From the Feedback - 22/05/01

Regarding the comments from "Jim C" (from the feedback 15/05/01. I would have to disagree that the 'definitive modern trapeze boat' has to be an open design - quite the contrary. I would suggest the success of the one-design has more to do with changing demographics than cheque book sailing, or anything else. All power to those who wish to sail 'traditional' or development classes; I, and I suspect many others, want spend their (limited) spare time sailing, not bimbling.

Let someone else do the sorting - give me a boat that's fast out of the box, and no excuses. Any extra time is better spent honing the technique than screwing bits on... Anyway, the International 14 and Cherub both 'significantly restrict aspects of the design' - they're not long enough! For my money, the 4000 has a good following, but it's too unremarkable, too compromised to be definitive. My vote would go to either, or both of the 49er and the RS800: The RS800 is, in my opinion the star of the scene. It brings near ultimate performance within reach of mortal peeps. It can be crewed by your girlfriend/boyfriend. It's light and easy to handle. Then throw in the whole 'RS family' experience, and burgeoning Open circuit. Finally, add a dash of low maintenance.

The 49er may be based on a mid-90's skiff, however, it's about as ultimate as they come (perhaps too ultimate to be mainstream), and in an off-the-shelf, just-sail-it package. They also have excellent second hand value. On reflection, perhaps the 49er is too coarse, too brawny, the RS800 is more refined, and wider in its appeal. I suppose it's all very personal isn't it? What makes a boat definitive to you?

From Ant Clay
Done some EPS-ing - did you like it better than us? Hi, got an EPS, had one for about two years now, did the full UK Audi Series in '1999 and the first couple of events in 2000 (new baby caused a reduction in sailing). I find the boat absolutely wonderful. It 'should' have been a corker; your review is accurate - upwind it does seem to under perform and that coupled with what must be a fairly crap handicap means only frustration when pitched against other classes.

BUT as you rightly say, it has not taken off. With on average about six boats at the Audi events we have now been dropped from the circuit. People are still buying from laser, but they don't seem to be racing and support from Laser seems to have diminished to nothing before the class association was built up leaving no racing really planned for this year and hence, in my opinion, the rapid demise of what could have been a wonderful class.

So, plenty of boats around, but probably only one or two per club and none of them really willing to travel, hence a very poor second-hand market. I love to race and as I currently can't in the EPS I'm trying to sell: one enquiry after eight issues of Yachts &Yachting and numerous web-ad - not very positive for me or the class. So where does it leave me and all the other keen EPS racers with an unformed association and Laser turning their back on us... what can we do? I would appreciate your opinions/feedback on this dilema.

From Andrew Banks
The fact that the GBR Challenge was the beneficiary of some very positive coverage on the ITV early evening news last Tuesday bodes well for future media exposure for both the Challenge and British sailing in general. It was also extremely impressive to see two state of the art IACC boats sailing together in British waters.

It remains to be seen whether corporate sponsors can see beyond the sort of campaigns built around a single personality (ie Kingfisher with Ellen MacArthur, Team Philips with Pete Goss, any boat with Lawrie Smith on it), and come up with the serious money required to back the ambitions of what seems to be very much a team effort. One hopes for Peter Harrison's sake they can; and for the sake of future campaigns he is not left out in the cold, having to back the campaign largely on his own.