Sailing is an equipment sport, which by definition is a barrier for participation. But then not all equipment, even the same equipment, is not created equally. There is a long history of top competitors, regardless of class, investing time and money in a search for the best equipment, because when you are fast, everything else is easier.
With the heightened emphasis on Olympic competition, the search for perfect equipment is even costlier, which is partly a result of how World Sailing now selects the Olympic sailing program. This has impacted cost and quality, and not in a good way. Here’s an update from the international sailing federation: click here
