The next challenge?
The sailing itch has returned with a vengeance, but at the moment
I’m at a loss to work out how to scratch it.
Though its not as if I’m not trying - spending most weekends
sailing, coming off a series of regattas and looking forward to the
18 Worlds (if we qualify of course).
What is to be the next challenge (other than repairing the blog)?
Suggestions are more than welcome.
Sure I’ll continue to do a regatta here and there in the 29ers. But
they’re not an option.
The 49er has been a big contender in the last few months. I’ve been
keen to get into one since training with Tristano on Lake Garda
back in June. There are a few big positives for the 49er, but also
a few big negatives.
- The competition is fantastic internationally (+)
- The competition & fleet sizes are poor locally (-)
- Good boats are expensive (-)
- Resale value is poor (-)
- Its a new challenge, with lots of new skills to learn (++)
- Its more fun working with a crew to put together a good result
(+)
- Its incredibly hard to find someone with similar skills,
motivation, enthusiasm, finance, fitness, committments and physical
attributes who also wants to sail with you (-)
- There is potential to improve the fleet, with a bunch of young
rock-stars entering (+)
- The class has a relatively high profile (+)
So there’s a reasonable balance of pros and cons for that
one.
Where else?
The 18 is of course continuing on as usual. I can (and most likely
will) continue racing this boat on Sundays during the season. Yet
there are pros and cons for that as well.
- The fleet is reasonably large locally (+)
- There are plenty of sailing gurus racing the boats every week
(+)
- Plenty of room for playing with the boats/rigs/etc (+)
- Inexpensive. Since it costs pretty much nothing to turn up and
sail the boat, I would say its very inexpensive (+)
- Plenty of room to improve (+)
- High profile in Sydney (+)
- An international circuit in
the making, if it ever eventuates (+)
- Good bunch of blokes to race with and against (+)
- Racing on the harbour is a bitch, with traffic and wind
variations removing a lot of tactics, boat on boat and fleet racing
aspects that you would find in other classes. It feels like a
scenic tour sometimes rather than a serious race (-)
- The boats do feel a bit like tanks. They’re not that
sweet to sail, though perhaps the new ones are better?
(-)
- Their isn’t much transparency in the organisation, and it appears
to be a bit of a boys club. Politics and breeding again (-)
- Not sure what boat we’ll end up racing next season. Could be
good, could be the same again (-)
- As much a team game as anything (+-)
What else is there then?
I guess Northies might be ok.
Though they are a bit of a girls boat. The competition might be ok
in the top few… maybe. Downwind without a spinnaker would be a
pain in the arse… next.
16s? Next.
Moths. Now there’s an interesting prospect.
The most amazing boat in the World to sail from a sensation
perspective. Hmmm
- Feels great… really great (+)
- Easier to organise one person (+)
- Expensive to stay at the top (-)
- Cheaper than the other options, other than the 18 (+)
- Poor resale value, unless you sell at the right time. You will
probably still lose less than the other boats (-+)
- Small fleet sizes both locally and Internationally (-)
- Really great bunch of people (+)
- Plenty of bitching politics, especially when you’re on both sides
of the arguments (-)
- Room for improvement, as always (+)
- Easier to get to the top than any of the others (+)
- Racing might be a bit one-sided (-)
- Not recognized in the conventional sailing world, its pretty much
a one-way street (-)
- Plenty of room to play and experiment (+)
- The builders take too long to get their kit together (-)
So there’s good and bad sides to everything I know. I guess if
someone came to me with the ability to get into a boat soon, I
would probably jump at it.
So what do you think?
Update: I’m off to Melbourne in a week to see how hydrofoil Mothing
is…
