THE UK RC LASER ASSOCIATION The official organising body of the RC Laser Class in the UK

President: Nigel Seary (RCL01) Chairman/ Racing Secretary: John Arundell (RCL27) Newsletter Editor: John Tushingham (RCL311) and Treasurer and Registrar: John Park (RCL05)

How to contact the UK RC Laser Association

For general enquiries contact , John Tushingham on:-
01943 816808 (day) or 01943 817877 (eve)
or e-mail: john@graphitecreative.co.uk
or
For newsletter queries, submission of photographs and articles contact John Tushingham e-mail: john@graphitecreative.co.uk Tel: 01943 817 877
or
For money matters, subscriptions, membership database etc contact John Park e-mail: john@parkj11.fsnet.co.uk Tel: 01252 873 779

Full Membership of the association is open to all registered owners of the RC Laser.

How did it all start?

The association was formed in January 2001 by David Smythe who, after acquiring his RC Laser the previous November, recognised that the class needed 'substance' if it was going to flourish in the UK. At that time there were just a few disparate owners with little or no mechanism for getting together let alone co-ordinating their activities into a programme of racing.
Later in 2001 Brian Wiles contacted David requesting information on the Laser and soon acquired his first boat..
David soon realised he needed help if a programme of racing was to be developed and asked Brian if he would become the Association's first Chairman and Racing Secretary. Happily Brian agreed and went on to organise events at locations around the country where RC Lasers were to be found (and some where they were not - we were very conscious of the 'chicken and egg' catch).
A draft constitution was drawn up the following year by David so that a bank account could be opened. Up to that point the Association's administration costs had been met mostly by Peterkin, David and a small income from the growing list of members, some of whom 'donated' gifts to help with the financial costs. It was at this time that Ian Taylor was coopted onto the committee as Treasurer. The constitution was accepted and adopted formally by members at the first AGM in 2002.
Early in 2003 Brian decided to step down as Chairman and Racing Secretary to spend more time on his boat and sail business. John Arundell, who had become a familiar face on the RC Laser racing scene, was coopted onto the Executive Committee to take over the role of Racing Secretary in the Summer of 2003.
In 2004 Ian Taylor stepped down due to ill health and John Tushingham was coopted onto the committee.
The Association continues to flourish and now boasts a membership of over 200 currently paid-up members and has held four National Championships at Market Bosworth (2001), Poole (2002), Gosport (2003) and Burghfield SC (2004) which attracted a record entry of 41 boats.

What does the Association do?

The association pulls together the community of RC Laser skippers in the UK. In doing so it provides skippers with opportunities of meeting together to exchange views, hints and tips on getting the most out of their boats and above all pit their skills against each other in the challenging sport of strict one design rc yacht racing.
The association publishes a newsletter 3 or 4 times a year and co-ordinates the Travellers' Trophy Series of events, open meetings and the National Championships.
Through the association skippers are also given the opportunity to race in other countries at International level should they wish to do so. In 2001 three UK skippers raced in the USA National Championships at the Coast Guard Academy in New London, CT.

What does it cost to become a member and how do I join?

The annual membership fee is currently just £11.00 pa.
You can download an application form in PDF (file size 1 Mb - you will need Adobe Acrobat Reader) here and post it together with your cheque to the Association or, you can send an SAE to the Association's office to obtain a form, or you can just send your cheque together with all your contact details (and boat number if known) to The Membership Secretary, UKRCLA, Yew Tree Cottage, 3 Frys Lane, Yateley, Hants, GU46 7TJ or e-mail the Membership Secretary John Park: john@parkj11.fsnet.co.uk or Tel: 01252 873 779 with any queries you may have regarding membership.

Why should I join? (download the answer here - note large file)

In joining the association you are protecting your investment - a healthy class association means that boats are more likely to retain their value. More importantly you will be helping secure the class as one of the most popular radio racing yacht classes in the UK.

Does the Association have a constitution?

Yes. A copy is sent to all owners on joining the Association.

Who are the officials?

The association's President is European RC Laser importer Nigel Seary. Seary is a full size Laser skipper and keelboat sailor when not running his family business. He has competed in the Laser Masters, is a member of Rutland SC and is also a pretty nifty RC Laser skipper too.

