Racing has always been about who can write the biggest check. Doesn't matter what you are racing.
Wow Karl, now I see where the sh$t starts. Local winners in our parts haven't spent more than $500/year on the boat. They go out with a 5+ year old main, jib and spinnaker and whoop up on our sorry butts. Another case in point, Mischa winning with the not really stock but still old Tiger at 2010 Canadian Nationals. Take the best sailors in the world, throw them on a 5 year old boat and they will still kick your and my butt. I could go on but time on the water beats money thrown at the boat everyday. Please see LR vs. ETNZ, both equally funded teams, maybe ETNZ has more money. Who is winning and why; the base design package was the same.
Equipment is just one part of the equation. Many of us on here have enough natural talent to compete at a top level, but time that could be spent honing those skills, or working with a trainer, or a dietitian, or a coach is wasted on making sure you've got a roof over your head slogging away at your job. Then there's all the expense of travel both domestically and internationally to make sure you're not the king of whatever sad little hill anyone calls home.
