Uninvented classes

God id love a go in a musto skiff!

Disco, it does seem that the situation is different. We certainly don't have the many smaller SMOD classes; the Bethwaite boats would be the closest thing to the RS/Topper/LDC/Ovi multitude of small SMOD classes (apart from some junior boats) and all are internationally raced which takes away most or all of the the big fish/small pond attitude. We also lack some of the new boats; I wouldn't mind seeing something like the RS 200 out here, or the Blaze (not my sort of boat but I can see the attraction). A few new classes may help our static scene (although we have only old classes at my Saturday club and we're booming, with about 100 boats and boards on a 2.5km by 500m stretch of water).

The development classes I'm sailing at the moment are boards and International Canoe.  We're also putting a kite on the Taipan 4.9 OD cat to do some racing in the Formula 16s.

I took the same route you did in your class into ICs, paying $500 for a boat that's just celebrated its 40th year but is still competitive with the carbon boats of guys who get in the top 10 in the worlds in some conditions, and very competitive with the guy who finishes 1/3 back in the worlds. One thing is, though, that for the same $500 I could have got a Laser which is more competitive than the old IC all-round, due to the old IC's weakness in a chop and breeze.

I agree what you say about time on the water being much more important than boatspeed; the current world champ IC is about 17 years old and just 'glass I think. Even the world champ (Steve Clark, owner of the wing-masted C Class cat Cogito) thinks Canoe sailors spend too much time using their boat as an excuse (IIRC) and that's what sometimes gets to me about some development-class sailors. It still happens in SMODs, but less IMHO.

I spent part of yesterday down at the 12' skiff interdominions. It was great to see 39 development-class boats, with some of them still carrying old dacron gear and allowing people to get afloat on the cheap.

I'm very interested in the huge success of the Laser "formula" of 4.7/Radial/full rig and the F 18 cats. It shows how well cooperation can go. I often wonder if we couldn't give sailing help by getting development classes and SMODs or ODs to work together, rather than sniping at each other. Each approach is equally valid and if they would appreciate that, maybe both would be stronger?

Surely we could get Tasars and NS14s, and Merlins and RS 400s or something, to co-operate at least at club level? Maybe that happens in the UK, it doesn't seem to here. One club I liked in most ways seemed to really suffer from NS/Tasar sniping and I understand the same occurs in other areas.

I'm becoming convinced that having lots of classes may be a good thing for sailing, but wouldn't it be nice if a new SMOD could be fitted into a development class (if it's OK with the latter, of course) to give them both more appeal.



 

Originally posted by DiscoBall The Laser is a different kettle of fish from the more modern SMODs, in fact from any other dinghy.

Where I come from SMOD = St Mawes One Design

Edited by Stefan Lloyd

And it's not just similarity of boat that causes it  - I've noticed a fair bit of friction between Finn, Phantom and Blaze sailors (or at least their online members) and this is because the boats appeal to the same sort of sailor (Lardy) even though they are quite different in design.

"I've noticed a fair bit of friction between Finn, Phantom and Blaze sailors (or at least their online members....."

Matt - in fact there is very little friction between these classes - We have shared many meetings with Finns in recent years and a couple with Phantoms, Europes, IC's and other classes and all involved survived.  Some small minded individuals fall into the trap of seeing 'others' as competition for individuals who race - in reality it's a lot of 'sailing club bar' froth.  You should sail what you want to and why should'nt you, its your choice.  We have even shared a few meeitngs with Contenders at both Oxford and Weston and all got on extremely well !!  It would be a boring world indeed if we all sailed the same lump of plastic (or even wood) the iron curtain and all that went with it died years ago.

FYI we are curently talking with several other singlehander classes about 'multi-class hiking singlehander events' and are getting an extrmely positive response.  3 or 4 medium sized classes have real purchasing power and can develop major events along the lines of 'fast sail '  - a great example of co-operation rather than rivalry. 

Mike Lyons - Blaze Class Association