New women's Olympic boat

JimC - it is obvious that you have never seen a modern Snipe. They are cheaper than many SMODs and offer amore sophisticated sailing experience.

Do Olympic classes only have to represent one aspect of our sport - the "acrobats on wires" side of it. I would have thought that a class that offers truly international racing, open to a wide range of physiques, in which neither boat speed nor an unending stream of new gear are a major issue, in which tactics, strategy and boat handling decide who wins, in which boats stay in close contact throughout the race...this is the kind of racing may sailors would like to represent their sport at the highest level.

Gordon

 

The Snipe Worlds are a limited entry event, with numbers qualifying depending on boat numbers in each country. There are separate Women's, Youth and Masters Worlds.

Snipes do tend to be sailed in countries were "macho" is the dominant behaviour style...which may also reduce the number of women sailing. The Russians have been using the Snipe as an introduction to international racing for their girls...who make a great impression whenever they sail in western Europe. There are also a godd number of mixed crews.

The Snipe is less tippy than the Ent. The high boom encourages some aggressive roll tacking, the automatic jib pole allows very tactical sailing down wind. I often describe the boat as an ultra light keelboat, which describes the feel. The boats are impressive in very light conditions, and yet in 20 knots of wind nearly the whole fleet is still concentrating on tactics rather than spped and survivial. The bow tends to dig in on a reach - one of the reasons the boat never adopted the spinnaker.

The Snipe is a boat for those brought up on Walker's "the Tactics of small boat racing", who have read the rules (and the case book)...

... and who appreciate an active social life. The Americans have a race "week" in the winter - a 3 day event on the inside (Gulf) coast of Florida, then everyone moves to Miami for another event, then the boats are shipped to Nassau for another 3 days racing. Nice work if you can get it. The American class association is reputed to tow a stainless steel concrete mixer to events - to mix the cocktails.

 

Which is why the Laser needs 3 different rigs... and when I last looked the Laser was a single-handed boat.

 

Gordon

 

The Snipe in the Olympics?  this is like getting the 100m guys to wear long shorts and lace up spikes ala Chariots of Fire - its ANCIENT, same as the Finn, Star, Yngling and Tornado, the 470 and Laser aren't exactly spring chickens but at least they have (reasonably) wide participation going for them and the 49er will look good on TV, except if it turns out to be a no-wind affair in China in which case everything will look a bit naff.

Less classes overall, more open classes, keelboat match-racing as well as fleet, boats provided by the Olympic hosts -- then we'll find out who's best and in a wide enough cross-section of disciplines that we'll get the best sailors across a good age and experience range

Originally posted by getafix ANCIENT...... Tornado, the 470 and Laser aren't exactly spring chickens but at least they have (reasonably) wide participation going for them and the 49er will look good on TV, except if it turns out to be a no-wind affair in China in which case everything will look a bit naff.

tornados may be old but they have the same thing going for them as a 49er. they go like sh** off a shiny shovel. also they look great, my opinion only.

Edited by mike ellis