Finn sailing

V

View from the back

Member
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Southern California
WCB said:
I don't know the class' finances but since they just spear headed the building of new tooling to allow for boats to be built in the US, I don't think it's out of the question to put a class wide effort to stock masts to support the sales of those hulls. With enough turnover, the class might make a tidy little profit on this system.
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The R1 build wasn’t the class, it was the Finn Foundation, a 501c(3) Non Profit, of which I’m the Treasurer. And no, the Foundation doesn’t have money for masts, nor does USAFA, of which I used to be Treasurer.
 
WCB

WCB

Super Anarchist
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Park City, UT
View from the back said:
The R1 build wasn’t the class, it was the Finn Foundation, a 501c(3) Non Profit, of which I’m the Treasurer. And no, the Foundation doesn’t have money for masts, nor does USAFA, of which I used to be Treasurer.
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As if anybody knows that the Finn Foundation is any different from the Finn Class? I'm a Finn owner and I thought that they were pretty much one in the same.
 
C

Couta

Super Anarchist
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Australia
Sorry if this sounds critical but it seems like you have some room for improvement in communications happening domestically... a good place to start if anyone is serious about building the US class...get everyone on the one page and have a dialogue around goals....Australia is a long way from the European centre of the Finn numbers but has an excellent engagement at international level with strong domestic comms channels..everyone knows everyone...knows what the various fleets are up to and talks directly to each organiser to ensure we get people mobilized to attend regattas...and that personal connection..(that feeling that if you can't make an event..that you'll be personally missed)..well that's the glue that binds us. It takes just a few people to get passionate and it snowballs from there...and the rewards are huge.
 
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Couta

Super Anarchist
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Australia
Here's the breakdown..it was cheap to enter $110 for 2 days, 6 races scheduled...the sailors put on a free pasta night on the friday "unofficial welcome night" (I cooked bolognese & pesto for 25 people!!🤣🤣), Saturday night was a feast of massive steaks on the barbie with the works (paid for by the National assoc...) All lunch rolls were free..Sponsors provided yachting gear vouchers valued at $750....The 4 Under 23 competitors were donated sails from 3 X Olympic Finn Rep Anthony "Nocca" Nossiter (!!!) Every competitor got a bottle of local wine with a commemorative label.....The Nat Finn assoc contributed $1000...signed up 6 new members...and received $1200 in donations for their initiative to send an U23 sailor to the Silver Cup in Europe. The club cleared $1000 + bar. We now have commitments for 40 boats at next years Nats......Anyone can replicate this.

IMG_2178.jpg
 
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C

Couta

Super Anarchist
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Australia
Here's the sort of Buzz we get from a National Podcast..mention starts at the 01:12:45 mark... https://www.buzzsprout.com/392416/1...e-keilman-and-todd-wilson-founders-of-vakaros
And even our little club does dodgy start vids that we post on our website...I got a ph call this morning from our legendary Assoc president (Phil Chadwick) who'd seen the vid (He lives 2000kms away!) and wanted to comment on who was there and what happened (and that I looked OCS!!🤣😳)...we're a tight Finn family!
 
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Rum Monkey

Rum Monkey

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Couta said:
Here's the sort of Buzz we get from a National Podcast..mention starts at the 01:12:45 mark... https://www.buzzsprout.com/392416/1...e-keilman-and-todd-wilson-founders-of-vakaros
And even our little club does dodgy start vids that we post on our website...I got a ph call this morning from our legendary Assoc president (Phil Chadwick) who'd seen the vid (He lives 2000kms away!) and wanted to comment on who was there and what happened (and that I looked OCS!!🤣😳)...we're a tight Finn family!
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cant wait for the nationals ! and i still have a boat for sale if you know of anyone wanting one
 
Hitchhiker

Hitchhiker

Hoopy Frood
4,817
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Saquo-Pilia Hensha
View from the back said:
Nope.
Two different entities. USAFA is the Finn class association. The Foundation was set up years ago to support our Olympic athletes, and for other causes, such as building boats.
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USAFA on the internet sends one to the United States Airforce Academy. You might want to change the acronym. I getting old and fat and the Finn could be interesting. But, I am scared of heights.
.
 
surf nazi

surf nazi

Super Anarchist
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LA ( the other one )
Couta said:
The north american finn masters are 6 races into their 8 race program...and it's close! Looking at the scoreboard there must've been some breeze about to account for the DNF, DNS, DNC lines...looking fwd to hearing the stories from Surf Nazi...

