Dinghies in 2020

If there is to be any future for the none SMOD classes I seriously think
they have to consider some form of commu-marketing.

In my musings as to how I'd get boats like the Alto/V3000/Blaze going
for example they should consider setting up a Class a la TASA.

It's members would be stock/shareholders all with a demo boat at their
locale, commission/profit from any sales of which would go to existing
member/shareholders, every newcomer then also becomes a shareholder
etc etc.

Sort of Commucapitolism (My invention for the economics of the future).

The class holds regattas as part promotional/ part hobby and further
developments/other boats added to the scheme get agreed by a small
committee based on the designers and builders.

Edited by G.R.F.

Originally posted by Guest#260 Originally posted by giraffe 1995-2005 was the era of the assymetric and 2005-2020 will be the era of the development of the T-foil.  I don't think so; foils are not much use at low speeds and most populat dingies are slow.

But the N12 was slow last time I looked?  Who has really tried a T-foil at low speeds.  There is a huge amount of development opportunity here.

Originally posted by Rupert Anyone got data from 10 years ago, to see whether it is likely that we will see major changes by 2020?

The Y&Y website kept track of national attendance from 1998 onwards.

I've had a look in the database for 1998:
http://www.yachtsandyachting.com/classes/attendance1998.htm
Go analyse!

You can see 2000 onwards here:
http://www.yachtsandyachting.com/classes/?s=44

NICHE = not invented class<yet> highly expensive?
or
Now Interesting Class, However Exclusive
or
Never International Class Highly English?
or
Not Impressive Class, However Extreme

anyone on this thread remember going to their local SC at the time and saying "GP14, Laser, Enterprise, Solo.... these are all so old hat, they'll be gone in 20 years time...." - if you did, bet you wish you hadn't, if you didn't.... bear it in mind and also the fact that dinghy sailing is a leisure pursuit loved by a significant minority of the population, done professionally by very few, and to a large extent NOT the #1 priority when it comes to personal/family funds!

for the next 1-3 years the emphasis will be on local sailing for the majority so classes strong in local clubs will prosper and those are already with us - cost of transport and time compression will be the main influences here.... perhaps we may see even the biggest classes going towards a 2-3 day regatta rather than a 4-5 days format for nationals with only multi-class events like Salcombe Week, Abersoch DW continuing with the week long 'holiday' format....next 1-3years will be a lowsy time to launch new designs as initial sales volumes will likely mean ROI point is too far in future for all but the most dedicated or personally rich.....

If we are not time and cash rich... why use our leisure time buying ultra-light, high-performance, tweaky craft at great expense when we could just go down the club, get changed (10mins), rig a simple boat that isn't too expensive (20-30mins) and go sailing? - oh yeah,,,,,  it's fun !!

so in 2020 - I'd like to be able to buy a reasonably high performance dinghy (PY <1000), one-design as possible, which has a centerboard and non-fixed rudder, modern carbon 3-sail rig, capable of being sailed by 1-2 people, rigged quickly (and de-rigged) and with minimal running costs beyond new sails - if someone could invent a 'telescopic Spitfire' that I could park in my monohull space I'd be well chuffed! !


Edited by getafix

i'd love to see the virtual reality suit that can replicate the feeling of going over the nose when you go down the mine !