2009 Sailing Review - Where did that go??     So here we are at the end of another year! I just can't believe 2009 is coming to a close already, it really seems to have flashed by. Like a bit of a 'sado' (apologies to anyone else who does this) I made a point of keeping a record of how often I sailed through '09 and with what kit. I've always planned to do this but never really got around to it. Own up, do you log? Looking back I was surprised by how much I had sailed and the amount of quality time spent on smaller kit. We sometimes get those spells where it's either windy or not and periods this year were definitely like that. After the snow and cold of early 2009 I did manage to sneak a sail at the end of Feb just to break the ice... March then was a blinder with plenty of 'before work' action on my 4.2m...cold water and an effort to go but well worth it.     A cold but memorable day from April...     More blasting during an 'alright' April...     April was alright but compared to March, it was a bit of a 'calm' month! May delivered absolute corking weather around here with a good spell of north easterlies that carried on into June. July and August both offered a real mixture as I used anything from a Speed 45+5m right through to a SS Gold & Helium sail. September was 'all time' for me despite loads of 2010 delivery issues, with one of the best trips to Brandon Bay Ireland ever! I sailed on 7 separate days at 5 different locations - using all 6 boards I took and sail sizes from 3.2 to 7.5m! October was steady as always, but after Ireland it is always a bit of a come down to be home and a busy period of catching up! Most notable was when I headed out with a 3.9m on a 63 at Rutland only to have the wind go from 30kts to about 10kts in a matter of minutes! That was some 'trog' to get back by dark!   November despite being mild and exceptionally windy was also very wet...most of you who know me will be aware that I don't really 'do rain'... Actually it was more that the wind was from the south which is a bad direction for the club. But I didn't feel too hard done by given how good May/June was around here. More recently December has since become really cold with plenty of snow and ice around again finishing the year much like it started. But hey, all in all we have had a really good 2009 so I am definitely not complaining! If 2010 is anywhere close to serving up the same I will be more than happy!   Signing Off...     I hope you all have enjoyed just as good a year as I have. It has been a real privilege once again to have shared in the experiences of so many of you who I can call my friends, both at home and around the world via our e-connections.     A view from the Rutland SC live cam...     Despite the reality of what has been an incredibly turbulent and tough year for so many people, the enthusiasm and passion we all share for this great sport has been a real positive that provides a focus on the true good things in life. May I wish you all a very Happy Christmas and give thanks for your support through 2009. Here's to a great 2010. Rik       Christmas Period   It is a busy time for me as the business year end approaches. I therefore expect to be on site most days throughout the remainder of December. If you would like to visit and collect equipment please contact me in advance so your order is prepared.   Website Upgrade - Browser Issue   A recent upgrade to the rear-end of our e-shop has caused a major issue for visitors browsing with older less secure versions of Internet Explorer (pre release 8). We use Google Chrome (very fast) but we know many of you also use Firefox or Safari - those run fine! Although Windows should have automatically upgraded machines onto version 8, it appears some still run version 7 or even older...   Check Browser Version!     Year End Special Offers - Including 2010 Equipment   31st Dec is the last day of trading for my business year, thus I always aim to reduce stock levels before having to count it all at stock take! Rik + New Year + Mount Gay Rum + Stock Take = Major Hangover!!! More seriously however has been the fact many 2010 deliveries have arrived much later than expected. As a result I am in fact now slightly over stocked on certain products - boards, sails, masts, booms etc... If you require anything from the current 2010 JP or NP ranges then do contact me. Let me know what you need and I will sort out an extra special year end price! (no px pls).   New '09 Sails From £249     Select Fins From £39.99     New     Models     In Now!   Make sure you log-in for our return customer loyalty pricing!     D U Log-In??