Ovington thingy.....

The boat at the weekend that confused me the most was the Solution.  I'm sure its a lovely little boat, but why that over a solo, given how close the Bytes where over the water i doubt its appreciably faster.

Originally posted by Neptune The boat at the weekend that confused me the most was the Solution.  I'm sure its a lovely little boat, but why that over a solo, given how close the Bytes where over the water i doubt its appreciably faster.

Yes, but if the RYA adopted it and participated in the Youth Olympics the boat would have a purpose. The Class secretary has been contacted by a number of parents who would like their offspring to have a go at the YO. They ask, "is their any support, is their any coaching". Young people become interested in sailing and most of them (and their parents) are looking for progression to something other than club or class racing. (quite right too). You buy little Maisie a fat pony but you dream of the Horse of the Year show.  

Pondmonkey.....I agree with what you say about fleet racing and racing with mates but was 20? years ago. Pre uber cool 29er. Britains youth is more image conscious these days, and why not? The RYA leads the sport and I think they are short changing young sailors.

I get what you're thinking with the rig looking like a 29er without a jib and the logic being when they team up, get a bit older they get two sails and a racier looking boat.

Funny this should show up again just now, only last night I was pouring over the Bytes details after my race on Sunday, which as enjoyable as it was, now puts me out in the solitary world racing myself against the clock rather than being in the pack boat dodging which a slower boat would achieve.

Hindsite being the science it is, should have seen me take your advice in the first place for our lake this weekend without the Lasers, Rooster 81 or a Phantom or Blaze in the mix. It's almost like you need two boats depending on who's going to show up.

Anyway that's my problem, but the rest of the world don't know anything about all this and as long as the Ovingtons and Rs's of this world run their big showcase events in the cold damp mists of Autumn and don't tell anybody outside of their existing customer base that something like that event is going to happen and perhaps you'd like to come along and try sailing in one of their boats with folk at hand to close deals, it is always going to be the way it is. It's no good expecting the RYA to do your marketing for you, they'll always do what is convenient for them and they want a quiet life with as little as possible to deal with equipment wise.

Edited by iGRF - 19 Nov 12 at 12:20pm