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Heavy Weights vs Light Weights
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kanga View Drop Down
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Posts: 248 		Post Options Post Options   Quote kanga Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Topic: Heavy Weights vs Light Weights
    Posted: 26 Nov 07 at 1:58pm
that is very true - sometimes the gains downwind from being light/technique (for ODs) or design for DCs outweigh the slight speed increase upwind.
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getafix View Drop Down
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Posts: 2143 		Post Options Post Options   Quote getafix Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 26 Nov 07 at 4:23pm
Originally posted by Prince Buster

An edge in speed downwind never ever compensates for a lack of speed upwind.  Upwind speed is way more important that's where races are won and lost.


someone ought to tell that Finn sailing guy....  Ben Ainslie about that!
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Posts: 8956 		Post Options Post Options   Quote Rupert Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 26 Nov 07 at 4:46pm

On the average puddle with an average lot of club sailors sailing boats where you actually go on runs, I would have to agree with PB. The difference between getting it right upwind and getting it wrong is far greater than on a downwind leg going straight from one mark to another. If gybing downwind, it will be much more even, and playing the waves (Ben A style) on the sea will even things up, too.

 As for the weight thing, do the heavyweights on the forum think it is better to be light, and the lightweights heavy? Personally, I'm pretty light, and oddly enough I get blown away when the wind picks up, and the heavyweights loose out in the light stuff. Sailing skill seems to make rather more difference, though...
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Posts: 0 		Post Options Post Options   Quote Guest Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 26 Nov 07 at 6:15pm

Originally posted by getafix

Originally posted by Prince Buster

An edge in speed downwind never ever compensates for a lack of speed upwind.  Upwind speed is way more important that's where races are won and lost.


someone ought to tell that Finn sailing guy....  Ben Ainslie about that!

he said "edge" ... Ben seemd to have somwhat more than an edge ...
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Posts: 880 		Post Options Post Options   Quote tmoore Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 26 Nov 07 at 6:57pm
being a lightweight in my class i personally think it makes very little odds over a series. generally speak light crew do better in light winds and worse in heavier breezes. However this is hugely affected by skill. i personally prefer to be lighter as i know i am faster in the light stuff and just have to work really hard when it picks up.
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Posts: 77 		Post Options Post Options   Quote Jimbob Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 26 Nov 07 at 11:59pm
"Prince Buster wrote:
An edge in speed downwind never ever compensates for a lack of speed upwind. Upwind speed is way more important that's where races are won and lost."

In fact the top places in most races are won and lost at the start and up the first beat. And in moderate to strong winds heavyweights have a big advantage because a bit of weight in any boat helps with boat control all round the course and particularly before the start, just after that and up the first beat.
As a fairly heavy person in Lasers I didn't lose out to lightweights in light winds (even drifts). Technique was king (What is it they call it nowadays....kinetics).   
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Posts: 240 		Post Options Post Options   Quote Barty Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 27 Nov 07 at 1:05pm

Just some thoughts

Take 2 sailors, 60kg and 80kg sailing the same boat with a water plane area of 3m2

The extra 20 kg would make the boat sink 6mm more

Assuming the centre of mass of each sailor is 1.5m from the centre of the boat (when hiking)

The righting moment for the 60kg sailor would be 882 Nm

The righting moment for the 80kg sailor would be 1176 Nm

So the 20kg adds 33% more righting moment for 6mm draft.

In very light conditions the 6mm may make a difference to hull drag but the extra righting moment would more than offset the addition of drag as the wind strength builds.

It is more likely that heavier sailors have in their heads that lighter sailors will go quicker!!!!
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Posts: 589 		Post Options Post Options   Quote MerlinMags Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 27 Nov 07 at 2:27pm
The question is - is there a 'perfect' body weight to have, that lies in the middle, neither too light not too heavy...

....or does that middle weight have none of the advantages of either extreme?

All I know is; I am light, and my legs hurt!
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mike ellis View Drop Down
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Posts: 2339 		Post Options Post Options   Quote mike ellis Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 27 Nov 07 at 9:12pm
the solution to that is to get a trapeze boat!
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Norbert View Drop Down
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Posts: 351 		Post Options Post Options   Quote Norbert Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 28 Nov 07 at 10:01am
Originally posted by Barty

In very light conditions the 6mm may make a difference to hull drag but the extra righting moment would more than offset the addition of drag as the wind strength builds.



Certainly on restricted inland venues the ability to accelerate quickly is almost as important as terminal speeds. The heavier the boat crew combo the slower it is to accelerate often by quite a disturbing rate.
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