Big Al stars in Y&Y

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Rupert
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Big Al stars in Y&Y

Post by Rupert »

March Y&Y came through the door today, and who should have a gert big pic in there but Alan! It is the picture of them sailing Superdocious which we have used on posters in the past.

The piece is written by a chap called David Henshaw, which I think might be a Nom de plume of our very own DH... that or a spelling mistake! Don't they know who you are, David?!
Rupert
davidh
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Re: Big Al stars in Y&Y

Post by davidh »

Rupert,

i've yet to see what they did with my 'words' - my understanding was that this would be part 1 of 2, as to tell the story required more than the space normally allowed (and even then I had to cut out much of the important detail). But what it story it was.... and I worked harder on this than I've done on any previous bit of work.

So the idea thatafter so much effort that I'm the victim of 'lese-majeste' does not exactly fill me with a warm glow. I can but wait until I get to see what is there.....

In the end, mistakes do happen and besides, it's done now. But it is not as if this is my first go at appearing in print.

C'est la viw - the life of a freelancer

D
(Rupert - as long as the people who count know who I am - and I know who I am, then I'll just hope for a better showing next time. But these mistakes do niggle, all the more so as this was my 'come back'....BUT...watch this space for possibly some exciting news on the writing front for classic dinghies. I'm not in a position to say any more now BUT... a certain well know 'name' to these pages donated an hour of so of their time today to act as a guinea-pig for my plans.... suffice to say that it all went well hence my optimism that you'll be seeing more from David Henshall - NOT hensaw - in the future.
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JB9
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Re: Big Al stars in Y&Y

Post by JB9 »

Very good read though, shame the Jollyboat only gets 1 mention.
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Re: Big Al stars in Y&Y

Post by davidh »

Interestingly you missed mentioning that the Osprey, another of the boats that you got, also only merited a single comment!! But all the same, your observations about the Jollyboat are valid and have set me thinking.

The problem is, taken in reference to the FD, the Jollyboat hardly merits more than the passing comment it got in the article. That is not being derogatory to the JB, but is a simple statement that the boat never really fulfilled it's promise. Maybe that has something to do with the way Uffa Fox saw it... a bigger and more stable platform that the Firefly and 14, a boat more kindly to his advancing years. It's hard to view the Jollyboat in terms of the other high performance boats....when in La Baule it was outshone but the smaller, lighter and 'better' Hornet - a boat that delivered thrills and speed in an easily accessible package.

Although the JB did get exported to foreign climes, even there it never really escaped the niche that it found itself in..... and therein lies the problem. Had the boat been promoted as a 'fast all rounder' - a wayfarer on steroids, then it might have fared better, though if you look at the other attempts to do tis, notably the Mirror16, the demand just does not seem to exist for such a beast. Sadly, move outside the confines of the CVRDA and you'll not find much evidence of support for the boat, even looking back to the 'happier' times when this was being supported by Faireys.

But.... you can see the problem clear enough. A long time ago now, Fairey marine had a store/shed a few miles from hamble.... in there there was all sorts of goodies. I went there when it was being cleared out, most of the hulls in there went on a bonfire...but there, side by side, were a Jollyboat bare hull...and an FD bare hull. Once fairey marine started building the FD, why build a boat that was so close in size and concept.

But as I said, you initial comment got me thinking...watch this space!!

D
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Re: Big Al stars in Y&Y

Post by JB9 »

I will be watching.

I am yet to sail an Osprey or FD. Perhaps we could get all three to the Nationals? I am not sure my Osprey will be on the water by then so any others would be very welcome.
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Re: Big Al stars in Y&Y

Post by davidh »

fyi.....

the Osprey gave a good account of itself at the Trials... and has to be said, is a very good boat. Sadly, the class has become increasingly marginalised in the skiff dominated world of UK dinghy sailing (interestingly, the some of the other classes..such as the FD and 505, are even more popular than before the RS revolution...but only out on the continent)

D
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Rupert
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Re: Big Al stars in Y&Y

Post by Rupert »

The Osprey as built by Hartley does seem to be selling - we were in Tenby last year, and there were loads around.

