That was summer then.  Not much happens in the summer from a fireballing point of view. Perhaps most notably, Adam Whitehouse and Mike Pratt went to the Nationals and came 4^th. Nice try guys, slightly spoilt by the fact that Adam has now moved to Devon and is therefore unlikely to be sailing here much anymore. All the best to Adam then (who undoubtedly will get to be national champion one of these days) and perhaps we could have Mike back sometime when you've finished with him….

Here at the pond, we held the Marriott Mugbucket personal handicap event over a couple of Sundays in September. The weather was kind to us and with the help of the equally kind Miracle ODs we had some very interesting races. As usual, the series was still anybody's after day 1, but day 2 saw Dave Bevan / Graham Collett and Pete / Jane Muggleton collecting the top places in the first couple of races. As Pete and Jane hadn't done day 1 (doh !) and the first day's top places had gone mostly to people who were elsewhere on day 2, this left Dave & Graham fairly well placed. Although not as well placed as youngsters Neil Payne and Simon Taylor, who had amassed a nice selection of 2^nd and 3^rd places over the two days and had even found time between races to stuff some 'chemical metal' into the hole in their boat. So as usual it all came down to the last race, which being shorter than average favoured the boys as they started first. But in the event the wind picked up a bit and Dave and Graham were able to use their weight advantage to good effect on the close spinnaker reaches, thereby gaining an edge. Both teams were giving it their all, and by the end of the race were sailing with a degree of determination, skill and aplomb rarely seen round these parts. Ultimately Dave and Graham managed to cross the line first, some 20 seconds ahead of Neil & Simon. So Dave and Graham took the series with 8 points to Neil and Simon's 9, Nigel Imbush came 3^rd and Mike Shreeve & Dave Hiam got 4^th. Congratulations are due to Dave and Graham for finally winning something, and to Neil and Simon for coming so close to doing so in their first few months of sailing.

Around the same time, the fleet went out for an Indian meal in the depths of sunny Rugby. There's not much to report, other than it was a good thing, well attended and thoroughly enjoyed by all concerned. Nobody got knifed or poisoned, so we will doubtless do it again soon. Our best guess at present is Jan 27^th at a venue to be decided.

I'd like to say a big Firebally welcome to Jon and Jenny, who have finally accepted their fate and bought a Fireball. Not just any Fireball either, but 'Rocker's Revenge', the boat that won the fleet and club championships three times each. I sincerely hope that it goes as well for them as it did for me, and that they spend at least as much time swimming round it as I did. Welcome also to Karen Hiles who has been alternately sailing and mending Claudia's old boat. Quick, more epoxy !

The Fleet championships, Fireball Open meeting and Youth Championships will doubtless have come and gone by the time this hits your breakfast table, so the only thing left for your diary is the Christmas meal and prizegiving event on the 9^th of December. Tickets will be available from the office and various fleet people. Please come to this – the food is good and we will be far less rude about you if you are present than if you aren't. On the sailing front, there's also at least the ordinary winter series to compete in, and possibly a Super Series with visiting hotshots – check the website for details.

And finally, it was bound to happen if we waited long enough. A couple of Draycote Fireballers went out and won the National Championships. Sadly they weren't in a Fireball at the time (in fact they weren't even in a full-blown version of the class in question). Anyway, somehow all those little piggies got airborne, and Iain Christie and Tom Vian won the 12ft Skiffs inaugural National Championships, and they've got the pictures to prove it. Well done guys, we always said you could, er, well, do something in a mad yellow boat if you didn't kill yourselves first. And we were right .

Mike Deane – Fireball 14778