Singlehanded BOX rule

Originally posted by Neptune more importantly can they shed light on...

Does anyone ever actually know the answers as to why one concept is successful and another not?

Years ago, after the A, B and C class cats were created, several classes, including the Shearwater, were grandfathered in. They were soon completely outclassed by boats designed to the rule.

If classes want to get together to race, or club members want to form landings within handicaps, then why not?

I've been beavering behind the scenes trying to persuade a potential sponsor for just such an event, part of my secret plan for global dinghy reorganisation along lines not too disimilar to what your asking, but with maybe some bandings like we used to have weight groupings in windsurfing. So A group would be weight/sail size siilar, and B group and C group, but broadly all off the same line big start and various downwind courses.

But it's been a struggle and suddenly I find myself with lots on at work, so it's all on the back burner, along with plans to launch my own single hander and a new dinghy magazine to back it all up..

Sports need magazines, they need progress, innovation, goals for their key aspirants, not to mention a little prestige, to be proud to be a part of, none of which is present at the moment...

But hey ho one of these days I'll maybe get some time...


Edited by iGRF - 18 Dec 15 at 4:57pm

Don't the top F18 sailors switch boats everytime a faster version comes out?  Some years everyone was in NACRAs then suddenly it was Hobie Wildcats .. then the Nacra Infusion came along etc etc etc.

.. it's a nice idea though.  We tried a mass start, fast, single-hander regatta (the Billy No Mates) for a few years.  It started off great with lots of boats of different classes, but a certain Mr Stenhouse kept winning, with every one else pretty much trailing in in handicap order; the ICs stopped coming, the Vortexes and Contenders dropped out and it died a death.  But it was fun whilst it lasted.

.. not sure the Far 3.7 would keep up, mind, unless it's howling it's too short to be quick.  Looks a lovely boat if speed isn't the ultimate aim tho.


Edited by NickA - 18 Dec 15 at 7:30pm

So the F18 has worked because it has to be quite heavy and use a tin mast (does it still?) and the F16, which uses exotics and is very light is failing.

Can we Dinghy sailors learn a lesson from this? Actually, judging by this forum, most of us know this, and just have to put up with a few oddballs telling us we are dinosaurs and that all will be well with sailing if we simply throw away everything we are currently using. Magically, the sport will then grow.