Dinghy Sailing Magazine (DSM) catamaran section

[Robin Boardman]

I have just sent the following email to DSM. I hope other Sprint15 readers will do the same - it's the main reason I get the magazine.

Dear DSM

I have just received and read the latest issue of DSM, under new editorship. I thoroughly enjoyed the content but was very dismayed that there was no article/section on catamarans in the issue. I hope this is not new editorial policy.

[Bob Carter]

Robin
I have had a long battle with DSM to get better Sprint 15 coverage - almost totally without success. Even when they have a catamaran article they usually miss out the Sprint 15. They started out well when had Nick writing a column for them but after that we hardly get any coverage. I have written to them on a number of occaisions pointing out specifics and giving them ideas for articles but they usually take no notice. Now that they have stopped printing race reports we are hardly ever mentioned*. The last round I was involved with was 2 years or so ago. They had this idea that they wanted to do comparitive boat tests and wanted us to suggest what boats we should be compared to in such a test. I thought it was a good idea and suggested that we should do one comparing us to other single handers such as the RS600, the Contender, maybe even the Laser, etc as these boats have a similar sail plan and it is the single handed sailor we want to attract. As our boat is less physical than the monohulls it is a good progression for many who want something a bit less physically demanding to sail. They refused point blank to do this and said that they would only do a test which compares the Sprint 15 to other catamarans - pretty pointless at the time as there were no equivalent boats.

When one compares the Dingy Sailing Magazine to Y&Y from a catamaran (or Sprint 15) point of view there is no comparison. Specifically:
- Y&Y still print race reports (but since going monthly are not doing "little events" which seems to exclude our winter events)
- The Y&Y website is superb and covers all our events. It is easy to use, quickly and efficiently updated and read by most sailors. The DSM website is by comparison a waste of space.
- Jeremy Evans of Y&Y tested our boat about 3 years ago and we have the printed report to hand out at boat shows. It was a very good boat test.
- We can generally get newsworthy stuff printed in Y&Y. If you have something that will be of general interest you just have to write it up and send it to Jeremy Evans. It may take a month or 2 to get covered but it generally come up in one of his Multi-Mad articles - which are a regular feature of the magazine. If you have got some ideas - give it a try.
- The Nationals attendance chart is produced by Y&Y
etc, etc,
So best of luck with your letter but do not hold your breath.....
Cheers
Bob
* It is not quite true. A couple of years ago David Henshall (our race officer at the Netley Nationals) did a good series on the development of sailing and we got a nice paragraph coverage and from time to time Brian Phipps has contributed - but he feels constrained as he is the agent for the Sprint15 he says little for fear of showing a bias.

[Bob Carter]

Look this was on the Y&Y website about an hour after I sent it in.

http://www.yachtsandyachting.com/news/?article=144834

Quite an amusing report - I was a bit worried if they would include it as it was so unconventional. Well done, Jan.
Cheers
Bob

[Derek James]

Bob ,
this is not unconventional for Jan , he's like this all the time I think he has started something with the joke in his article , can we have some more I think Jan should be commissioned to write an article for DSM after his success with Y&Y how could they refuse !

[Andrew Hannah]

I agree with Derek. It's great to have articles written with some humour.

For example, someone at Draycote said his banana froze. This is a mystery because the Women's Institute says they don't freeze very well.

[Bob Carter]

Bob ,
this is not unconventional for Jan , he's like this all the time I think he has started something with the joke in his article , can we have some more I think Jan should be commissioned to write an article for DSM after his success with Y&Y how could they refuse !

Yes, far be it for me to stand in his way. Wind him up and point him at DSM.
Cheers
Bob
PS I remember that a Draycote report of a couple of years ago won the Y&Y prize for best report of the month. Let's see how this one fairs......

[Charles]

Andrew

The Women's Institute obviously don't freeze their bananas to perfection in their cocktail cabinets, like tough (or mad) Sprint sailors.

I can understand why the WI might prefer their bananas somewhat warmer though...

[Robert]

I'm not sure that they know all there is to know about bananas...

[Andrew Hannah]

Now, now, Robert. The Womens Institute has proper guidelines for freezing, especially bananas. First, the correct container must be used. A Dart 15 cocktail cabinet is considered to be impractical because the jam makers have never heard of a Dart 15. Charles should take this issue to the Halifax Townswomens Guild.

The Womens Institute recommends polythene bags, and stress the importance of extracting the air. Apparently, you hold the bag of bananas under water to remove the air. You then tie a clove hitch on the bag whilst it is still submerged. Honestly, it's true! For us, a capsize makes the job easier.

Meanwhile, Delia Smith who knows as much about football as she does about Dart 15s (which is very little), claims it is best to freeze bananas in jelly. You can buy jelly from the chap that sells jellied eels.

[Charles]

Andrew

It is very worrying how much you know about the inner workings of the WI & also Delia... !

[Steve Willis]

Andrew you are beginning to worry me too !

Have you been watching Monty Python's 'The Meaning of Life' this week. I bought DVDs of all the MP series in the autumn and you may remember the WI and nuns feature heavily. Oh no why did I have to mention then nuns ...........

[Kevin Dutch]

Why are women freezing banana's? i thought thats why we have shops like Ann Summers? ha ha ha

[Andrew Hannah]

There's a village between Stansted and Saffron Walden in Essex, called Ugley.

About thirty years ago, I knew the local vicar who sent a newsletter implying that the local busy-body women were members of the local Women's Institute. Unfortunately (or intentionally), he wrote Ugly Women's Institute.

The joke lasted years, and people still talk of it. Sadly, the vicar died a few years ago.

[Kevin Dutch]

No wonder they are freezing banana's at the ugly womens institute. ha ha ha