From the feedback - 23/04/01

Pete Goss finishes. Bad luck seems to have dogged the Goss project since the launching of Team Philips, and the closure of the factory and the visitor's centre is very sad. It's a shame that the only campaign that had the balls to try something different has ended so painfully. It's an even bigger shame that when things started to go wrong, a sizeable chunk of the yachting press lined up to take pot-shots at a project they suddenly decided had been 'doomed from the start'. The irony is that in terms of delivering value for money for the project's sponsors and making itself accessible to the public; the team excelled in a way that no other sailing project in the UK had previously managed - and one can only guess what it would have been like had it ended on a happier note. However, in Team Philips I see a parallel with one of Adrian Thompson's other designs; Paragon, a boat whose potential was never realised when she was first launched in the 80s, but whose influence on the current fleet of 60 foot tri-marans is clear to see. There are finite limits in terms of the speed that conventional big multis can sail in the southern ocean (look what happened to Team Adventure), and so I think that it's inevitable that we'll see more boats that look like Team Philips. It might just take a little longer than many of us would hope. In the meantime one can only hope that Pete will bounce back with more exciting projects in the near future.

From Chris Jordan
Would you want to see such a product legal in your class? Sapele? YES. Most "traditional" classes have a strict minimum weight, as long as this is not dropped below, why shouldn't a new deck be added to an older boat? It could turn the concept of a "composite" boat on its head! Wood hull with glass decks? Something like this should be allowed (for GP14, Enterprise, Fireball, Merlin, OK, Cadet, Graduate, Heron etc.) in order to provide a sensible alternative when needing to repair an old boat. ALSO as a "doesn't it look good?" when ordering a new boat.

From Annabel Lush
Were the Kiwis Smart to Take the Money? I think that it was more than the money - they wanted job security and the opportunity to get on with what they know best - sailing - rather than have to assist with fund raising again and work with the insecurity of not knowing whether all the funding for a serious challenge was going to come through. Rather ironic with the turn of events and very unfortunate for them. Team NZ has rebuilt a strong committed team which would be unlikely to want the old vanguard back!

From Alistair Evans
Is the Warsash Spring Series a better event than Key West Race Week? What a ridiculous question or has it been put forward for a depends-on-what basis? Key West is a top international regatta in an exotic location, it has warmer weather, (no need for thermals there), a friendlier sailing environment, without those OTT tidal currents. To cap it all off it has a greater attendance and attracts the who's who of yachting. But there again, the Hamble may have better catering facilities and car parking. Please keep the quality of your questions in keeping with the excellent quality of your website.

From James V
Is the racing at the Warsash Spring series better than at Key West Race Week? The racing at Warsash is dull! Every other leg is a reach or a fetch and the legs are too long. When will someone wake up and realise that most people out there on a Sunday are fed up?

From Tracey Duke
Is the Warsash Spring Series a better event than Key West Race Week? Are you crazy??!!! I can't belive that anyone would try and make the comparison! For one, at Key West the pro race team set the race track up second to none. In the Solent the race team don't know what a beat and run is! I won't even start on the weather...

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