Classes in Trouble?

The Hornets have a bit of a buzz about the class at the moment. We have some very good youngsters who have found that you can buy a good 2nd hand boat for less than a grand and get some great racing. Our boat cost us £500 on a combi with two suits of sails (one very good).So all you hard up students this is the boat for you and think of the money you can save for beer. I think nationals attendance is a harsh way of judging things. The Hornet nationals is a week long affair which I personally find hard to justify to her indoors .

"The wayfarer scene i think has been damaged over recent years due to the laser 2000.   Though im not sure what the wayfarer could do to rectify this." 

stick to your guns Wayfarer sailors, the only thing the 2000 has over the WF is handling on shore, WF is even more of a beast than the mega heavy L2000.

.....but as far as multi-purpose cruising/racing/learning/camping/fishing/moto ring/ferrying dinghies go, I still don't think there's a match for the good old Wayfarer out there, no matter how many placky roto-bulbous nasties L,RS & T choose to launch at the sailing schools!!!

Originally posted by Presuming Ed Think the long luff spinnaker killed the class at club level. If you look at the history of turnouts at nationals, turnout halves in  2001, and has never recovered. IIRC, wasn't that when they brought in the bigger kite? Sold my boat a year before or so, so I can't remember.

My guess is that while a big kite is great for windward-leeward, in the real world of more enjoyable club-courses, a big kite is just too much, so you end up two-sailing the 'kite reaches' - not much fun.

The Fireballs have done very well over the years with their kites, nicely developed thanks to the tight reaching angles they use on their triangles (60 degrees instead of the usual 45, I think?).

Actually the decline of 505 fleet numbers is (for me) entirely to do with the proliferation of fleets that are all targetting the same sector.  The reason our numbers stand out, is because the 505 used to be the only class to be seen in within this sector (100+ boat nationals during the early 90's).

Within the class we all see the new kite as a great evolution - doing exactly the job it was designed to do - it has transformed downwind into proper tactical leg.

Interesting to note that the class still attracts the top sailors.  Last season it was an ex505 champ & a fireball world champion; and this year a multi endevour trophy winner.  But as with everything you have to work to maintain the class momentum and numbers.....and hats off to the F/ballers for doing this impressively during the past few years.

As was said earlier by someone else, the international scene is perhaps more pertinent - as the 505 fleet is still growing internationally.

I'm certain that some of the asym boats that Dougal and I raced against during the warm up series at Datchet during February would agree, that the 505 remains serious kit.

Chas

Edited by Ch505

Was at HISC during the 505 worlds and sailed out amongst them (on our way round Hayling island) Gorgeous boats but like you Neil I'm not heavy enough. Laser II got fewer bits of string than the Fireball and that suits me.