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L123456 View Drop Down
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    Posted: 24 Jun 13 at 5:50pm
Originally posted by rodney

Originally posted by winging it

I see  an awful lot of newcomers to the sport and beleive me, what they want is NOT the latest fast thing with all the cool gear.  What they actively ask for is something steady and conservative where they can hone their skills  and make their mistakes before they commit to something new and fangled.  The few that do rush out and buy something fast, cool, groundbreaking etc go out, crash and burn, feel foolish and fearful ,with the new toy left rotting in the boat park.  They then leave the sport for good with a sour taste in the mouth.Most newcomers are naturally cautious, with only an idiotic few thinking they can run before they can walk, and most good instructors and club members know this and give sensible advice that keeps them coming back.The thing is, there must be only a few shapes and sizes a dinghy can take to stay within the paramters of what makes it stable, manageable and affordable to the average beginner, so it's hardly surprising that most of those sizes and shapes - designs if you like - have already been found.


I agree    For example what sort of idiot would choose a Musto Skiff as a first dinghy?

Only a complete muppet ...

Anyway I don't see any problem here, there is a huge range of dinghies to choose from, many suitable for beginners and a few designs for the speed merchants. Something for everyone here ...

The real issue is time, being a dinghy sailing enthusiast is time consuming and many don't have the time. 
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yellowwelly View Drop Down
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Posts: 2003 		Post Options Post Options   Quote yellowwelly Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 24 Jun 13 at 6:24pm
Agreed, but (in my opinion, because Craiggo disagrees) some boats are easier on the time poor than others.   They tend to be slower, more popular, offer competitive racing throughout the fleet (not just the final third nursing it round the course and calling it a race (of attrition).

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Posts: 8956 		Post Options Post Options   Quote Rupert Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 24 Jun 13 at 6:50pm
Originally posted by JimC

Originally posted by rodney

   I was crucified for using that expression about Finns by a git from down under and another from Sunbury or somewhere similar.

Actually all we did was ask him for an example of a boat that was easy to sail well, because we didn't know of any, and suggest that if there's no such thing as a boat that's easy to sail well then the phrase was of little value.


That is because you only took half the expression. "And into the fire" makes little sense on its own. Some boats are easy to sail, but hard to sail well. Other boats are hard to sail, full stop. No need to add the "but hard to sail well" for those, as it is obvious from the first part.


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Posts: 8956 		Post Options Post Options   Quote Rupert Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 24 Jun 13 at 6:55pm
As for dinghy popularity, there appear to be plenty of RS Fevas and Teras around, and the sailors who first learnt in them are now disappearing off to Uni, where they may well sail Fireflies in team racing. Then we will lose most of them for a few years whilst they pay off debts and do all the "growing up" stuff. When they think about sailing again, it may well be that they remember the boats they learned in and sail something similar but bigger. At that point, Rotomoulds will no longer be looked down upon for racing. I just hope that the next 10 years sees a really nice larger plastic boat come onto the market.
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Posts: 6499 		Post Options Post Options   Quote iGRF Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 24 Jun 13 at 7:12pm
Originally posted by Rupert

As for dinghy popularity, there appear to be plenty of RS Fevas and Teras around, and the sailors who first learnt in them are now disappearing off to Uni, where they may well sail Fireflies in team racing. Then we will lose most of them for a few years whilst they pay off debts and do all the "growing up" stuff. When they think about sailing again, it may well be that they remember the boats they learned in and sail something similar but bigger. At that point, Rotomoulds will no longer be looked down upon for racing. I just hope that the next 10 years sees a really nice larger plastic boat come onto the market complete with a crane to lift it.


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Posts: 6499 		Post Options Post Options   Quote iGRF Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 24 Jun 13 at 7:18pm
Funny, I was at a kayak store the other day, where the guy showed me this new material they have built moulds and are roto moulding a new lighter material kind of a cross between poly-urethane and propylene. It was not only lighter, but incredibly scratch and impact resistant. They're using it to make a surf shoe style surf kayak, I immediately thought dinghy and asked the question, at the end of the day this surf canoe thing is just a boat, it got my brain cells going, they're doing it down cornwall way, the moulds need a lot of attention, lots of polishing in preparation, but it could provide a cheap less bulky answer to our problems.
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Posts: 2003 		Post Options Post Options   Quote yellowwelly Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 24 Jun 13 at 9:17pm
But there are no problems, not with the hardware anyway - plenty of choice, maybe too much even... the only problems are self inflicted by poor boat selection, be that location variables or skill factor and TOW.

I know that's not ideal for forum chitter chatter, but it's the reality of the situation. If you want a cheap boat then get something off fleabay and race it at a club that will give you an appropriate handicap. If the club won't do that, find another one. If you want a fast boat, buy one... Happy Sailing - somewhere large enough for it.
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Posts: 500 		Post Options Post Options   Quote L123456 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 24 Jun 13 at 9:26pm
Originally posted by yellowwelly

But there are no problems, not with the hardware anyway - plenty of choice, maybe too much even... the only problems are self inflicted by poor boat selection, be that location variables or skill factor and TOW.

I know that's not ideal for forum chitter chatter, but it's the reality of the situation. If you want a cheap boat then get something off fleabay and race it at a club that will give you an appropriate handicap. If the club won't do that, find another one. If you want a fast boat, buy one... Happy Sailing - somewhere large enough for it.

Exactly, pick the right tool for the job and you will be fine ...

Trouble is with the tools who pick the wrong tool and then blame the tools ... tools ...
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Posts: 1810 		Post Options Post Options   Quote craiggo Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 24 Jun 13 at 9:28pm


Spot on James.

I think so many people end up calling time on sailing because they buy the wrong boat for the club they join. Partly its because they believe the piece of plastic they sailed off of a beach on their summer holiday constitutes a racing dinghy, and partly due to believing the sales patter. Oddly they often seem less inclined to believe genuine experienced dinghy sailors, WHY?
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Posts: 500 		Post Options Post Options   Quote L123456 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 24 Jun 13 at 10:17pm
I fear sometimes people's egos get the better of them. 
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