Chairman and Racing Secretary John Arunndell has been sailing dinghies and keelboats since he was 5 years old, but an injured shoulder led him into taking up RC sailing in April 200, tarting out first with One Metre yachts, then with the Radio Marblehead. After catching the RC sailing bug the RC Laser followed in May the same year. At the same time he decided to start a Laser club at Yateley which is now arguably the largest fleet of RC Lasers in the UK. He enjoys coaching those members that want it and is certain this is a key reason, together with the simplicity of the Laser, for the Clubs' successful growth.

Newsletter Editor John Tushingham has been sailing dinghies for many years prior to taking up radio controlled racing in the RC Laser class.

Treasurer John Park had some experience of sailing dinghies when he was 16 years old, and started Radio Control Racing on land with Electric scale Touring Cars and Buggies. He moved into RC sailing in September 2001, starting out with a RC Laser. After catching the RC sailing bug, boats now include a RC Catamaran and an Aquataur A600 self-righting RC Dingy. His attitude to sailing as recently reported in Plain Sailing, is "Always enjoys his sailing, regardless".

Founder member David Smythe took to RC racing when forced to give up dinghy racing in the Europe, Solo and Illusion mini-twelve metre classes for reasons of health. He started the UK class association in order to encourage class growth in the UK and to strengthen the sport's base through the introduction of new blood. Smythe saw the 'ready-to-sail' strict one design concept of the RC Laser as offering the most potential in achieving that goal. He is a founder member of the Lee Valley MYC and a past member of Broxbourne SC and Hertford County Yacht Club.

What is 'The Travellers' Trophy Series'?

The Travellers' Trophy Series aims to find the most consistent skipper in the class by awarding points for positions achieved in each of a series of 'approved' events staged at various locations around the country - see details below.

UKRCLA TRAVELLER'S TROPHIES - Sponsored in 2003, 2004 and 2005 by Marine Modelling International magazine.

Each year the UKRCLA will nominate six open races to form a Traveller's Series of events. At each event Traveller's points will be awarded to each skipper taking part and after the last race in the year three Traveller's Trophies will be awarded as follows:-

The Traveller's Trophy will be awarded to the skipper with the highest total of Traveller's Points from his/her best counting events.

The Improver's Trophy will be awarded to the skipper who has shown the greatest improvement when comparing the Traveller's Points he has gained from his best counting events in the current year with those he gained similarly in the previous year subject to the following conditions - to qualify for the Improver's Trophy a skipper a) shall have started in the number of counting races in both years under consideration and b) is not the winner of the Traveller's trophy in the year under consideration, in which case the trophy will be awarded to the next best Improver.

The Newcomer's Trophy will be awarded to the skipper with the highest total of Traveller's Points who is in his first year of sailing in the Traveller's Series and providing he has not won the Traveller's Trophy, in which case the trophy will be awarded to the first year skipper with the next highest total of points.

The Diehard Trophy will be presented to every skipper who starts in every event of the series.


Note: Diehard Trophy not shown

Counting Events. Normally there will be 6 qualifying events of which 4 shall be counting events, However should conditions warrant a cancellation of an event or events the number of counting events shall be reduced as follows: 5 qualifying events will give 3 counting events, 4 or less qualifying events will give 2 counting events.

Traveller's Points shall be calculated as follows: Points = ((S - F) x 90) / (S- I )) + 10 rounded to the nearest whole number. Where S is the number of boats that start in at least one heat in the event and F is the skipper's finishing position. (Note: This is not as complicated as it looks - see the downloadable look up table (pdf file) where all the calculations have already been done for events with entries ranging from 6 to 30 boats). Or refer to the table below:-

Race Officer's Traveller's Points. At this stage in in our development a skipper may also be the Race Officer of an event where the entry is 16 boats or less. Should the Race Officer sail in an event Race Officer Points shall not be awarded. However to encourage skippers to take on the job of being a Race Officer, points shall be awarded to the Race Officer as follows:
RO's Traveller's points = the average number of points the RO has gained in the number of counting events in the year minus one (points rounded to the nearest whole number). RO points shall be calculated after the last race in the year. RO points may only be used once in a series ad only if the skipper has not sailed in the required number of counting events. RO points shall not be used in preference to an actual score.
Example: If the number of counting events in a year were 4, a skipper who has sailed in 2 of these events would get his total points divided by 3 for being an RO at another event.

Ties (applies to all three trophies). In the event of a tie, the trophy winner shall be determined by countback. Should the tie remain, the second highest number and so on (i.e. all 6 qualifying events could be considered). If the tie still stands the trophy shall be shared.