Dear All 
 
Below is a paper setting out some proposals on how the symposium might be 
run.
 
At this stage, of course, we have no idea how many of you will be able to  
attend, nor how many of you will wish to present formal papers. Quite possibly  
the agonising need to choose among a superfluity of postulants, all itching 
to harangue the multitude, will prove to be a daydream.
 
Let me know as soon as possible your reactions to the general proposals and  
your answers to the specific questions, so that I can make some firmer plans.
 
Russell Potts
Chairman, The Vintage Model Yacht Group
 
CEO, Designer, Typesetter, Office Boy,
The Curved Air Press

Footy Class Designers’ Trophy and Symposium – 2008

It is proposed that the Footy Euro GP event in Liverpool, England, should have tagged onto it a world designer’s trophy and a symposium with the world’s leading designers of Footys as speakers. Russell Potts, the well-known historian of model yachting has agreed in principle to act as the chairmen. He thinks it is probably unique in the history of model yachting.

The major speakers will be invited. If you think you should have been invited and haven’t, let us know – and don’t be shy about it. The idea is to get all the serious ideas together in one place. This includes not just the design of boats in the narrow sense but construction, ‘marketing design and packaging’, rigs sails, etc. Thoughts on character or entry level boats are very welcome. The ultimate intention is to give Footy design and construction a massive forward boost by bringing all the most advanced designs of every type together in one place, seeing them perform in competition and having their creators explain why they work (or possibly in the later stages, do not!).

Duration depends to some extent on interest. The Euro GP around which this event is being built starts at lunchtime on Saturday 5 July 2008 and ends late in the afternoon of 6 July. We think that 3 full days is appropriate for the Symposium. Provisionally we suggest a welcoming dinner on Thursday and a concluding session/dinner on Sunday 6 July.

We appreciate that the Atlantic is an expensive thing to cross (the Indian Ocean or Pacific even more so) and we will do everything we can to keep costs down. If at all possible, invited speakers will be accommodated in members’ houses. If people want (or numbers make it impossible) we will attempt to make a block booking of a university hall of residence close to the venue. This is clean, simple, comfortable and good value. Generally speaking we shall be responsible for transport once you arrive in Liverpool/Manchester. Catering will be in members’ homes or pleasant inexpensive restaurants. Overall the intent is that your hand should not go far into your pocket once you have become our guests.

If all goes well, the result of the event will be that the transactions of the Symposium will be published as a book by Curved Air Press. As such it will be a unique manual on How to Design and Build a Footy and should do much to promote the class. We shall also do as much as possible to publicise the event in the model and yachting press.

At this point I must mention that we do appreciate that deep involvement with Footys is often associated with business. It is not our intention to run a trade show, but neither do we want contributors to bite their tongues because they are ‘trade’. It is up to you to decide how much you want to hype your own products and how much you want to be objective. If you want to hand out trade literature, feel free.