As you have seen we are to proceed with organising the '07 Global Challenge at Zandvoort. While the club itself and the organisers have experience of organising such events, ....
This is undoubtably true. We've (I'm a club member at this club and are currently the race officer) have held many large events over the years. Each year there is a REM-race with about 100 participating boats. However having said all this, it is a question of budget; in the end you get what you pay for.
Having said this, I can tell that the club has all the hardware that is needed for such a F16 world championship. Bouys, boats, room and electronics. It will help enormously to offer the volunteers some compensation for their invested time. Afterall it is a week long event.
We can do it on the cheap which will mean we have to do alot ourselfs (probably me plus some helpers) using the hardware that is available or we spend some money on it and have it done for us.
We want to know what you would be looking for that might sway you in favour of taking part.
Not that I need to be swayed but ...
I'm juts personally looking for alot of fun, that means that off-the-water the group is hanging together and organizing some impromptu BBQ and such. Maybe go to the casino on one night. Get the wifes and family members involved. One big socializing event. But not a schedule that forces everybody to do the same. Some nights maybe planned but others need to be left over to individual initiatives or individual plans.
I have no chance in winning this event. So I go there to be part of it, learn and enjoy myself. So some trim and tuning clinic will be very welcome to me. I would love to have another session with sailors of the skill like Daniel van Kerckhof. Another part of the attraction is the meeting of the other sailors.
I feel that a rest day is very wise, so part of the group can explore the Netherlands and the other part can join them or use this day do to some tuning/speed testing against others who decide to stay at the club.
Currently our idea, whilst acknowledging the importance of the racing, is to put a large emphasis on socialising as a class and getting to know our fellow F16 sailors.
Yes please !
What sort of entertainments do you want to see?
How much 'off-time' is enough?
Do you need something going on for your family ashore? Organised trip perhaps?
I can't answer these questions as I don't bring a family. Personally I always find the cooking bit very enjoyable and very effective in molding the participants into one interacting group. When all have taken a shower and exchanged wetsuits for cloths they tend to crave a beer and are very willing to talk and help out in some preparation for cooking. An idea would be to rent some large burners and pans and have make our own meals while enjoying a drink and some talk. Probably not everynight but it could be some nights.
At the club we have a tent that we can put up on the elevated terras. We can even leave the sides off so we are dry or out of the sun but still have a good view of the beach and sea and even the sunset. I'm sure all these things can be arranged. And it will make us less dependent on the weather and on budget constraints.
To the guys coming from far; like the Americans, Australians, South Africans, Asians. It is a really good idea to extent your holliday here with a week of Valk sailing in the Northern part of the Netherlands. This is very enjoyable to both wife/kids and yourself. I never realized it as such, but when I took Phill Brander to do it in 2004 he expressed that he thought it was like nothing he ever imagined or experienced. He thought it so enjoyable that he'll consider it doing it again. Pretty much this Valk sailing means you navigate around in an area with lots of inland lakes and canals and pass through many smaller and old style towns. You can harbour at any town and enjoy the scenery and restaurants / bars. It is very much like wandering about as a backpacker but with a small boat and alot less spartan. The boats are very well fitted and cheap to rent and are actually quite good sailers. The trip itself is filled with sailing challenges like narrow winding canals and low bridges, but with these boats being designed for it, it is like doing an obstacle course with a well suited machine. You will be doing alot of sailing and sailing manouvres but the boat makes these very easy indeed. Never a dull moments and kid like it alot because things are happening and they can do it themselfs even. Maybe I should ask Phill to elaborate on this.
Who (realistically) might you like to see?
I vote for Daniel van Kerckhof/Annaliese Byrne. Very nice guy and he explains what needs to be done very well, Annaliese is much the same but much better looking from my perspective ! <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />
They understand the superwing mast very well and are inmensely fast with it.
John Pierce of course. You don't have many ex-olympic squad sailors with related huge amount of experience giving these clinics.
I believe Hans Klok and his dad can really work on our upwind speed when sailing singlehandedly. They can immediately tell what is wrong with your mainsail by looking at it.
Additionally I would love to have to see one of the better Spitfire crews do a clinic. Some of these teams are really fast. There must be heaps to learn from them.
I think it to be a good idea to seperate doublehanded sailing from singlehanded sailing trim clinics.
I would love to have a discussion about on board systems with the chaps. To see which are most simple and most effective. It is surprising how much you can learn from these talks/analysis especially when you can go down and look at the actual systems.
I really want to do a photo session that shows off our boats. Additionally it will be great material for website and future leaflets / magazine articles.
Also personally I would love to see the spitfire crews coming over. The more souls the more fun I say, besides we can learn heaps of them and they will keep our good sailors sharp.
I don't mind really if a Spitfire wins the first F16 Cup. I know it is always the skill of the crew that does so and not really the boat design. Besides the two design are soooo comparable in specs that it is rediculous to believe all is the result of these minute differences instead of sailor skills. And I still believe that Spitfire crews and F16 crews should stand together in the larger catamaran scene and showcase the light and small racing catamarans.
Personally I value a seperate long distance race during such an event with its own price, but I think you guys have this already covered with the REM-race in the concluding weekend (100 boats !). Maybe we should just arrange for a seperate F16 price ?
This is all for now
Wouter
