What classes will survive ?

Originally posted by Jack Sparrow

Originally posted by Jack Sparrow

Originally posted by DavidG

Thanks MRJP BUZZ 585 Maybe I was just being provocative, but I think that the Dinghy Show is preaching to the converted, I was club racing that weekend together with 10+ Solo sailors, several of which can aquit themselves well at Open Meetings and Championships, but choose to club race.  If the primary objective of the Dinghy Show is to market the sport, I think that it may fail in that it portrays the sport as very technical and cliquey. 

The Dinghy show is about brand switching and decision conformation and not on the whole selling to newbies. The decision to take up sailing isn't one that is made at a Show. You have already made a decision and most likely read up on the subject (Y&Y) etc. and taken a lesson or two / sailed with a friend. At which point you will have been exposed to 'word of mouth marketing' and generated a simple understanding and opinion of what you want. Most boats at the show are not for newbies and those that are are clearly visible. Being advertised and sold by sailings brands, which is good for a newbies confidence also. Most of the shows job is to confirm a purchasers opinion before a large financial decision. The other job of a show is for those in the know to catch up and keep up with whats going on. If you get the impression from a show that sailing is technical and cliquey that sounds about right from where I stand!  

The Dinghy Show is a social; it's the one time of year you get to meet old friends who sail in different classes ...