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Notices, Stories & Results Worlds Update General

News on GRP Mirror Manufacture

Kuba reports that Stephen Du Toit has been awarded the contract to build our glass boats - seeing CNC plug and mould maker - progamme is moving!

Obituary - John Moss

Prof. John Moss, a loving husband and father, a highly respected scientist, lecturer and mentor to countless students around the world, sailor in Mirrors and keelboats, mountaineer and a very good friend died on Monday 31st May 2010. May he rest in peace.
Our condolences go to his widow Lynne and daughters Tara and Miranda.

The attached picture was taken at Kraalbaai on the Langebaan lagoon in 2003.

by Paul Johnson



Mirror Class is on Facebook

Mirror sailors who make use of the Facebook social networking application are invited to join the group "South African Mirror Class".
This is a means of keeping in touch on a more regular basis with activities concerning the Mirror class in South Africa.


Tender for Mirror Mould

The Mirror Class has issued a tender for a builder to produce GRP Mirrors in South Africa.

This tender has been announced in the publication `Launch' of the Cape Town Boatbuliding & Technolgy Initiative. (attached)

It is the intention that locally produced boats will also find an export market.


2010 Mirror National Championships

The Mirror fleet mustered a total of 25 boats for the 2010 National Championships, with visitors from Natal (1), Northvaal and E. Cape.

Sailed  over Easter at Theewaters, together with Fireballs and Stadt23's, only 6 races could be completed over 4 days. On Friday the wind was light- 2 windward / leeward races were completed (by those who could make the time limit). On Saturday morning, there was again no wind, but it filled in in the afternoon, becoming quite strong. 2 more races were completed (triangles this time!)

Two races were sailed on Sunday morning, also in a fresh SE. The dinghies went in for lunch, while the Stadts sailed 2 more races. The dinghies went out again after lunch, but were sent back to shore, as the wind was gusting over 30 knots.

An early start was scheduled for Monday, but the wind had blown all night and was still strong at the starting time.An hour later, racing was abandoned. As it often happens, the wind then eased. Some of the top Mirrors then went out to practice and to allow promotional photos to be taken.

The front end of the fleet was once again dominated by the Robinsons. They got most of the 1sts and 2nds, leaving scant pickings for the rest. There was a tie on points for 1st place, broken in favour of the new National Champions -  Brennan & Michaela Robinson. Ryan & Ricky Robinson had to be satisfied with the silver medals. Third place went to the team of Fuad Jacobs and Tashreeq Abrahams.

Lots of photos of the event are up on Picasa:
2 April 2010
3 April 2010
4 April 2010
Various + Prizegiving


2009 Mirror Class National Championships

Team Robinson Is Back! - normal service is resumed.

After missing last year's Nationals at Mossel Bay, the talented Robinson clan returned to control the top end of the Mirror Nationals once again.

Free State Yacht Club on Gariep Dam was the venue for the 2009 Mirror Class National Championships. This venue was chosen on the basis of being roughly equidistant for competitors from the Cape, KZN and Northvaal. There is a huge expanse of water and the friendly club members were able to provide a big cruising catamaran and keelboats for the course.

Twenty Mirrors entered the event. On the first day, a strong westerly wind picked up, peaking at gusts over 35 knots. It was deemed unsafe to attempt racing under those conditions.

The next day, a light easterly ( 5- 7 knots) blew most of the day. Four races were completed in the morning after an early start. After a late lunch, the fleet was called out for more racing, in the hopes that a stronger westerly would fill in. Unfortunately, the easterly hung in and one more light wind race was completed.

On the last day, the fleet had another early start (08:00) and a race was completed in another light easterly. This wind faded and the regatta was declared completed. The expected westerly only materialised at lunchtime, when all the boats had been loaded for the trip home.

After the first couple of races, veteran Mirror sailor Trevor Gibb established a lead. Then, consistent sailing by Cundell Statt (snr) put him in front. Towards the end of the regatta, however, it was apparent that Team Robinson had once again succeeded in taking control, as they have done in past Nationals. At the prizegiving, it was announced that the team of Cundell Statt (snr) and Cuan Clifford had finished in third place. Second place was taken by Brennan and Michaela Robinson. The Mirror National Champions became Ricky & Ryan Robinson.

The Mirror Class Association wishes to thank the Commodore and members of Free State Yacht Club for their hospitality in providing their venue for this regatta.

Results|| Photos

2009 Australian National Championships

This event was held at about the same time as the SA Mirror Nationals. It was held on Lake Cootharaba, Queensland. 32 boats sailed 10 races - most in wind 10 - 15 knots. It was won by Hobart teenagers Jessie  Atherton and Katherine Maher.

