For any future references I am referring to The United States and Canada when I say North American.Yes I know Matt that I am wrong again in leaving out those other Countries,but I am too lazy and too bad a typewriter to keep typing Canada and the United States.
Yes no denying Jeff Alter was a formidable competitor,but still not convinced that bodes well that the torch has not been passed on to some younger ,fitter stronger guy.This Class really should favour younger guys. Keep in mind my def,n of young is anyone under 40 (I am old )
Having sailed in both Laser Open and Laser Masters Class,there is no doubt in my mind that the Laser Masters are much more respective on the course.That is not to say they are any less competitive.There is just a whole lot less Bullying and yelling and upwind kinetics (really our bodies can,t do what Scheidt and Slingsby do)Actually I hate to use that term Bullying because I don,t really believe that even relates to sailing.
BTW as a plug,we are hosting the Laser Great Lakes Masters here in Thunder Bay this Summer ( if we ever lose all the ice).Right here on beautifully Lake Superior,.Charter Boats are available at a very low cost.
IMO one of the best ISAF Presidents we had was Paul Henderson ( not the guy that scored the famous goal in 1972) another Canadian.He was very supportive of Catamarans in the Olympics because he believed it to be the purest form of sailing.In other words he argued there was very little Kenitics ( by the same reasoning he disliked Board Sailing with all the pumping)Well quess what,kinetics has become very important aspect of sailing even a Hobie 16..Pat Porter and I have had some great discussions about this.Tim shuwalow described in an interview I had with him about how active he was with the main and body movements.Unfortunatly most of us Older Hobie guys are lazy cleat the main type sailors.
A very Old Sailing World Article once stated that all the new Classes are actually hurting Sailing and eventually only a few really truly One Design classes would survive and the rest would fall off by the way side. It is true a whole lot have fallen by the wayside,but it seems like new ones just replace them.If that is the case that the 16 is the only catamaran class in New Caledonia,then that clearly would be an advantage to attract and keep the top sailors.