#wayfarer – As one dinghy class, the RS 400s, can boast about record turnouts this season another class has been forced to scrub its Irish nationals, due to lack of interest. Such is the ebb and flow in the Irish dinghy and one design scene.
The Wayfarers have cancelled their national championships at Greystones, in Wicklow because there were only 10 boats intending to enter; four from East Down YC, two from Greystones (host club) and four others. The weekend didn't suit many people, but was arranged as five Irish boats will be travelling to the Wayfarer Worlds in Canada in August. A venue where Irish crews have previous success.
Sadly, the 16-foot class, favoured by many sailing schools as a stable platform for beginners, looks to be in decline in Ireland and is now sailed only in a handful of clubs. East Down is the only club that would have more than 7 or 8 boats out regularly,and this club is not affiliated to the Irish Sailing Association (ISA) so any boats sailing in the nationals from EDYC were counted as 'non-Irish' resulting in a smaller number of boats being recognised as Irish in the nationals. This meant up to half of the fleet could be designated as 'non Irish boats' at any nationals, one Wayfarer sailor told Afloat.ie
It is disappointing as the boat provides good close racing and the interior was completely redesigned by Phil Morrison (designer of the RS 200 and 400), that works well from a racing perspective.
Whether or not it is better to hold a small championships or none at all is something smaller fleets are having to consider in recession.
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