Dart 15 Forums

I had a curious email from Yachts and Yachting. It concerned the choice of boats for the Paris Olympics in 2024.

As one would expect, there have been some disgruntled people. Apparently the authorities have chosen a mixed two-person keelboat at the expense of a mixed one-person dinghy.

What's a mixed one-person dinghy?

I'd assume there was a word omitted - doesn't it take a mixed up person to sail a dinghy rather than a catamaran - especially a Sprint 15.....

The class to go will be the Finns. In a way, I feel sorry for them as they have been around for so long.

I don't really care for the way Olympic sailing is going. For example, the Mixed Two-Person keelboat event reminds me of mixed doubles at Wimbledon. We wonder if Premier League football would be improved if the teams all had five women in them. That seems the logical direction.

If the Finns want to overturn the Olympic descision, they need to follow the example set by the late Nick Dewhirst. It will be remembered that he was largely responsible for keeping catamarans in the Olympics.

Yes Nick was never put off by a daunting challenge and did a fantastic job getting the catamaran reinstated. He had a slightly easier task than the Finn is likely to have as the fact that the catamaran reintroduced was 2 person boat and could be made gender neutral by making it a mixed sex crew. I remember him telling us that was an essential element as there was now way the Olympics would introduce 2 new catamaran classes (one male and another female) as they were keen to be gender neutral. This option is not available to the Finn...

Cheers
Bob
PS I presume that the awkward language you picked up on means that Female helms can sail in the Finn class if they so desire. I have not heard of a female Finn sailor at the Olympics, though...…...