend to come at Netley but it does not look good - otherwise I would have brought along PC and a view to help entertain you before the drinking starts

D

Sadly I no longer have a revo Hornet so wouldnt have been at an event at Netley but would love to see the film. Might even have my dad in it.

[roger]

I am pleased to say that David Cooper has taken on K140. He sailed the Orange Hornet at Roadford with his daughter Beth. They had a sail in Shoestring and Beth enjoyed the seat so much that she wanted one. We got chatting and David came up to see if he thought he could rescue the boat. He has taken her on a permanant loan basis and I hope he and Beth have a great deal of fun with her.
Down to two boats now.