There is a new sailboat in town that is coming up in popularity among model yachters, it is the Victoria. Just a couple years ago there were very few Victorias around with little interest being shown in these boats, then something happen. It was noticed that these kit boat's sail rigs could be changed, which added a new dimension. The Victoria offers challenge and opens up model yachting to everyone!

For a very long time there has been a need for an introduction boat for the beginner. Like other hobbies, to really get into the hobby, it requires money, a lot of money. It is not different with model yachting. Many times people would be at the pond and become interested in model yachting, and ask that all-important question, "How much does it cost?" As soon as you tell them $$$$, you see their eyes roll to the back of their head and off they go never to be seen again. The Victoria can fix that.

The Victoria is a one-design kit sailboat that is easily purchased at most hobby stores for less than a hundred dollars. To get it in the water it will require another hundred dollars for the electronics. So, for less than two hundred dollars, a beginner can be sailing right out of the box. Now comes the rest of the story.

To some the Victoria is not a one-design sailboat because you can modify the sail rig - mast, booms, rigging, and sails. What makes the Victoria a one-design is you can not change the deck, hull, keel, and rudder (other than light sanding to clean up the hull, keel and rudder). You must use the hull, keel, and rudder that come in the kit. By not allowing the modification of the deck, hull, keel, and rudder, the Victoria a one-design - everyone gets the same boat design.

Another weak argument for some people is using the Victoria as an entry-level boat. To them it is not fair because the sail rig can be changed. The solution is very simple, have two classes for the Victoria - a stock and a modified. For the beginner, only allow stock Victorias - no sail rig changes, straight out of the box. For the modified class, any sail rig allowed (so long it is within the rules). This way beginners can get into sailing very cheaply with a simple, easy to build kit boat and for those experience skippers, they can have all the fun and challenge they want with a simple kit boat.

Lets recap, have an entry level kit boat that is easily to obtain at a reasonable price for both the beginner and advance hobbyist. The stock class can only sail in stock Victoria and the modified class can sail any legal upgraded sail rig.

Now here is the little secret, everyone can use the same boat, (hull, deck, keel, and rudder) for both Victoria classes, but use different sail rigs for the two classes! Think about it, what other sailboat class offers both the beginner and advance hobbyist fun? Only the one-design Victoria.