Nationals Attendances

Dougal, do you not think this light hearted discussion is the fun that is lacking in sailing ?

This banter is what I enjoy when racing, abusing other helms/crews, just keep it light, but make sure you beat them.

Davidyacht: I am well aware of the failings, on both sides, that took place during the event you refer to, but think it a bit sad that PSC are being pilloried unfairly. As I said, there were failings on both sides but this is hardly the forum for airing just one side of the grievances. I was at Hayling Island recently and would rather be here than there (and that is from some who lives on the IOW).I'm at PSC now and have seen them working hard across the week to make the Merlin Champs a success. I'm then staying on here to cover the IC worlds so will be able to give an better informed and reasoned view in 10 days time.

But is it really just a case that it is being held at PSC? I don't think so and will do a short article looking back at the week here. Instead, if there is one factor that has hit the success of this week it has to be the weather - it has been grotty since day one. The Wind Guru/XC weather effect that we often talk about is in plain view here.

However, all this is just part of a bigger picture. Defining what that bigger picture is, wow, that is a task and a half and I've little doubt that the RYA will continue to fund Consultant activity as they look at rebuilding the grassroots of the sport - if that is what they might want to do. And that is an even bigger question...do they even want to do it!

D

Ventnor/IOW

Sargesail. It isn't the only factor but it certainly seems to be one of them - that is judging from some of the comments I've had over the last three weeks. It isn't just the Wind Guru thing but some six weeks ago we were warned of an extended period of unsettled weather with rain and strong winds. The result of this 'climate change' (I'm using the words carefully for I do not know if it is or if this is just a statistical blip) is that a number of lower mid fleet sailors that I have spoken to are questioning the value to them of attending. Is this a detail in the bigger picture that yet has to be understood? That the hot shots will still be there at the front of the fleet, but the bigger numbers further down are starting to question what they are attending for?  If so, it is certainly a new dynamic that will change the nature of the annual gatherings. I'm seeing something but right now, I'm not sure quite what it is. Demographics are playing a part too.....in the end, the answer might well be the classic 'all of the above'!

D

+1

Though whether championships (or any competitive sports event) are purely about finding out who is best is debatable - people attend championships with many different motivations/goals. When classes (or rather the front-of-fleet sailors that make up the bulk of committees) forget that and espouse 'hard cheese' attitudes the likely result is a tailing off of attendance.

Also the general decline in participation across the sport perhaps means the natural churn in the mid/back fleet was masked when the sport was more popular, with a continual stream of new people, but now appears as significant peaks and troughs with fewer new people coming in.

Hi Dougal

Do you think its the old style 1 week but now multi race  championship that is the problem?  Both the Ents and the Merlins have gone with to this and when its not a great Holiday venue what's the attraction for families.

Where as the Merlin Salcombe week style event is based on only racing once a day so the family can do other things for a least part of the day.

So for fleets is the solution to have either a week but only sail max two races a day leaving half the day free for other activities ( Picking sensible holiday venues) or long weekends and pack 3 or 4 races per day, not worrying about wives and children.

As is said n the media were now a time poor society.