SMODwatch from Racing Classes Review

Originally posted by JimC And then when I was young we teenagers normally had older boats than the sailors of our parent's generation, but these days it seems to be the reverse, and it seems to be considered that the kids should have the latest and bestest kit. You can maybe see that in boat sales...

I wish.

Originally posted by JimC SMODWatch 2008 Picking Up Again ================ RS 400 36, sail numbers suggest they had a bit of a blip in 06/07 and are recovering from that. RS 800 27, again the sail numbers suggest they only sold about a dozen in 06 and 07, so my thoughts that they were begining to look rocky were correct, but things seem to have improved.

There is of course another scenario where demand exceeds supply.  I Think this was the period when RS were having a particularly torrid time with a manufacturing move to Brasil. 

And for the 800 .. wasn't there a holding period when the new deck layout was in development and a lot of people had to hold off purchases whilst the trials played out.....

Ian

Edited by Ian29937

I think perhaps there is some truth in that. Generally overall, I think that materials, and manufacturing techniques have improved to the point where boats do stay competitive for longer.

I remember in my yoof (many moons ago), by the time most O.D.'s were about 3 or 4 seasons old, they were starting to show stress cracks and de-lamiation problems, where they were bending under the rig load or just generally becoming un-glued from pounding in waves. Today these are pretty rare occurrances.

SMODWatch 2009
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As before, just looking at two handed adult racing classes. I shall have to consider reworking this if I post again next year because there seem to be fewer and fewer such classes about...

Trends I observed in last year's post seem to have continued... In particular its striking and I think worrying how much dinghy sailing is tending to become a youth sport.

Rude health
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RS 500 82. I'm not sure whether this really counts as an adult class though.

Not a good year
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Well, it hasn't been a good year for lots of people, so I don't think we can read too much into this!

RS 200 36, previously averaging 75 a year
RS 400 7, whilst the caveats apply, maybe last year's recovery was just a blip and the class is past its peak.
RS 800 10, similar thoughts to RS400

Still kicking
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B14 - 4 (last year 5)
Tasar - allegedly 8, but the quoted last sail number is the same as last year's!

Still Nailed to the Perch
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Nah, I'm not going to list them, its too cruel, but basically all the others I've listed in the past:-)

Us, Keep Track?
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49er - no sales figure again.
29er - no sales figure again.

The boat nobody wanted
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29erXX - for all the fuss, proposals to put it in the Olmpics etc it sure looks as if the only people who seem to sail one are those who are loaned/given rigs for a 29er. It would be crazy of ISAF to put this class in the games.

Its interesting to note that after years of everything they touch turning to gold the last two Bethwaite classes have been flops. I guess no-one can get it right all the time...

Most Optimistic Writeup Claim of the year
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ISO - "this growing fleet". I happen to know that in the last two years we've cut up for the skip at my club as many ISOs as have been sold in the UK. Trading standards anyone?

Edited by JimC

Interesting stuff Jim.

I shall have to consider reworking this if I post again next year because there seem to be fewer and fewer such classes about...

Why restrict yourself to SMODs though ? I'm pretty sure the Fireball sales figures will blow most of the SMOD
stuff into the long grass. And as we're all sailing Winders in this country, it's a SMOD in all but name anyway.
There must be others too, where do the Flying Fred, the Miracle and the 505 fit in ?