Foilers for sale

As a very biased Windsurfer owner, I have to admit that I used to be convinced that the way to re-grow the sport was to concentrate on simple, economical accessible craft. That's what the Windsurfer class does and what we do in my new club.

But the experience with the new Windsurfer has made me realise how many problems this approach brings. There's the problem for the poor manufacturer, who has to build four moulds to keep up with demand. There's the trauma for the importer, who has to unload container-loads of boards and finds that there are still people throwing money down and asking for more. There's the horrible situation of the class association finding itself with the second-biggest fleet in any national titles (although that's partly related to championship locations, of course). There's the dilemma for those of us trying to find space to rig and store our boards at the regatta venue, and to deal with all these happy new faces on the increasingly crowded start line.

We've got the same problem at our club. Since it started concentrating on cheap simple Lasers, without discouraging other types, it's had a traumatic time. New sailors are having to drive for hours to find a second-hand Laser to buy.  We're running out of room in the dinghy park. The handicap system that worked for a tiny fleet of experienced sailors has been destroyed by the arrival of beginners, a bigger fleet and the rising standard of sailing, like an Olympic silver medallist on his world champion A Class cat. It's taking two or three times as long to work out the results because the fleet has become so much bigger. Some of those damned kids who recently got into the sport are getting so keen that they're beating most of the adults.

It's a warning for all - keep the sport elitist so you don't have to deal with all crowds of smiling faces who are getting into a sport they love! 

The Moth class AGM minutes and reports show pretty clearly that while the class is growing in some countries, the numbers are fairly small and some areas are declining or stagnant. That is, of course, not to say the boats and class are not wonderful and valuable, but it does indicate that the reality is different from the hype. It also shows that as you say, some people are trading up rather than selling out. 

It is rather amusing, if sad, to see how many people in the media leapt on to the big fleet at the Garda worlds as proof that "foiling is the future" but then ignored the dramatic drop in fleet numbers at later worlds.  

Nicely put, the middle probably gives the best return on time and cash