Updates

Please keep an eye on the blog and the dates on the left - these are being confirmed and tweaked on a daily basis with some new events possibly being added.

The Eastern Champs looks like it will be during Burnham Week in August and at Stone the year after.

The man to beat....

Nice shot here of John "Titch" Wayling receiving his trophy from sponsor Rod Thorpe of Tempera Tech at Hickling upon the conclusion of last years Eastern Series. James Jarvey won that event but Titch had dominated the series.

The trophy is unique to the class and as you can see is a modern take on the traditional "ship in a bottle" with two Phantoms racing up to a mark. Rumours that the fleet had to empty several bottles of spirits to find just the right bottle to use are completely unfounded. The maker has apparently cornered the market in "dimple" bottles which we are told can no longer be found.

Wind forecast

Another evening spent discovering new gadgets for the blog....try the wind forecast at the bottom of the blog. Neat!

Something about your sponsors

Now, I don't want to be too commercial about this but many will not know who our sponsors are and I think that it's only right that they should get something out of the time and money that they put into this........

Rod Thorpe has again said that he will effectively underwrite the series via his company Tempera-tech (please note the spelling for reports and so on). Rod's company are air conditioning specialists - the real city office stuff, not B&Q size units - and I keep nagging him to tell people what on earth it is that his company do. So now you know!!

Our second sponsor is JJ Boats aka James Jarvey. James contributed to prizes last year and anyone that has seen his rudders and centreboards will know that these are treasured items.

James also builds truly beautiful wooden Solo's, Enterprises, and Fireballs. If you make it to the Dinghy Exhibition I would bet a pound to a penny that the prettiest boat at the show will be one of James's.

Tempera-tech and J J Boats

Welcome!

Welcome to my unofficial Phantom blog site for the Phantom Eastern Series.

I hope to add posts as and when required to keep you up to date with the scandal, gossip and rumours in the fleet.

Photos can be added and once Marcus gets his head cam going we will be in business with videos.

This year we have a great range of events including the old and new. The series is not fully completed and there are some events that we may still be able to add....

First off will be a training weekend at Alton Water. This will be a new venue for many Phantom sailors but I have checked it out and can confirm that you can expect a good clear sailing area, good clubhouse and changing facilities and a very pleasant setting. The club is run by the local authority on behalf of Anglian Water and is very active in providing training.

Windy is pulling out all the stops to make the first weekend a great event with quality training for all on the Saturday under the guidance of past champion Simon Childs and "Titch" (our current Eastern series champ). Thoughts are being put to an alternating session of on water and off water training and I am approaching the RYA to see if we can get some racing rules coaching....

New events include Brightlingsea in mid-June. Hopefully by then the sun will have returned and we will be able to mix it with the Losers, sorry Lasers, and Fireballs who are also there that weekend.

Favourites from last year are looking a bit iffy at the moment. "Carbon Clive" is seeing if we can get back to Minnis Bay again. This was a great event last year and it would be great to get back there. Don't they want to sell all that beer again?

Stone followed by Creeksea looks like a good combination but the jury is still out for August Bank Holiday when it was thought that a regional championship would fit in well. News to follow in due course.

Apart from the old hands it looks like the Eastern series has succeeded in attracting new sailors to the class. Please do make yourself known to us old boys...

Well, this will do me for now. I'll keep putting garbage on here to check that you are all alive and kicking.

Chris.