12ft Skiffs...

Ross, your point is valid but I think we need broadcast capabilities to catch up with the boats we sail these days.

I am putting together an experimental system to broadcast regattas at my club from the vantage point of the safety boats etc so the parents at the clubhouse can see what their little ones are going through to earn dinner. I'm looking at using simple IP enabled webcam technology to be implemented on a low budget basis. We need to do more experimentation with this kind of stuff and generate the interest on the part of mass media rather than waiting to be discovered one day!

IMHO, when the Olympic classes all are installed with a Mast Cam + real time GPS position feed etc and on top of that when the marks are installed with motion sensing waterproof cameras in addition to floating camera crews on RIBs then we can expect F1 like coverage and excitement. Funny thing is that all this technology exists so there really is no reason why this can't be done.

Oh sorry, 12" skiff. I would love to try one day when I can. The idea is great!

Without wanting to rain on anyone's parade, the 18s were on TV down
here for years - and it was so "successful" that the whole circuit fell apart.
Sailing is less popular than it is in the UK. One of the two 18 Footer/12
Footer clubs is possibly going bankrupt.

Formula 1 is (from some angles) a completely rotten way to promote a
participant
sport. After all, the motor industry is about the 4th biggest industry in
the world, most adults in advanced economies can drive - and yet
motorsport is not massive in terms of participation. For example here in
Australia we have a F1 round, one of the world's great touring car events
and circuits, multiple bike world champs- and for all that motorsport is
no more popular than sailing.

If competitive sailing was as "successful" as motor racing compared to the
size of their parent industries, the whole scene would probably consist of
one IACC boat racing itself, a classic Merlin near Bognor, and three
Lasers bashing into each other.

As studies have shown, in sailing and in sport generally, there is not
necessarily any real link between the publicity a sport gets, and the
popularity of the sport. And even in the place that pretty much created
modern skiffs, they are not growing despite subsidies from clubs.

Edited by Chris 249

The trouble is that media coverage of sport, perhaps other than football, is personality based. F1 is popular at the moment not because of the racing, which is as boring as ever, but because  young Hamilton has burst on to the scene. If TV viewers wanted motor racing excitement they would watch Formula Ford. I personally enjoy watching sailracing because I understand it and am frequently friendly with/related to the participants. So, if sailing is going to be a success on the telly we need volunteers to fill the available personality slots.

Vacancies exist for, (1) glam blonde female, who is having an affair, on off,with...   (2) glam dark male. Think Jordan/ Peter Andre. (3) Pale young man recovering from illness. (4)  Flawed sailing genius with alcohol/behaviour problems. (5) Hasbeen clinging on tragically. (6) Another genius with constant injury problems. (7) Ethnic minority.

I would welcome applications for these posts. Sailing ability unimportant. If you feel you fit the bill get in touch.

Originally posted by turnturtle Originally posted by tickler (4)  Flawed sailing genius with alcohol/behaviour problems. Merlinboy.... it's you!

after a few hours in the bar it's most of us!

Originally posted by Chris 249 If competitive sailing was as "successful" as motor racing compared to the size of their parent industries, the whole scene would probably consist of one IACC boat racing itself, a classic Merlin near Bognor, and three Lasers bashing into each other. .

Point well taken. I do think cost of entry to the sport being so high on the motorsports front do have an impact on the number of participants. Perhaps its best not to use motorsports as a comparison point.

Originally posted by getafix the 'average' British TV sports viewer struggles to understand any sport more complicated than football - and no, I'm not talking about the brains on this forum , I'm addressing the MILLIONS OF BRITS (who make the ratings the TV/ad people want) who "read" the Sun, watch Corry/E-enders and text votes to Big Brother,  Celebrity Deathmatch Cook-Off or whatever....

Another great point. lets not forget hooliganism as a factor driving interest in some mass hysteria sports such as football. Maybe we should consider allowing spectators pelting us with rocks. Hang on, wasn't this an issue recently with fishermen taking an odd shot?