More New Designs

Of course it does. Those which are good and popular and work and are well marketed etc etc etc have a small chance of making it, RS 200 like, into the mainstream. The rest become "do you remember this" photos on this site 10 years down the line. There were complaints in the 50's that the market was becoming too fragmented. Should we have stopped designing boats then, and all be sailing Fireflies, Albacores, and the like*? How is now any different to then?

 

*Personally, I wouldn't have a problem with this, but it would make for a very boring Spy photos thread.

If you can sell it, go for it.

But personally I want to buy into racing, not having an obscure design.

There will always be a place for a new class that delivers better racing though!

It certainly appeas that the members of this forum do...

Originally posted by tickler Is it easier/cheaper to design boats by computer and use modern techniques for their manufacture or the way it used to be with drawing boards and trees in sheds?

In real terms no, not really, and in any case we are still nowhere near the flood of new designs that came out in the 60s.

Of course there is not an inexhaustible desire for new designs .... any more than there is for new cars. 

The working of the question leads one way only.  Ask the question whether people would prefer one-design racing and very likely you will get a 'yes'.  Therefore perhaps clubs should have limited their racing to 'approved' classes  like many did years ago and a few still do .... not think carefully about the implications .... no new designs or very very few.    Countries where clubs are very prescriptive are not always the ones with 'better' racing inho. 

Years ago I raced OK's .. lovely boats and still are .... then along came the Laser.  Unfortunately (this is what we thought at the time) our club allowed a few in and 'diluted' our fleet (and the Solo fleet).  The rest is history and dinghy sailing was the better for its appearance.   We were simply wrong.  So how far back now do you think approved classes should have been forced on us - before the 90's boom in new designs, before the laser ?  before the Mirror ?  Enterprise ?  Firefly ?  etc etc All these are great boats but please please not imposed on us for a whole lifetime !

Good racing is not produced by imposing old (or new) classes on people - it is the people who take part who make good classes and good racing. Today at club level that often means handicap - but we all have the chance to class race around our various CA run circuits.  If is hardly a new model but 'club' for practice and handicap racing and 'one-design circuit' several times a year or more for well one-design racing whenever you want it.  Perhaps we should simply recognise this model now as the norm ... and all get out a bit more !!.

Mike L.