July 31st - August 4th

Speaking as someone with children, a wife who's a teacher and pressure on time... If the nationals are outside school holidays and take up a week they wouldn't make it onto the family 'what are we planning to do this year list' I'm afraid if classes want to attract families they are tied to school holidays like the rest of us.

I also think there's a need to make nationals more family friendly for the non-sailors that are forced to tag along.

Not to mention that that week is Cowes week as well...

Originally posted by Bruce Starbuck Are the school holidays really so important in planning dates?

In the Cherubs in my day we found that scheduling the Champs outside school holidays equalled a 30%+ drop in turnout. You can spot the years if you look at the YY Champs figures...

When we scheduled the RS300 nats for may, there was a bit of an outcry as it was "too early", tho the Blazes had a very successful champs at about the same time...some people are a bit fixed in their ideas on when a champs should happen!

We earliest we ever go is the bank holiday at the end of May - the first time we had little choice but people liked it so we kept similar timing.  More recently it has been in early June - this year its 23/24/25 June.  And we always run the Inlands in October.   Regulars like to do a more relaxed sailing week or so in mid Summer with family or friends and there's usually less wind then anyway hence the popularity to go earlier - cos we do really like a bit of a real breeze for our nationals if we can get it !.  The recent attendance numbers seem to suggest it works for us anyway ....

Mike '720' - Blaze Class Association

 

When we scheduled the RS300 nats for may, there was a bit of an outcry as it was "too early", tho the Blazes had a very successful champs at about the same time...some people are a bit fixed in their ideas on when a champs should happen!