DaySailer.org Forum

In the past I remember a few people talking about promoting the Daysailer as being a sporty boat as well as a family day sailer. As others had pointed out, most promotional pictures of the past, as well as the stuff on the Cape Cod site, are of limp-sailed drifters. At the time (I think this was about two years ago) there was some talk of making a video or taking pictures and the like to alter the image of the class.

I know there is no money for such things, but wonder, with the amazing quality of digital cameras available to nearly everyone these days if we might somehow take our own videos and begin using them on this site, the Facebook page, etc. Could the class officially request (make a plea) for such videos and photos from owners? Where would we submit them for inclusion on the sites?

I live in Southern Ohio where there are very, very few Daysailers on the water. We used to have a fleet, but that's long gone. I feel frustrated sometimes because I'd like to race and be, at least occasionally, among boats similar to mine. Sailing small boats as a whole is a suffering sport, but some classes, even little known classes, seem to succeed and they usually have some sort of media backed experience that initially gets potential sailors interested in their class.

Take the Interlake. It's a fast, capable boat that is little known outside of the Midwest, but the class seems to thrive. It doesn't seem like making videos like these would be too hard to do:

http://interlakesailing.org/about-us/video-gallery/

I may even look into doing something like this over the summer if I can find some people that can do the expert sailing. But the question is, would the class like to do this?

Those are great videos. Skip Dieball, is of course, the perfect person to do those videos. Mike Gillum mentioned a while back that he would like to do some videos on roll tacking and other maneuvers for the DaySailer.

I couldn't agree more, K.C. and for all I know Skip had plenty to do with the Interlake videos. I'm not sure who did them. Mike Gillum is the Dieball contact man it seems if you go to their site and click into the Daysailer class. I'd like to know how it could be arranged--I would be happy to help in any way that I could. Ideas? Mike?

Sean,

After clicking play on the video, the YouTube logo showed up and I click on it to get a larger view, which is where I found that they were done by Skip.

I know what Sean means by the power of a good video. A few years ago I saw a video for a woodpussy and had to have one. never had or sailed one but the video drew me in. I never did get one and don't think the class survived. I looked for the video but put "woodpussy video" in the search and you'll get Japanese porn, and alternative punk band from Oklahoma and an avent gard artist from somewhere in the pacific northwest oh yeah and a woodpussy is a skunk in case you didn't know (I didn't). Next time I'm going to search for something where it doesn't get as condused like "daysailer".

By the way I liked the interlake videos, very well done.

Fred

LOL… No matter how good the video was I'm not sure I could go with the class named woodpussy. I mean, come on, someone asks you what kind of boat you sail… And, THEN you have to explain that it means, you know, a skunk!

Fred--I know what you mean. I looked for the class and it seems to be pretty much dead. Not that there aren't a few stalwart owners out there, but they have a Facebook page that looks to be the main website and it has about 7 likes.

And, I agree with K.C. there's no way I'd want to tell people that was the name of my boat unless I was in the mood to joke around. Words change dramatically in a life time. It wouldn't have been a big issue when I was a kid, but now, Woodpussy is going to get you nothing but nervous giggles. I felt a little giggle as I typed it.

As for the videos, I am going up to a regatta next week I think and I plan to talk to some people there about doing something like this. I figure it will be one of the bigger collections of Daysailers in OH, so if the desire is there, well...we're certainly close enough to Dieball. I have contemplated contacting Skip or someone that might be interested. As I think we may have kicked around in the past, getting a company like Dieball and maybe even Cape Cod Shipbuilders involved might not be a bad idea. For instance, if we, or the class could foot the price of the video, and the companies involved could lend a new boat, set of sails and then one of the really great sailors would provide the skills, all we would need is a mobo and a couple people with cameras to take it all in. If the people from the companies want to do it, especially if they have experience, then all the better. My daughter makes incredible videos with a cheap camera and iMovie. If she can do it, then so can we.

But the question remains--would the class be able / willing to use the videos to promote itself?