skills 'ceiling'

Originally posted by Jon711 Originally posted by Guest#260 I think you can exclude full time pros from this discussion. Why, they need to publisice themselves as much, if not more than us mere  mortals.  What is your problam with the pro's.  One of the most satisfying sails I had was beating , one of the pros.  Let's just find out who the best is!!

I have no problem with pros but isn't this discussion about how people dveleop skills and how those skill progress with the size of the fleet they sail in?

Pros can progress a lot in very small groups with intensive coaching, lots of time and analyis. e.g. 2 boat AC project.

Huge resources applied to a small group = massive skills increase.

I kinda got the feeling the OP was talking about weekenders ...

Originally posted by Jon711 Originally posted by Guest#260 Originally posted by Jon711 Originally posted by Guest#260 I think you can exclude full time pros from this discussion. Why, they need to publisice themselves as much, if not more than us mere  mortals.  What is your problam with the pro's.  One of the most satisfying sails I had was beating , one of the pros.  Let's just find out who the best is!! I have no problem with pros but isn't this discussion about how people dveleop skills and how those skill progress with the size of the fleet they sail in? Pros can progress a lot in very small groups with intensive coaching, lots of time and analyis. e.g. 2 boat AC project. Huge resources applied to a small group = massive skills increase. I kinda got the feeling the OP was talking about weekenders ...   I know that you will find (If you care to check back) that I did say earlier that I was changing the thread.....

... are you now ... I am sure the OP will be delighted.

Oh no ...

Yeah Rick your turning into Grumpf!

I am actually much more interested in how skills develop (or not) than finding out who is the best of the best. 

I suppose I'm thinking along the lines of whether club racers who only ever raceagainst each other ever fully realise their potential, but also whether open meeting sailors in smaller classes also reach a level where they don't get any better.

This isn't meant to knock either of those groups - each to their own of course - but I wonder if a point gets reached where you just don't improve, or even whether a 'pecking order' gets established, especially at club level, where a psychological barrier also comes into play.