GP14 have you looked at one lately?

   The GP14 and the Association has come a long way in the last few years. Steady improvements are beginning to pay as the Worlds championship had sold out by the end of Jan. 
Improvements over the last 5 years

New website 
2 new boat builders Boon and Winder
redesigned internal layouts
New materials - laminate sails and epoxy boats
Online shop
Gallery with 5000 free high resolution images
Member's library
Twitter, facebook and youtube accounts
 Revamped Mainsail magazine
 New championship committee
New back office systems 
New coaching team with subsidised coaching events
New sailmakers
There is still lots to do. A huge thanks to everybody for embracing the changes and for their efforts in making a difference in these hard times for the double handed boats.

Author	Message Share Topic Printable Version Delicious Digg Facebook Furl Google MySpace Newsvine reddit StumbleUpon Translate Twitter Windows Live Yahoo Bookmarks Topic Search Topic Options Post Reply Create New Topic
andybury Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Posting king Joined: 02 Dec 07 Location: Bolton Online Status: Offline Posts: 101	Post Options Post Reply Quote andybury Report Post Quote Reply Topic: GP14 have you looked at one lately? Posted: 15 Feb 12 at 9:04pm
	The GP14 and the Association has come a long way in the last few years. Steady improvements are beginning to pay as the Worlds championship had sold out by the end of Jan. Improvements over the last 5 years New website 2 new boat builders Boon and Winder redesigned internal layouts New materials - laminate sails and epoxy boats Online shop Gallery with 5000 free high resolution images Member's library Twitter, facebook and youtube accounts Revamped Mainsail magazine New championship committee New back office systems New coaching team with subsidised coaching events New sailmakers There is still lots to do. A huge thanks to everybody for embracing the changes and for their efforts in making a difference in these hard times for the double handed boats.

andybury Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Posting king Joined: 02 Dec 07 Location: Bolton Online Status: Offline Posts: 101	Post Options Post Reply Quote andybury Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 15 Feb 12 at 9:17pm
	Website link if you want to have a look around http://www.gp14.co.uk/index.php

getafix Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Really should get out more Joined: 28 Mar 06 Location: United Kingdom Online Status: Offline Posts: 2143	Post Options Post Reply Quote getafix Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 16 Feb 12 at 7:42am
	Great boats Andy and good promo stuff too, FWIW I think GP14 class websites are also v good by sailing standards. I just wonder if GP14's are becoming UK dinghy sailings equivalent of Rugby League; a game played in Wigan, by people from Wigan and watched by people from Wigan... Edited by getafix - 16 Feb 12 at 7:43am

andybury Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Posting king Joined: 02 Dec 07 Location: Bolton Online Status: Offline Posts: 101	Post Options Post Reply Quote andybury Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 16 Feb 12 at 8:16am
	Don't agree with the Wigan bit, but do realise we have a big job with the image to improve it. New website coming next month much improvement on the old one.

Bootscooter Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Really should get out more Joined: 15 May 07 Location: United Kingdom Online Status: Offline Posts: 1094	Post Options Post Reply Quote Bootscooter Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 16 Feb 12 at 9:04am
	starts the G.R.F. stopwatch

2547 Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Really should get out more Joined: 11 Aug 11 Online Status: Offline Posts: 1151	Post Options Post Reply Quote 2547 Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 16 Feb 12 at 9:08am
	Looks like the association is doing a good job for the members ... but it's still a GP14 ... A boat for Northern Monkies ...

winging it Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Really should get out more Joined: 22 Mar 07 Online Status: Offline Posts: 3958	Post Options Post Reply Quote winging it Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 16 Feb 12 at 9:53am
	GP14s are great boats. We have two as training boats and they do exactly what it says on the tin: race, train, cruise.... Ours now need replacing but the trouble is, two new ones are now too expensive!
	the same, but different...

Dougaldog Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Visit Member's Homepage Far too distracted from work Joined: 05 Nov 10 Location: hamble Online Status: Offline Posts: 356	Post Options Post Reply Quote Dougaldog Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 16 Feb 12 at 9:58am
	For the last couple of weeks I've been working at preparing the talk charting the 'Life and Legacy' of Jack Holt that I'll be giving at the Dinghy Show. Now I'm not a northener - in fact, if I lived 200 yards further south, apart from the wet stuff, I'd be a cheese eating writer for 'Bateaux' (the French equivalent of Y&Y). So I've no association with Wigan, Bolton or anywhere else north of the M4. But I can only praise the work the GP Class Association are doing. If there is one boat that has twigged on the values of being 'media friendly' it is the GP14. It doesn't matter if you want pictures, some background information, someone to provide a soundbite....a call into the class and it is done. This is in complete contrast to some other of our so called 'traditional' classes, some of whom are very vocal about the pressures they are being placed under by the changing nature of the dinghy scene. As a freelance writer, I am an interested but outside observer. I can but congratulate the GP Class Assoc. for taking such a forward thinking and proactive role and setting an example that other classes could follow. (but worryingly for some of our so called 'establishment' classes I fear that they've missed the point with regard to self promotion and will pay the price for their short term thinking). The strength of the GP message should not be underestimated; the upcoming World Championships are already sold out, but it is not just a case of moving Wigan to Cornwall! I've also been following with some interest the rise and rise of sailing in what would in the past have been classed as a 'non dinghy sailing/racing' nation (despite the country in question being one of the new global powerhouses). What boats are they buying to teach their Naval cadets to sail in? No, it is not the latest but short lived wonderskiff...but GPs. There must be an article of note in there... think I'll do some more research on the subject - but if I do, I know that the CA will help! Dougal
	Dougal H

gordon1277 Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Really should get out more Joined: 24 Mar 10 Location: United Kingdom Online Status: Offline Posts: 665	Post Options Post Reply Quote gordon1277 Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 16 Feb 12 at 10:19am
	The members of our club who sailed GPs are not happy with the double bottom changes that were made as when the boat floats after a capsize they really struggled to get back in. Some may mock this but as they were all over 70 and still sailing regularly it is a shame because some have moved into laser 2000 and others have virtually given up. Having tried to help rescue them i have a great deal of sympathy as the boats do float very high. So not all changes for the better work for everybody and what works on a puddle may not be suitable on the sea. Good luck to the class for other innovations etc.
	Gordon Lossc

winging it Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Really should get out more Joined: 22 Mar 07 Online Status: Offline Posts: 3958	Post Options Post Reply Quote winging it Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 16 Feb 12 at 10:48am
	some of the old ones still look pretty good: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/GP-14-Sailing-Dinghy-Boat-Fantastic-Condition-real-1962-Classic-/170784123341?pt=UK_Sporting_Goods_Sailing_Boats_ET&hash=item27c386e9cd
	the same, but different...