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| Laser 28 - Excellent example of this great design Hamble le rice |
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| Laser 140101 Tynemouth |
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| Rossiter Pintail Mortagne sur Gironde, near Bordeaux |
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List classes of boat for sale |
Nationals attendance. |
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iGRF 
Really should get out more 
Joined: 07 Mar 11 Location: Hythe Online Status: Offline Posts: 6499 |
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 Topic: Nationals attendance.Posted: 19 Sep 13 at 2:07pm |
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One of our guys has one of these I think, is it a lightning 368?
It is so far behind it destroys his confidence not to mention being lonely and boring. So fit it with a bigger sail, so it can keep up, actually over the water, don't even tell anyone you've done it and watch the banditerati flock to your cause... It's the only way - you know it makes sense, if for no other reason every one else will have to buy the big rig eventually, yes they'll whine, but then dinghy sailors whine all the time, just buy ear plugs with all the extra cash..  (the wink means joy at the extra cash, not that I don't mean this, it's exactly what I'd do if were were Mr Lightning Builder)
Oh and JimC what have you been taking? I very nearly had a coffee keyboard moment  Edited by iGRF - 19 Sep 13 at 2:10pm |
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timeintheboat
Really should get out more
Joined: 01 Feb 07 Location: United Kingdom Online Status: Offline Posts: 615 |
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Posted: 19 Sep 13 at 1:53pm |
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There needs to be new boats being built and reasonably priced competitive 2nd hand boats coming onto the market to expand the class.
I suspect - though with no figures to back it up - that the percentage of boats (any class) competing at some class event over a year is reasonably static without boat churn - with the occasional bubble everynow and then. These bubbles are what is interestsing and what provokes them. Usually a change to the boat or new blood in the CA. |
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Like some other things - sailing is more enjoyable when you do it with someone else
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fleaberto
Far too distracted from work 
Joined: 12 Jan 09 Location: United Kingdom Online Status: Offline Posts: 302 |
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Posted: 19 Sep 13 at 1:39pm |
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Tick,
We actually had 27 register on the first day, but a couple of the guys weren't able to actually race due to one thing or another.
You know the class and it's people very well and you also know that we've tried to keep things as un-cuthroat as possible, whilst also providing good racing throughout the fleet.
The last few years may have seen a stabilising of numbers, but the fleet is more compacted than ever.
For example, I reached the heady heights of 7th in one race at one point (Yes, ME!) but infringed another boat. Fair enough, but my resulting 720 dropped me to 14th .... a couple of years ago this may only have lost me one or two places such was the spread of the fleet. (Rupert also commented that it's now as hard to get to 8th/9th/10th as it was to get to 3rd/4th/5th just a couple of years ago)
I also almost lead into the windward mark (yes....ME!!!!) - but got scared and dropped to 14th again!
 (...or was it Robbie and Paul laughing at my shock of being where I was that put me off??)I guess the point is that we've worked hard to make everyone feel included. Everyone is aware of everyone elses results and we're always encouraging and imparting advice, be that the likes of Robbie at the front or me down at the back. People were genuinely interested in who beat who out of Emma and Tony for last place for another example - applauding them over the line. (Paul even helped me reset my dodgy kicker on the Sunday morning to help me sail better in the big breeze).
30 boats would be a great turnout, but the quality and friendliness of the racing has been the primary objective for the class. However, with gentle increases in Nationals turnouts over the last few years, we've gradually bought the boat back from the brink - with a deliberate agenda and ethos at the heart of this progress.