What is remarkable about this event is that although there were imported Winder and locally made GRP hulls in the fleet, the top 2 positions were filled by wooden hulls.



2011 MIRROR WORLDS

The 14th World Championships of the International Mirror Class will be held from 26 December 2010 to 8 January 2011 in Albany, Western Australia at the Princess Royal Sailing Club.

The event website is at http://mirrorworlds2011.com

Video sequences from the venue are up on You Tube - it is footage of Mirror sailors sailing at Princess Royal Harbour, competing in the "2009 World Invitational Regatta" The weather wasn't great, but the sailing sure was fun.

Sequence 1
Sequence 2
Sequence 3

2009 MIRROR WORLDS

The Mirror World Championships were sailed  at Pwllheli (Wales), U.K. from 23 July to 1 August, 2009. First up were the UK Nationals, followed by the Worlds

The S.A. Mirror class team sailing are

Jeremy Holdcroft and Emmanuel Morake, David and Rory Laing, Candice and Lauren Smithie, Howard Leoto and Renaldo Mohale, Kuba Miszewski and Storm Avery, Daniel Tatt and Keegan Ekermans, Fuad Jacobs and Jermaine Wolmarans, Cundell & Cundell jnr Statt.

Report by our reporter on site - Mandy Lombard:

Day 2 (Tues) was blown out so no races sailed.
Day 3 (Wed) had 5-8 knots wind, so only two races managed.
Black flags and general recalls are the order of the day - with four of our boats having to sit out of one of the two races yesterday. We think there will be only one discard so this is not good.
Jeremy and Emmanuel in best SA position at the moment, but the only flashes of brilliance coming from the Izis.
Nations night was last night, and our SA team put on a good show, with some advertising for Izivungu and requests for funding and equipment for them.
----------------------------------------------------------------
Friday, 31 July - Today was blown out, so no sailing.
Results from yesterday are now final.
Unfortunately Fuad broke his tiller yesterday -  the resultant DNC's made his results pear-shaped!
The Isi's did really well.
Ciaio for now.
------------------------------------------------------------
For a chart showing the SA team performance in the UK Nationals and the Worlds, click here

Results || Photos || Official site


2007 MIRROR WORLDS IN SOUTH AFRICA

The Mirror Worlds was a huge success and sailors and supporters enjoyed every moment of it. The sailing was magnificent and the winds couldn't have been better. The 12 races sailed was viewed by some as the 'best sailing conditions ever sailed in'. Anna Mackenzie & Holly Scott (GBR) took the honors and Nick Davis & John Collova (AUS) came in second. Sieraj Jacobs & Ashwin Daniels from RSA got the bronze medal. Ricky and Ryan Robinson came in at 7th and Brennan Robinson & Julian Wertheim Aymes came in at 12th to give SA 3 in the top 20. This was the strongest ever SA team being the 2nd best team after GBR, IRL coming in at 3rd.

Results || Photos ||

2010 Mirror Class Annual General Meeting

The AGM was held at Theewaters Sport Club during the Nationals. In view of it being only 3 months since the last AGM at Gariep, the current committee was re-elected. Activity is taking place for the production of a plug in order to build GRP Mirrors - Fuad's boat would be used for this.

For the full AGM minutes, click here.

2008 Update to Class Rules

An amendment to the Mirror Class Rules has been published by ISAF.

One of the amendments permits up two bungs to be installed in the aft transom so as to be able to drain the aft buoyancy tank. A previous rule change caused corrector weights to be affixed to the aft bulkhead, instead of the underside of the thwart. This has now been reversed - corrector weights must now be on the underside of the thwart.

Another rule change permits the rudder stock to be made from aluminium alloy or GRP construction. Previously, only wood was permitted here.

The maximum purchase permitted on the vang has been increased from 4:1 to 8:1.

The section on Sails has been revised. In particular, the previous requirement that the spinnaker had to be be constructed in two halves, then joined by a centre seam has been removed. The new rule specifies a maximum of 8 panels, each panel having to extend from luff to leach. The spinnaker must be symmetrical. If you are buying new sails, ensure that your sailmaker is familiar with these requirements.

To download this Class Rules Update, click here

BOATS and PARTS FOR SALE

Interested in buying a second hand boat? Perhaps someone is selling Mirror parts. Take a look at whats in stock...

  For sale


TAKE A LOOK AT OUR TOOLS SECTION

Want to calculate the age of your mirror? What about getting clued up with the rules? Check out the weather or use our windspeed converter. It's all there plus a few links to know.