YouthSailing, the RYA and Catamarans

Originally posted by Sailor Pete By comparison, have a look at the Topper class for example http://www.gbrtopper.co.uk/ under "Training" and see what they're doing - there's load of class training as well as RYA stuff.  It's a similar picture for Mirror, Cadet, Optimist, Feva, 420, 29er and all the Lasers.

Thanks for this, I agree that the Topper class (and I am sure the other examples you have given) have large structured training programmes, and I for one would love that to be the case for cats so we have to work out how to get there.

I feel that it is currently a viscious circle we (cats) are currently in.

Let's for a moment take a hypothetical situation where the H16 fleet youth fleet is 50 boats.  In this case there would be a much larger number of parents available who would be willing to help put on training sessions and there would therefore be more of them - possibly more in line with Toppers.  There would also be more drive for youngsters to join the class and there would be no problems, with or without RYA support.

However, as we all recognise, this is not the case.  The BHCCA is currently run by sailors parents, and as many have recognised the number of sailors has fallen over the last few years (I'm not getting into disputes over reasons why here) and so there are very few running it.  Frankly, these few are busting a gut to run the current training schedule.

The problem how I see it is to get out of the viscious circle of being small because we get few new people and we get few new people because we are small.  And the only way I can see out of this is with support.

We need to get to my hypothetical situation above and I am open to ideas.

Edited by Worthy

Hi Worthy

Now that's look to me like a well presented analysis of the current situation. 

Maybe "How to get out of the vicious circle" is a good (and constructive) topic for discussion at the 5.30pm meeting at Grafham on 20 October?  Better to use energy on developing a good way forward, rather than everyone just blaming everyone else for the current situation. 

 

Edited by Sailor Pete

I have no brief for or against Catamarans, but I do know that the way to kill a class stone dead is to give it Olympic Status (Laser excepted.) I am old enough to remember the fuss when the 470 was selected over the Fireball. The Fireball Class whilst upset at the time must now be very gratefull. I guess the real problem is RYA Following the lead of Central Government and believing it has the mandate to do what it wants without adequate consultation, or any sort of Democratic Process.

What other clubs are/would be interested in hosting a 'cat' day?

Originally posted by Stuart O What other clubs are/would be interested in hosting a 'cat' day?

I put a reply on the 'way forward' thread, but I'll reply here too.

Why not try taking some boats to a 'feeder class' event, such as an optimist or topper open? You will reach a far wider audience.

The limitation in holding a cat open day at a 'cat club' is that you will be, in the main, evangelising to people who are already aware of cat sailing.