I believe HD still use the MAXX cloth but it cannot be sourced in gold anymore only black, i know this because i enquired about a new sail a while back. Your story isn't unusual for laminate sails as they delaminate, get sun damage and shrink! so naturally they get weaker and tear along the creases. Some refer to this as them going over the 'cliff' when they have a series of failures until you dispose of them. You can still get Dacron sails which don't suffer from this but do gradually decline in their performance but ultimately you can use them almost forever.

how did you get on with this? that is if the solo class committee have met.

Its great to see a wooden boat get a good result. In fact i think it saved my solo from going on apollo duck as i was just feeling do defeated. last year i was always at the back of the fleet at opens and at my club i had just resigned myself to defeat. But this has cheered me up and made me more optimistic about it. Unfortunately this year i wont qualify for the midland series so I'm hoping to do the nationals next year if i can get a newer sail and afford to go!

i agree, which is why i havent sold my wooden boat to buy a plasic one as on a good day at the club i can sometimes beat the FRP one. but the fact that the wooden boats are perceved to be slower and not placing highly whcih is putting some people off.

Let us know how that goes. It would be great to go to these events but not too far away. there are lots of great venues that just dont get considered. I know many other vintage boats would come to an event from my club if it was just closer to get to. At Trimpley sailing club there are severn vintage boats that dont go to opens because they feel they wouldnt do well.

I remenber that vintage series, but couldnt go at that point as i was too young to drive and my parents wouldnt help me. All but one of the solos at my club (fleet of 9) are wooden and dont attend opens because they are perceved to be a lot slower than the white boats you refer to.

Thankyou for the response, at Trimpley (my club) the solo fleet is a relatively new fleet as its traditionly a GP and laser club. Im hoping that by hosting a small event each year it will give someting for novice solo sailors to have something to work towards. i'll drop an email to maria over winter and see what i can do to help.

whats the plan for the vintage section? as my solo like may others are no longer competitive with the boats that travel around with the midland circuit will there be a vintage series? at my club theres only one modern solo and it may be better to host a vintage open instead of a normal sailing open.