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Numbers at nationals. |
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Rockhopper 
Really should get out more 
Joined: 16 Nov 07 Location: Eastry Online Status: Offline Posts: 642 |
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 Topic: Numbers at nationals.Posted: 15 Jul 10 at 6:47am |
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Well said bert its not all about the winning its taking part and enjoying whatever boat you sail and if you can learn something from the top sailors even better.I always find having a few beers in club after racing aswell is nice way to meet fellow sailors of your chosen class and chat about the boat and the day you have had sailing it
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Retired now after 35 seasons in a row and time for a rest.
2004 national champ Laser5000 2007,2010,National Champ Rs Vareo |
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bert
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Joined: 23 Apr 05 Location: norwich usually Online Status: Offline Posts: 584 |
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Posted: 14 Jul 10 at 10:17pm |
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I have traveled about going a lot of big opens,handicap events,odd national & like most people who sail at these events,they tend to be clubs sailors & sail using the 4 basic rules 1) stbd 2) windward boat 3) 3 boats lengths at the mark & 4) the big one -- don`t wreak my boat. Like maxi say`s only the top 10% really have any chance of taking the cups home & they will be away & past the first bouy busy shouting at each other before you are anywhere near them.heck I`ve been lapped loads of times but still got a reasonable result & had a great time. So going to a nationals is no bigger deal then a very completive club race & unless you are top of the league & need to know every single rule to gain every single advantage . All you have to do to sail well at mid fleet level but have a good time & good racing is just sail to the big 4 & be aware of where you are & what you are doing & have manners towards others & the racing can be completive but good fun. Pick someone who has the same age & quality boat & compare yourself to them & if you beat them pick someone higher up & try for them.Oh Yeah the last but not least if the weather kicks up & you are not confidant about how you will handle it don`t be scared to bale & sail another day. That’s the way to enjoy the event & hopefully come away a better sailor. The social side can be fun too!
Edited by bert |
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Phantom 1181
AC-227 IC 304 blaze / halo 586 |
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maxibuddah
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Joined: 06 Mar 09 Location: United Kingdom Online Status: Offline Posts: 1760 |
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Posted: 14 Jul 10 at 8:41pm |
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One cause of demise may be that some fleets concentrate on the elite and forget the rest of the fleet. Maybe only 5% really have a chance of winning something, the rest are there for the enjoyment, whether that be the racing or the social.
Classes should remember that and cater for the masses. Publicise that you are doing that and you may get more coming along. Pick a good average sailor friendly place to sail and that will help too. Also don't make the races too long, it only puts people off. The top guys will win whether the race is 45 minutes or 2 hours, why prolong the misery for the tailenders? The phantoms already have 70 entered and there is still over a week to go. We concentrate on making sure that the bulk (excuse the pun) of the fleet are catered (again bad pun) for and that they enjoy themselves. We have spot prizes throughout the fleet which usually consist of the top stuff as the top guys always normally win it, not the lower ranked guys. The event is only spread over 3 days sailing where the races rarely exceed 45 mins - 1 hour. Guess what? The top guys win and everyone else gets a good sail without getting too knackered. Whats more we have a damn good social to boot. I think these points go someway to ensuring that we have a good event. |
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Everything I say is my opinion, honest
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tickler
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Joined: 03 Jun 07 Location: Tunstead Milton Online Status: Offline Posts: 895 |
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Posted: 14 Jul 10 at 4:23pm |
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It is interesting that the Lightning 368 class association in its new improved form is making a real effort to market their boat. Constant references on the news section of this website to update the public and full race reports even for small traveler events. One wonders if all this effort will be reflected in numbers at the Nationals next month. I do hope so, effort deserves reward and they are super little boats well worth promotion.
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bob3021
Newbie 
Joined: 14 May 10 Location: United Kingdom Online Status: Offline Posts: 21 |
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Posted: 14 Jul 10 at 12:54pm |
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Its the mid fleet majority that put the numbers up though. These people can be easily put off by the level of professionalism/perceived unfriendliness of a fleet.
You may well be the club star in a laser but chances are there will be a big gulf between you and any full time/squad sailors. |
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Rockhopper
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Joined: 16 Nov 07 Location: Eastry Online Status: Offline Posts: 642 |
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Posted: 14 Jul 10 at 12:51pm |
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I think most people enjoy there boats at there own clubs and dont want to travel a good example of this at our club is we have 13 laser 2000s and only one went to their nationals last year also likewise we have 9 vareos at our club for the last two years only two of us have gone to opens and national events for the class asked why the others dont want to go the answer was why do we need to go when we have such good class racing at home.So nationals and opens are not everyones cup of tea but i try to get to as many as i can to help support the class and you seem to get to a certain level club racing and going to events helps to push you more
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Retired now after 35 seasons in a row and time for a rest.
2004 national champ Laser5000 2007,2010,National Champ Rs Vareo |
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Neptune
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Joined: 08 Jun 09 Location: Berkshire United Kingdom Online Status: Offline Posts: 1314 |
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Posted: 14 Jul 10 at 12:31pm |
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I don't really buy the whole world or europeans keeping
everyone away theory. How many go to the worlds and Euro's - its only a dozen or so as you need to pre-qualify. Anyone who isn't at these events and considers themselves a top ranking sailor would love to get the national title under their belt...especially if they are looking for sponsorship. |
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Dan Vincent
Groupie 
Joined: 21 Nov 07 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 45 |
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Posted: 14 Jul 10 at 12:17pm |
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Judging the health of the Laser class by the attendance at the Nationals, can be misleading. They have 6 qualifiers a season, that are always well attended by the hard core, a Youth Nationals and of course a Masters Nationals. Laser sailors will also travel abroad to Olympic circuit events, while domestically there will be large fleets at most sailing local sailing weeks such i.e. Abersoch, Falmouth, Fed Week etc. Similarly, Solos nearly always get their highest entry at the Inlands while Merlins have to cap the entry to Salcombe Week at 90ish. Nationals numbers are a useful barometer, but only tell part of the story. There is no doubt that the Laser fleet has changed since it became Olympic and the National Championships is probably the biggest loser. It is still perceived as a hardcore event and run as such, but does not count for qualification to the Worlds/ Europeans/ Olympic funding. |
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Rupert
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Joined: 11 Aug 04 Location: Whitefriars sc Online Status: Offline Posts: 8956 |
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Posted: 14 Jul 10 at 8:44am |
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The absence of the squaddies at the Laser Nationals could go in its favour - maybe it will turn the fleet into more of a party oriented one?
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Firefly 2324, Puffin 229, Minisail 3446 Mirror 70686
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jeffers
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Joined: 29 Mar 04 Location: United Kingdom Online Status: Offline Posts: 3048 |
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Posted: 14 Jul 10 at 8:22am |
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A lot of the squad sailors were missing last year due to clashes with other events. I am told it is the same this year..... |
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Paul
---------------------- D-Zero GBR 74 |
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