Ovington thingy.....

Originally posted by Peaky Perhaps what is needed is a fundamental change to the way sail racing is run, rather than ever faster (and more expensive) boats. A sort of Soft Play equivalent for those in early adulthood - pay & play, no ownership, no ties, no membership, no duties, no large capital outlay,just mucking around with 3 or 4 mates a dozen times a year when the forecast looks good.

I know it's just one suggestion but if the whole dinghy world adopted that approach you would kiss goodbye to all of the small clubs and the only places left to sail would be the commercial centres which might be too far a way to be worth your while in many people's cases.  I know that if my only choice for sailing would be going over to Rutland a few times a year I probably wouldn't bother.

Originally posted by alstorer To break the "but there's big fleet of them, even if they are a bit naff/slightly rubbish"issue with Lasers and Toppers, you'd have to design the replacement, get tens of thousands of them built, then, overnight, nick all the existing class, crush/shred those and leave a shiny new boat in its place. Job done, everyone's happy (except for the massive landfill bill and the second hand market)

There was no fleet of 29ers anywhere a few years ago - all the ISAF and RYA has to do is say "this is the boat youths will sail if they want to get to the Olympics" and, provided the boat inspires the sailors (Hobie 405, anyone?) it will grow. I'm not sure whether it matters that the majority will stop once bank of mum and dad stops paying - better that they are in for a short while than not at all, and who knows, they might even take it up again as a retirement sport! And some will stick, and others do what some on here have done, and start again with a family in tow, so continuing the circle of youth sailing...

I think it matters to you when you're stuck in that rut yourself Rupert.  Being in your twenties with most of your (ex) sailing friends shaking their head saying 'why do you bother?', whilst the rest of them who are still sailing are so damn engrossed they're off to events every weekend or regular crew on yachts that demand so much commitment, the 'sailing si way life' somewhat shot the sh*t with their relationships, properties, careers etc.  Well as neither one, nor tother, it leaves the 20 something would-be club sailor in a bit of a pickle with the only apparent option being misery week in week out with a handicap boat that you might just get a good weekend class racing once in a while.

So the alternate is to create a 'pro' series with cash prizes, but it can only be sailed for in a specific group of boats. That's how I'd do it if I had the resources.

See what a $10,000 first prize at the end of the series with prize money going down to say tenth place would do to a class or group of classes.

All you'd need is a sponsor and a group of boat builders with products to market and you'd soon see kids on a different pathway, maybe even some silver surfers as well.

Anythings is possible if you have the cash and the will to change the order of things.

So, what's the difference between sailing against P&B sailors and the folk at the FOM?

Are you saying they are in another league?

That Dan looked to me like he wouldn't be phased by them, nor I suspect would Lasernut & Fraggle, it's only sailing after all, that was always the joy of it to me, no matter how good you get, money can't buy you extra wind, like it could in the power sports I came from where if they weren't going fast enough they just bought a bigger engine.

But you're missing the point, the point is to introduce a new class for kids to aspire to, so if all their pro jock heroes were racing in it rather than treading the Olympic path, it would be an alternate route to whatever the RYA were aiming their charges at.

So that's how it could be done, is what I'm saying.

Edited by iGRF - 19 Nov 12 at 5:41pm