Cherub celebrate their 50

Still going strong in the UK the always colourful Cherub class were out in force at Sailboat

Cherubs at 2000/2001 Australian Championship, Henley SC

The UK fleet has developed along more radical lines than the Australian Cherubs since the mid 90s, with hull rule changes and increasing sail area and with their bow-sprit snout and rudder gantries appear to be twelve footers pretending to be fourteens, but as Jim Champ says; "It's the waterline length that matters". Sadly the Kiwi fleet seem to have more or less collapsed, so its really us and the Australians - they have a bigger fleet (50+ at recent Nationals) but more restrictive rules.

For the coming season front runners - well Dave Roe is always up there, but his eight year old boat is really looking a bit long in the tooth, although there are rumours about rigs. When he can get off the Island Andy (Bloodaxe) Paterson is always quick, especially in light to moderate conditions, and the lightweight pairing of Patrick Cunningham and Dominic, also in a Paterson 7, is looking good - a 60s position in a drifter of a Bloody Mary is frankly phenomenal in a Cherub.

Gavin's new boat, as above, could very easily be a top level contender and last years National Champion, Robin Russell, is a force to be reckoned with when he's in the right frame of mind. Tim Dean on the other hand is likely to be far too distracted with Volvo and Americas Cup to do much in Cherubs.

See the Cherub for yourself at the Grafham Asymmetric Shootout in mid-March and at the Weston Grand Slam over the Easter weekend.

Cherub UK web site at http://www.sailingsource.com/cherub
Australian web site at http://www.cherub.org/index2.htm