At my club myself and another student (both at university) have vintage solos as we love the boat and find its much more challenging to sail a solo whic attracted us to them. We would love to do the vintage champs but havent attemped it as its always so far away! (we're midlands based). Will it always be so far away or is it going to move around a bit to encorage people with old boats in all the other areas?
Personally id like to see it in a more central place such as Rutland, Bowmoor and carsington which would be more accessible. Or moving the coastal venues each year not just south of the M4 so its not as hard for people like us who love the class but can't justify trecking half the length of the country....
Does anyone else share this position? what's the future of the vintage section besides the champs down south each year?
I've gone down from Grafham for the last 4. It's hugely worth the effort! Great club, lovely people and the Sunday event if you want to stay over. Whip in all your vintage team and make a weekend of it this year.
I would like to see this too. The trouble is, travel costs are mitigating strongly against open meetings generally.
But your idea has legs. I'll add it as an agenda item for the next committee to see what we can do to support you.
Will's initiative was good. Perhaps something less ambitious to start with?
Graham Cranford Smith
Hon. Sec. National Solo Class Association
The " southend lot" base their club on encouraging vintage boats to keep costs down. They are I believe the only club that does this so by default they are the only option to hold the Vintage champs.
Some years ago there were some excellent efforts by Will and others to run a midland based Vintage event. I was one of the few that entered before the meeting was cancelled because of insufficient entries.
The best plan is to accept that the vast majority of the fleet prefer the low maintenance of the " white boats" and believe that vintage boats are too slow to race. Being back on the beach before most in my Miles and being there with the trolley of new boats is fun!