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Post by New Boy on Aug 31, 2009 9:59:24 GMT
Hi All The British Moth fleet is strong and growing at a slow but steady pace. We have John Claridge on board as a very keen and excellent boat builder which can only be good for our classes future. ASBO is about to appear and even before she hits the water a great deal of interest is being shown to John for new boat orders. I think now is a great time to get our Quirky boat seen by as many people as possible. Guess I am here asking as many of you as possible to help get the Moth noticed. That can be done in lots of different ways from sailing at other clubs near you or inviting people at your own clubs to have a try in one. At present we have no one person concentrating on publicity so it is down to each and everyone of us to do a little for the class. This could be just writing the odd bit on this web site as after all this is most peoples 1st point of contact with us. Maybe an even better way would be for each club to provide at least one article for the next Chrysalis. Any other ideas? Let the world know about Moths New Boy
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gmc
Mothist
Posts: 77
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Post by gmc on Aug 31, 2009 11:42:54 GMT
Mark; Abby trapped me in a corner of the boat park after breakfast yeaterday and coerced me into editing Chrysalis. So if anyone has any great pearls of wisdom that they wish to share with the rest of the class, please Email them to me at moth533@yahoo.co.uk
Note; I will be chasing fleet reps for their contributions in the next few days.
Mark Collyer
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Post by tomd on Sept 2, 2009 18:43:37 GMT
See FACEBOOK thread on page 2
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gmc
Mothist
Posts: 77
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Post by gmc on Sept 13, 2009 17:42:39 GMT
Iam planning to publish Chrysalis on September 29th so if you have anything to be included could I have them by the 27th Cheers Mark
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gmc
Mothist
Posts: 77
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Post by gmc on Sept 15, 2009 13:43:06 GMT
My thanks to Roger and Bill for their prompt reaction
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gmc
Mothist
Posts: 77
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Post by gmc on Sept 25, 2009 19:20:42 GMT
I will be putting the Autumn issue of Chrysalis to bed in the next couple of days,and am planning a 'bumper' Christmas edition Could I have any copy by December 5th (500 word maximum on "fleet news please)
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Post by New Boy on Oct 23, 2009 18:29:50 GMT
I have been with the British Moth fleet for nearly three years now and love me or hate me I will be around for a while yet! I have looked at the Moth with changing eyes over the last couple of years and have come to the conclusion that our quirky little Moths are Jacks of all trades. I know now that we have a class full of people that are passionate about their boats and a fleet full of people that see their boats as all different things. Some see them as a small boat suitable to sail on the smallest of rivers while others see them as a boat worthy of small lakes and bigger ponds. What do I think? Well I think the boat has everything going for it. It is nice to sail at a river club where the Moth has been known and loved for years, Have a few races and a BBQ but where I love to sail is on the bigger ponds. I think the British Moth of old has moved on! It's time to spread her wings and fly on some open water. Many changes have been made to the Moth over the years and with new Mast development and much improved sails she is really turning into a racing boat proper. We always enjoy close racing and there is room for both old and new boats to win but saying that you have to spend some money on sails and foils to head the fleet at the nationals and bigger events. So all that said I think it is time to decide how we market our Moths in the future. Are we going to push on and become a racing class proper or remain a friendly bunch who meet up for some food and drink with a bit of sailing on the side? I believe we need to tell people that we have a great boat to offer all the family that has become modern from a great history. It has something for everyone and that it offers great racing and a great social side too. We now have another boat builder on board and a boat that looks the part in any setting. Is it time to spread the word ? New Boy
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gmc
Mothist
Posts: 77
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Post by gmc on Oct 23, 2009 23:24:49 GMT
Are we going to push on and become a racing class proper or remain a friendly bunch who meet up for some food and drink with a bit of sailing on the side? Sorry Mark , but the Moth has been a proper racing class since before WWII and since 1948 has found it's strength on rivers and small ponds.That isn't to say there have not been some significant lake fleets, Broxbourne in the 1980/90s spring to mind; 40 active boats and three diferent National Champions Having said that , there is no room for complacency, Evesham and Bristol Avon now have significant numbers of lightnings, which in turn are being displaced at clubs like West Oxfordshire by the Solos, keep spreading the word, but remember the existing clubs too Mark C
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Post by New Boy on Oct 24, 2009 10:57:30 GMT
