Faking It Better TV coverage of Sail Racing than..

[JeremyF]

Re: learning to sail: boring tv?

You are quite right, tcm. Its the people that makes it work. Sunsail and Neilson both do 'pot luck' flotillas for singles who have never met, who then share a boat for 2 weeks. This must have the basis of an interesting series. Sort of 'Driving School' meets 'Big Brother' with a challenge from the sailing.

<font color=red>Jeremy Flynn/forums/images/icons/crazy.gif
Dawn Chorus</font color=red>

 

[PeteMcK]

Queer reaction.

I take it your exaggeratedly sensitive PC-ness is a wind up? A bit like the Blue Ensign posters.

 

[Johnjo]

Faking It, I found it compulsive viewing,only wish now I taped it as well,
Thought she did brilliantly, surrounded by a t.v crew,professional sailors
and with the knowledge that a large audience would see the outcome of her
endeavours, Don't know about you? but that would scare the hell out of me!
Lets hope she go'es on to more successful things in the future.
regards all
mike

 

[ecudc]

Re: learning to sail: boring tv?

How bout an on board big bro thing with someone being made to walk the plank every week and the winner keeps the yacht. Channel 5 would love it. They could call it something really awful like "Scupper the Skipper" or "I'm a sailor, get me out of here"

 

[Magic_Sailor]

Re: learning to sail: boring tv?

How about "Hello sailor, goodbye failure" - UGH - I hate those programmes!

Magic

 

[AndrewB]

Magnificent advert for the character building qualities of sailing.

Yes, I too was dismayed by Emma Richards, who from the point of first meeting Lucy seemed antagonistic. Of course she is not an instructor, and shows that a 'big name' may not always be a good choice in these roles.

It dawned on Chay Blyth that his organisation was going to look bad if Lucy had a poor outcome. So I'm not surprised he stepped in, and he proved a first-class instructor, if a bit over-bearing at times.

Whatever one thinks about genuineness of 'the race', this programme was a magnificent advert for the character building qualities of sailing.

 

[Celena]

Re: Influence on Ch 4

Personnally I resent the fact that a jolly useful word like "gay" has been hi-jacked by homosexuals.

 

[Opinionated]

Disagree with the bit about not starting on a Laser.

My fear was that they would do just what you suggested. Nothing makes you more aware of what happens, when you do this and that, than a dinghy, especially something like a Laser which is dead easy to get back into. And the weather- it was obviously hot and enjoyable to fall in.

Her confidence was much more about interpersonal handling, and finding that she could crack something on her own, the raw basics of how a boat sails, must have been the foundation which enabled her to overcome those interpersonal probs.



(I don't have to agree with YOUR opinions, but I'll defend your right to express them).

 

[Opinionated]

Re: Influence on Ch 4

Hear, hear !!

Forget the poofter bit, you'll just upset someone. He justifies the american word 'jerk' ! Of the first order.

(I don't have to agree with YOUR opinions, but I'll defend your right to express them).

 

[dickh]

Keltman, I agree with you, she was thrown in at the (very)deep end from the beginning - it was cruel to put her in a Laser after only a few minutes tuition. The first few minutes made me wince and I really felt for her. As you say she should have had one to one tuition in a family cruiser before being let loose on the Challenge yacht.
She did do well though and to win the race was good - but I bet the 'unknown emergency skipper' who could have taken over if need be, was whispering a few hints to her.
Will she sail again? - I hope so.

dickh
I'd rather be sailing... /forums/images/icons/smile.gif

 

[Opinionated]

Re: Magnificent advert for the character building qualities of sailing.

I don't think the outcome of this 'happening' was so surprising, and I am ready to give her the benefit of the doubt as to who called the tack. Let's face it, tacking away from the fleet BECAUSE YOU ARE BEHIND (not because you have seen a big gust coming down and tacked for it) is a beginners trick. The fact that it paid was just dead lucky.

Remember, all she had to do in her intensive training, was to learn to SAIL. No navigation, probably little manoeuvering in the marina ("john, take her in, will you"). She was on a winner from the moment she finished on the Laser. All she needed after that, was to learn the names of the ropes and have bags of confidence, which they concentrated on building up.


