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Congratulations to Dan for his great report!!!

Posted: Fri Jul 16, 2010 12:23 am
by edoardo87
I really appreciated your article Dan!!!!

I totally agree with you!With your results you showed that on Musto Skiff the weight is not the most important thing as too many times I heard from people complaining about the boat!

I hope that also here in Italy people will understand that this boat is a very good alternative to the 49er!

Unfortunately, in my sailing club, which can count the biggest number of fast skiffs in Italy (like 29er, 49ers and 29erxx) every year I see people passing from the laser4000 or the 29er to the 49er and then they discover that the level is too high for them, and they never go out sailing because it's too difficult to put together their commitments they never have time to go out sailing together and they never improve...

Now, the MPS is not an easy boat when you're coming from the 29er or the laser4000 and you have been sailing them not at high levels (as you guys did:-)) but the upside is that you can go out sailing a lot, whenever you want (much more than on a 49er) because you don't need to wait for anybody! And I think that everyone saw that on this boat you can improve very fast and it depends on how much time you spend on the boat and practice.

So here in Italy we have the same problem: people think that the boat is too difficult and that you must be a superman to sail it and it seems to be hard to convince them that it's wrong!

Maybe I'm an example as many others I read about on this forum: before buying the musto I just did some days of sailing school on a laser 4000 and on a 29er and NOTHING ELSE!Ok I admit the step was too big, it was very hard at the beginning, I did a lot of swimming and I was terribly downhearted but I never gave up and now I can sail the Musto in almost every condition!!Last week-end I went out sailing in a 18 knots wind and I never capsized!For me this is a big result and I'm very happy about it because the boat is really amazing and I love to sail it!Specially when you don't capsize every jybe you really appreciate and enjoy the boat' speed!!! :D

The only sad thing is to see that few people at the sailing club showes some interest for the boat and most of them are scared about it. Anyway I think the situation is changing a little bit...and for the next years I see a brillant future for this boat in Italy, even if now the mainstream is to the 49er!

Sorry!This was thought to be only a short message but seeing 74 boats at the uk nationals let me be a little bit envious :mrgreen: ....This boat was made to race and it's a pity to have so few boats around!And what makes me more angry is that a lot of people here don't understand this boat....

So I'll show you article so that everybody can read it!

Regards,

Edoardo

Re: Congratulations to Dan for his great report!!!

Posted: Fri Jul 16, 2010 1:30 pm
by DanV193
Good post Edoardo, not too long at all, and great article Dan.

I was mildly disappointed that you didn't mention how you have developed as a more rounded personality, by getting some of your awkward teenage corners rubbed off. I am sure many others in the fleet have helped to 'bring you up' (rather than Paul Manning who just seems to beat you up). Just three examples of educational opportunities provided by the Musto Skiff Finishing School... Musical education (Rod Stewart Greatest Hits), being kidnapped in a Scottish Hen night driveby seduction (heaven knows waht you could have learnt there) and the mysteries of 'Washing Up'...

...I reckon most 29er sailors could use a bit of that education.

Re: Congratulations to Dan for his great report!!!

Posted: Fri Jul 16, 2010 1:40 pm
by Rick
:lol: ... washing up ... he did a fine job!!

I think the article was very good; the sport has a great youth scene but I suspect many are lost from the sport when they head off to uni and perhaps only return many years later.

After a 29er the 49er is a big jump in many terms and with people off to uni keeping a pairing going in a highly competitive environment going must be a big challenge coupled with the expense.

The Musto I think offers great competition withould the Olympic "edge" and being single-handle is far more flexible.

WHat was quite impressive at the nationals was that some of the new youth sailors have stepped in from Toppers and were sailing very well indeed. With a bit more practice us old gits are going to have our work cut out ... infact I think we already have.