Alto dinghy owners

Originally posted by G.R.F. it's by far the most enjoyable boat I've ever sailed.

That's what Tim was saying at Wilsonian last night (actually, he put it more strongly than that, but this is a family forum). He then went out and won... The course did suit the boat, however.

I think the L4000 PY is unrealistic, was it from a time when better folk
used it or was it a marketing tag to make it seem faster?

The Alto has the ability to compete Assym or take the Syms on head to
head in the course you adopt, provided you get the pole working andthe
crew understanding what you're doing and why.

It is a great all round boat, it does have weak points, as mentioned two
sail tight reaches will see it easily overhauled by a 505 and you will not
take a 505 on a dead downwind leg soaking, as I've said lots of times
before, it's a tacticians dream, there are multi options not available to
boats like the RS500 say, and it is such a well balanced ride you really do
have to do something very wrong to turn her over, (once you know her
foibles that is, like the self tacking jib engaging mid tack).

I don't think 930 is unfair, she'll get a good run for her money from an
Osprey which is faster upwind and that is 940. A V3000 will give her a
solid race in a breeze and the windier it gets the more likely the V3000 is
to overhaul her offwind. I'd say an L4000 in good order with a tight team
would beat an Alto if the course were a full Assym favored course, but put
a bit of a soaking leg in there and it might turn to the Alto's favour.

A good event would be a mix of Alto,L4k,Iso,Osprey and five oh.

I've just sailed the Alto.  In fact we won the race against a small fleet of a 5000, 800, 400, MPS.  So I'm feeling rather proud of myself.  I'm afriad there was no 4000 or 59er to compare since I'm the one normally in the 4000 and my crew on this occasion is normally sailing the 59er.

Firstly its a much easier boat to sail than the 4000 or the 59er.  The hull is not disimilar to the 4000 except the chines drop lower aft and being longer this gives flatter rear sections and more stability.  Its got much the same fullness under the mast as the 4000 and so is quite bouyant and not so likely to bury its bow as the 59er.  This makes it a bit wet as it throws a lot of water off the bow again like the 4000 but unlike the 59er.  The stabilty is probably helped by having a lot less weight aloft than the 4000, the rig being carbon.

The Alto is more boat-like than a skiff and so different from both the 4000 and the 59er.  Its single skinned unlike the others and so your feet go down into the boat and you sit on the side.  Skiff type boats are much more standing up type boats, hence the technique for going out on the wire is different.  In the Alto one is inclined to sit on the side and then push out from that sitting position.  After a capsize the Alto is full of water and you rely on the flaps at the back and the bailers to suck the water out.  Being a fast boat it doesn't take long but of course the 4000 and the 59er just shed the water out the back as soon as they are upright.

The greater length of the Alto means it maintains speed in the lulls and being light it doesn't sink when it comes off the plane.  I'm sure it would be faster than a 4000 in light winds and proably the 59er too except perhaps if the 59er had a very light crew.  I've not sailed a 59er in a blow but I suspect its like the 4000 - you have to be totally committed when tacking, gybing, bearing away, dropping and hoisting.  Every transistion requires co-ordination and a forceful technique and very satisfying it is too when you get it right.  The Alto feels like you could be a bit tentative and get away with it.  So the Alto is a boat you can take people who have sailed a Laser 2000 and train them up.  The 4000 is a boat you will frequently capsise until you have mastered the transistions in any sort of breeze.  I'm talking about racing not blasting up and down at some holiday camp.  So the Alto feels forgiving.  Incidentally the Alto has just about enough room for 3, you couldn't possibly do that in a 4000 or a 59er.

There are some occasions where the Alto is not as fast as the 59er and the 4000.  The 59er is fast when you go deep, its here that the big kite and light wieght pay.  As for the 4000 I'm sure it will be faster on a screaming reach, two sail or with the kite up.  In fact I have overhauled the Alto on a tightish kite reach in medium winds when racing my 4000.  On the other hand there were moments when racing last Sunday when the Alto would be keeping pace with the 800 and the 5000.  Specifically tight kite reach in a gusty wind, and I suspect in light winds beating it would excel against those two classes and thrash the 4000.

Overall its a lovely boat, forgiving, fast over a wide wind range, fun and light enough to pull up the beach afterwards.  A boat with few vices and one that can be sailed by those not used to high perfomance.  A triumph of design, I'd like one, and thanks to oldarn for letting me sail it.

 

I just wish there was a single hander out there like it.

High performance, ease of handling, great wind range.

Medium Performance surely..?