L4000 / 29er ratings

Actually the 4000 loves a breeze and it likes the waves.  Its very happy in 25K when some of the other high performance skiffs need olympians to keep them upright.  At that windspeed (in my limited experience) its also faster than an Osprey upwind and down.   However I'd also say that the current handicap is about right for the 29er and the 4000.  Lets face it we are only talking 2% when a good shift can be worth more than that.

The RYA don't publish numbers until they have stats, so although manufacturers may suggest numbers the only influence that will have is if clubs doing returns agree with the estimate. I would expect that the early estimates would be a bit high because it takes a few seasons for people to find out how to rig sail the boat to best advantage.

I remember a mate who knows a bit about rigs saying that he'd boat a new xxxxx, set it up according to the book, and thought it looked dreadful, but figured he'd better try it. After a few weeks of being boatspeeded he thought "**** it", set it up how he thought it ought to be, and jumped up near the top of the club fleet. Then did some comparisons and discovered that the top of the club fleet weren't using the official settings, but ones pretty close to what he'd worked out.

So until the top of the fleet had worked out what the rig settings should be that class was probably handicapped artificially slow.

neiowming- as in neiowm eg the sound a motor bike makes when it goes past you really fast......im not mad really

What the modern skiff type boats do have is a modern rig.  Their adjustability is a revelation (but then I used to sail a Laser).  Its quite possible to make my boat feel underpowered in 20Knots and yet fully powered in 8.  The hulls too contribute to the ability of the boats in high winds.  Mine does drag its bum in the light stuff but the minimal rocker, and slim waterline does mean that as the wind gets stronger it just goes faster, unlike the more conventional hulls which seem to have a speed barrier which they will not exceed.

For those of you who haven't tried one consider this.  You put the kite up and being a big kite they really go very fast.  When you get hit by a gust you bear away and go faster still and if you get hit by another, stronger gust, you simply bear away a bit more and go even faster.  It seems endless - the more wind the faster and deeper you go.  The only snag is the manouevers which can be tricky since you have a narrow hull and a big rig.

when does dat happen?? apparent wind just shift wind angel foreward more and more and more  as you go faster and faster and faster. n when by the true wind ahgle u shud be on the other tack.... now dats fast n fun .......well unless of coures u stack it and your helm dies