Mantas in the Olympics...HaHaHa. They are an ancient breed and way out of date. Although they are still manufactured they are produced with the same old technology as the originals.
That would be like cross country skiing with wood plank skis or speed skating with hinges as blades or how about track and field in bare feet?? Some things, like bobsleds, have evolved as the sport evolved. The contrast in Manta evolution is unnoticeable even though the sport has moved on the Manta has stood still.
Allowing non-factory configurations of the Manta is the best thing to happen for the class in........forever...... and it's about time.
Like I said. the Manta is a fun yacht that can only compete with itself. I admit that the class has a great following and probably an important part of the backbone of NALSA. It's time to move on! Keep the Manta as a one design dinosaur class and run them seperately from ALL other classes.
The fact that Mantras and Blokarts are identical and in their own class is precisely the reason to keep building and racing them. Look with envy at how many dedicated long term participants they have.
Winning at sailing within established rules is a human skill involving sailing knowledge, experience and a lick of luck. So if you find you can't beat someone in an identical yacht of any class then you should go back to basics at "sailing school". The other half of the sport is a contest between who can most cleverly modify and build a bullet using the latest materials or design and I don't criticise that. So if your machine falls apart at speed then simply go back to "building school".
I'm not critical of the development of newer faster modified machines as an interest or for ones own satisfaction or to break speed records or whatever but be aware that any yacht currently being built to be the ultimate speedster will only be another "one-off yacht in a class by itself for a very short period. Interesting innovations will always come through .... tomorrow we will see even better efforts.
So the question is simply ... do you want to test your sailing kills or your building skills or do you just want to have fun? Whatever it is, go for it, enjoy it ... but don't knock the others.
(I'm sure there are groups smiling and quietly nodding in the background)....Wok
No yacht knocking going on here. I merely stated the truths about the Manta yachts. I'm sure if I bought a Manta there would be plenty of Manta pilots that would kick my tail all over the course.
Don't get me wrong but does anybody really think the Manta would be the best yacht for an Olympic event? Class 5 or promo style yachts would be a much better choice....Don't you think?
Select to expand quoteKAONAONA said..
No yacht knocking going on here. I merely stated the(my) truths about the Manta yachts. I'm sure if I bought a Manta there would be plenty of Manta pilots that would kick my tail all over the course.
Don't get me wrong but does anybody really think the Manta would be the best yacht for an Olympic event? Class 5 or promo style yachts would be a much better choice....Don't you think?
I doubt if land sailing would ever end up an olympic sport, the eligibility for any sport is intense to comply.
BUT if something was to happen it would be a manufactured craft, delivered to the event by the manufacturer, and then used by competitors, and then sold off, this is the way its done for many of the smaller water sailing classes. A local sailing club bought 3x Sydney 2000 Olympic Laser yachts and they still sail today with the full olympic markings.
So I believe the only logical choice at this time to a hypothetical question would be the 'blokart' or 'Manta' or 'Standart' and 'DN' for ice sailing
"Manta" cares nothing about the Manta racing class and does nothing to support it! By no means would they send yachts to compete in any event, let alone the olympics.
All "Manta" does is sell yachts and parts, that's their only contribution to the sport!! My vote would be the Standart, a much more competitive yacht than the Blowkart! IMO
