Comparison- Rs400 and 59er experience

is this Mr Freddy looking for a career with a certain magazine?

I have no particular interest in either class but it still made for an interesting read, so im sure it will be apreciated, thanks.

Originally posted by Isis is this Mr Freddy looking for a career with a certain magazine? I have no particular interest in either class but it still made for an interesting read, so im sure it will be apreciated, thanks.

With english as bad as mine and a kknackered laptop keyboard adding to the bda splelling -  I doubt.!!

Hope you liked it - intended at least as a cure for insomnia on these bloody long winter nights. Maybe someone else could do a comparison , i14 49er, laser- phantom etc

59er Pros and Cons

Well the first point is the double edged sword, or the two
sides of the coin. It's stregnth is perhaps a weakness to
me and other UK -EU sailors.

The boat  deserves 'skiff' as its' "file under" in the
great library of sailing.

The draw back here is whereas this style of sailing may be the
bread and butter of Sydney Harbour, it is mannifest here
really in more recent years as the new breed of 'higher performance' SMODs
and we just ain't used to it.

Ok we have had I14s, B14s and 18ft skiffs for a long time now,
but your average sailor from the 70s or 80s learning grounds
started in a wayfarer, then sailed a 420, moving to 505s or fireballs
later in life. Or like me you came from keel boats fed up with
the marina bills and dubious availability of 5 crew.

SO back to the boat. It produces litte weather helm and if it does
then you have got things wrong and are screwing up into the wind.
The feel upwind is neutral- you keep the flow attached and 'engage'
rudder for quick adjustments to direction. Off wind there is more feel
of lee helm to tell you you have too much main out or kite in, but this
is once again often too late and the boat will stagger or flip just after
you get big load on the helm.

A big bad on my trips out on the 9er offering is that they were 'jollies'
and not in a race or even in company of many boats. So up wind it was almost
 'dull' to helm. As the beach approached or an older design disappeared behind
us it did feel fast and the harden up was fun. The ease of sailing should make it a very tactical fleet boat if it find's it's feet as a class or in 'higher
performance' sailing. ..that is over just being able to both trapeze and manoevre the boat on other competitors.

Edited by damp_freddie

no. It is a long rant, split into bitesize insomnia pills. The site crashes.

 

 do you always skim read threads or are you used to shallow waters ?

 

Any conclusions?

 

Well you gotta ask yourself two questions

 

who am  I going to race against

 

and

 

What is progress in terms of design and performance?

 

 

 If you got this far try counting sheep instead ....but if you must read on skip the top half of the next page---it's only Bubble trying to be funny.

Edited by damp_freddie