Danny Boatman: Reflections on the Musto Skiff 2024 season

Hi,

So, here we are, the end of another fantastic year for the class! We’ll soon be celebrating 2025 and getting ready for a new sailing season. What a way to kick off the new year with a World Championship over here in Sydney! From my own point of view, I’m really excited to be here, and I’m looking forward to catching up with our fellow Aussie mates that we wish we could sail with more often.

Looking back over 2024, it’s been a great season for the class with a fantastic Worlds at Weymouth back in July and several organised events in the UK, the rest of Europe, and Australia. We’ve also had some extra non-circuit events in the UK with the Seldén SailJuice Winter Series 2024/25, which is still on going, with the overall series winner to be announced at the end of February.

Earlier this season, we also saw the launch of the small mainsail, which is already proving popular. It was great to see some of you using this at the 2024 Worlds, and we hope to see more small mainsails on the circuit next year.

We have also just launched our latest Annual Class Survey. Please take a moment to do this. It only takes around 15 minutes to complete, and it’s an opportunity to have your say and let us know what you want for the class. We’ve also put a vote to the class members on using speedpucks at events going forward, so make sure you click on the link at the end of the main survey to take you to the member only section and AGM for voting.

There are also some changes in the international committee for next year. I have sadly made the decision to step down from my role as Class Chairman due to work and family commitments. This will be effective after the 2025 Worlds. However, I am pleased to be handing on the Chairman baton to Brennan Robinson, who will assume the role from 1st February 2025. Brennan will be an excellent addition to the team and will be a great ambassador for the class. I am sure you will all welcome him in this new role.

In my role as Chairman, it’s been fantastic to work on three major regattas including Lake Garda in 2023, Weymouth in July of this year, and more recently, the 2025 World Championships in Sydney, which is due to start on the 2nd January!

I hope you have all enjoyed this season and I look forward to seeing you all next year – but first, we have a World Championship to enjoy!

Good luck to all of you that are competing next week, and I’ll see you at the bar after racing!

Best wishes to you and your family for a good year ahead in 2025.

Danny

International Chairman
Musto Skiff Class Association (MSCA)