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Does my bum look big in this? (crew weight) |
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turnturtle
Really should get out more Joined: 05 Dec 14 Online Status: Offline Posts: 2538 |
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Topic: Does my bum look big in this? (crew weight) Posted: 21 Nov 17 at 10:27am |
- So what are your experiences with being either over or under 'ideal' weight for your chosen boat?
- How much does it really impact performance? be honest ;-) - do you have any tips or tricks that you've found to compensate being either over or under weight? |
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Sam.Spoons
Really should get out more Joined: 07 Mar 12 Location: Manchester UK Online Status: Offline Posts: 3398 |
Post Options Quote Reply Posted: 21 Nov 17 at 10:32am |
My problem it that I'm 'under-height' for my weight and boat. Short sailors are at as much of a disadvantage.
Incompetence plays a much bigger part.... but lack of fitness also makes a difference, hike harder for longer and you'll be faster upwind. Sail better (this can make up for a fair few kgs in either direction) Edited by Sam.Spoons - 21 Nov 17 at 10:37am |
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Spice 346 "Flat Broke"
Blaze 671 "supersonic soap dish" |
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didlydon
Far too distracted from work Joined: 15 Oct 08 Location: Margate England Online Status: Offline Posts: 280 |
Post Options Quote Reply Posted: 21 Nov 17 at 10:41am |
Yep.... I'm underweight for my boat too..... A Vareo. It's amazing how much of a differnce it makes as the breeze builds. In light winds I do really well but as soon as it builds, taller & bigger helms get away from me despite me hiking like mad! I am eating more pies n stuff to build meself up for next season!
Edited by didlydon - 21 Nov 17 at 10:42am |
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Vareo 365
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bustinben
Far too distracted from work Joined: 15 Oct 06 Online Status: Offline Posts: 288 |
Post Options Quote Reply Posted: 21 Nov 17 at 10:46am |
As you sail a boat to a higher and higher % of its full potential, being underweight or overweight starts to make a bigger and bigger difference.
Of course if nobody else is sailing it at the same level then it doesn't matter, but if you're in a competitive fleet where there are lots of people who are then... E.g. In a fleet of choppers, you can jump in at 10kg too light or too heavy and beat people just because you're a better sailor. If you're sailing against people who are just as good as you are who are the right weight then they'll probably beat you on average.
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iGRF
Really should get out more Joined: 07 Mar 11 Location: Hythe Online Status: Offline Posts: 6496 |
Post Options Quote Reply Posted: 21 Nov 17 at 11:10am |
My point exactly, once you are even steven sailing skill wise, body dimensions take over, agreed a little fitness might overcome a 5 -10 kg difference, but upwind in a 4-5 bft 6ft 2" and 90 kgs beats 5'6' and 65 kgs everytime and the lead generated by being first round the mark on a planing reach is very difficult to grab back with any perceived weight advantage offwind then most of the races I've been in at serious level finish on the beat.
But like the guy said in the other thread beating someone at the opposite end of the weight scale to you in the wrong conditions does taste better, exactly as finishing 1st over the water in a slower handicap boat, so we all strive for our individual joys and imv it's better done in comfort or we all may as well race Lasers |
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zippyRN
Far too distracted from work Joined: 14 Sep 06 Online Status: Offline Posts: 437 |
Post Options Quote Reply Posted: 21 Nov 17 at 11:27am |
crew skill will to a greater or lesser extent cover a range of weight outside the ideal ...
where the finish line can make a difference as if you are finishing halfway up the beat or at the windward mark it;s going to favour the heavier crews when there is more wind being underweight / small for the class is best in marginal conditions ... as a strapping 18 year old in marginal conditions there were smaller / shorter people who were the same skill or a bit weaker skill wise overall who could leave me for dead off wind , little gust, the one legal pump and they were up and away where i'd be back in displacement mode fairly sharpish ... |
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turnturtle
Really should get out more Joined: 05 Dec 14 Online Status: Offline Posts: 2538 |
Post Options Quote Reply Posted: 21 Nov 17 at 11:30am |
of course some classes have a very broad weight tolerance...
The Phantom is a good example - new rigs mean it's perfectly possible for 80kg to be competitive in one, despite the moniker it being a big guys boat; which it still is of course thankfully- as there's not a lot to choose from once you are 90kg+. I'm also astonished by how much tolerance there seems to be in the RS300 and Musto Skiff - although maybe skill levels with these emphasise difference more than weight. I'm also one of the few people who can comment on sailing a D-Zero at 108kg down to 82kg.... I'd say you're as competitive as your skills allow up to the 92-95kg mark in this class- inland at least. On the sea then I think the upper end probably opens up a bit. I understand the same applies to the RS Aero 9 rig.... no reason to doubt it or draw differences between the two classes on this point. ;-) Where I have struggled was in my Solo - despite people saying 95-100kg is competitive, I simply couldn't get mine to go offwind in a light wind race. It was a damn shame, as despite all the knocking the old girl gets, I still found the Solo to be one of the nicest single handers I've ever sailed just for laughs! Even at my fighting/target weight of 85kg, I still think I'd be too heavy for one for inland evening series sailing
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zippyRN
Far too distracted from work Joined: 14 Sep 06 Online Status: Offline Posts: 437 |
Post Options Quote Reply Posted: 21 Nov 17 at 12:31pm |
withte solo the freedom on mast section choice sail cut and maker ... stiff boat , some rig tension, stiff Stuff (D/ D+ or M7) mast , 'power' cut sail is a different kettle of worms than the stiff boat with 'stop the mast falling out ' tension , a 'soft' mast section like a C or Kappa and a 'controllable' cut sail ... |
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turnturtle
Really should get out more Joined: 05 Dec 14 Online Status: Offline Posts: 2538 |
Post Options Quote Reply Posted: 21 Nov 17 at 12:40pm |
yep - had a Mk2 Winder with a Cumulus / HD combo - it was great rig, but in the marginal conditions the 70kg guys just flew past me.... horses for courses, and on the odd windy day I was fine, but fairly depressing for most part of the racing calendar!
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rich96
Really should get out more Joined: 20 Jan 05 Online Status: Offline Posts: 596 |
Post Options Quote Reply Posted: 21 Nov 17 at 12:49pm |
85kg in a Solo must be pretty much bang on ?
70kg would be very very light Typically the worst time to be 'heavy' in the Solo would be in marginal planing conditions - it seems to cope well with weight until that point |
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