Junior dinghy debate will have serious consequences

Sailing Column: A critical debate has erupted in Irish sailing circles that is certain to determine the face of the sport for thousands of junior sailors around the coast. At stake is not just the future of one of the best known and loved dinghy classes, but also future numbers of young participants.

While the box-shaped Optimist dinghy is well-known for introducing children as young as eight to the skill of single-handed sailing, crews later on often move to double-handed boats, and for years the venerable Mirror has filled that position with a well-proven pedigree.

First introduced in England in 1963 following a competition sponsored by the newspaper of the same name, the Mirror quickly became the most popular one-design dinghy class in the world.

The design allows the boat to be built from a kit, at home, with a basic knowledge of carpentry in about 120 hours.

Since its introduction, over 70,000 Mirrors have been built around the world. But its wooden construction left the boat slightly vulnerable, and the emergence of a fibre-glass alternative has proven a costly solution.

Nevertheless, its supporters point to its established international status, widespread following and solid second-hand market, as just some of the reasons not to alter its status as the preferred junior training boat.

But pressure is building to have the venerable Mirror replaced by a newer "plastic-fantastic" with more youth appeal. An on-line debate on the Irish Sailing Association website is both heated and informative, and the coming winter months may prove decisive.

Against the Mirror, two contenders are being pitched by various enthusiasts. The RS Feva has become the junior training boat in Britain, and Irish supporters are keen to follow suit.

Meanwhile, the Topaz dinghy has already been taken up by several Irish clubs, including Courtown and Malahide, where the arrival of the class has been described as "rejuvenating" for these venues.

"Our key concern is the dilution of our national junior fleet, and there's a serious danger that this is what's happening between the Mirror, Topaz and now the RS Feva classes," commented Dave Quinn, the ISA racing manager.

"Up until now, the Mirror is doing a good job both afloat and socially, but its apparent from feedback from the juniors that they're now looking for something more exciting and the turnout at recent nationals would seem to confirm this."

The ISA are keen to move the debate to a national basis to avoid a few clubs dominating the outcome.

Already, two Dun Laoghaire clubs seem convinced the RS Feva is the way forward. Others are looking to Britain to gauge the reaction among the established fleets there.

Meanwhile, the Topaz has become very popular around the Irish coast and carries the advantage of an existing second-hand market.

Ultimately, price will play a deciding factor. It is estimated that €6,500 is needed for a new racing Mirror, while an initial €4,100 for a RS Feva rises to around €5,000 after an introductory quantity of around 20 boats are sold.

The Race X version of the Topaz costs €4,400 ready to sail, though other versions can be obtained from around €3,600.

Whatever the final decision over the coming months, disgruntlement in some quarters is certain as the debate distils its outcome. If the three boat performances were all equal, the depth of parents' pockets certainly isn't; a sensitive solution will be needed.