Well, if nobody else will do it, we'll have to!

Wilsonian Sailing Club (www.WilsonianSC.org.uk) will be running a two-of-a-kind in tandem with its Grand Prix Open Handicap Race, sponsored by http://www.craftinsure.com - www.craftinsure.com , on Sunday 1^st July.

Two of a kind (2-oak) competitors will have their own starts separate from the massed starts of the Grand Prix. Starts will be split into three handicap bands, with the slowest group starting first, and each of the 2oak starts will follow the corresponding mass-start such that the earlier boats will act as pathfinders but at the same time be so spread out if/when the 2-oak’ers catch them as not to present a block; there is in any case so much space on the Medway that overtaking is rarely a problem.

While two boats of each class are permitted to enter the 2oak, the results will be based on the first of the pair, so that if circumstances conspire to result in only one entry from a class starting, it will still count for an overall win. Also, 2oak competitors will be eligible for overall prizes in the Grand Prix itself; those prizes include category prizes, such as ‘first two-man sitting out boat with asymmetric spinnaker’ etc., and cover almost all configurations; where a large number of a given category enter, prizes will also be awarded for lower places in the category.

The course for the GP will, as usual, be laid to provide the best that the Medway can offer around high water, which is considerably more than the temperature-limited Hoo Freezer. Good long, blasting kite reaches are common, in plenty of space and depth of water. Have a look at the chart below.

We already have more than a dozen classes provisionally represented in the 2oak and will be writing to the secretaries of all the classes we can think of. But invitations are apt to go astray or get ignored, so if you want to ensure your class is represented (there should hopefully be a good write up in Y&Y etc.), get in touch with your association now and get them to organise their entry.

If you don’t get selected to represent your class, come along and join the massed starts and prove your CA was wrong not to select you!

Haven't actually asked them yet.  Just finalizing the SI's etc. before sending out the e-mail invitations.

But if the 29ers send along their top teams (other than yourselves, of course...), it'll be interesting to see how long your five-minute lead as part of the Grand Prix's massed start lasts before the 2oakers catch you!

Not sure how that would affect the corporate image - it is the 3000 class, after all, and all types race together at opens. On the other hand, it could be interesting to see how they get on, which is half the fun of 2oak's.

I guess the Vortices would be entitled to with and without kite entries - if they can find two keen bods without kites, that is.

Maybe the Phantom class could have current boats and others that sail to the current PY? (we know who you are, Delta )

I was being slightly mischievous about the number of 3000 types entering the 2OAK but I am assuming the purpose of such an event is to allow some comparison under the prevailing conditions on the day between classes and types that the dinghy world rarely see all together.

Will the results be useful handicap data to the RYA as many classes would be represented

Not sure I understand the Phantom reference. You may be sailing up the wrong creek.