Olympic Classes

   Definitely a difficult one with so many political and personnel influences to it.

Don't think there will every be a right or wrong class for the Games.
In the end of the day it will always be the better sailor who wins no matter what they are sailing at the time.

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Haggis Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Posting king Joined: 23 Mar 04 Online Status: Offline Posts: 180	Post Options Post Reply Quote Haggis Report Post Quote Reply Topic: Olympic Classes Posted: 23 Apr 04 at 1:05pm
	Definitely a difficult one with so many political and personnel influences to it. Don't think there will every be a right or wrong class for the Games. In the end of the day it will always be the better sailor who wins no matter what they are sailing at the time.

canadalaser Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Newbie Joined: 18 Mar 04 Location: Canada Online Status: Offline Posts: 25	Post Options Post Reply Quote canadalaser Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 23 Apr 04 at 10:12pm
	lets be realistic... the chances of the pico actually being accepted over anything else are basically zilch. As for giving one company a monopoly, you have forgotten that whatever company makes your lasers is not the only one in the world and that the design can be made by anyone who pays royalties as the design does not belong to any particular company. Finally, i dont think that the company that produces the boats should be factored in... vanguard (over here in NA) makes the 49er and the laser and nobody complains... if the boats are good... money wont be an issue to a manufacturer.

Alex C Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Posting king Joined: 18 Mar 04 Location: United Kingdom Online Status: Offline Posts: 108	Post Options Post Reply Quote Alex C Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 24 Apr 04 at 11:43am
	Have people taken into consideration the new carbon rig that the byte class have been developing? Looks kind of like a 29er sail on a byte! Edited by Alex C


canadalaser Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Newbie Joined: 18 Mar 04 Location: Canada Online Status: Offline Posts: 25	Post Options Post Reply Quote canadalaser Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 24 Apr 04 at 8:59pm
	Maybe thats because they were both designed by the same guy (Julian bethwaite). I like it... good to see one-design classes trying to change with technology.

Jon Emmett Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Visit Member's Homepage Really should get out more Joined: 15 Mar 04 Location: United Kingdom Online Status: Offline Posts: 988	Post Options Post Reply Quote Jon Emmett Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 24 Apr 04 at 9:05pm
	Regards the Byte for the Olympic class, it is simply not sailed in enough countries. Think how hard it would be for those down under to campaign... it is hard enough for them in Lasers! (At least there is a good 'home' fleet but most of their campaigning is still done in Europe). The probablem with changes within one design classes is you get the situation like the 49er 2004 World Champions sailed with a rudder stock out of class dimensions... Jon
	Be Your Own Tactics Coach

Adoo Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Groupie Joined: 23 Mar 04 Location: United Kingdom Online Status: Offline Posts: 64	Post Options Post Reply Quote Adoo Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 01 May 04 at 2:36am
	As far as developing all round sailors is concerned, is there a better boat than the Europe? Sure, a laser radial will teach them about tactics and wind shifts, but a europe teaches them about tactics, windshifts, kinetics on the race course, mast position, bend characteristics, matching sails to spars, gyradius, and many many other aspects of modern sailing. Example; Glenn Bourke won 3 Laser worlds in a row (in the 80's). Ben Ainslie won 3 Finn Gold cups in a row(from 2002 to 2004). Both are FANTASTIC sailors, don't get me wrong. Yet now Ben is being hailed as THE sailor of our genertion, but Glen was not, at that time. I think that this is because the Fin is a much more difficult boat to sail well than the Laser. But I am NOT detracting from Glen's achievement, in the slightest..... I think that we need our Olympians to be all round sailors. Comments please.....
	Better to be overpowered in the gusts than underpowered in the lulls!

redback Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Visit Member's Homepage Really should get out more Joined: 16 Mar 04 Location: Tunbridge Wells Online Status: Offline Posts: 1502	Post Options Post Reply Quote redback Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 03 May 04 at 11:29pm
	I used to think the Laser was such a good boat because it taught you all the key skills but now I realise it doesn't. In fact I used to wonder why people sailed the boatspeed type boats like Fireballs, Contenders etc because they tacked so slowly you couldn't take advantage of the windshifts. Then I sailed a RS800 and realised that you've got to have a boat of a yardstick less than about 920 to experience a 4th dimension - its called apparent wind sailing. To experience it you have to have a trapeze and a spinnaker so large you can't beam reach with it - in other words you need a skiff. Try it there's nothing like it for "grin factor" To sail one, you have to be atheletic - only the 49er fits the bill of the current Olympic classes. The others shouldn't be in the Olympics, many are fine boats for a hobby, but not for Olympians.

14er Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Newbie Joined: 28 Apr 04 Online Status: Offline Posts: 4	Post Options Post Reply Quote 14er Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 04 May 04 at 9:04pm
	Agreed, but the other key skill of sailing which you've missed is teamwork. You'll never learn that in a singlehander!

Blobby Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Really should get out more Joined: 07 May 04 Location: Australia Online Status: Offline Posts: 779	Post Options Post Reply Quote Blobby Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 07 May 04 at 7:37am
	Enough of the ODs - Why shouldn't there be a development class in the Olympics? Think about the other olympic sports that involve "equipment" - say cycling - Chris Boardman didn't wiin his olympic medals on a One Design Bike. You can't seriously say Steve Redgrave won his medals in one design rowing boats and 3 day eventers certainly don't win their medals on one design horses! So try this for size - lightweights single hander = Int. Moth lightweights 2 man boat = Cherub Fat boys single hander = ++ Fat boys 2 man boat = I14 Cat = Formula 16HP Keel boat = ??

Small people Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Newbie Joined: 26 Mar 04 Location: United Kingdom Online Status: Offline Posts: 36	Post Options Post Reply Quote Small people Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 07 May 04 at 9:34am
	But isn't there a view that says that one design boats are cheaper and more accessible to all. We all know the view of Mr Henderson about fairness, accessibility and equality for all countries regardless of how much funding! Have to say though that if we go for the development class idea does the whole cost of the Olympics and Olympic sailing become even more expensive and elitist than it is already perceived to be?