50S

Originally posted by eric_c The irony is, it's the hull development that's gone into 505's which sets them apart from the likes of 470s, which have a competitive life measured in hours and end up only campaigned by national teams with big budgets.

Have tried very hard not to do advice, shame if it came across like that. The question was who thought the original article discussed made a valid point? I'm not buying a 505 and have barely sailed them, just always looked up to them as the pinnacle of the traditional classes. You could ask the same question of several classes that are doing well and presently have classic fleets. Merlins, Canoes...

Originally posted by Paul Smalley I think the point is that the front of the fleet these days is spending a lot of money on upgrades even if, in rare cases, their hulls are older. An Alto just isn't a 505 whatever it was marketed as. But a 505, without some of the more expensive upgrades racing against other 505's similarly hobbled isn't a bad idea. I suspect most people don't campaign boats, they just turn up at a few events when personal circumstances allow and like to think that if they sailed better and practiced more and had more talent then they had a fair chance of winning. Lots of exotic development classes could benefit from restricted development prizes, allowing people with older boats to maybe simplify them slightly and then race against others without canting foils or one string raking rigs. Just a thought. Might be more popular than just racing in a 'classic' fleet at the same event.

One thing that does have merit is the complaint about high aspect ratio foils.  They cost a lot for a small, but important, gain and are impractical for many locations.  

I think the point is that the front of the fleet these days is spending a lot of money on upgrades even if, in rare cases, their hulls are older. An Alto just isn't a 505 whatever it was marketed as. But a 505, without some of the more expensive upgrades racing against other 505's similarly hobbled isn't a bad idea.

I suspect most people don't campaign boats, they just turn up at a few events when personal circumstances allow and like to think that if they sailed better and practiced more and had more talent then they had a fair chance of winning.

Lots of exotic development classes could benefit from restricted development prizes, allowing people with older boats to maybe simplify them slightly and then race against others without canting foils or one string raking rigs. Just a thought. Might be more popular than just racing in a 'classic' fleet at the same event.