V Twin

Innovation is a necessity for both sport and industry and thankfully we have people prepared to undertake this in both, but sadly there are many more who try to stifle it or denounce those who undertake it.

Innovation happens in 2 ways, the small steps taken for minor improvements and the major leaps some feel are possible and sometimes necessary, often both can lead to the same result, and by the nature of development both can often take the same time too.

Advances in techniques and materials can also allow ideas rejected before to now be possible, so only the fool says "we've tried that before and it doesn't work so we're not doing it again".

What GRF has tried to do here is a major leap, he's backed the 100-1 outsider rather than develop something already there, the 2-1 fav. However I'm sure he is old enough and wise enough to realize that with what has been learnt, the next step will shorten the odds of success, only time will tell, and it's quite possible the concept will never work, but unless you try it you'll never know, the laws of physics are what they are, but don't forget our understanding of those laws has changed over the years. I'm not suggesting the V Twin will rewrite the text books, but sometimes things seem to defy the current laws until we understand them better.

Do I wish him luck, of course I do.

Would I do it myself, probably not.

It doesn't represent what I want from my sailing, but then again neither does an 80ft maxi or a Topper; but that doesn't mean its not right for some.

As I understand it this didn't start as a commercial project, but I'm sure GRF had dreams/visions of 100s of V-Twins sailing off the Kent coast or competing in the 2020 Olympics, and should the boat become viable then who's to say these things can’t happen.

Experience has taught me that innovation and the acceptance of change is not necessarily a trait of youth, it's a state of mind, you are either that way inclined or not. I work in an industry where we spend literally billions of dollars in search of the next advance, and it takes sometimes 10,000s of prospects to bring one to market, however the rewards for success are vast, small little tweaks also take place, where the rewards are less, but sometimes necessary to fill the gaps between the giant leaps.

Stifle development at your peril, without those who are prepared to take the risks in search of their holy grail then yes we would not have the society we have today, accept that not everything is for you, but also that not everybody is after the same things and that both can live side by side.