The Daring class

	The boats in the fleet		Boats for sale
	Membership application form		Membership standing order
	The ultimate One Design		Daring - the One Design class
	Affordable and competitive		A unique and challenging racing scene
	International competition		The social scene
	Trophies and awards		The growth of the class

The ultimate One Design
This attractive yacht offers competitive yet affordable racing in a unique and challenging environment. For those who want to know that every time they set sail they are pitting their wits against those of the next crew and not their boat against the next, the Daring provides the ideal solution.

How many times have you finished a race believing that you did not stand a chance with your boat in those conditions? With a Daring you have no excuses but when you win the sense of achievement is unparalleled! Every crew knows they have an equal chance of winning if their tactics and crew work are all right on the day. This leads to some infectious enthusiasm which is all too evident when you see the large numbers of Darings which regularly turn out to race.

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Daring - the One Design class
The sail replacement programme specifies that owners may only purchase new sails at given times (typically every two years). At these times the class places a bulk order on one sailmaker for sails for the whole fleet, all cut to the same design from the same cloth.

The hull scrubbing programme ensures that all boats are kept clean all season.

Typically each boat will sail with one helm and two crew although there is no restriction on crew numbers for club racing. Since the hull design makes performance almost completely independent of crew weight, this allows a fourth crew member to join in without impacting performance or for a helm and one crew to sail competitively in light winds.

The result is a class which enables anyone to win, whichever boat they are in. Even the first yachts out of the mould have proved they can still win the season's championship more than 30 years after they were first launched. The Daring achieves this true one-design advantage through a unique combination of:

• Uniform hull and rig design and manufacture.
• Controlled sail replacement programme.
• Controlled hull scrubbing programme.
• A narrow hull with a long heavy keel which removes the impact of different crew weights.

Every crew knows they have an equal chance of winning if their tactics and crew work are all right on the day. This leads to some infectious enthusiasm which is all too evident when you see the large numbers of Darings which regularly turn out to race.

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Affordable and competitive
If your strategy to cross the line first is to throw money at the problem then the Daring is not the class for you! There are two factors which limit the annual budget to a very affordable level.

First, the strict one-design rules do not allow owners to buy new sails or have their hull scrubbed whenever they like. Secondly, by purchasing sails and maintenance contracts in bulk, the class is able to obtain competitive prices for high quality products and services.

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A unique and challenging racing scene
Darings race in the Solent off Cowes every weekend from the end of April to the end of September. Racing in the Solent is always interesting as no two races are ever the same. The unique tide and wind patterns combined with the numerous courses which the race committees from the five Cowes yacht clubs can set conspire to produce some excellent racing and even the old hands never stop learning.

Whilst the turnouts for other classes have waxed and waned over the years the average number of starters in the Daring Class has been consistently between fifteen and twenty for the last few years with a peak turnout of thirty every year at Cowes Week.

After the hectic competition and socialising of Cowes Week, the class migrates for the rest of August to Sea View in the East Wight to enjoy local regattas organised by the Sea View Yacht Club and Bembridge Sailing Club.

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International competition
The Daring Class has developed strong international links. In most years there is an international team racing event between the Daring Class and a yacht club from another part of the world, either at home or away. Our competitors have included the Royal Bermuda Yacht Club, the Royal Freshwater Bay Yacht Club in Perth, Western Australia and the Seawanhaka Corinthian Yacht Club on Long Island, USA and we have formed a new partnership with a yacht club in Norway. Events such as these provide an opportunity to enjoy top class international competition.

Equally as important are the lasting friendships that have been forged over the years as these events are always enjoyed as much off the water as on.

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The social scene
Members of the Daring Class may belong to any one or more of the clubs in Cowes but meet socially as a class at the bar after racing, for dinnerin the evenings and at the four or five major social functions organised by the class each year. The team racing fixtures also provide an opportunity to make some great friends in other parts of the world. Visitors are made welcome at the homes of the host club members and are invariably treated to some wonderful hospitality!

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Trophies and awards
The Class has a large and impressive collection of trophies that are keenly fought for each year. These range from individual races to monthly points and the ultimate prize of the Season's Championship.

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The growth of the Daring class
The Daring was designed by Arthur Robb and based on his successful 5.5 metre yacht "Vision", silver medal winner at the 1956 Olympics. The first Daring was launched in 1960 and one year later a total of 11 boats were racing in the Solent.

The Daring's special one-design rules allow the class continuously to improve the sail and rigging plan by adopting the latest designs and high-technology materials to give the very best value for money one-design racing. The popularity of the class has grown steadily and there are now more than 30 boats in Cowes and a membership list of over 200.

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