Racing Classes Review

Originally posted by womble12345 I was surprised there were only 36 new RS200s this year

Might just be happenstance... Be interesting to see what happens next year: you can'tt read too much into a single year. But there is a definite SMOD lifespan of excitement, big initial numbers then a tailing off into slow oblivion. You can see the start of that process with the mad enthusiasm here for this RS100.

One thing I would observe though is that long term class lifespan tends to depend more than anything else of the enthusiasm and capability of the Class management. The revival of the Scorpion in recent years is a good example of how that works. Maybe being under the banner of a big manufacturer has disadvantages as well as advantages in that respect?

Originally posted by Guest#260 Originally posted by G.R.F. ... ...development classes out there which encourage progress and free thinking; why don't you just get into one of those

Please No! In any case it wouldn't help. Complaints would simply be replaced by complaints about the rules being too restrictive. There's a long standing problem you see with people who think that rule changes constitute developnment, whereas in fact they halt it by effectively making everyone start again with what is in reality a new class.

Edited by JimC

GRF - I thought you were one of the original proponents and importers of the Kona boards.

Isn't that a strict one-design class with rules?  And wasn't that a reaction to the difficult to sail Formula Windsurfing racing, by controlling the class with rules you have made a class that is far less about equipment and far more about sailing (a good thing for windsurfing in my opinion)

How do you see that evolving in the future?

Maybe in the future Kona's will have sold enough to be present at clubs throughout the country (bit like Fireballs and Enterpises now).

I was one of the original proponents of the Windsurfer Class, ran the
class mag that's how it all started. The Windsurfer and the Laser were
priced similarly about 500 for the windsurfer 600 for the laser.

The windsurfer eventually did evolve, but too late for the evolution of the
whole sport.

It's not fair to really compare windsurfing with sailing because it became
a new diversion in as much as it was more fun to do without rules and
strictures of a course so off it went on many tangents.

But the Kona I did hope might return racing to club level and indeed am
still hopeful of getting a Kona to the dinghy show.

But we did have the benefit of Strict One Design AND 'Open Class' and its
this I feel is missing. A set of 'box' rules for single handers to develop
within.

Trap or none trap, then I guess it would get cleaned up by foils and it's
already too late...

I just see things like the boat I'm using held back because of a myopic
view of the class. Had the Blaze kited up last year, or the year before that
in fact, when it was first mooted. Would there have been the demand for
the 100 for instance and what future will there be for it (the blaze class)
for example.

Had the MPS not been so rigid, could it have been modified so
lightweights could survive in it without turning full time professional.

Its lots of little things that class luddism often stifles.



Edited by G.R.F.

GRF

"if only etc" .....   We made the very valid decision that we were not going to sacrifice the Blaze class and put a spinnaker on it ...  There are a majority out there who do not want a spinnaker and that view extends beyond our current owners bar a small minority - and that is where our positioning remains ! - for a host of good reasons both technical and commercial we are not going to leave the simple single sail concept for Blaze/Halo.  You may as well ask why the Phantom or Solo or Laser don't 'see the light' as well ....

As has been said before we have and are looking at the 2 sail + sit-down segment as it emerges but will not do it with the Blaze hull - but all the Blaze/Halo systems maybe (rig/foils/wings) on a very specific hull we are looking at but not with the current hull.  

But before that we have other fish to fry of course .... ;-)

Mike L.

PS - In the meantime I'd go on the 'beer n pasta' now for next year diet with your choice ..... you really need 'proper' wings you know !

 

Originally posted by Merlinboy Now the 100 and D-one seem to of taken off, admitting we were right and they were wrong ain't going to happen!

And what makes you think that the Blaze is suitable for an asymettric? The Blaze is the only survivor of those first generation Topper boats, all the ones with spinnakers are at one with the Norwegian Blue... Do you really think a half ass conversion is going to be as good as a boat designed for the job?