All good points.
You are right, I have done lots of one design as well as PHRF and IMS. I am
an engineer, and that makes everything I think convoluted. The one side of
me shouts Design and Redesign, which is why I sail in the International 14
fleet, by far, not a one design class.
If the next design came along to displace the laser, would everyone hop and
buy it from a no name builder and distributor? Doubtful. I have sailed a
great boat, built by one of my friends. Its in no mans land. Handles great.
Little beamier than the laser, and much faster. Lighter, Carbon fiber, yet
still pretty cheap to build. Fully battented main, small blade, self tacking
jib. I believe that it embodies everything great about single handed one
design racing. He even built the boat with a handle above the daggerbard
trunk so one person can pick the boat up and carry it almost anywhere! In my
mind an incredible design.
So, is it not a better design? Then why does it not take over? Could it
with the laser name?
You bring up a great point about the traveling for fleets, and 2 boats of
each class that ever existed. Maybe the support you need to look to is a
thing I like to call "club cohesiveness." Most of the racers at our club own
one of several boats for small boats. All the single handers are lasers, and
Laser Bytes for the kids. All the double hander dingies are 420's except for
my 14's. Double handed keel boats are a fleet of Ideal 18's. Three person
boats are split between solings and J-22's. Our club racing comittee has
supported certain classes in our club to keep this one design idea active.
Yeah you have to subscribe to the majority oppinion as to the fleet, but it
brings about great sailing. Be the person at your club to not only talk
about the benefits of one design racing, but promote it by starting a
committee and make a fleet that makes the most people happy. I personaly
would sail just about anything while sailing one design, as long as everyone
else is stuck in the same thing.
Heres one last thought for you, if you are really into one design racing and
the ideas behind it, try a 2.4 meter or one of the new martin 16's. Both of
these boats also pretty much throw out physical prowless and its down to a
race of knowledge and tactics. I had a chance to do this and got my rear
end handed to me by people I normally finish ahead of on a laser.
~tb
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