Solo fleet still growing

Solo is actually a good boat, which is attainable for most people.  The open circuit is frankly fantastic and up there with Laser.  The one issue i have is that numbers dont always bring quality.  There is gulfing difference in boat speed depending on age and hull design.  Also depite getting 25 boats at even a local class open they are not 25 sailors battling it out for 1st place.  So for me its far from perfect.   I also have an issue with how the class runs its website, there are a number of people which get rather aggressive at newbies who have not joined the association, they refuse to talk about the merits of hull design/sail maker etc.  Also the top end of the national fleet is a who's who of semi pro sailors.  many of which only crack the covers off a borrowed boat for the nationals.

I think that your view may be correct but this is always the case at opens, I could turn up to laser opens and forcast the top ten places before hand, the point that works for me is you still have 25 sailors out for a good days racing and having fun, you only need four boats at the same level to have a good race but then you have 10 people not sailing to provide for the 4 boats at an open.

Originally posted by pondmonkey Well Chris... looks like you and I are literally and figuratively in the same boat. I only want class racing (the odd really fun handicap event is okay, you know when no one even bothers looking at the results anyway), but it's definitely not what I want from my principal sailing.  I have neither the time, nor the inclination, to hook up and drive god knows how far to get dished a skunking or be blown to toast in a more 'desirable', but narrower wind range boat- so circuit only is out of the question too. So like you, it seems the Solo is the only real answer- especially in the Midlands.  And the fact that there is diversity in the fleet can only be a good thing- a great race for everyone.  As I will never be in the top tier, I have no concerns about the semi-pro jockeys, in fact, without some good advice from HD Sails, I could probably have made a bit of a mistake on what I'm buying- or certainly paid more than I needed to.   I've also heard rumours that the Solo website and its forum are a bit erm, anal/antiquated.... but whatever, that's no reason not to buy a boat.  If I wanted a boat for the best run class, best class attitude I've met, a top notch class forum and a social media strategy I'd like to engage with, then it would be the MPS... but sadly there isn't a fleet of them nearby, and to be honest, I've not got the free time to get the most out of one again. I've just found out my sail number  - 5364 and apparently anything with a 4000+ number would be more than competitive at club level, subject to the usual condition checks.

Edited by Wrighty - 24 Oct 12 at 2:30pm

Originally posted by pondmonkey Originally posted by Wrighty   It is only time before a great chunk of people get to old to sail, will the solo still be king  in a few years time or will we just have handicap racing?  Better the Solo than nothing at all.  If it's handicap racing only, then goodbye from me (and I suspect quite a few others too)  In truth I'm optimistic that the Solo will actually be nicer to sail than I think it will be- under promise, over deliver - besides once you're into the mindset of actually racing, then the boat to some extent becomes less critical.   I'm looking forward to thinking about the race again, rather than just how to keep a boat upright.  I caught a glimpse in a tussle with the other Finn and an Icon at the Forum Open Meeting, the Icon nudged it as it was simply faster in the final stretch to the finish line, but it was still nice to get that boat-on-boat action back again.

Sail- I'd always recommend going to HD Sails in Birmingham if they're an option- purely because of the local support.  Taxi won the nationals with one of his sails and Jim ain't bad in a Solo either.  I guess they know a thing or two and I doubt my skills will do many new sails justice whatever I were to choose.

Edited by pondmonkey - 24 Oct 12 at 3:12pm