Raison d'etre

[davidh]

Well said Rupert..............

"You know, the posts above are exactly what the cvrda is about - the gathering of information that is otherwise effectively lost. Thank you for sharing!

At some point in the future, I would love to get all the sailing surfboard boats we can find together in one place, to celebrate the weird and the wonderful. Better be on flat water, I guess"

For those who haven't already seen this post, it's in the thread on the 'Flying Saucer' - one of the large number of 'beach boats' that developed in the 1960s, only to be eclipsed by the phenomena that would become the Laser. But Rupert's idea is spot on - identify a weekend and easily reachable location and get as many of the Aqua Bats, beachcombers, Flying Saucers, Minisails, Pisces, Bonitos, Man of War and others (there are lots more) all together: Individually, none of these boats would really get the attention of the sailing media but a weekend like that - done maybe with a 1968 themed social (of course in the dress of the day) and you'd have an event that I think would be worthy of note.

But hang on..... if that is a good idea, why not pick up on an idea that was mooted a couple of seasons ago - a 'pocket rocket parade'. Let's see..... Pegasus (ought to be able to produced one of those), Typhoon (ditto), Mirror 14 (ditto again) Jacksnipe (getting harder but we know they exist)..... then there is the Lazy E - if any exist what a coup that would be, the Bullet (baby Fireball) then there are the foreign visitors...... 404, Duo and the like. Again....what an opportunity to celebrate a heritage that would otherwise be lost and at the same time, really give the magazines something to get their teeth into!

As Rupert so rightly said.... it's what the CVRDA should be about!

D

[JB9]

BBSC could host this alongside a CVRDA event in 2014.

[Pat]

Another suggestion was for a small boats event for boats up to 11ft where everyone could bring their little toys out to play. Puffin, bobbin, heron, mirror etc.

[davidh]

Pat,

Spot on....interestingly, this year Bosham set their criteria with the upper PY limit set at 1200 - this effectively ruled out the Tideways, Puffins, 11+, Torch and others. Now I think that in the case of this years Bosham event their decision was seen as harsh by some but was actually pretty much 'spot on'. It is not easy mixing a fast PY group that includes Sharpies, 14s and Fireballs with boats at the other end of the PY scale 'on the same course'

If there is an event that is happy to do not only multiple starts but multiple courses then there is no reason why they shouldn't have their own 'series within a series'. But those criteria are important - can you imagine the Puffin or a Tideway doing that long first beat at Blithfield on the Saturday afternoon?

These are all great ideas and to me are far more to do with the 'classic scene' that yet another collection of carbon rigged Merlins!

D

[trebor]

Hi David, a couple of months ago where I sail we had a 60s/70s beachboat "accidental" race, Deans Minisprint an old Laser and my Aquabat, all 3 boats appeared evenly matched on a fast reach. Rob

[Nessa]

Bonito out at Hunts last week.

[davidh]

Trebor and Nessa..... spot on.....and thank for making the point with real 'references'.

I'm sure that the way things are we could also soon have a Classic Moth event - something that could be promoted outside of the immediate cvrda to see if we could pull in some other mothists......

I can see that this is a different way of thinking and in some ways, quite radical BUT - as a way of broadening appeal and at the same time doing something that really aids that 'heritage protection' it's worthy of discussion!

D

[roger]

The first event I went to at Roadford had Tideways and other small boats racing the same course as a 5o5 my Hornet and several cats including Al big Shark with 50+ stone on board. They just did one or two laps to our several.

[Nessa]

it surely just calls for average lap time handicap racing rather than separate courses?

[Pat]

I"d go for average laps too but better to pick a suitable event such as on a small water for a small boat event e.g. Shearwater where the bigger boats lack space to sail to their handicaps or fly kites.

[davidh]

Agreed again Pat.......... but what we're talking about here are 'specific', targeted events aimed at a particular subset. For instance, the classic Moths - we know that they are out there (for example, Dave Izzats world championship winning Magnum is under a dust sheet in a barn) and not all are even aware of the cvrda.

So - choose the venue

Promote the event at the Dinghy Show

Get people to come along bringing pictures - a classic moth 'cool wall'

Lots of people will have all sorts of old gear - put part of the time aside for a 'bring and buy session'

Invite along a celeb or two from the past - John Claridge, Ian Ridge, Roger Angell. (I'm sure you could get Ian - he'd be great as he could talk about sailing the boats and the issues of repairs)

Rather than just the 'same old' routine of running racing, run some 'managed' sessions (let's face it - someone who turns up with a tunnel scow will struggle against the Magnums)

Pictures and publicity - it might sound corny but arrange the boats on shore on a 'timeline' basis' and take pics - then go for the mainstream mags with a story that has 'real appeal'

Of course, all this is a lot of work and starting from the current low levels of activity would (at least in year one) be a speculative shot in the dark. Now I'm not a Mothist but if I was.... this is how I'd be trying to approach the problem.

Average Lap Times: yes, they can work but only up to a point. The first beat on the Saturday afternoon at Blithfield was probably simply too long for the 'slower' boats; worse, no amount of handicap tweaking will help a Tideway trying to sail on a big course like that against say a Merlin (or even a Fireball - they'd have had a ball at Blithfield) - Pat and Sandy - you were sailing the Albacore, I doubt if you'll sail many longer first beats in a classic event.

Yet we need both...the smaller courses and that 'targeted' event for the small boats - then the bigger courses for the FDs, Opsreys, Fireballs, M14s and others. it's just ideas at present BUT - asking the question 'could we do things differently' has never been a bad thing.

D

[trebor]

Hi David, it would be interesting to know how many of the Beach boats are still raced, I race the Aquabat every saturday in 2 handicap races and 1 pursuit. I won my first race 2 weeks ago, I also sail Thursday evenings. Rob.