50S

I hate to say it to you folks but he's done it again! This started out as quite a sensible and interesting thread on the relationship between performance and cost as seen in the 5o5. I guess the inclusion of the Alto story made sense - in short, a poor man's FiveO (there have been others - the Bill O'Brien Challenger was known locally as just that - the poor mans FiveO, which was not helped by most of the fleet using cast off 5o5 spars and sails.

A BMW 316 of a boat wouldn't sell, but the Alto was sufficiently different, it might have had it had the class endorsement as an entry level alternative, but I said that already, just as I said all the rest already 10 times over and here I am having to buy a bloody quad bike to haul a heavy old hunk of junk across the beach just so I can 'class race' like a good lemming.
I don't have to prove anything, I already know I am, or have been, a better racing tactician than most folk I've met, just a tad constricted by height and weight and in this sad world height and weight are everything when the winds up, but I like to try anyway, for fun, because I love racing, I just hate Bullsh*t and hypocrisy, which is everywhere and it's sad that nobody is really working on making the one thing I believe probably the majority, certainly at entry level, are exposed to.
A fixed rating for the boat based on hard measurements and a personal handicap based on experience, which one could work on improving would be a gold standard. It as I once said before could even be moneytised and provide a sailor database, but that would require an organisation that was vaguely interested in promoting what we do.

Edited by iGRF - 14 Mar 22 at 10:46pm

Originally posted by fab100 Back to the OP. Thinking on it, this is is actually being tested at the moment. You can buy an ISAF plaqued ILCA for circa £7k or an event illegal Laser from Laser Performance for £4.8k. That's over 30% less, in line with the original question. Is anyone knowingly opting to buy the cheaper version (that they probably won't be able to sell when the time comes)? I doubt it.

Have you any idea how absurd that comes across if presented to somebody completely new to dinghy sailing

You can buy an ILCA for 7 grand from a variety of companys (there were a few at the show) yet a cheaper Laser from a company called Laser would be impossible to sell, how long have you got to explain why, to that would be new customer of the sport?

I bet that PYAG are brewing up an absolute dog of a PY for that poor old Pornstar, the establishment sharks are already circling the wagons and no-ones even sailed it yet.

Edited by iGRF - 14 Mar 22 at 11:07pm

The "great lakes mob" use Portsmouth Yardskick. They just tweak it to Suit their needs and sailing areas. As suggested by the PYAG. And they do it in a way that wouldn't suit small lakes or tidal areas. So, how is it better, except for their usage?

Originally posted by iGRF Originally posted by Rupert So, how is it better, except for their usage? They will award boats a handicap that have no chance with the other lot, obviously with the self interest of greater participation, but then so should the bloody PYAG, what are they for if not to afford greater participation? They're not, they are a self absorbed group more concerned with protecting their obtuse view of the status quo. So out of touch with what is actually going on at grass roots level it beggars belief. Great lakes mob, bless them for any other faults, do at least care for the sport we all enjoy, I can't imagine any one of them is/are getting rich off the back of what they do, and they are at least doing SOMETHING. Maybe they could form themselves into some sort of British Handicap racing association and act as a ruling body for those of us that are none aligned to any class in particular.