Natural sailors ?

You know, this is an interesting subject. Any class racing fleet, and I have seen a few, irrespective of fast boats or slow boats is split into 3 seperate fleets............ plus a few boats. One third are no hopers but having fun. One third are in the middle. The third third? are competative and trying hard. At the top  are the few boats in with a chance. Is this an indication of the difference between "fast" and "natural"? At the Lightning 368 nats last weekend this phenomenon was clearly demonstrated. 20 boats only 4 with a chance (and one wild card) all those 4 sailors  had won the nationals before. Conditions favoured one of those sailors and he won. The others were 2nd, 3rd and 4th but all very close. no one else had a look in. I am sure that if those sailors entered another class they would soon be at the top again, given the obvious practice ect. Look at Steve Cockerill. My boy, previous double Lightning Champion, but only P4 this year, is now sailing a B14 so let us see what happens to him.

whats this "L" technique for gybes? heard of S gybes but never an L gybe.

Originally posted by Guest#260 I am struggling with definitions here - what is the difference between fast & natural?

FB seems to be saying that if you just chuck someone in a boat they'll tend to sail in a "natural" manner that will get them round the track, but maybe isn't as fast as it might be...

This “Natural” handling technique is so universally adopted because – • It is simple to learn, because o It is consistent, and o It calls for no conscious coordination. • With it a sailor can sail yachts, catamarans and unballasted dinghies up to about Tasar and scow Moth performance level almost as fast as a sailor who uses fast handling technique, but can do this [only whilst not seriously pverpowered]

Things that are counter intuitive and don't apply all the time, like bearing off in gusts downwind but easing sheets/luffing in gusts upwind, are what he defines as "fast" sailing.

Its here, but like a lot of FB's stuff needs reading carefully and more than once.http://www.tasar.org/wtca/agendas/designer_07.html

Edited by JimC

I am struggling with definitions here - what is the difference between fast & natural?

Seems to me people with a natural talent to feel a boat go the fastest.

Or are we suggesting natural means tactically capable?

FB is always interesting, because he does think deeply about this stuff. With his simulator he's probably been able to watch more sailors at close hand than most of us, and I can see what he means.

What I think he's talking about with the Natural against Fast Sailor bit is suggesting that the Tasar is about the top of the speed range which can be handled by a sailor who doesn't get training and coaching, and is thus potentially less intimidating for the mass market sailor.

When you look at the popularity of boats there is no doubt, for all the noise, that high performance boats just aren't selling in numbers, and the most popular boats are pretty much in the area where his "Natural" sailors can survive without being horizoned.

On the other hand every now and then you can catch him out on a demonstrable inaccuracy. The 29erXX price being half of the other Hyeres contenders for instance just isn't true.

But I also wonder if this natural/fast divide will continue... As far as I can see the vast majority of youngsters taught to sail at my club are learning "fast" techniques. If this is true right round the country how many "natural" sailors will there be in thirty years?