One for the sailors.... ISAF to get rid of sailor classification?

miss no stars

So it seems that ISAF want to absolve themselves of classifying sailors. I'm not sure that it would have a huge effect in these waters. I don't think the money really exists here to a large enough extent to wind up with big rich idiots in big fast professionally crewed boats making it not worthwhile showing up for anyone else.

But I do think it could potentially do some damage in international events if this disappears and there's nothing else to replace it quickly or adequately enough (not that the current system doesn't have shortcomings). It could effectively turn what exists as a largely amateur sport into a sport where if you can't cough up for a sh!t hot crew, you haven't a hope. If there's no hope of winning, nothing to aspire to, surely that could kill a sport that has enough preexisting problems?

I'm not sure it was a wise move by ISAF to put this out without suggesting an alternative. Classes get uppity when an unpaid jockey comes in for a more prestigious event and suddenly boosts a mid-fleet boat to the top. I can imagine the frustration of spending years targeting a particular event, working away with your amateur crew trying to get off work in time to make it to racing, only to show up to the event and find you've been basically priced out of the skill level.

Thoughts?

http://www.sailing.org/tools/documents/02514ISAFClassificationCodeAppendix4Regulation22-%5B17572%5D.pdf

Steve

It will have an impact here for sure, there are plenty of both paid and unpaid jockeys that appear on boats. They've always been allowed on zeroes but borderline in class ones. Last ICRAs was a prime example.

I can understand the thinking though, it's not so much eliminating the rule as placing it at the discretion of event organisers, still fair imo if it's declared well enough in advance.

There was also recent discussion on declassifying semi-pros (i.e. those that earn a living from the sport but aren't necessarily able to contribute to improving a race position - mostly people involved in maintenance) and I agree with that.

Interesting development nonetheless.

pedroeibar1

I HATE jockeys, it stems from my youth.

Many years ago when Pedro was a youngfella in a bank job he was not enjoying and trying hard to get the break that would progress his career, he received a phonecall. Not just a phonecall, but A PHONECALL, from a family friend, a very senior figure in very big bank who said he had an interesting work proposition on offer and could we meet. Pedro cancelled everything, which on that particular evening meant a very attractive young blond* on whom he was then very keen and instead met THE MAN. It transpired that the interbank race was taking place later in the week and a rival boat brought back to Dublin a chap called Harold Cudmore to helm their entry and THE MAN needed a helmsman to beef up his team on their second boat. As the crew had to be bank employees, Pedro was therefore employed for a day as an ‘office cleaner’ in that bank and to ease the pain of such employment was, instead of a mop, given an expense account - to buy drinks for the crew and hangers-on. Beaten into second place we did not disgrace ourselves, but God bless you Mrs. Doyle, you understood what happened and looked after me, and I had credit in the George bar for a few Thursdays after that!
*The blond and I never really got it together, she later married someone rather important, became unhappy with his antics and took him to the cleaners. She did the same to No. 2, so I suppose the outcome for Pedro was not all bad.

Tow

pedroeibar1 wrote: »

It transpired that the interbank race was taking place later in the week and a rival boat brought back to Dublin a chap called Harold Cudmore to helm their entry and THE MAN needed a helmsman to beef up his team on their second boat.

Harold must be well into his 70s now...