Numbers aren't always the be all as a measure of success, the measure to us are the number of smiles on and off the water. Edited by fleaberto - 19 Sep 13 at 1:50pm |
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Lightning368 'All the Gear' (409), Lightning368 'Sprite' (101), Laser (big number) 'Yellow Jack', RS Vareo (432)'The Golden Rays'
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RS400atC
Really should get out more
Joined: 04 Dec 08 Online Status: Offline Posts: 3011 |
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Posted: 19 Sep 13 at 1:11pm |
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You might think that Northampton is a delightful place for a family break, others may think differently? What you have to do is identify sample individuals who don't come, but are your targets. Start with people who come one year then don't come back. Find out why. Who owns the boats? Not everyone wants to do a nationals, and those that do will possibly pick a class that has the type of nationals they want. That may mean coastal venue, school holidays, or not school holidays, style of racing, number of days, the people to race against. What's the event like socially? Too directed towards a certain demographic? |
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JimC
Really should get out more
Joined: 17 May 04 Location: United Kingdom Online Status: Offline Posts: 6662 |
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Posted: 19 Sep 13 at 1:03pm |
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You could argue that there's not much point in introducing a new design if its not significantly better than what's already out there. Relaunching a decent design that for one reason or another has lost its way in the market has a number of advantages. I don't think I've seen many cases of companies attempting to revitalise one of the dead dogs that have deservedly been consigned to the dustbin of history. "Igor" "Yes master" "fetch me the electrodes, the publicity handout kit and the polyester resin" "Yes Master" "Igor" "Yes master" "today we will revitalise" "Yes master, tell me master" "The Skipper 14!" [with apologies to Niven and Pratchett!) Edited by JimC - 19 Sep 13 at 1:07pm |
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maxibuddah
Really should get out more
Joined: 06 Mar 09 Location: United Kingdom Online Status: Offline Posts: 1760 |
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Posted: 19 Sep 13 at 1:02pm |
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Most of the changes have come from the membership rather than a big manufacturer. The main reason is that the builder of the polyester phantoms was a class enthusiast in the Jeff Vanderborght rather than a big company. He created the plastic ones to keep the boat going. The biggest foresight was from the designers who set the min weight at 61kgs. Changes to the hull materials and other things, while done by Jeff had to be approved by the members first and then finally approved by the designers. As far as I can see there has never been an intention at any point in the phantoms "development" for any commercial gain from a performance point of view. Obviously Jeff made money out of them but that was because he offered plastic rather than wood. In fact early plastic ones were substantially heavier than their wooden alternatives. |
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Everything I say is my opinion, honest
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RS400atC
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Joined: 04 Dec 08 Online Status: Offline Posts: 3011 |
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Posted: 19 Sep 13 at 12:59pm |
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The Contender is perhaps more hampered by being an international class, but also, it's still delivering the goods on the world stage, while certain boats that were going to take over its role have come and gone. Manufacturers try to build what people will buy. Class racing being driven by the class associations seems to be working better.
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iitick
Far too distracted from work
Joined: 09 Sep 13 Location: Tunstead Milton Online Status: Offline Posts: 392 |
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Posted: 19 Sep 13 at 12:52pm |
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Every thing that has been mentioned so far has been done by the Lightning Class but still numbers are stable. That is what puzzles me. Next year I may attempt the Nationals myself and swell the numbers by one. Who knows I might even be competition for........
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iGRF
Really should get out more
Joined: 07 Mar 11 Location: Hythe Online Status: Offline Posts: 6499 |
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Posted: 19 Sep 13 at 12:52pm |
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And congratulations to them for being far sighted enough to do that, what a pity the Contender class didn't react in the same manner. Having said that, following what may or may not have been an 'accident' is it not true to say that is the only game in play right now and is being used rather than the production of new designs, by an element in the trade? Is the Solo benefitting and the Streaker? |
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ASok
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Joined: 26 Sep 07 Location: United Kingdom Online Status: Offline Posts: 739 |
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Posted: 19 Sep 13 at 10:00am |
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The Dart18 has managed to keep nationals numbers high over the years. Always over 50 for as long as I have been involved and often up in the 70's or 80's from what I can recall.
In my opinion, the key to their success is the people behind the class. Hardworking committee keen to keep the class moving forward, very open to new comers and the venues chosen always have great facilities and socials around the racing. On the water, mid fleet and the tail end is as keenly contested as the front end. Handicap prizes run in parallel to the top prize spots, so everyone is in for a shout at something. |
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