Don't worry Mark I will not forget where the Moth has come from and it will always have a place at our well supported river clubs. We have to accept that the British Moth is a changing breed and is now finding homes on bigger ponds to which it has become very suited. My opinion is that while supporting the river clubs we now need to expand to new lakes and ponds and to do that we need to project the right image. Lets market the boat with pictures full of spray and pretty (tart) sails on boats with sparkling decks. The future of the Moth lies with the youth (how old am I saying that) They want good looking boats and crisp sails and demand the best as they want to win. I hear so often when people introduce newcomers to the Moth that they are great on rivers and what a friendly bunch we are which is all true but they are much more than that. They are great fun on open water large lakes and even as shown last year out to sea with Bill and I having a blast. Image is king if we want to grow. New Boy
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Post by ianedwards on Oct 24, 2009 13:00:34 GMT
Mark I have to endorse the comments made by Mark Collyer in respect of the management of the publicity for the BM as we have to achieve a balance in retaining and enthusing the existing membership and the development and expansion of the class. Quite along time ago I raised the very issue of the class being suited to restricted waters as a potential limitation on the expansion of the class and our move to larger waters such as Rutland Water and Northampton for our Nationals helped expose the opportunity available to the class but I feel we need to be very careful. The class has to be seen as affordable, if we allow development to go forward too quickly will find difficulty in retaining membership. It was noticable that the nationals this year only had two or three craft under number 800. Is this an indication that much of the membership is feeling that they now have to have a new boat to be competative. We do not want to get to a position such as the Larks, Enterprises, Solo etcetera where the numbers are almost restricted to this years crop of new boats. If one goes back through the photographic archive one will find some fantastic shots of Toby Cooper flying on a broad reach with loads of spray and the like, yes this is what we want and I am all for showing the adrenelin rush that can be achieved from sailing a British Moth but one has to accept that the plastic fantastics can be put on the water for a lot less money, offer bigger fleets, competative racing. My point is I just think we need to be careful! Ian
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Post by robwilder on Oct 24, 2009 13:45:11 GMT
As someone who is looking for a decent second hand boat to get back into the class I'm finding it hard to source such a boat. My only option is to buy a new boat or spend nearly the same price fixing up an old boat and putting a good rig, sail, folis etc. A few years ago when I won the nationals in Painted Lady it was in a boat that cost me £1000, I put a new sail on her and the rest is history! I don't think you need new boats to win in the British Moth just a well sorted boat that is down to weight, Tim Hogan has always gone well in his boat which is well looked after and certainly not new!
As for the attraction of the British Moth I'm not quite sure what it is about them but I find them fun to sail..
Rob
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gmc
Mothist
Posts: 77
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Post by gmc on Oct 24, 2009 17:39:12 GMT
I have been with the British Moth fleet for nearly three years now and love me or hate me I will be around for a while yet! Mark , I sincerely hope you will be with us for many years to come, qpart from your charm and good looks , it great to have somebody thinking " outside the box", it stops the class dying of boredom One question though, how do you define a "proper racing boat"? If it is on Championship turnouts, then the Oppy and the Topper are streets ahead of the rest . Neither are what one might consider "cool". In Terms of coolness most would consider that the Thames A rater would take a lot of beating, but have very limited appeal.The same could also be said of the International Moths these days. Technical inovation is important to any class, providing it doesn't render the rest of the fleet obsolete as happened in the late '70s Mark C
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Post by Pie-eyed on Oct 24, 2009 18:27:40 GMT
But the truth of it is that if you put our top 10 sailors in pre-800 boats the results would be no different!
As it is there have only been 74 (ish) boats built in the last 20 years and very few of them become available, even fewer people have the time or the skills to make good and mend the older boats. As I see it there will always be, as in every class, the ones who want to win and those who are quite happy that their boat still floats and enjoy racing whoever is around them!
Perhaps now is the time to make more of a feature of the vintage/ older boats competing at opens ...? Of Course for the keener 'vintage' sailors there is also the opportunity to show the CVRDA sailors just how good an old Moth really is! All good exposure...
Let the competitive racers build their new boats and enjoy themselves, it's surely all good for the class? People need to be aware that a new boat is an option and that Moths aren't just an 'Old Class'.
By Decrepit 'Old Moth' Sailor (who is more than capable of doing quite well when she puts her boat to it!)
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gmc
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Posts: 77
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Post by gmc on Oct 24, 2009 19:50:09 GMT
Let the competitive racers build their new boats and enjoy themselves, it's surely all good for the class? As with everything, here is a middle road, but there is very little point in putting five new boats onto the water, when six end up on the bonfire BTW Whippet had some good CVRDA results, mainly with Rupert
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Post by Pie-eyed on Oct 25, 2009 7:46:54 GMT
A previous remark from Mark C...
What a ridiculous attitude!! Don't put Moths in the 'Has Been' Class! For a current Class to survive and flourish new boats are essential.... there is a real buzz about the new boats which is fantastic. Personally I shall be sticking with 'Tabitha'. Choice is a wonderful thing!
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