best skiff

Originally posted by Blobby Except that clearly the 49er traces its lineage back to the Prime 18 footer...is that not a direct route back to the original?

Pity then its not 18 feet long 26 feet wide with unlimited sail area like the "Prime". Make that "one design" and then you could trace it back.

Its like saying a Mirror is a development of a Heron, similar yet different.

What did I say?  Just look at those beauties.  You can still see the rowlocks on them.

The reality is that the 49er isnt a proper skiff, because its a one design! true skiffs each have their own personalities, and this only occurs in development classes so the 18ft skiff, int 14, cherub, 12ft skiff, r class, 16ft skiff and int moth are all proper skiffs! im sure the cherub guys will back me up on this! 49ers only vary by paint job not shape, design, sail area or anything else!

Originally posted by ssailor The reality is that the 49er isn't a proper skiff, because its a one design! true skiffs each have their own personalities, and this only occurs in development classes so the 18ft skiff, int 14, cherub, 12ft skiff, r class, 16ft skiff and int moth are all proper skiffs! I'm sure the cherub guys will back me up on this! 49ers only vary by paint job not shape, design, sail area or anything else!

TOO TRUE, look at the Europe dingy, and a moth from 1950's, i think you will find they  were much the same. One design is like a time warp back to the year of the design being finalised, ie 49er 1995/96 with a mast update after the 2000 Olympics to Glass, I don,t even think full carbon / part carbon.

Don't get me wrong "one design" has its place, for people who sail with their CHEQUE BOOK where you can only BUY crap parts, look at those crap traveller blocks on the Lazar, and where in the last FIVE years the BIGGEST thing in ONE DESIGN was all those new fangled block on the Lazar. Hadn't the Lazar people herd of blocks, yes we can ALL tie knots but there are things that are so much better.

SKIFFS are Skiffs, WANT-A-BE SKIFFS WILL STILL BE WANT-A-BE SKIFFS

At the end of the day true skiffs are 12s Australians 14s 16s 18s, and there are a very few exceptions from this that can be included, basically meet the 7 or 8 criteria listed by me earlier and then you could be called "Skiff like"

The 13ft skiff promoted by the Australian 16s is a FEEDER class to the 16. In essence give good young guys a paid for new boat and keep them in the Skiff family, ie NOT Beithwaties

Most of the Overseas sailors wouldn't know this but when the 12ft SKIFF Interdomions were held in Auckland in 2000, during the Americas Cup, that small boat race, that on the lay days the AC blokes were out watching us, and using OUR ideas into their AC boats, so the next time someone says that TRUE SKIFFS are not HI TECH, read above.

I 'd just like to say at this point that the UK Cherub's are embarking on a
total clean up of there rules. Which will be taking place over this year. and
if passed by the AGM at next years nationals should mean that we get rid
of a heap of needless stuff. Because as a Class that was born in NZ / Aus
we carry with us that skiff culture. What ever the semantics of the name,
that free thinking, rebellious nature is alive and well over here. And we
intend to keep it.

So thanks Skiffe and Tornado_ALIVE for making me understand why the
UK Cherubs have never really fitted in in the UK. I think they call it an
apithical moment! ( if you spell it like that )

PS its a real shame about numbers on sails over here cos you get so much
grief of RO's if you ain't got em" cos I'm sure we wouldn't bother with
them either. It's a bit like the hassle we get for rigging on our sides! you
guys wouldn't believe it!