Olympic Classes for 2012

Originally posted by Paramedic Binning the 470 and not replacing it with a symetric boat would be outrageous. There are more symetric boats sailed at clubs round the world than there will assymetric ones for a very long time. There are more places in this country that sail or are suitable for sailing a symetric dinghy than there are are large open reservoirs and sea clubs and i would think that the rest of the world must have it's share of duckponds too. All that this sort of thing does is push sailing down the assymetric route to the detriment of many sailors, clubs and classes. I can accept that the 470 may have done it's time as an olympic class but why not replace it with something like the Fireball?

Firstly, the fireball wouldn't cut it because it is not sailed widely enough internationally.  Secondly, it is even harder for women to sail the fireball because it requires greater strength and weight than the 470.

There is no doubt the 470 is a great boat - I campaigned one from the mid eighties to the mid nineties - but if we want to see more women sailing then we have to give the youth girls something they want to aim for.  The 470 is not suitable as a women's class, the girls want something fast and modern to sail, so why shouldn't they have a skiff?

Let's also bear in mind that because of natural weight disadvantages, women will never be able to sail a Star or a Finn, so why not keep a symmetric class for women, such as the 420, as well as introducing a female skiff, and ditch one of the 'men only' classes?

Originally posted by winging it the girls want something fast and modern to sail, so why shouldn't they have a skiff?

But do many of them want skiffs? I've said this elsewhere but...

Although I could be wrong, I'd be suprised if there are ten all female crews in two string boats worldwide: I've never heard of any... We've had a number of talented women through 29ers (to top ten Worlds level) at my club, and the ones I am in some kind of contact with seem to have chosen to sail (in mixed crews) slower boats like RS200s or leadmines rather than faster boats like say RS800s or B14s, even though those two have an appreciable number of female sailors in the class. None of them are seeking to do an Olympic campaign that I know of (too much sense?) so it can't be that.

If you talk to anyone who's manned stands for high performance boats at Sailboat they'll tell you that the number of folk who like talking about the idea of owning a high performance sailboat greatly exceeds the number who'll get the cheque book out when the opportunity arrives. There's nothing wrong with that, we've all had ideas that we rethink in the cold light of day when the excitement of the moment goes and reality intrudes, but it does suggest that listening on net forums may give you an exaggerated idea of the number of folk who are actually going to sail fast boats in practice...

Edited by JimC

Fireballs do not represent an improvement on 470s even if they did have the required international spread and any backing behind them. 470s are lovely boats; Fireballs are a bit funny-looking and not as nice to sail IMO.[/QUOTE]

Apart from being very wet i found it quite a pleasant surprise to sail. My theory behind it as olympic boat was based around:

1) It's about the only class besides the 470 and 420 that does have a large international following in most continents.

2) They are arguably more tolerant of lightweights than the 470. Strength issues can be got around (2:1 transom split main laser style for example)

3) They are not necesserily an expensive boat to sail. Certainly not in comparison to the 470, and no comparison at all with the FD.

4) They are sailed - in this country at least - pretty much on every largish piece of water and quite a few less large ones.

It's all hearsay anyway and would never happen which is a shame as i think it's a boat worth throwing intio the mix.

The other thing i'd like to see is an olympic development class. That would be interesting!

Edited by Paramedic

Or maybe you know exactly what the rest of us know, and are too busy skiing to bother making a fuss atm? 

Originally posted by Scooby_simon Originally posted by Guest#260 I have to say the cat lobby have gone very quiet ... perhaps thay have been told not to rock the boat at the ISAF conference whilst ISAF get the 11th medal lined up with the IOC ... Maybe we know more than we are letting on.

I susepct there is somthing going on ....