Olympic Classes for 2012

Actually theres several home made masts that have been around for years without breaks. Selden mast on the other hand, talk to Tim Noyce...

Why are Star masts so delicate? Isn't it more to do with that the mast is virtually unsupported downwind?

I am not saying that we should not support "slow" boats, I am saying that "slow" boats do not attract the 4-16 y/o's who I see at the ski center that do not CURRENTLY sail; thus for showcase events like the Ollies we should show-case boats that DO attact the youngters.

I totally believe we need to support the "slow" boats (back to skiing, the Blue runs) to get people on the water, but we need the Black runs; Off piste and Coulior riding in the ollies.

We have to catch people with the show and then get them into racing boats that are easy to sail (FIRST); this is what we have been calling the "slow" boats. 

I cringe every time I hear the "sailing is boring to watch", I showed some people I know the 9er and T race at the ollies and they changed their minds.  Will they sail; maybe, do they still think it is boring; no - Part of the job done.  

We may be at cross purposes, my view is that sailing is generally though of as "boring towatch"; "boats bobbing around going slowly and difficult to understand"

The 9ers and the last race of the T's DID raise the profile of the sport; some on this forum feel that boats falling over is bad for the sport, but it gets it noticed.

Note that above people asked IS it difficult (they are, afterall used to falling over when Skiing / Riding)

They did not state "it looks difficult" a massive difference IMO.

To help the sport by getting people to even consider LOOKING, we need something worth watching.  Slow boats are not nteresting to watch by people who do understand sailing. 

IMO, simple as that. 

Interesting view from within the industry...

http://www.boatingbusiness.com/archive101/2008/december/news /isaf_ignores_experts_on_olympic_classes

I think that people have to decide what the object of the Olymic event is; to me it is not a marketing tool for the sport, not an advert to get people in.  what it is, is a competitive event to see who is THE best, in a number of representitive classes, across (hopefully) the full spectrum of the sport.

To be anything otherwise is to pander to the media (and certain manufacturers) and lose sight of what our sport is all about.

I run a sailing centre for the RAF, and although we have full courses every year, we have massive problems getting these L2 sailors to come back regularly.  Is sailing a L2K at Farmoor too difficult/too boring/too cold?  Or is it nothing like what they've seen on the TV? 

Exciting classes and coverageat the Olympics could get Joe Bloggs onto a Level 2 cse at his local water, but it wont keep him in the sport.  Chances are that all he wants is a little bit of knowledge to enable him to go sailing on holiday once a year!