Wandering around the RYA Sailboat and Windsurf show and seeing how increasingly specialist many of the classes are becoming, it is little wonder that newcomers may find the dinghy scene intimidating and overwhelming.

We have all heard the pleas of some of the smaller and more traditional classes with dwindling memberships, read the AGM minutes outlining how to introduce new members, and seen the move to some of the newer one-design classes such as Laser and RS classes, but wandering around the dinghy show and seeing how increasingly specialist the development classes are becoming, it is little wonder that newcomers may find the dinghy scene elitist and intimidating.

Undoubtedly the carbonfibre poles, rotating masts, spectra lines, double-bottomed hulls adjustable uppers, lowers, inners and outers are very impressive, and the proud owners are keen to point out that if you flatten the leech, reduce the twist and squeeze the gap you’ll leave the competition spluttering in your wake. But for the newcomer and uninitiated, all they see is something that is far too complicated and overwhelming.

Not many visitors could have failed to notice the Merlin Rocket stand with a new Winder and Glen Truswell’s ‘Lotus engineered’ pocket rocket on display. It may be obvious to many that these two boats represent the top end of the class, a brand-new, latest design MR and a thoroughly over-engineered gadget for the enthusiast, but to newcomers it may appear differently.

Merlins are not the exception. Just look at Tasars with their rotating masts, the International Moths with hydrofoils, the International canoes with their newly introduced asymmetrics and most classes now allow electronic aids. While it is not hard to understand why these classes are developing and progressing, there is a risk that they are becoming over complicated and failing to achieve what they set out to do – attract newcomers.

It is not hard to understand why newcomers are being lured to new one-design classes or to believe that their attention may be drawn to the simplicity of a Laser Pico or Funboat, for the more adventurous, maybe even a small RS. Having gained experience, it is likely that they will naturally progress into a Laser 2000 or RS400/600, rather than making the transition into a development class.

With more and more new mass-produced one-design classes coming onto the market from large boat manufacturers, the attention that the smaller and more traditional classes receive becomes increasingly diluted. It is now more important than ever to ensure that we don’t make the type of boats that many of us were brought up on and learnt to sail on too complicated for newcomers, and that’s not to say novices, but prospective traditional/development class members.

Many of the Laser and Topper dinghies are ideal for beginners, and undoubtedly draw a far wider audience. The big question presented to traditional classes is how to make today’s beginners tomorrow’s members. There has to be a greater awareness of the range of classes, and the huge potential some of these traditional boats have to provide excellent, competitive racing in strong fleets, all around the country.