A Phil Morrison makeover for the Graduate by Rooster Sailing
by Steve Cockerill, Rooster Sailing 30 Jan 2009 14:10 GMT
Phil Morrison and Ian Teasdale with Steve and Jack Cockerill's National Championship Winning Boat - with their thinking caps on © Rooster Sailing
Who would have thought that two years ago the Graduate class were about to lock the silver away, save their last pennies to keep the association ticking over by not attending the Dinghy Show, and pretty much fall into the wasteland of boats that had not changed to survive?
Lots has happened since then; a new sail plan on existing spars with sales of new suits exceeding 45, entry at the Nationals in 2008 was 67% higher than in 2007, and now in 2009 we have a new deck redesign inspired by Ian Teasdale of the Boatyard at Beer and designed by Phil Morrison.
The Boatyard might sound like a small back street workshop but you would be wrong. Combining Ian Teasdale's Graduate Nationals crew winning experience, be it over 25 years ago, with his vast experience of mould making for the RS classes and more recently for Hartley laminates AND recent epoxy foam sandwich building expertise in manufacturing Rooster Sailing's epoxy Streakers we have a winning combination.
But there is more: The Boatyard have a very close relationship with the biggest Dinghy Boat Designer of the modern age - Phil Morrison. Between Phil and Ian they are aiming to re map the internal layout of the boat to make it more user friendly.
Why the Grad? I can hear you say. If I said it was an awesome little boat you still might look sideways at me. But honestly to windward it's on rails! I used to sail it as a lad at Tamworth against some of the best Graduate sailors in the country, but I could also embarrass much longer and quicker boats to windward and take all the shifts gybing downwind and still be in their face.
It's a fantastic family boat as it fits families to a 't', whether its a husband and wife or Mother and daughter, especially now the redesign proposal includes a gnav (upside down vang), giving the crew more room up front. We are also intending to re-arrange the jib sheeting arrangement so that jib cleats will be easily available to leeward so tired arms are a thing of the past. We are also intending to move the thwart forward so that crews can sit in comfort in lighter winds - in the right place - and still give room for the helm to opt for a centre main if they prefer.
I certainly loved sailing my 25 year old boat with my son in the last couple of years; teaching him racing tactics that I could never have done while he was out in his Topper. The Graduate committee are certainly behind the project and, with the support of the class members, the class will move from strength to strength. With 20 at last years nationals from 12 the year before, who knows where we go from here? The Graduate returns to its Alma Mater at Chipstead for its 54th national championships with lots to look at and talk about. Perhaps we will break 50 this year - but definitely again very soon.