Carbon Topmast for the Radial

"This has limited value for the Laser Radial as Al top masts already allow the mast to be bent as far as possible (boom to the deck), and the sail is allready cut to give optimum leech tension at this point."

Isn't the whole point the fact that "optimum leach tension" varies, according to the sailor's weight? That's the way it's always been in Finns and (inasmuch as there are variations in mast sockets) in Lasers.

Surely a lighter sailor wants less leach tension (induced by extra topmast bend) so they can depower. You can't get the same depowering in a Laser by simply using less sheet or vang, as the unstayed mast that will create more depth in the head.

The optimum leach tension for someone 74kg or so is different from the optimum leach tension for someone of 64kg.

The concept of tuning mast bend to sailor weight has been around for decades in Finns etc, hasn't it? So

I must admit I was surprised and disapointed when the radial was chosen instead of the europe. The main argument against the europe that I heard was the suposed arms race leaving the poorer countries behind but in a boat like that there is only a certain amount of development you can do before everything ends up very similar and the costs would have leveled out by the next olympics IMO.

I sailed one some time ago and thoroughly enjoyed it and by all acounts it was well suited most of the girls sailing it... If the radials weight range is such a problem why use it? surely the powers that be knew this was going to happen?
'Youve made your bed, now lay in it' dont mess up the OD factor which is the one thing that the radial has going for it other than fleet size

Originally posted by Isis ........ surely the powers that be knew this was going to happen? 'Youve made your bed, now lay in it' dont mess up the OD factor which is the one thing that the radial has going for it other than fleet size.........

Agree, very well put!!!!

Originally posted by Chris 249 Isn't the whole point the fact that "optimum leach tension" varies, according to the sailor's weight? That's the way it's always been in Finns and (inasmuch as there are variations in mast sockets) in Lasers. The concept of tuning mast bend to sailor weight has been around for decades in Finns etc, hasn't it? So

So.......... even a finn Europe sailor will tell you the mast can only be bent so much. Consider, the top of the mast is more 'bendy', so its easier to bend to the maximum bent position..... how does this help a lighter weight in the laser. The light weights, are so as I explained, because they are not heavy enough to imerse the boat to a point where their weight is an effective counter.

I don't know where your leech (spelling) issue comes from... as I understood it, upwind (when your overpowered) the leech should be parallel to your direction. We all need to point, even small people. so?

Originally posted by Isis Originally posted by Guest#260 Originally posted by Isis dont mess up the OD factor which is the one thing that the radial has going for it other than fleet size Changing the spec of a controlled component dosn't impact the OD factor. Just as the XD kit didn't. The XD kit didnt change the performance or character of the boat at all though, it just made it more user friendly and (slightly) more pleasant to sail. The new controls did nothing new and achieved the same result, they just made it slightly easier to get there.

I disagree; how often do you race a Laser?

I sail one every weekend over the winter and the guys without the XD controls are disadvantaged. They cant adjust the rig as easily and as such lose ground adjusting the kicker etc; With the old controls getting the kicker block to block was a real drama in a breeze; now it is easy - of course this has changed the character of the boat, in Bens book he talks about this ... have you read it?

Rick

Edited by Guest#260