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Rupert
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Post by Rupert »

Bought the November Dinghy Sailing Mag today because it has an article about the CVRDA (at least partially!) written by our own David H. I never realized we were at the forefront of anything before!
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davidh
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Post by davidh »

Oh dear Rupert - I had forgotten that this was due about now (there is quite a time between writing the article and printing).

I hope that I have done the idea of sailing 'classic boats' justice. The difficulty was in the fact that the article could not just be about the CVRDA but on the ideas of classic boats in general. That said, I tried to make the link across to the association as strong as possible.

Hope no one is reaching for the phone book to look up L as in Libel Lawyer!!

D
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roger
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Post by roger »

Thanks david good mention. I know they are not everyones taste but you didnt mention the Jack Holt boats. :cry: . I enjoyed the article and the publicity can only be good.
Pat
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Post by Pat »

Haven't yet managed to get a copy - this area's a desert for decent newsagents, even Salisbury's hopeless. The independant one in Devizes is by far the best!

Jack Holt is surely worth an article to himself - especially with his aniversary approaching.
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Post by davidh »

Pat and co.......

Sorry that you can't get a copy - do you want me to get one and post it?

IF anyone has ideas for an article (Jack Holt seems to be a good one for starters) then tell me and i will try to build something.

The trick is to try to widen the appeal somewhat........... not easy but if there is an 'angle' then lets exploit it!

D
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Pat
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Post by Pat »

Considering the vast number of boats built to Jack Holt designs or by Jack Holt there's plenty of people to appeal to :D
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jpa_wfsc
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Post by jpa_wfsc »

DSM is lots cheaper by subscription and gets posted to you.. go to http://www.dinghysailingmagazine.co.uk/ for more info.

Yes - DH, a (nother) very good article and your writing style is somewhat near the best in the magazine too! Most of the articles are very informative but not all are the best writing style; yours are both.

Given that DSM features a cruising section every month, I wonder if there is scope for a Classic and Vintage section each month?
Last edited by jpa_wfsc on Mon Oct 15, 2007 3:52 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Pat
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Post by Pat »

Call it an Old Boats section and you'll appeal to those who don't know what a classic is but have an ancient Enterprise/GP/Mirror etc.
I've heard the "don't bother with the mag because it's all modern plastic boats" comments.
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Post by Brookesy »

I thought it was an excellent article, and was partcularly impressed with the full page picture of Superdocious 2 with no1 inset, as my refurbishment of no3 nears completion, with the aim of taking in some CVRDA events next season with Alan Williams on the wire.
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alan williams
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Post by alan williams »

Peter Bennett did a really good article on Hornets for Y&Y. He may still have a copy of it. I used it with Y&Y permission in a reprint in the Hornet Mainsheet when I was editor.
Try Yand Y they have masses of Holt stuff.
Cheers Alan
davidh
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Post by davidh »

Alan,

Thanks for the heads up on that. Sadly, I doubt if I would get much mileage out of Y&Y as the article would be for Dinghy Sailing magazine.

Thanks also for all the very positive comments - I will try to keep things going to keep the older boats in the public eye. In this respect DSM have to date been very enlightened. In the past year or so we've had copy on the Ghost,Unit, Typhoon,, Toy, M14, Harrier, old cats, lots on the development of Merlin rigs in the old days....and now this. To me, that I get the chance to do these articles, speaks volumes of an open minded editorial approach.

Where next? I'm always on the lookout for an idea BUT - there has to be a relevance to sailing today. if anyone has any good ideas......lets have them! I've already started a new string on Jack Holt - maybe now would be a good time to start thinking along the lines of the 'great designers'.

And finally - as everyone who saw my recent dyslexic attempt at sending a text....... the real 'class' in the english department has to be Pauline, who proofs and corrects my copy.

Thanks must go though to you all for being the constant source of inspiration - even if it 1000 words on the subject of the OK Handicap.

David
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PeterV
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Post by PeterV »

David,
I wonder if the 'angle' you're looking for can be found in comparing modern boats for the same duty with older boats e.g.:
I'm always surprised that the RS200, built to very much the same brief as the Lark is really no better/faster, so why spend £5000 or more on an RS 200 when a Lark for £500 will be just as fast and equally competitive in club sailing.
The GP 14 was quite heavy, but the later Enterprise is much lighter, is there a better small general purpose boat built now? Not from what I can see.
There are many modern takes on the Wayfarer brief, but again I don't think any of them are as good.
Q, why not, apart from skiffs, what has the last 40 years of dinghy development produced?
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davidh
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Post by davidh »

Peter,

a very valid point - and a damn good question to boot. However, it would not be that easy to just do a simple comparison (the most obvious being the Merlin v RS 400 v Toppers Omega) as despite the similarities there are also huge differences so you are not really comparing apples with apples (despite what we might want to think).

Then there is the issue that suggests that IF a test showed an 'older boat' (okay - we'll take the Lark as an example) was actually better than the closest 'new boat' then it would call into question the whole development path of the last 15 or so years.

Dave C has often said that there is a need for a mag (could it now be an online publication ) entitled 'truth in sailing' BUT ( a 'BUT' that really does deserve capital letters) htere is a danger that this just becomes a Luddite forum and a 'let's all knock the new boats' - some of which are actually very good.

Some time ago - on this very forum, one of our contributors raised the issue of doing something on the boats from Roget Hancock (if I have the name wrong then sorry - I'm not in my office today) designer of the Mermaid dinghy. I was aware that I sounded unsympathetic, negative even, when I tried to show that to make an article happen, there had to be more than just a gathering of historical facts. The points you have raised about a comparision, or if there was some way of linking the relevance of certain boats towards those of today - well, then you have the germ of an idea.

I've now drafted out some outlines for something that would link Uffa Fox, through Holt - to Milne/proctor - then Morrision, who neatly bridges the gap up to today and Julian Bethwaite. Opps - nearly forgot the cats there (it is easily done ......ask the rya) so Bill O'Brien leads on to Rodney March, to Reg White and beyond.

Let us wait and see what comes next.....

David
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Trevor C
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Post by Trevor C »

That seems to ring true. One of the joys of sailing J9 is keeping up with modern boats which I could do more if I could sail better! I think the rhetorical question about "What has the last 40 years....." is a good one. Not a lot?
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Pat
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Post by Pat »

Peter - the Lark's better for the average small pond club sailing - we go downwind in a staight line so always beat the RS to the mark at Frensham :D

A key fact seems to be that old boats are much more popular on smaller waters. Are modern designers thinking restricted waters?
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