The old campaigner - pt2

Grant Dalton talks to James Boyd about the futures of the Volvo Ocean Race and himself

Continued from part one...

On the subject of the future of the Volvo Ocean Race Grant Dalton says that a couple of months ago he was worried that the event had gone terminal, but now his confidence has been restored.

"I was quite worried that Volvo hadn't grasped the problem, but I think they have now," he says. "And there is a genuine feeling within the teams that Volvo are understanding that they need to do something. Quite what that form will take I don't know. Certainly I think they will make bigger boats and that is most definitely a step in the right direction. Controlling budget - that's definitely a step in the right direction."

But can you have a bigger boat and a small budget? "You can have a single bigger boat and a smaller budget but you sure can't have two boats. And you can limit the crew numbers down a bit more and you can limit the sails, you can force some roller furling and reduce the stops. You can't force it down, but you can legislate it down by number of people and things like that".

And a one design? "That would be a crazy idea. Because they're not a story. They don't last very long. They're a oncer, because they're just pigs four years later because a new one design is quicker than an old one design. So they are a redundant fleet straight away. They are not a project they are just a regatta. I see no reason for one designs".

If he were in charge he says he would like to see a boat of 90ft. "Not 80ft because there are a lot of 80 footers. Make it slightly different. I would like to see a rule that is restrictive but not strangling. A 90ft Volvo 60 for example would be an awesome boat. Use the same rule even? I'm sure you can."

Having experienced big cat sailing during The Race, Dalton is very keen on big multihulls. According to Dalton all the skippers in the Volvo Ocean Race are - and in conversations madforsailing has had with the various parties involved we can confirm this is the case with at least Knut Frostad, Kevin Shoebridge and Ross Field. But Dalton feels, again like everyone else, that they will not be the new boat in the Volvo Ocean Race. "Volvo will never do multihulls. Of course that is the right answer, but they're never going to do that. And probably that's right - leave it to someone else."

See page two to find out what Dalts will be getting up to next...