So, less than a month to go before the big day. Before ISAF decides what skiff the girls will be sailing into the Olympics. And we’re stoked. Glad the choice will be announced before our Canadian summer is over! But a little scared too. Why, you say? … little girls scared of big bad boat? Nope, sailing femmes scared of big bad bill. You see, although these contending skiffs are all great candidates, moving into a new class means money. And lots of it. We’ve done our homework and crunched some numbers and one skiff comes out on top. Mackay’s FX makes a lot of sense. The 49er class is now well rooted around the world, which means second-hand hulls and other equipment will be accessible to girls looking to sail fast. This makes the transition more affordable, as only the rig needs to be bought new.
You know what else this smells like? Something green, hip and good business these days: Sustainability. Why not give used 49er hulls a second life? Fiberglass boats don’t turn into trees when they go to the landfill… at least not for a long, long time. It’s a slow process, and the same can be said of developing sailing classes. On all continents, an FX class could easily build off the existing 49er base to get women competing soon. There’s no denying that it will take much more time for the other classes to become established in most sailing nations, and that’s a shame for the girls who’ve already been waiting years for the ISAF verdict to be made.
On that note, we’d like to make a desperate plea:
Dear ISAF, we know all the boats will be fun, no matter which model gets picked. We just hope we can afford to sail the one you choose. Sailing should be an accessible sport for everyone. Thread here.
Sincerely,
Laura & Laurie
(on behalf of hardworking sailing gals around the world)
