The International Canoe

I must fully concur with Steve B. The AC as it stands is superb. Every class has it's strong points and it's weakness's. If our intention is add even more confusion to a class which has done a fabulous job of putting off just about every would be canoe sailor from joining our ranks then so be it. Personally I would like to see all future development plans to be truly sustainable with hulls and weights remaining firmly as is. The problems we are now facing have nothing to do with the boat and everything to do with the way we present ourselves, and that includes individuals who have a strong desire to develop the class into oblivion. Maybe they are not planning on being members of the canoe fleet for too many more years!!

I absolutely agree with Tony. Many people don't understand the idea of having an IC and an AC as it is so let's not add another problem. We would end up with IC one designs, AC one designs, ICs and ACs. Bit of a problem when we can only must 15 boats at an open as it is! I sold my IC and bought an AC because the IC became a development class. Development classes do not produce fare racing by definition - otherwise there would be no point in developing.

The biggest problem we have in the class is attracting under 30s to it. I can only think of 4 in the whole of the UK. 3 of them are at Ullswater. I think most people consider the boat to be over complicated (including myself) and too expensive. The lack of off-the-shelf replacements is also a big problem. None of those problems can be solved by becoming a development class. Expense and the problem of standard parts will only become worse.

I think it's very easy to miss construed interest in the class for people who will buy boats. I'm interested in the Moths because they're fast, odd and there's something new happening all the time. I'll never buy one tho - I'm too heavy and I don't think I'll ever have quick enough reactions to sail something that narrow and it's a development class. I think there is a certain amount of that going on with the canoe in all it's forms.