Introducing your new Editor.

As we are about to welcome you to the new A Class year, with it, we say a fond farewell to Martin Vanzulli who has now passed on the baton of IACA Web Editor to me, Gordon Upton.

For the last three years Martin has kept us all informed and up to date on the eye watering range of new developments and news within this exquisite class.  However, he has now decided to move on to concentrate more on his commercial activities, to do some actual sailing at home in Argentina for a change and to organise the 2016 F18 Worlds, a culmination of 10 years effort. I hope you will all join me in wishing him well for the future and we owe him a big vote of thanks for a job well done.  Thanks Martin!

To quickly introduce myself; I am a Brit who sails an A Cat (GBR 4), with indeterminate skill, at Rutland Water SC and a frequent TT traveller.  I learned to sail in 1975 on a 420 dinghy and became an RYA Instructor a couple of years later.  My first cat experience came as crew on a Condor back in 1977.

My introduction into the A Cat world was when I bought an old Bim 2000 to replace my bulletproof Topaz 16Cx cat.  I was quickly hooked by its ease of shore handling, responsiveness and speed on the water, and also the remarkable camaraderie within the class.  I moved on via the tough Aussie Flyer II to my present boat, an ex Landy ‘C’ board DNA, so I am a ‘Lowrider’.  Foiling will come in due course I have no doubt.  I am the current British Association class secretary and also one of the UK official A Class measurers.

I intend to carry on from Martin by writing and editing articles of relevance and interest to the A Class world in general.  Publishing race reports, informing on class developments, rules and technical issues.  Hopefully, also with a few interviews and news from leading characters within the class or relating to it, and from both sailors and manufacturers alike. 

So, please send me your news, reports, comments and ideas.  Photos and video is always welcome too!

Thanks and many seasonal regards! 

Gordon

Editor.