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Is inflation impacting Nationals Attendance?
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    Posted: 10 Aug 22 at 5:32pm
The sound of summer in Stoke Gabriel, the whir of electric pumps and the chat as paddlers pump up their SUPs, and in the evening the explosive whoosh of the deflating SUP as their paddlers roll them away into their cars. It's social, interesting and great to be around. Not surprising there are so many.SOT's are just as good, but without the noise and with the step Ladders for loading.
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Posts: 784 		Post Options Post Options   Quote NickA Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 10 Aug 22 at 5:29pm
Spot on about SUPs. Not my cup of tea but, No club membership or duties to do, no insurance, packs in the car boat. Why pay £5k or more for a raceable dinghy ( or even a few £100 on a cruisable one ) when going afloat can be so simple. But not sure what "lessons it provides" ... that dinghies should be slow, safe and rather dull?

The near death of asymmetric skiff sailing seems to bear that out. But most of the windsurfers on my lake are now high tech foilers sailed by people in helmets.
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Posts: 399 		Post Options Post Options   Quote CT249 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 10 Aug 22 at 10:28am
As a windsurfer, the SUP thing has been fascinating. A few years ago, some forum idiots literally threatened physical violence to anyone who dared sail a windsurfer over 9ft long, and they laughed at the fact that anyone could think that anyone would use something as slow and bulky as an 11ft board.

Now SUPs have shown that most people don't give two hoots for going fast and will happily use a big board, which they find quite challenging enough. Sailing could learn a lesson from that.

Oh, and the original 3.66m Windsurfer has been re-imagined in a new form, just as long and simple but much lighter - and the second world championships has no fewer than 375 entries. Sailing as a whole is doing a remarkable job of ignoring what seems to be the world's fastest-growing class, or close to it, and the lessons it provides.


Edited by CT249 - 10 Aug 22 at 10:30am
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Posts: 4 		Post Options Post Options   Quote RB. Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 10 Aug 22 at 10:09am
Hi Dougal, apologies if I sounded like I was having a go - not my intention at all. Problem is partly that I went racing on Monday evening on Poole Harbour, same dozen middle aged men in Solo's and Laser's, and was simply amazed at the sheer number of people out on the water. There genuinely must have been  hundreds, but none sailing dinghies, they were all on Sups and a few in kayaks. What particularly struck me was how many youngsters there were and how many family groups. If only we could attract a fraction of those into our sport...I appreciate that is a really a different subject to your original article.
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Posts: 360 		Post Options Post Options   Quote Sussex Lad Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 10 Aug 22 at 9:37am
Is inflation impacting nationals attendance?

I would think it's having quite an impact but it's not the only thing that's having an effect.

There's a general air of uncertainty in many areas. Strikes, wars, viruses, brexit, lack of faith in leadership to name a few. The way in which this stuff is reported also takes it's toll, "if it bleeds it leads". It all effects the "mood" of the great British public and sailors aren't immune from this. Chronic stress (constant drip, drip, drip, of worries small or large over a length of time) is a pernicious thing. Amongst other things it tends to make folk less inclined to have fun or seek out stimulation and makes them more likely to stay at home with the family or focus on whatever personal structure (solid and familiar) they may have in their lives.




Edited by Sussex Lad - 10 Aug 22 at 10:06am
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Posts: 356 		Post Options Post Options   Quote Dougaldog Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 10 Aug 22 at 9:13am
As the author of that Sunny Salcombe piece I was saddened to read the "spend £25K to do Salcombe" comment as I had tried to stress that there was far more to the week than that but had clearly failed. Because, as others have corectly pointed out, there were people there having  not just a great week but a successful one too on a lot less. Some  of the mid-fleeters were sailing in boats that cost not a lot at all - Salcombe is such a great leveller that  whereas an open water champs might show up the differences, good sailing skills really do come to the fore. Plus of course there is so much more there for everyone.  By all means mock and cry 'elistism' (BTW - Cowes week say people sailing in old David Thomas1/4 tonners and having a hoot but... there is more to all of this than meets the eye!
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Posts: 1312 		Post Options Post Options   Quote Do Different Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 10 Aug 22 at 6:10am
Yes CT249 I completely agree about getting drawn in to what is perceived as normal / acceptable.

However................

Other sports can have a similar disparity bikes for instance, eMTBs are being sold for £3k to £8k top end.

Also don't forget what others don't spend on sport could be spent on other areas. Beer & fags on a regular weekly basis add up to big annual spends. Holidays can also be eyewateringly expensive. 

Comparisons are difficult. 
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Posts: 399 		Post Options Post Options   Quote CT249 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 10 Aug 22 at 4:25am
Perhaps the "elitism" discussion can be put in proportion by noting that less than 1% of the population spend over 500 quid on sports equipment per annum.

We all know many of them spend weird (IMHO) amounts of cash on flash cars etc, but certainly many people in the sport seem to have little grasp on what the majority of non-sailors expect to pay for sporting goods. 

If we look at the big boat world (where even at local level there's often a completely different expectation about costs) it seems to underline that our views on what is normal to spend are very much affected by the culture of the sport or discipline, so what we think is cheap for dinghies can seem extremely expensive to other people.
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Posts: 1005 		Post Options Post Options   Quote fab100 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 09 Aug 22 at 9:44pm
Originally posted by davidyacht

. 
After 50 years in the game it is dawning on me that no matter how good the gear nothing is going to make up for my repeated errors on the race track!

as Paul Elvstrom said, “the trouble with good boat speed is that, if you go the wrong way, it’s a lot further to come back”
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Posts: 1345 		Post Options Post Options   Quote davidyacht Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 09 Aug 22 at 5:45pm
Originally posted by Hagar1351

Winning Merlin at both this years Salcombe Week and Nationals was bought for less than £10k, 2nd hand. Choose a Merlin wisely and you get a bargain. Make sure everything works as it should do and reduce the amount of bull sh.t on the boat to zero. New set of sails helps of course occasionally. Plus it helps to be a bloody good sailor both helm and crew.

Also worth considering that said £10k Merlin is probably worth a bit more now, and even a second hand 37xx boat purchased second hand is unlikely to depreciate significantly.

Sure, if you want to participate in an arms race it can be expensive, but experience suggests watch and learn and by the winningest gear once it is proven.

After 50 years in the game it is dawning on me that no matter how good the gear nothing is going to make up for my repeated errors on the race track!
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