Sailing Modes these days

Dunno quite what's going on, but these poll results are a joke...

from Nats turnout in Last year's racing classes review the proportions (on boats, not people) are:-

Single Handed Hiking     1396 40%
Single Handed Trapeze    169 5%
Two Handed Single Trapeze 410 12%
Two Handed Twin Trapeze  130 4%
Two Handed Hiking        1401 40%


Edited by JimC

Thanks 29er397 for returning this topic to sensible discussion on the trends within dinghy racing, and to JimC for giving some figures which are meaningful though perhaps difficult to translate in to simple percentages.

For those who have just come in on this topic, the innocently conceived pole was hijacked by a joker'.

This topic came about during a rare phone conversation between myself and GRF. I was expressing my condolences having learnt of the death of GRF's AltO sailing partner Steve Avery who lost a brave fight against cancer. His funeral is today.
Of course Thursday evening's sailing tonight at Hythe S C has been canceled.

I only met Steve twice. I found him very friendly, good fun and he was someone who enjoyed exciting sports. Like Graeme he had been a keen windsurfer who took up dinghy racing more recently. Like Graeme he preferred double handed sailing and they sailed together as a great team, taking racing very seriously while thoroughly enjoying the sport. Perhaps this was.shown by, most likely Steve's last race, when already suffering early symmtoms of his illness. They completed the near 40 mile Round the Isle of Sheppy Race in 2008 and finished in spite of a gnav failure after just half a mile, but continued with winds progressively increasing to force 5 gusting 6.  This shows the guts Steve had. He did not give up without a tough fight and I'm sure that the memory of that great sail and the determination of both Steve and Graeme, that they might get back out in the waves off Hythe, that enabled him to fight his aggressive illness for so long. My condolences go to his family and friends

Originally posted by Jon711 Originally posted by 29er397 Is running shorter, more cost effective courses really in the best interest of a club? I'm not so sure. There's pro's and con's on both sides of that argument. Certainly would be in the best interest of a sailing centre, who is out to make a profit. In my eyes, a course should have at least an even spread of single handed and double handed sailing. It seems that most people would agree they enjoy sailing more with another in the boat, it would seem sensible to give that experience right at the very start - afterall, that enjoyment is key to getting people back after the course. I'll second that, although I own a single hander, I much prefer sailing two man boats.  For some strange reason I've been nicknamed super crew by a writer from the other dinghy magazine.... (And I must admit, I enjoy crewing as much, if not more than helming!) Jon

Jon - I think it is to do with having the strength to pull the boat apart...

Originally posted by oldarn I was expressing my condolences having learnt of the death of GRF's AltO sailing partner Steve Avery who lost a brave fight against cancer. His funeral is today.Of course Thursday evening's sailing tonight at Hythe S C has been canceled. I only met Steve twice. I found him very friendly, good fun and he was someone who enjoyed exciting sports. Like Graeme he had been a keen windsurfer who took up dinghy racing more recently. Like Graeme he preferred double handed sailing and they sailed together as a great team, taking racing very seriously while thoroughly enjoying the sport. Perhaps this was.shown by, most likely Steve's last race, when already suffering early symmtoms of his illness. They completed the near 40 mile Round the Isle of Sheppy Race in 2008 and finished in spite of a gnav failure after just half a mile, but continued with winds progressively increasing to force 5 gusting 6.  This shows the guts Steve had. He did not give up without a tough fight and I'm sure that the memory of that great sail and the determination of both Steve and Graeme, that they might get back out in the waves off Hythe, that enabled him to fight his aggressive illness for so long. My condolences go to his family and friends

And thanks for this MIke, his passing has wrenched a huge void in my life, he
was ill during that race and I knew things were wrong, but he was mis diagnosed
which made his loss all the more bitter..

I did a bit of an obit for him, more relevant to the windsurfing world than this
environment, but I'm sure had he lived together we'd eventually have made an
impact sooner or later sailing our beloved Alto.

We did do one last race together which we'd have creamed if the buggers hadn't
stitched our handicap, but like it says in the obit, he never really minded the
result, it was always the chase..

Obit

Originally posted by AlanH Agree that singlehanders are dominant at most clubs. Virtually all of our club's racers sail singlehanders, partly because you never miss a race due to lack of crew.But the worrying thing is that most of the training boats are singlehanders too. Our club has about 20 club boats, used for RYA courses, and most are singlehanders, Toppers, Taz's that sort of thing.RYA squads of course are predominantly singlehanders too, and the most active junior classes on circuit are also singlehanders.

The point above is, I feel, quite significant and relavent. Several adult sailors (nearly all singlehanders) in my club would like to have a go in the AltO, When it comes to it they do not wish to miss a club points race and so it seldom happens.Teenage sailors who tend not to take series to seriously are keen to crew and that suits the arrangement I have with Geoff, who like myself can't always sail. Thus we don't do the series, but simply take each race as a one off. We do like to sail in some of the big open events against the many other similar classes. I do feel that club racing series could change to accommodate less frequent clun sailors.

On clubs owning double handers, I great idea especially low maintenance classes. Waldringfield SC has fixed club classes and Cadets for juniors, not surprisingly  therefore it can retain a large Lark fleet.Other fleets are Wayfarers, a Laser fleet that fluctuates in size I guess as sailors circumstances change,and a Squib fleet. It's training courses used to use Toppers provided by the RYA! and Wayfarers. Of course the best training/ teaching the club offers is by youngsters crewing in Cadets.