Spot on Timbo !

I have nothing to add to your postings.

Wouter

From Kirt:
"We need some strong leaders in the class who are hardcore SAILORS who happen to love the idea/concept/boats which fit in the F16 class- whether they want to race, cruise, distance sail, are professionals, semi-pros, amateurs, kids, etc."

OK, so here's what we need to do:

Step 1: Buy (or build) an F16.
Step 2: Show up to sail it.
Step 3: if you can't buy or build one, organize an event.


So Mark, when are you buying one or help put on some regattas up by you? You know the next F16 N/A's are going to be held at the WRSC, right? I'll bet they could use some help setting it up.

Well Mark?

Cricketts...


And from Mark's rant above: "Class culture is bottom up.... NOT mandated by Wouter and the founders."

Last time I checked, Mark, you are the only one in this debate who is neither a class member or F16 owner...so take some of your own advice and let the Class Members decide, from, as you say, the Bottom up!

From CS classifieds:

Taipan 4.9(F16) -- Excellent condition,Selftacking jib. Full set new sails. Aluminum trailer, catbox and Beach Wheels. Many extras. $9600.00 pics/info contact:
Stefan@banyanscapes.com (FL)(May)

Taipan 4.9 F16 -- Sailed very few times, excellent shape & won the F16 Nationals. Comes with two mains (one for sloop rig, one for unirig), spinnaker and Hooter, Excellent rudder system compared to stock, Lightweight Kevlar built, Carbon PowerRighter Pole, wing mast. old trailer possibly available. $8900. Rick 305-451-3287, rick@catsailor.com, check it out at http://www.ahpc.com.au/m_taipan.htm (FL

Maybe we, the -bottom up- class members, you know, the ones who have actually spent our own money on boats, and actually showed up and raced and organized events, should all pitch in and buy Mark a boat.

Then he can come to a regatta and show us how it's done. Man, I wish we had more Hard Core Mark's in our fleet!

Be nice. Civility is the watch word of the day.

I thoght I was being nice, I offered to buy him a boat! How much Nicer do I need to be?

So Mark, why don't you define Bottom Up for me? Seems I'm a bit slow, but right here, you are talking to the "Bottom Up" group, you do realize that, right?

Wouter wrote:
"Hardcore racing implies a series of events that all count towards a championship or title. It puts pressure on the class members to attend all such events or basically be non-participants (those DNS's kind of kill your changes otherwise). I also implies a certain attitude in in racing that some find off-putting. When the stakes run high (sponsor deal promises to be fulfilled) then the tempers run high. Alot of abuse on the start-line, yelling and cursing and on the beach statements made in the line of "if you can't stand the heat then get out of the kitchen"

Wouter, I honestly do not know any class or group that correspond to the description you wrote above.
I think you wrote your perception of a class or group as you see it, I attend quite a lot of races and do not recognise the negative attitude or behaviour you portraied.

There is a rulesclinic at your club tonight, maybe I will see you there?

Tim,

This seems like a good moment to let go.

The points have been made and it is now better to spend our energy on more positive things.

You happen to be on a EU flight around the Euro's time ? You might want to drop in with your sailing gear in your handbag ! Some owners are looking to pick up crew.

With kind regards,

Wouter

But others do. In the past, several crews from certain classes did express such views and were looking to switch to the F16's partly for that reason. Additionally, I myself was forced to change my sailnumber at the very last moment because some well known racer claimed ownership of the same number even when he didn't sail in my class or even on the same course ! Better still, he had already decided to not sail at all because of the conditions but pushed through the protest anyway.

I'm really not making this up.

Will you be at the clinic yourself ? I can be tempted to drop by for a beer (it is a 20 km round trip by bicycle for me).

Wouter

Beer and bikes? That's a subject worthy of a video.

Especially since I'm riding a recumbent bicycle !

Beer in one hand and a fag in the other. Only thing missing is the remote control for the TV.

Wouter

Wait a minute, what's a fag? Here in the US that's slang for someone being "GAY". Nothing wrong with that, but I'm just curious to what you really mean.

cigarette

REALLY?

That's kind of funny actually!


Mike

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Faggot_(slang)

Wouter: I hope to make it, but still stuck at a customer right now.

Give me a call (or sms) on my mobile phone if you do get there. Will be nice to say "hello, how are you?".

Personally, I'm eyeballing the rain clouds overhere. I don't mind a 20 km bicycle tour at all but I do mind getting soaking wet while doing it.

Wouter

Alright, can't resist...another related story: As you might know, my kids are (beside sailing) into music, so we attended a classical concert last time we were in the Netherlands...So they announce the players and instruments in Dutch: one was playing the Fagot (Dutch for Bassoon), and another the Hobo (Dutch for Oboe). Needless to say we had to listen to the kids giggle throughout the performance.....

Are you coming to Daytona? It's about two weeks away.

Probably not...the kids and Jackie are away that weekend, so I am crewless, and dogsitting!