Dinghy development: How many sailors....?

Print Page | Close Window

How many sailors....?

Printed From: Yachts and Yachting Online
Category: Dinghy classes
Forum Name: Dinghy development
Forum Discription: The latest moves in the dinghy market
URL: http://www.yachtsandyachting.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=3166
Printed Date: 19 Aug 25 at 12:47am
Software Version: Web Wiz Forums 9.665y - http://www.webwizforums.com

Topic: How many sailors....?

Posted By: Chas 505
Subject: How many sailors....?
Date Posted: 08 Jul 07 at 10:47pm

Wow - DC and I were doing some pre-europeans training down at Lee-on-Solent this weekend......quick plug..... excellent hosts and nice tea/buns...!

Anyhow, we were just blown away by the sheer amount of sailing on the solent this weekend.

Closest to us were the Swan fleet....well it isn't too often that you feel underdressed sailing a 505, but these are genuine racing machines, and the Etchells fleet.

Admittedly you couldn't really work out what the boats were up towards Lymington (SB3's) but we reckoned at least 2,000 sailors on the Solent.

8-15 knots, and sunshine....sure was the place to be this weekend. Anyone else have any estimates as to how many sailors areout on the Solent on a decent weekend?

-------------
Life is too short.
Work Hard; Play Hard; Sail a 505

Replies:

Posted By: m_liddell
Date Posted: 09 Jul 07 at 12:16am

If you ever have the fortune to fly low over the solent on a good day you can see the true scale of the sailing going on. It is very extensive, I wouldn't even want to hazzard a guess at how many boats!

Posted By: Stefan Lloyd
Date Posted: 09 Jul 07 at 6:05am

If you consider Cowes Week, there are around 1000 boats, maybe average crew size 5. So that would say 5000 people on the water. To put that in context, I once did a rough estimate that all the dinghy and keelboat nationals in the UK together added to around 10,000 sailors. So yes, there is a huge amount going on in the Solent, most of which attracts no attention from the sailing media.

Posted By: mike ellis
Date Posted: 09 Jul 07 at 9:55am

and dont forget all the people who go out for a potter or to spend the weekend on their boat! racing isnt everything.

-------------
600 732, will call it Sticks and Stones when i get round to it.
Also International 14, 1318

Posted By: Chas 505
Date Posted: 10 Jul 07 at 9:32am

Agreed - we got blasted past by 2 of those psycho cats (firebirds, I think). they were flying towards Cowes....not racing methinks, but just cruising quickly..!

Agreed - in fact we got balsted past by two of those psycho catamarans (firebirds?). One was flame coloured, and the other blue. it didn't look like they were racing, merely going to Cowes...quickly....!

-------------
Life is too short.
Work Hard; Play Hard; Sail a 505