Pay-to-View Sailing

Jim- thing is that long breakwaters are good for spectating- as are long promenades (Dundee, where I remeber throngs watching Ultra 30s- seriously, how did they muck that up so badly that it died- for example) whilst beaches are always going to be that much further away unless they're very steeply sloping. A bit of elevation also helps- a brekwater might not be much, but it'll often be enough to make a big big difference to what can be clearly seen.

Originally posted by Late starter ... that watching sailing from the beach just doesn't work?

The funny thing is I have seen it work.

At the 1999 Cherub Champs I had to sit out a day because my helm was at a wedding or something. It was at New Quay in Wales (a super venue for a moderate sized fleet). New Quay harbour is basically a breakwater sticking out from the side of Cardigan Bay, and the breakwater is open to the public. So you sail off the beach, past the breakwater and you're immediately in the open water sailing area, and one end of the course was able to be really close in.

So anyway, I wandered out to the end of the breakwater to watch the racing, and the boats came out of the harbour and started racing, all, being Cherubs, in different bright and easily distinguishable colours.

It very soon became obvious to me that the general holiday makers out on the breakwater were watching the racing: and if you listened into their conversation (I know, bad manners) they were actually following individual boats, which, being a smallish fleet and very distinctive colours was very easy to do. ISTR even hearing groans if the boat they were following went for a swim and so on. Ever since then I have been convinced that sailing can work as a spectator sport if conditions are just right, and an Olympics medla race is as close to the circumstances I saw that day as you are going to get, other than the white hulls... Really need boats painted in National colours as well as spinnakers I think.

The helicopter idea is a great one - you could have fun blowing 49ers over with the down draft...

Originally posted by radixon I wouldn't pay either, I am sure I could get a private helicopter ride over the action for £50 pp Does anyone know if the water is restricted to spectator boats? what was it like at other Olympic venues?

Bet you'll find access to both water and airspace to be controlled.

I wouldn't pay either, I am sure I could get a private helicopter ride over the action for £50 pp

Does anyone know if the water is restricted to spectator boats? what was it like at other Olympic venues?