As a sailor who is mostly down the back half, has a newish lightweight Mossie and who makes up for the lightweight boat by being a heavy weight (comparatively) sailor I have to say I struggle to agree with the logic being used on the +65 views. There is a group of us who enjoy racing each other down the back just as hard as those we envy at the front.

I have been to a few states now, Sauna Sail, Ice Breaker and also a spinnaker states and although I am generally towards the back I love the chance to race with the best (for a leg or two at least), enjoy the social side and learn a fair bit.

At the spinnaker states at Rye recently a miracle happened and I was in the middle of the fleet one race and I watched one of the top guys finish the race and then go and follow around a back marker and coach him. With a bit of confidence and newly aquired knowledge that person then beat me the next race......awesome job and attitude from the person who went around and coached. That typifies the Mossie class.

Just because you are possibly going to be down the back, for whatever reason (old boat, crap sailor(me), heavy body(me), not enough practice(me)) doesn't mean you don't go......if you have the time, have a crack at it. You won't be disappointed!!

So.....hopefully we will see a great turn out for the sloop states at Rye in a few weeks (cat rigs welcome too!!!)......let's see a heap of timber boats there......that's the best way to promote the class!!!