Happily there is now a much more pragmatic line taken, with the safety rules for Basic Racing used as the benchmark. This simply involves a fly-off throttle, a kill switch for each member of crew and buoyancy for the boat. The personal requirements for a racing lifejacket, helmet, mini-flares, compress and whistle are the same across the spectrum, but are easily sourced and not expensive. This has opened up the prospect of racing to many otherwise obsolete boats. Thursday, 06 May 2010 14:38
Have you noticed how anyone with a classic boat, whether they have a motorboat, a sailing boat or a manual powered craft, never seems to be in a hurry?
These owners always seem to live in a world of unshakeable contentment to which the rest of us can only aspire. It’s a mindset that comes from total enjoyment of a boat and the knowledge that getting to the destination is of secondary importance.
By contrast, modern boats tend to involve much more hectic activity, with skippers rushing to get from one place to another and missing much of the good stuff in between. If you’re a classic boater, you don’t really care. If you are not there at 1200, you will probably be there by 1300. And in any case, you’ve made provision for your lazy application of the nav plan with a well stocked bar, fridge and picnic box.
Classic boats are not just better stress busters than modern boats, but they are also more endearing. The quirks may involve a sail rig that is far too complicated for a modern boat, or the fact that you need coal to get a head of steam up and this in turn covers everyone for 50 yards in the harbour in a thin layer of soot as you chug out onto the lake. It is all these little things that are seen as part of the charm by the classic connoisseur and as irritations by the modern boater.
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