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gary145 View Drop Down
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Posts: 116 		Post Options Post Options   Quote gary145 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Topic: Dinghy Show -- Observations
    Posted: 05 Mar 08 at 10:54pm

Originally posted by Lukepiewalker

Upwind sailing has been turned into something that is tolerated until you get to the downhill ride with all the crashing and burning and falling in. Most of the recent developments in dinghy sailing have erred on that side of performance (which is fair enough I suppose, it is fun, I won't argue with that), but unfortunately the sight of a boat knifing it's way to windward with little regard for any waves in it's path such as an FD (I refer you to the bit of Jims website about racing a Cherub on the same course as the FDs) is now rarely seen. For the true high performance development boats I am sure self tackers make sense in terms of boat handling, but it pales in comparison to the sheer size of the FD Genoa (150% isn't it) and the effort involved in pulling the thing in.... I don't see hurdles being lowered because it's too much effort to jump over them, you aren't allowed to launch a javelin with a catapult, why would you want to remove all the physical endeavour from sailing?
I don't know if that even made sense......
I'm a mere pond sailor in Scotland, for the record.

Just wondered what amount of effort people like in their sailing and how so many classes are popular?

I get the 'idea'  in your answer, though the 'easy' in my question was not really  about taking all effort out of sailing.Just some of it

aahhh yes the FD upwind, a glorious sight, with crews the size of brick s--t houses i recall, but then bit slow downwind too.  

If you want to see fast upwind these days look at the asymmetric rigged cats, with handicap numbers in the  690's and low 700's those are unbelievably fast upwind and fly downwind too. (effort required!)

Oh and mine doesn't have a self tacker either!

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NeilP View Drop Down
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Posts: 271 		Post Options Post Options   Quote NeilP Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 06 Mar 08 at 8:30am

They're not actually particularly slow downwind, they just don't feel spectacular. The crew thing is a distant memory now, too. Carbon sticks and massively adjustable rigs mean you can have a crew weighing anything from about 13st upwards. I crew for my wife and she's 5'4" and weighs not much, I'm 6' and weigh about 85-90 kilos, dependingwhat time of year and who's asking. Hardly brick s**t-house sized, is it?

OMHO there is no better sight or feeling than an FD going upwind in 20+ knots. Pretty awesome on a 2-sail reach, too!
No FD? No Comment!
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Post Options Post Options   Quote Guests Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 06 Mar 08 at 11:01am

 thrills upwind:-

avoiding dirty air

getting the boat set up right.

spotting shifts and gusts

pointing higher than others

using the tide

covering boats

watching my beautiful crew cop all the spray while I shelter behind her

going off on a different tack and arriving at the mark before all else. (sheer bliss)

...................the thrill of speed? .....don't remember that one

I some times think that the obsession with speed is missing the point of sailing.



Edited by GK.LaserII
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tack'ho View Drop Down
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Posts: 1100 		Post Options Post Options   Quote tack'ho Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 06 Mar 08 at 11:16am

Originally posted by MerlinMags

Well said! Maybe we will see the upwind/downwind balance redressed one day...

Anyway, what's all this about trying boats at Datchet? Have I missed something?

Apparently there is going to be a try a boat day at Dachet over the summer, the people organising it were tapping the Class Assocs up at the show asking if they'd bring a boat.
I might be sailing it, but it's still sh**e!
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Post Options Post Options   Quote Guests Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 06 Mar 08 at 11:17am
Originally posted by GK.LaserII

 thrills upwind:-


avoiding dirty air


getting the boat set up right.


spotting shifts and gusts


pointing higher than others


using the tide


covering boats


watching my beautiful crew cop all the spray while I shelter behind
her


going off on a different tack and arriving at the mark before all else.
(sheer bliss)


...................the thrill of speed? .....don't remember that one


I some times think that the obsession with speed is missing the point
of sailing.



Well other than the beautiful crew, you've totally summed it all up for me.

Speed? Buy a windsurfer, in fact come to think of it Kites are now faster
they've broken 50kts and a lot more raw adrenalin to be had there if
that's what you're looking for..
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alstorer View Drop Down
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Posts: 2899 		Post Options Post Options   Quote alstorer Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 06 Mar 08 at 1:20pm
Originally posted by GK.LaserII

 thrills upwind:-

avoiding dirty air

getting the boat set up right.

spotting shifts and gusts

pointing higher than others

using the tide

covering boats

watching my beautiful crew cop all the spray while I shelter behind her

going off on a different tack and arriving at the mark before all else. (sheer bliss)

...................the thrill of speed? .....don't remember that one

I some times think that the obsession with speed is missing the point of sailing.

Getting in "the groove"

Getting rather over familiar with my helm who seems to feel we can both sit on the "horn" at the front of the wing

marvelling that the bow still pops out and onto the plane with us big lumps as far forward as we can go

skimming over the waves rather than through them

 

Plus most of what you said...
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Skiffybob View Drop Down
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Posts: 842 		Post Options Post Options   Quote Skiffybob Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 06 Mar 08 at 8:32pm

I think the Datchet "try a boat" weekend is something like the 19th & 20th April.

I dare say they'll have something on their website in due course.
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Chas 505 View Drop Down
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Posts: 119 		Post Options Post Options   Quote Chas 505 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 10 Mar 08 at 10:00am

Great FD video - you just brightened my Monday.

It's good to remind some of the newer classes that upwind sailing is supposed to be at least as fun as 3 sail blasting.

Mind you, I guess that most of the spotty heart brigade wouldn't venture out in conditions like that.....bowsprits become pretty dangerous bits of submarine equipment in those waves.

Chas

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Life is too short.
Work Hard; Play Hard; Sail a 505
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NeilP View Drop Down
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Posts: 271 		Post Options Post Options   Quote NeilP Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 10 Mar 08 at 11:51am
No No No Chas, you don't pay attention to what goes on on here, do you? None of the Cherub boys even bother taking the cover off in under 35 knots of breeze. Obviously what we regard as serious breeze is nothing but a bit of a drift to the mega-heroes of twin-wire world
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Chas 505 View Drop Down
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Posts: 119 		Post Options Post Options   Quote Chas 505 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 10 Mar 08 at 2:50pm

Oh what, you mean those faster boats, sailed by higher beings (getting the hang of this...)

I think that there are many who would genuinely like to watch Cherubs and loads of these other classes competitively racing just off Cadiz in 25 knots.  All of us who don't work for Noble marine or Newton Crum, that is.......(well it is called "banter", after all).
Life is too short.
Work Hard; Play Hard; Sail a 505
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