RIP Y&Ying forum?

I had something of a surprise here! A number of year back (ie, pre-covid) a nationals was coming up that I had a historic interest in; not one of my core classes, but one that I felt ought to be worth the while. Interest from the class...zero! It wasn't of case of harsh words being exchanged, but I did tell them bluntly that the Classic Event at Hunts would get more column inches and pictures than their headline gathering for the season and...almost embarrassed to say it, but that is how things played out. It was only afterwards that I looked at their AGM minutes and saw that the 'Class' was sat on a very healthy pot of money in the bank. When you think what they could be doing in terms of presence, both afloat and online it is hard to feel anything but sadness as a once strong and influential class drifts off into the reed beds (the waterside equivalent of the long grass). What was even sadder was that because of my residual interest I'd have just turned up but was put off by an attitude of no, we don't need help, we're doing just fine..... and in this head buried deep in the sand mindset they are not alone.

So - there is still money to out there, not a lot but spent wisely, it can make a big difference, witness the Scorpions who have  invested in class promotion and are now seeing the benefits.

I also picked up on your point about previous class specific advertising - my guess is that for most, the big expenses went on an ad in the Racing Classes Review and if possible, a stand at the show. That was though back in the days of the paper magazine, today the expectations are very different. It would be great to have full on multi-media coverage at events and some classes do it very well... the 5o5s courtesy of their tie in with SAP, the foiling moths... the GP14s have always been very clever at playing the publicity card, the Solos do well, the H2s (thanks to Keith Callaghan doing the leg work) but the real stars are the Finns and the OKs who use the excellent services of Robert Deaves. But, in the end, there has to be an acceptance that these things cost and you get what you pay for.

Finally, I know of at least two involved parties who had looked at  providing some form of media outlet for the dinghy scene, only to find that it wouldn't work simply because the financial model didn't stack up. Now that's not to say that someone might come up with a clever idea in the future, but as the sport and pastime elements of small boat sailing become more entrenched as separate entities, the view from inside the box looking out suggests that the sort of inclusive, glitzy, all media presentation that some on here see as the way forward is actually still out over the horizon.

D 

Back in the day the development classes seem to have advertised more than the SMODs, because of the number of rival builders and sailmakers they had. I love SMODs but it's an interesting "revenge effect" that may have harmed the sailing media.

And yes, it's very difficult to rebrand without losing momentum completely but it can be done. Changing a name for whatever reason? be interesting to see how the  boat formerly known as the Laser does in the long term.

afterthought:
Royal warrants. Does anyone know which companies still have them? Do they make a big deal of it as they used to or do they relegate that piece of info to the small print on the back page. Commercial pressures dictate. They are better at knowing what the customer prefers, what image is most presentable and what makes most money. Even Royal Mail are changing their name.

Blame it on Andy