Dinghy Show This Week…
What Do I Actually Need — And What Can I Afford Not to Buy?
Every year I wander into the RYA Dinghy & Watersports Show like a child in a chandlery sweet shop.
Carbon tiller extensions.
New rope in suspiciously attractive colours.
A drysuit that promises Olympic performance (but I sail on the Thames, not the America’s Cup).
And then reality kicks in…
As someone learning to sail at 65+, racing our RS Toura on the River Thames and quietly watching the restoration of Vanessa the B-Rater, I’ve learned something important:
Most gains come from skill, not shopping.
So here’s a practical, slightly humorous guide before your wallet gets capsized.
✅ What You Probably DO Need
1️⃣ Good Control Lines (You Touch These All the Time)
If your sheets feel like washing line from 1998, upgrade them.
-
Fresh main sheet
-
Tapered jib sheets
-
Cunningham / kicker line if worn
-
Clear colour coding
On a river like the Thames, fast adjustments matter more than carbon sparkle.
💡 Cheap upgrade. Big difference.
2️⃣ Safety & Comfort Kit
A well-fitting buoyancy aid
-
Proper sailing gloves
-
Warm hat that doesn’t blow into Buckinghamshire and fits over my ears.
-
Decent boots - I keep admiring othe peoples.
Comfort = longer sessions = faster learning.
As I discovered during early RS Toura outings, cold hands make poor tactical decisions.
3️⃣ Wind Awareness
-
More telltales - possibly red and green ones.
-
Maybe a burgee at the club - but I do have the masthead float.
You don’t need £500 electronics for river sailing.
You need to look up as I am constantly reminded.
🤔 What You Probably Don’t Need (Yet)
❌ Carbon Everything
Unless you’re fighting for podium places at national level, carbon upgrades on a training or club boat rarely transform results.
Skill > stiffness.
❌ Brand-New Sails (Unless Yours Are Truly Shot)
If your sail:
-
Has zero shape
-
Looks like a tea towel
-
Won’t point
Then yes.
Otherwise? Spend the money on coaching or entry fees.
❌ Fancy Electronics for River Racing
On the Thames:
-
Wind shifts are king
-
River bends matter
-
Other boats are your wind instruments
A simple watch beats a chartplotter in Bourne End.
🎯 My Personal Rule Before Buying Anything
I ask myself three questions:
-
Does this solve a real problem I’ve noticed?
-
Will it improve safety?
-
Will it improve skill development?
If the answer is “it looks cool”… walk away.
(Or at least go and have a coffee first.)
💷 The Smart Spending Order
If budget matters (and it usually does):
-
Safety gear
-
Control lines & maintenance
-
Coaching / training
-
Entry fees
-
Then — and only then — performance upgrades
or a new Dinghy!
And One More Thing…
The Dinghy Show is not just about buying.
It’s about:
-
Talking to class associations this year is the 80th Anniversary of the Merlin Rocket.
-
Meeting sailors
-
Seeing restoration ideas
Innovative boat design
-
Learning what not to do
You’ll gain more from conversations than carbon.
No comments:
Post a Comment