videos vs DVD

I've been trying to get the Rick White technique series on DVD, with little success. There was a plan to DVDize them at some point. I wish they would do it.

Hi Folks,

The plan is to, using your very highly technical term "DVD-ise" the videos very soon.

All five of the Rick White cat sailing videos will soon be available on separate dvds. To refresh your memory, those titles are:

1) Total Boat Handling
2) Upwind Sailing and the Complete Catamaran Rolltack
3) Great Starts and Finishes
4) Great Mark Roundings
5) Downwind Sailing

When we release these videos on DVD, we want to make sure that every last one of you who orders a copy will be able to play them back -- anywhere in the world.

In order to do that, they have to be replicated which is different than burning. Many of you are probably accustomed to burning a dvd on your home computer. DVD replication is 99% compatible with all the various types of DVD players that are out there; in contrast, DVD burning is about 80% compatible.

Where the rubber meets the road, is that producing a product that's compatible to the masses is relatively expensive, and has to be done in much higher quantities to make it economical for us, and for you.

My point is that that's why we haven't released the videos on DVD as quickly as we would like to.

Right now we are very close to running out of VHS copies of the series, so again, expect the first DVD titles to come out soon, hopefully all of them within the year, and some within the next few months.

I would expect that Total Boat Handling will be released on DVD first, as it is by far our most popular video.

In the meantime, you can purchase Sailboat Racing, a video about Laser and dinghy sailing on DVD right now! I'm sure some of you are laughing at me right now, but the fact is, that if you learn to sail a Laser better, you will become a better cat sailor!!!

Sail Fast,

Tim Johnson
Executive Producer, Rick White's Video Sailing Seminars

Tim, Great to hear from you! I can understand this need, though I don't know squat about the tech stuff. I just got two of Brian Karr's great videos on DVD. The first set didn't play through on any players, and he was great about rushing me replacements. The new ones don't play through on my computer, but play beautifully on regular players. I doubt if there is an instructional series that even comes close to the one you made with Rick and Mary. It will be the catsailors DVD bible! Great to have that to look forward to!

Great to hear! Really looking forward to seeing them.