The Dinghy Show 2005

A look at what is going down this weekend

The RYA Dinghy Sailing Show 2005 is bigger than ever, packed with new exhibitors, live events and activities. Running this weekeend at Alexandra Palace in London the Show is the only one of its kind in the UK and has something for everyone, from committed dinghy racers and cruisers to complete novices. Organised by the RYA, in association with the Daily Telegraph and Yachts and Yachting, the Dinghy Sailing Show is the perfect way to kick off the season.

Visitors are greeted by a lively, friendly atmosphere with a great mix of exhibitors and live events all centred around one thing – dinghy sailing! Over a hundred sailing clubs and class associations are joined by chandlers, boat builders and equipment manufacturers, making the Show the perfect place to find out more about dinghy sailing; from which boat is best for you, which course to go on, and which kit to buy, as well as improving your skills with advice from top people involved in the sport.

The Live Stage area in the Great Hall hosts a programme packed with features throughout the weekend. In the Coaching Area, in the Panorama Hall, racing gurus will be divulging top tips to experts and beginners covering tactics, regatta preparation, teamwork and rigging and tuning. These informal clinics will run throughout the day in Hall 1 and visitors will also have the opportunity to put specific questions to the coaches.

Around the Show there’s lots going on such as the Holt Blow Boat Challenge, GRP and Wooden boat repairs and remote control racing on the model boat pool, in association with the Model Yachting Association, ‘label-the-rigging’, winch grinding competitions, and see how fast you can get a wet suit on, in Ready Wet Go!

Tickets for adults are £10.00 (£9.00 in advance) and children are £5.00 (£3.50 in advance). Call 0845 345 0424

Kids go free on Sunday, thanks to Dinghy Sailing Magazine, and for all the latest information and advance ticket reservations please see http://www.dinghysailingshow.org.uk

Some interesting things to see:

Rohan Veal will be on hand at the Ronstan stand (G11 West Hall) between 12 -1pm and 4pm -5pm to sign posters on both days and give advice to potential hydrofoilers.

You will also be able to see Simon Payne's boat (which was second at the worlds) on the International Moth stand (C40 Great Hall).

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The Musto Skiff stand (D1 Great Hall) will be showing video coverage from different events filmed over the last 4 years. This will also include the video from the training camp that preceded the Gold Cup this year that was run my pro-coach Mark Rushall.

The objective for the class in 2005 is to achieve ISAF status, the class has a strong international flavour with more than 40% of boats going overseas. The class was recently featured in The Daily Telegraph who chose the boat for an extreme sports feature in last weeks weekend section. (the article is on http://www.mustoskiff.com )

On the Holt stand (C18 Great Hall) they will be unveiling the new epoxy Solo for 2005. The new hull design draws on input from several of the UK's leading Solo sailors, the final prep for the mould was done by Milanes Foils and Rondar Boats are manufacturing the hulls. The Solo on the Stand is fitted out with Holt Hardware.

The first of the boats from the mould was tested by Andy Davis at the London Boat Show Pursuit Race and following this was launched officially at the Winter Championships in Chew Valley where Chris Brown sailed it to 3rd position overall in a fleet of 82 boats.

Harken will have the newly expanded range of carbo ratchet blocks on display (G22 West Hall).

A couple of really old boats will be on display too. On the Merlin stand (C7 Great Hall) you will be able to compare a vintage 1949 model with one of todays boats. The Wayfarer class will be showing a 40 year old wooden boat that has gone through renovation. Talking of wood, the Finn Association will be showing a new wooden decked boat on stand (G12 West Hall).

On the clothing front. Gul (C26 Great Hall) will be showing their new range of lightweight rash vests and their 4-layer breathable drysuits. Gill will have their new skiff harness on display which incorporates the RWO quick release hook (B24 Great Hall). You will be able to meet Olympic campaigner Hugh Styles on the Fat Face stand.

In the land of Lasers, the 4000 and 5000 class association will be launching their 2005 schedule including training sessiona and the Super Cup. The Vortex will be showing a newly develoed asymmetic spinnaker system.

The Royal Corinithian Yacht Club will be talking about the Endeavour Trophy on stand G16 (West Hall) and you will be able to see the new boat for the competition, the Topper Topaz Xenon on the Topper stand (B13 Great Hall)