The fast boat market in the early 1950's appears to have suddenly a very crowded place - I'm guessing if you got the marketing wrong, that was it - no 2nd chances. Seems to be a similar situation now, with the Women's Olympic skiff trials. The winner will most probably survive and prosper (at least in the narrow bounds of a niche market), the designs which fail will either be quietly dropped, or if marketed by a big company, sell a few dozen or hundreds if lucky, and then fade into the background like the asys from the mid 90's.

Of course, if you look at the effect the Fireball had when it came in at the start of the next decade - cheaper, easier to sail but with little loss of performance, it shows that the right boat can prosper if it is launched in the right manner at the right time.

The RS 500 was nicely placed to do the same (coming in a few years after the Iso, Buzz, 4000 and the like) but didn't, at least in the UK. Any thoughts on why not? I crewed one a few times and found it a lovely boat, though not a good weight carrier - could that be the reason?
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Re: Big Al stars in Y&Y

Post by alan williams »

Hi Dave
I bet it's only in because you couldn't find a better picture? I'm very overwhelmed, INFAMY!!! at last. However there is a really good picture of Keith Rollison doing something really worthwhile, working with disabled sailors in the photo section of Y&Y website. This what the RYA should spend most of it's money on enabling other disadvantaged people to sail regardless of their circumstances. I salute you Keith and all the other folk that make this possible.
Cheers Big Al
SoggyBadger
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Re: Big Al stars in Y&Y

Post by SoggyBadger »

The Osprey class is doing OK. There was a time when they were without a GRP builder but that's behind them now. A much nicer boat to sail than either the FD (stupidly large genoa) or the 505 (stupidly wide side tanks and low boom).
Best wishes


SB
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Re: Big Al stars in Y&Y

Post by davidh »

Rupert,

I'm with you on the RS500.... I've been Race Officer at their Nationals ( come to think of it, with Jon 711 guarding the pin end of the line for me am their PRO again this year) so have seen a lot of the boat 'up close and personal'. Funnily enough, I don't see the boat as coming from the ISO side of things.....Buzz maybe. But it goes back to the other thread on discussion on the Lazy-E. I think you can follow a distinct line of progression from that cluster of what i call the 'pocket rockets' - Mirror14/Pegasus/Typhoon/lazy-E through some of the other failed classes until you reach the RS500.

It's certainly not a bad boat...., if fact I'd be hard pushed to put a word down on what the faults, if any, really are. (not only that, but although i'm happy to discuss individual boats at length, good and bad points...I will not criticise one boat over another.... I'll leave that to more vocal people on other forums).

I must admit that this self imposed rule can make one grit the teeth at times...when you read that the FD is a lesser boat to sail than the Osprey because of the size of the genoa and the width of the five-Os side tanks make that a lesser boat to sail than the Osprey.... but that is probably better discussed on a website such as Sailing Anarchy where such highly opinionated views are the order of the day. Sadly, despite the presence of a quality builder in the fleet, the Osprey as a class is chasing another equally excellent - but now showing it's age, 'high performance' dinghy, the Javelin, towards the doldrums.

But back to Rodney and his FDs, for that is the true subject matter of this thread..... I've STILL not had sight of the copy so am not sure how or what was said.... will comment.
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Re: Big Al stars in Y&Y

Post by SoggyBadger »

davidh wrote:I must admit that this self imposed rule can make one grit the teeth at times...when you read that the FD is a lesser boat to sail than the Osprey because of the size of the genoa and the width of the five-Os side tanks make that a lesser boat to sail than the Osprey
I said the Osprey is the nicer boat to sail. That's not the same thing.
davidh wrote:Sadly, despite the presence of a quality builder in the fleet, the Osprey as a class is chasing another equally excellent - but now showing it's age, 'high performance' dinghy, the Javelin, towards the doldrums.
Utter rubbish. Don't know much about the Javelin but the Osprey is still going strong.
Best wishes


SB
alan williams
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Re: Big Al stars in Y&Y

Post by alan williams »

Hi
I have sailed and crewed in all three boats Osprey :D nice National class FD, 505 GREAT International Classes with some of the best sailors in the world sailing them.
8) Cheers Al
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Re: Big Al stars in Y&Y

Post by Max McCarthy »

Can't we all just agree the boats are different, and suit individual people better then others?
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Re: Big Al stars in Y&Y

Post by JB9 »

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Re: Big Al stars in Y&Y

Post by Nigel »

Thanks for the link. Which one is Alan?
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