(I don't have to agree with YOUR opinions, but I'll defend your right to express them).

 

[vyv_cox]

Tacking away

"Let's face it, tacking away from the fleet BECAUSE YOU ARE BEHIND is a beginners trick."

Is it? What alternative would the opinionated one offer? Keep plugging away behind the leaders in the hope that they will be struck by lightning or that your sails will miraculously spring into a better shape? Tacking away is the only thing to do, upon which the leader will tack to cover, if he knows what's what. Maybe you should be watching the America's Cup a little more closely.

 

[Opinionated]

Re: Tacking away

Did you notice the little word 'fleet' when jumping in with your big boots on?

Generally, in any decent fleet (and we were told that the other 4 or 5 boats were skippered by pretty handy experienced racing skippers), one tack will be paying, the other will not.

Tacking away from the fleet, in the hopes of picking up something the others don't catch, is usually a loser, for the following reasons.

Heading away from the fleet if they ARE (as they should be) on the lifting tack, will increase how far you are behind. In addition, the amount you lose on the next heading tack for you is multiplied by the 'leverage' of the distance between you and the leaders.

Tacking to cover applies to either the closest challenger (always the 'other' boat in AC) or loosely on the whole fleet, NEVER on the first beat if you are clearly on the paying tack and more than one opponent.

I am not going to get into a silly argument with you about this, it is well-known to anyone.

In the case of the America's Cup, which is NOT a fleet, then the lead vessel will generally tack to cover, because even if the leader is on the paying tack, he IS leading, and will continue to do so if he sticks in the same wind as the boat he is covering.


(I don't have to agree with YOUR opinions, but I'll defend your right to express them).

 

[Trevethan]

Re: Tacking away

She still won though didn't she? A beginner's trick but it worked for her. Wonder if she had someone calling the wind for her?

Despite the high cost of living, it still remains popular.

 

[Skyva_2]

Re: Tacking away

Maybe she tacked to get clear air, not a bad decision after a poor start and getting lots of dirty air, and then found it paid off? It has happened before.

They all started on starboard because it was the start, not necessarily because it was the lifting tack. If I recall correctly she was the only boat who could tack at that time.

Follow my leader round the cans wasn't going to get her anywhere.

Keith

 

[jamesjermain]

Re: We\'ve got to gind out about that tack !

The tack was absolutely the right call under the circumstances but I don't believe for a moment it was her decision - nothing I saw on the programme to that point lead me to believe she had that much understanding of racing tactics - she could only just call a tack, full stop, and come out of it the other side in good order.

I am afraid I am deeply sceptical. I don't believe she had the knowledge or feeling for sailing (after two months how could she?) to beat professional skippers at their own game without considerrable background support.

But I will ask around and see what the insider opinion is.

JJ

 

[nicho]

Re: learning to sail: boring tv?

TCM - The germ of a great idea - Pop Idol does it for "singers", Jamie Oliver does it for "cooks" and with the popularity of 'reality' TV at present, a 'ten down to one' series, showing novice sailors learning, battling against each other with one finally winning a grand prize, would make great viewing, lots of action, drama, tantrums etc .The RYA could do more for yachting by sponsoring this idea than they do for most of us on a day to day basis

 

[Tiger Rag]

Re: Tacking away

couldn't agree more, even giving her the benefit of the doubt that it was her decision to tack away surely at least one of the "professional" skippers would have seen her benifitting from the shift and tacked over to cover?

 

[vyv_cox]

it is well-known to anyone

Seems not, as all the other respondents disagree with you. I certainly do, last thing I want is their dirty air. I suspect the "paying tack" statement is fictitious although I didn't see it. They can't all be paying.

 

[Opinionated]

Re: it is well-known to anyone

Seems not, as all the other respondents disagree with you. I certainly do, last thing I want is their dirty air. I suspect the "paying tack" statement is fictitious although I didn't see it. They can't all be paying

ONE: did you see the program? She was behind but slightly to windward, not in dirty air.
TWO: What on earth do you mean by 'They can't all be paying'????
THREE:How can a statement be fictitious?
FOUR: Have you then accepted that your stuff about cover, and refs to AC were inapt and irrelevant?


(I don't have to agree with YOUR opinions, but I'll defend your right to express them).