Sorry to be so proliferic on the forum, but all I'm doing these two weeks is studying mathematics and coffee breaks. Of course during such breaks I log on and see if there is a new posting. And amazingly enough there always is !
Another 5 days and I'm up for a 6 hour exam !
Anyway, back to the topic.
Project code name = Euro's, roger that.
... I believe that an event like this can only help to build momentum in the other countries as well. ...
Definately, we saw the same thing after the DCC event in 2004 sadly the groupdeal back then failed or we would have had 5 more boats on the Dutch water for the whole 2005 season.
What we need to know is the numbers.
I have done quick poll and we have 16 boats interested in the UK, ..., I don't know what representation we have as a class in mainland Europe, Wouter?,
Of course we had a small race serie going on this 2005 season. Where a group of us had agreed to participate in 1 event per month. We hitch-hiked on general open class event as to not have to organise these events ourselfs. But personally I felt that we were lacking depth in boats; this cirquit was really dependent on making the groupdeal of Taipan F16's a succes. Also the weather this season was awful. Nearly every event saw 20 to 25 knots of wind with a very confused seastate. We all remember the Round Texel of this year, well the other events were not much better. Our better events were the Spring Cup in April 2005 and Round Tiengemeente in okt 2005.
Anyway, during 2005 we had about 6 crews willing to travel and race out of 10 boats (owners), sadly not all at the same time. So we typically got only halve of them at any event. At this time I estimate that 3 or 4 Dutch crews who are willing to travel to the UK to participate in the Euro's. I expect this to be a good mix though, the 3 most likely candidates are : a Stealth F16, Taipan F16 and Blade F16. Pretty much the crews that have been doing the 2005 series as well.
The remainder of Europe sees a bunch of Taipans in Southern Germany and Zwitserland, sailing on the mountain lakes and the lakes of Northern Italy. Then there are several scattered boats in Spain, France, Sweden and Italy.
In total I would say that in total there are a 56 to 60 F16 boats in Europe (Not counting Spitfires or other grandfathered/dispensated boats). This was the last cout with 36 Stealth F16 in the UK. If the number of Stealths has risen to 45 boats over the 2005 season then we are looking at some 65-70 boats in total. The UK takes 2/3rds of the population. The other 1/3rd are scattered or concentrated in two groups in the Netherlands and Southern Germany/Zwitserland.
That is the situation in mainland Europe.
... but is seems to me that Holland has almost enough boats to start a small series, if you Dutch can pull 6 boats together to commit to go racing 4 times a year you will have a class, and with the size of the market you have that will quickly become 30 or 40. ...
This has been our plan, indeed. Assuming the groupdeal is as succesful as I expect it to be then I estimate that we will get the small fleet going in 2006.
Piggy back onto our little fleet and even if you only get 3 or 4 over here you will have started the ball rolling.
That is a serious possibility.
We will do eveything we can to make it easier for you to attend, if the event is in Pembrokeshire we can offer free camping, entry fee at cost, food and drink at cost.
Ohh, you are in Pembrokeshire ? I know that place, been there before, would love to go back.
All these things will help in my case, definately. Yet the biggest help for me would be to share a trailer and car with another crew, thus halving the travel costs. Best would be to quarter the costs by teaming up as two doublehander crews. This would be of paramount importance in my personal situation. I expect it would seriously lower the threshold for other crews as well.
... I will approach the ferry companies for discount tickets(they are usually quite good about this sort of thing). ...
They are ? Okay, well your experience and help here is valuable indeed.
But the important thing is how many will or even might come?
I have yet to contact them all BUT when going out on a limb I estimate :
-1- Bard and Lonneke (Stealth F16) : Will definately be interested, they travelled all over the world with their Dart 18.
-2- Geert and crew (Blade F16) : Will seriously consider it, has been all over the world for sailing as well.
-3- Wouter and Inge (Taipan F16) : Will seriously consider it, but are both hampered by inflexible work obligations;
-4- Jaap en crew (Blade F16) : Will consider it, especially when others are going.
-5- Nico and crew (Blade F16) : Will consider it; if costs are kept low enough.
-6- Martien and crew (Bim F16) : I don't know them well enough to make an estimate
-7- Harry (Taipan F16) : Will just have finished his boat and I don't think he will seriously consider it.
-8- Mark (Tapan F16) : Will not seriously consider it.
-9- Werner (Stealth F16) : Will not seriously consider it.
-10- Peter and crew (Stealth F16) : I don't know them well enough to make an estimate
P.S. notice the distributions of makes in Holland ? 3 boats of each + 1 Bim F16
The sailors in the Blade F16 Group deal will give it some thought, but it may be a step to far for their first season. Some of them are actually good sailors though. There are 5 boats in this group as we speak. Maybe 1 of them will come to the UK.
So I count 3 to 4 boats that will seriously consider it. The rest is dependent on outside factors.
After all is said and done, there is a lot more said than done, is this a time to do something, or do we wait another year?
I say lets do it.
Wouter