2023 Finn North American Masters Championship : Buccaneer Yacht Club

www.regattanetwork.com
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It was an awesome event ! The debut of the US built R-1 finn was cool. Did some practicing with D ( Peck ) early in the week to get him up to speed , LOL. First day was breezy around 15 kts but the forecast was for 20+ so that scared off some folks ( they are finn sailors but they are old ). I actually was leading the whole first race ...right until the finish when John F Dane the 2023 masters champ got by me ! Then the wind got lighter and lighter the next two days ( and I got dumber and dumber ) until we sailed the last race in a drifter and then the RC mercifully sent us in without sailing the 8th race . D was fast in the new US boat. John F was sailing a new TT2 that was Ed wright's boat that he used to win the gold cup a month or so ago. Third place Phil Toth was sailing a devoti classic, 4th place was a new TT2 and 5th was a classic , 6th fantastica, 7th classic. Also in the fleet were a couple of old vanguards . Quite a varied fleet.

Sailors ages were 40 to 77 . Actually Super Henry was not the oldest, one of our local guys was 4 months older. I took Henry on a powerboat cruise last night with my wife and another competitor to get some dinner and listen to Henry's crazy stories. I love the finn masters group !!
 
surf nazi

surf nazi

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LA ( the other one )
surf nazi said:
It was an awesome event ! The debut of the US built R-1 finn was cool. Did some practicing with D ( Peck ) early in the week to get him up to speed , LOL. First day was breezy around 15 kts but the forecast was for 20+ so that scared off some folks ( they are finn sailors but they are old ). I actually was leading the whole first race ...right until the finish when John F Dane the 2023 masters champ got by me ! Then the wind got lighter and lighter the next two days ( and I got dumber and dumber ) until we sailed the last race in a drifter and then the RC mercifully sent us in without sailing the 8th race . D was fast in the new US boat. John F was sailing a new TT2 that was Ed wright's boat that he used to win the gold cup a month or so ago. Third place Phil Toth was sailing a devoti classic, 4th place was a new TT2 and 5th was a classic , 6th fantastica, 7th classic. Also in the fleet were a couple of old vanguards . Quite a varied fleet.

Sailors ages were 40 to 77 . Actually Super Henry was not the oldest, one of our local guys was 4 months older. I took Henry on a powerboat cruise last night with my wife and another competitor to get some dinner and listen to Henry's crazy stories. I love the finn masters group !!
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I forgot to mention that the new north american grand grand finn master is.....drum roll please....me !
 
C

Couta

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Australia
Congratulations - and thanks for the regatta write up Surf...what rigs and sails were the leaders running? Any noticeable differences between the TT2, R1, Fantastica & Classic.....
Our fleets are trying out the new Doyle Structured Luff and finding them very competitive esp in the uprange....promising a lower cost (~AUD $2000) and longer life is a big thing when North sails retail for AUD$2500 and last just a few regattas...keen to hear comments!
 
surf nazi

surf nazi

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LA ( the other one )
Couta said:
Congratulations - and thanks for the regatta write up Surf...what rigs and sails were the leaders running? Any noticeable differences between the TT2, R1, Fantastica & Classic.....
Our fleets are trying out the new Doyle Structured Luff and finding them very competitive esp in the uprange....promising a lower cost (~AUD $2000) and longer life is a big thing when North sails retail for AUD$2500 and last just a few regattas...keen to hear comments!
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The whole top ten were all wilke masts and almost all with north sails. D used a polyy onesail and Henry had a black Doyle.
 
C

Couta

Super Anarchist
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Australia
How do you see the leeward telltales? I knew there were a few around for testing but wasn't sure that the black cloth had been approved...but obviously now so!
 
C

Couta

Super Anarchist
1,297
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Australia
Yup...approved by Doyle..and Nup I don't have heaps of class experience...just 2 years in...but I'm very well connected into the local brainstrust and get great advice that I pass on to our local fleet...the sharing of info is one of the big attractions for me...everyone has worked hard to bring me up to speed...they seriously encourage competition!!🤣 That's meant that I'm a competitive finn sailor inside of 2 yrs!!! (Not a national podium risk...just to be clear!!🤣😳🤣) And there's still so much to learn!!
 
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