Uninvented classes

I guess in part the OD is seen as a common and a lot of those that sail OD's aspire to sail dev classes or at least see the attraction but if you've made the decision to sail dev classes with the added cost and constant updating (contentious? - probably. Accurate? - mostly in my experience) then it's easy to look down on OD sailors and they may even need to justify (to themselves and each other) the route they have taken. I think there is polarisation in both OD and Dev classes though.

I agree that there is 'a third way'  - the classes whos rules are fixed but allow gradual improvement - I sail one. We have allowed Carbon spars recently and changed the boom dimensions both changes to allow for better supply of these parts and to make the boats nicer to sail rather than give hugely improved performance.

Originally posted by Matt Jackson but in the real world most people want a Mondeo/Astra/Passat not a GT40/Elise.

But if somebody who owned a car they only used for fun in their leisure time and they told you it was a Mondeo you'd think they were not quite right in the head...

'each sort of class is so important to the whole sport.' yes, but not every last manufacturers design as many are simply taking up space....

'added cost' maybe in the 14s but fair less concrete an assumption in the other classes, my new 12 will be on the water for less than a 200

'constant updating'  actually a more realistic appraisal is that it's cyclical and big performance changes tend to result from rule changes than some mythical ultra expensive design.  When dev classes keep evolving within their rules the competitive lifespan is as good as OD.

'there's much more "knocking" of ODs by development sailors than the other way around.'   

Isn't that because you've got the manufacturers marketing dept to do that for you?  Most of it is borne of frustration both at the sheer weight of advertising for ODs, wariness of the long term effects this will have on the sport (as is becoming obvious in so many other areas of life where advertising holds so much influence) and the fact that so often in the dinghy park we have to justify our choice to OD sailors ( Dev class sailors don't generally go up to OD sailors and query
their boat choice decisions but the other way round is very common... )   I don't see that knocking the manufacturers is a bad thing, in an ideal world the sailing press would be less reliant on such advertisers (and lazy...) and provide a more balanced view of the sport.  As they don't we have to speak out for ourselves and while there are some SMODs there are others that are purely cynical bandwagon jumping...  A non manufacturers class (dev or OD) is run by its volunteer members in what they (rightly or wrongly) believe is in the best interests of the class and the sport a manufacturers class is simply designed and run as a money making concern and damn the effects on the sport (i.e releasing competing classes almost every year...)

As for the 'third way', hmm... a bit rose tinted glasses there Matt , having sailed in that sort of class I found I was more disadvantaged by having a boat of similar age/disrepair to my present 12 than in the dev. arena.

Ultimately a bit like arguments over religion it depends whether you want to think for yourself or do as you're told....  Know what I prefer....

Originally posted by DiscoBall Ultimately a bit like arguments over religion it depends whether you want to think for yourself or do as you're told....  Know what I prefer....

 Well said. That really made me laugh!

 

Disco, do your good comments like "Dev class sailors don't generally go up to OD sailors and query their boat choice decisions" fit with your finale "it depends whether you want to think for yourself or do as you're told...."????

I know I do as much thinking for myself in the SMODs I sail as in the development classes I sail. It's just that in the SMOD, I think of my own training, trimming and tactical techniques whereas in the development classes I tend to think "hmmmm, where will I put that cleat? or "will I try a novel kite setup" and "hmmmm, how will I afford to update my spars or boat to carbon.....". I'm sure the same thing applies to many others. Same amount of thought, different directions.

Well said Matt

I was considering my response to that posting.

I had an alloy mast on my old Contender (which is for sale if anyone is interested) and I did not feel dis-enfrachised.

And there are plenty of alloy masts still attending open meetings, nationals, worlds etc.