Download the FFI Year book but first read our Commodores report.

FFI Commodore’s Report

I don’t know about anyone else but I find it extremely difficult to work out what is happening in this wonderful sport of sailboat racing which we are all so lucky to be part of.

What is it that makes some classes prosper while others struggle? What is the golden nugget? Is it speed? Use of the latest technology? A strong class association? Being an Olympic class? Or some other secret recipe? What is the measure of success? New boats built? Championship turnouts? Association membership? Class camaraderie? Or other factors? Numerically, the largest class at Cowes Week is always the XOD with an average of over 80 boats.

The XOD was designed in 1911, it is a heavy boat, quite slow, does not plane, still uses a wooden mast and is only sailed in the Solent area. At Hayling, we watch with envy the 20-30 XOD’s regularly racing out of their Itchenor base every Saturday and Sunday. Why is it so successful?

The Dragon class designed in 1929 has an amazing following all over the world and is currently enjoying a revival in numbers despite being quite complex, very expensive and with only a minimal number of changes to the boat/rig over many years.

Meanwhile, the modern sports boat classes with their massive asymmetric kites and phenomenal downwind performance seem to come along, attract a lot of interest and buyers and then quickly disappear as the next generation of even quicker and lighter boats come along.

It seems to me the key to success is good close well supported racing. Yes, sailing along at great speed on a fast three sail reach in planning conditions will always be fun but in my opinion the adrenaline kick you get on a strongly contested start and first beat in a 50+ fleet all going a similar speed is still greater as is the feeling of success when you get it right.

If the stats are anything to go by it seems I’m not alone with these thoughts. I ask the question, is the new format for the America’s cup using state of the art, amazingly quick sailing machines better to watch than the 12metres at Fremantle all those years ago? It appears not.

All this is good news for the Flying Fifteen as it offers good close and well supported racing for a wide range of crew weights and sizes at an affordable price in bucket loads so we just need to keep telling our friends and up the marketing.

Also, the demands on our free time are getting greater therefore our available sailing time is less than it has ever been and the format of racing we offer needs to reflect this which means more shorter races so we get lots of starts and first beats to get right or wrong. Either way it is fun trying.

I’d like to close by congratulating Graham Vials and Chris Turner on a well deserved win at the Hayling worlds and thank Hayling Island Sailing Club, its staff and members for putting on a great show.

We now look forward to the Hong Kong worlds this year and having been to Middle Island and seen the facility and the amount of work the RHKYC are putting into the event I know we are in for a great worlds.

I look forward to catching up with those of you attending.
Greg Wells
FFI Commodore
Hayling Island