dstgean wrote:
Creative wrote:
I would like to see a fast, affordable, simple to rig, solo boat. Most of my friends have stopped sailing the H16 or H18 because it's to much of a hassle to rig for a quick sail after work.
Bam! I think you nailed it. 15 minutes is at the long end. My wife loves to sail, but hanging out with the kids while I rig the 18 is not too fun for her. The wave on the other hand is just fine--as long as I don't have to assemble it from scratch, which is more like 30 minutes.
You
did nail it, has to be fast set-up. One of the reasons the Yaks are so successful.
Ease of launching (read weight) becomes more and more important. As time goes on, (public) access to beaches is decreasing. Not like it was back in the heyday, pull off at a place that looked nice and stake your claim. That's one reason why the Yacht club alliances are becoming increasingly important to racing survival, as water access wains.
What makes one-design so cool, is even lowly me (who hasn't bought a new boat since '82) can figure out how to sail a boat to 90-95% of it's speed potential, get a decent set of sails, show up at a regatta, make a few good decisions, no mistakes, and win a race from time to time. I've never (except for that '82 H16) raced a boat that cost me more than 50% of new price.
THAT'S WHY ONE-DESIGN CLASSES ARE FUN
I'm hoping we see some writing on the wall (from Matt Miller) that somewhere in the future (read when it becomes amicable with the Hobie Class) that the Pearl will be available as a new alternative to the H18 & H20 class racers...when the numbers on competitive 18's & 20's dwindles below critical mass.
I'll say it again, IMHO, a new OD boat needs to be a small, single-hander that's
easy to move and transport by yourself, but foremost light with a powerful rig. If that's glass a boat so be it, or some improved roto-molded process. It needs to be as exciting to sail as a kite board, but on the opposite spectrum of the Wave (kite boarders & Wave sailors are on the water on the same days).
JJ wrote:
Frankly, I think all the discussion about one design is kind of silly.
Then don't post in this thread, read the flippin' title.
and...how can an A Class boat (one of, it not, the most experimental class) become an OD class?