Most Competitive Nationals / Euros?

Originally posted by Paramedic There are not that many classes where a "good" club sailor can't realistically hope get into the top 20.  Boat i can think of that fall into that catergory are Fireball, Merlin, RS 200 and this year the Solo by the looks of it.

I'd add to that any class where you are likley to capsize if your boat handling is poor ...

Originally posted by JimiQuik Originally posted by Guest#260 Paramedic wrote: There are not that many classes where a "good" club sailor can't realistically hope get into the top 20.  Boat i can think of that fall into that catergory are Fireball, Merlin, RS 200 and this year the Solo by the looks of it.   I'd add to that any class where you are likley to capsize if your boat handling is poor ... If your boat handling is poor then you are not a good club sailor.

Perhaps if you're a 'sitting down' sailor - e.g. GP14 and then try and get it on in an MPS or similar...

On another note the toppers have an entry of 346 and lots of different race winners - some stars of the future amongst that lot I would imagine...

Surely Paramedic didn't mean any good club sailor can jump into another class and get a top 20!?

I thought they meant if your a good GP14 club sailor (as in sail it every week) you can get a top 20 in the GP14 events not in other classes. I thought the point was if you are a good RS200, Merlin etc. club sailor you might not get a top 20 finish at your own nationals.

As someone who was at the Byte worlds last year, I have no issue with class hopping.  My attitude is I race against whoever turns up, and if they're better than me I'd better improve!!

However tbh there were mutterings form others, frankly those who muttered are never seen near the top of the fleet anyway.  Having a 'star' turn up and race your boat can't be a bad thing can it.  I know Jons opinion of the Byte improved after he'd sailed one and watching him sail and talking to him was a help to those of us who bothered (and he got us into Weymouths top [only???] nightclub for free!)

As for the actual question....Nats = Laser Radial, Euros = Finn

Originally posted by Guest#260 I believe the gist of this thread was about class hopping following the showing at the Solos

Hmmmmmm not sure if it was the gist of the post though.

Originally posted by giraffe It is essentially the dilution of talent which makes this question asked in this thread so difficult to answer.  Some boats are easy to sail and therefore people can jump into and deliver.  others are harder.  However it does not by necessity make the event more competitive - only different.

Bloody good point! Just because you need to practice more in some boats to get to grips with the boat handling IMO does not make them more competitive..... Actually maybe it makes them less competitive because less people have the time to actually learn to sail the boat well enough to win a championship. Meaning the only competitve people are the few who have put in the hours of practice.

No doubt boats like moths and mustos require higher skill levels but I don't think that makes them more competitve, just more time consuming.