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Birdseye

Birdseye

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anyone following the race?

I wonder why there is so little UK interest in these long distance yacht races. Sure we have had spurts of interest - I am old enough to remember Chichester and K-J and both triggered wider interest but it faded very quickly.

In contrast the French dominate it. Why?
 
I'm following it and dearly hope Alex can get back to Armel the French wizard. Still plenty of miles to go so it may happen.

One reason why the French dominate is that solo long distance sailing has caught their public's imagination to a much greater extent than here and French companies are prepared to sponsor generously knowing they will get media coverage. You've got to hand it to them their sailors are bloody good at it!
 
Racecruiser said:
I'm following it and dearly hope Alex can get back to Armel the French wizard. Still plenty of miles to go so it may happen.

One reason why the French dominate is that solo long distance sailing has caught their public's imagination to a much greater extent than here and French companies are prepared to sponsor generously knowing they will get media coverage. You've got to hand it to them their sailors are bloody good at it!
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Shirley Robertson (current edition CNN Mainsail) quoted that over a million spectators had tramped the pontoons during the preparation days.

Even if Alex was to win (Oh please, please, PLEASE!) can anyone imagine that anywhere near ten thousand, never mind a million, would travel to watch him sail back into Blighty?
Pigs might....
 
Robert Wilson said:
Shirley Robertson (current edition CNN Mainsail) quoted that over a million spectators had tramped the pontoons during the preparation days.

Even if Alex was to win (Oh please, please, PLEASE!) can anyone imagine that anywhere near ten thousand, never mind a million, would travel to watch him sail back into Blighty?
Pigs might....
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I am a member of a comparatively enlightened yacht club. We still have a commodore, we have a "ladies" race. Some aspects are like a 70s golf club.

Then people on here have arguments about flag etiquette, ensigns etc. And the Royal Yacht Squadron is in charge of stuff.

No wonder the general public aren't interested in sailing?!
 
Why does that follow? why is it wrong to call the head honcho " commodore"? would you prefer that he be called after a piece of furniture? and why not ladies races as in the Olympics And flag etiquette is no more than good manners, a bit like not farting in the club dining rooms.

I dont for a moment think that what goes on at a club they arent members of affects the views of the public. As with the recent cycling fashion, my guess would be that the support follows the winning not the other way round. The public will come to the quayside when there are british winners to cheer for. And part of the reason that there arent any outside dinghies is that there arent any big british companies interested in spending money on sponsoring. Partly because there are far fewer big companies here than in france and partly because the City sees such things as a waste of money. look how little british sponsorship there is in F1 where we are winners.

If you think about it this has to be a big reason why we do OK in dinghies where costs are relatively low and have little success in big boats where megabucks are needed.
 
birdseye said:
Why does that follow? why is it wrong to call the head honcho " commodore"? would you prefer that he be called after a piece of furniture? and why not ladies races as in the Olympics And flag etiquette is no more than good manners, a bit like not farting in the club dining rooms.

I dont for a moment think that what goes on at a club they arent members of affects the views of the public. As with the recent cycling fashion, my guess would be that the support follows the winning not the other way round. The public will come to the quayside when there are british winners to cheer for. And part of the reason that there arent any outside dinghies is that there arent any big british companies interested in spending money on sponsoring. Partly because there are far fewer big companies here than in france and partly because the City sees such things as a waste of money. look how little british sponsorship there is in F1 where we are winners.

If you think about it this has to be a big reason why we do OK in dinghies where costs are relatively low and have little success in big boats where megabucks are needed.
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All I am saying is that at 47 I feel like a small child in our club. I don't think these aspects apeal to people under 40. I don't think cycling clubs have club dining rooms, let alone "etiquette".
 
roblpm said:
All I am saying is that at 47 I feel like a small child in our club. I don't think these aspects apeal to people under 40. I don't think cycling clubs have club dining rooms, let alone "etiquette".
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I'm with you on this one. Being classed as a 'lady' brings me out in hives, as does discussion about flag etiquette. I actually don't have a problem with 'commodore' - but my partner, who's not a sailor, snorts with derision every time I mention the title & asks what century we think we're living in.

And I do think this all has an impression on the general public. When I tell people I'm a sailor in this country, it usually prompts one of two responses - a) 'well of course you are, you're posh', or b) 'so you're an alcoholic then?'.
 
Back to the Vendee for a min - Alex's latest video is thoughtful and shows the scary mental element they must all have:
https://www.facebook.com/AlexThomsonRacing/

And re clubs and titles I'm not sure dumping titles like Commodore would help much - what do you replace with? Manager or variations of - no thanks, too corporate! However there is a balance to strike and clubs can evolve . My club (JOG) doesn't have a Commodore but we do have a Secretary, President, Captain, 2 Vice Captains, Treasurer and Committee Members - can't see a need to change anything. I'm no lady but can imagine how the word could grate these days.
 
roblpm said:
I am a member of a comparatively enlightened yacht club. We still have a commodore, we have a "ladies" race. Some aspects are like a 70s golf club.

Then people on here have arguments about flag etiquette, ensigns etc. And the Royal Yacht Squadron is in charge of stuff.

No wonder the general public aren't interested in sailing?!
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When I go of sailing those are the clubs I love to visit & if one was near me I would definitely join it
Why not have a bit of character in a club & a bit of " Dad's army" . It is part of a lot of clubs history & does no harm
Have fun, enjoy sailing but do we really have to act like a load of oiks ??
 
Daydream believer said:
Have fun, enjoy sailing but do we really have to act like a load of oiks ??
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This is difficult territory to discuss because what its really about is social class. I can understand where robplm and miss fitz are coming from but the answer for them is to join a club of like minded people.

I'm a member of two clubs. One is a Royal with Prince Charles as patron, Commodore in blazer and white flannels, blue ensign and dining room etc. The other proclaims itself as a "working mens sailing club" with lorry driver and bin men members and whilst it does occasionally offer food, its school dinner quality not in any sense haute cuisine. I'm relaxed about both with the exception that I refuse to eat the food at the latter club. And its this club which is split. Two groups of members with very different ideas of what is acceptable in lots of respects.

In the end you pays your money and makes your choice.

As for Lady - well I would draw the line at calling the chairwoman "chair". I sit on chairs not talk to them. And I am happy to be referred to as a gentleman
 
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