Page 5 - Folk Boat Year Book 2023

Message from the Association President

Folkboaters and the glue that keeps the class together

Well, this is a first for me and a first for
all of you, so thank you to those that
put me here and for those that didn’t,
its only for three years!

There is little I can report as I have
only been in post for five minutes but
reviewing Sally’s and the Classes
accomplishments over the last three
years shows that much has been
achieved and topping it impossible.

Writing from the body of the kirk rather than the cutting edge of the fleet, I hope and
think we have turned a corner in the edgy debacle of wooden v metal masts, dry vs.
wet sailing (the former doesn’t sound much fun), fouling v anti fouling.

In my view it is practice (how many of us do that), preparation and expertise that win
races, the matters above being more of a distraction. Having Ed Donald aboard for
the Prince Consort Race last year was a master class in making a wooden-masted, wet
sailed and antifouled Folkboat go, even though Simon Gillette was relegated to the
fore peak as ballast - he didn’t complain (much).

The Sessan Cup was the expected eye-opener, but also produced an unexpected
bonus of shared expertise and tuning help from our guests, a mantle that Ed and Cy
have picked up to the UK fleet benefit.

Like many I have found the last winter interminable and that has fed through into a
slow start to the season, cold weather and incapacity to varnish being an excuse for
an unwillingness to take creaking joints back to sea. Notwithstanding the initiative of
the three regatta weekends is something to look forward to and hats off to the Class
Captains’ enthusiasm in bringing these events together providing balance to Folkboat
Week, which is now to include the Nationals.

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