The Problem with the RYA

Originally posted by Woodbotherer  You race sailboats rupert, you are a sailboat racer. If you raced power boats you would be a power boat racer.

Despite what I may have said in times gone by, windsurfing IS sailing, WB, so is part of the diversity. In terms of dinghy sailing V's windsurfing, I'd still say that there are more types of dinghy sailing possible, or at least that they are further apart. It may be though that I simply don't know what else people do in windsurfing beyond playing in waves, going very fast, racing like dinghies or falling off a lot...

Same goes for Cat sailing, as Chris 249 says - some say they have one too many hulls, some say that what I do has one too few. Whatever - they are good fun in the right situation.

Please can we still be nasty about Skipper 14s though?

Originally posted by RS400atC Originally posted by Rupert ... The problem isn't with the RS800 (insert any other skiff here) but with the attitude which says that anyone not using a boat like it is somehow doing a lesser sport, just as sailing a big board on flat water was something done by lesser beings compared to those who could jump over waves. Dinghy sailing is  much more diverse sport than windsurfing, so the effect will always be less - someone cruising a Tideway isn't going to give a toss about what skiff sailors or the RYA think - but it can still damage the sport in many ways. Cruising in dinghies is one thing, but we could do more to promote respect between different flavours of racing. I know cat sailors who dabble in slow, ancient boats like XODs and Squibs, because the racing is good. There are some good people to race against. And plenty of cruisers in the RTIR take on dinghy sailors. Likewise, trogging across the channel overnight is not my idea of a fun race, but at least I can say that from a position of havng had a go at it. Perhaps a lot of us would benefit from having a go at other branches of racing, even if it RC lasers on the duck pond? On here, it seems to be the fast boats that get talked down? Maybe things could be done to address that, if people had a go in an 800, they might see what fun it is.

Edited by Chris 249 - 05 Mar 15 at 9:46am

Originally posted by Rupert Originally posted by RS400atC Skiffs don't need to be elite. You don't need to be a megastar to get an RS800 around the course, or to go nice and fast in a straight line. Of course your time around the cans might be a bit longer than the top guys, but that would be true on a bike too. I think promotion of a sport goes wrong when it's centred on spectators, sponsors and TV rather than competitors, or when that circus loses its connection with amateurs doing sport as recreation. The problem isn't with the RS800 (insert any other skiff here) but with the attitude which says that anyone not using a boat like it is somehow doing a lesser sport, just as sailing a big board on flat water was something done by lesser beings compared to those who could jump over waves. Dinghy sailing is  much more diverse sport than windsurfing, so the effect will always be less - someone cruising a Tideway isn't going to give a toss about what skiff sailors or the RYA think - but it can still damage the sport in many ways.

Edited by Woodbotherer - 05 Mar 15 at 9:19am

Originally posted by Rupert ... The problem isn't with the RS800 (insert any other skiff here) but with the attitude which says that anyone not using a boat like it is somehow doing a lesser sport, just as sailing a big board on flat water was something done by lesser beings compared to those who could jump over waves. Dinghy sailing is  much more diverse sport than windsurfing, so the effect will always be less - someone cruising a Tideway isn't going to give a toss about what skiff sailors or the RYA think - but it can still damage the sport in many ways.

Cruising in dinghies is one thing, but we could do more to promote respect between different flavours of racing.
I know cat sailors who dabble in slow, ancient boats like XODs and Squibs, because the racing is good. There are some good people to race against. And plenty of cruisers in the RTIR take on dinghy sailors.
Likewise, trogging across the channel overnight is not my idea of a fun race, but at least I can say that from a position of havng had a go at it.
Perhaps a lot of us would benefit from having a go at other branches of racing, even if it RC lasers on the duck pond?
On here, it seems to be the fast boats that get talked down?
Maybe things could be done to address that, if people had a go in an 800, they might see what fun it is.