Sailing a double hander singlehanded
Printed From: Yachts and Yachting Online
Category: General
Forum Name: Race Management
Forum Discription: For race officers and competiors to discuss the topic
URL: http://www.yachtsandyachting.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=12529
Printed Date: 09 Aug 25 at 8:57pm
Software Version: Web Wiz Forums 9.665y - http://www.webwizforums.com
Topic: Sailing a double hander singlehanded
Posted By: Sam.Spoons
Subject: Sailing a double hander singlehanded
Date Posted: 24 Sep 16 at 4:57pm
|
Hopefully not going to be an issue for me next season but, assuming, as and RO, you were prepared to accept somebody racing a two hander solo how would you adjust the handicap (if at all)? And what adjustment would you make if a relatively inexperienced crew asked for some allowance for sailing without the kite? BTW I know L3ks are routinely sailed singlehanded and I discovered a class which recommends a different handicap if the kite is not rigged.
|
Replies:
Posted By: JimC
Date Posted: 24 Sep 16 at 6:39pm
|
As RO you should accept entries from anything and everything, but the challenge is giving a reasonable number that's not unfair to either competitor or their competitors. A lot less controversial if giving a number to a mid fleet sailor like me than someone who expects to be in the glassware! Probably makes most sense in a club series to put a finger in the air but say its going to be altered after say half a dozen races.
But estimating... the trouble is it depends... Down at the slow end a Mirror is definitely faster singlehanded, but a high performance boat probably won't be. Spinnakers make less difference than most people think. Mirror is 1385, and in 2009 Mirror s/h without kite was 1371 and 1365 with kite. There was once a GP14 spinnaker less number, and that was only 9 points slower than with the kite. Of course the GP14 spinnaker is a rather little thing. Laser Vortex lost 15 points after they put the kite on, but the biggest difference is the Int Canoe, which was 35 points against the one design, but the Canoe kite is typically twice as big as the rest of the sails put together. |
Posted By: Sam.Spoons
Date Posted: 24 Sep 16 at 10:38pm
|
Agreed, what I was musing upon was how the singlehanded aspect and the kite change the boats performance. The only advantage of sailing a two hander solo is the reduced weight so, I guess, a Mirror with two 7 stone kids would perform as well as with a single 14 stone adult? My Spice sailed solo is great in a drifter as it has a lot of rag but my 75 kilos is not enough in 10 knots + so swings and roundabouts (and you definitely don't gain an advantage using the kite when singlehanding which I do when free sailing sub 10 knots). FWIW the Spice kite is about the same as an Assy Canoe at 22 sq m but theres a bit more upwind sail area at 16 sq m (Int Canoe 10sqm). I've probably got a bit more leverage with a beam of 190cm though.
|
Posted By: patj
Date Posted: 26 Sep 16 at 7:31am
|
At our club the rule is -20 if sailing a double hander singlehanded. Since it's a small, shifty puddle in a wooded valley, even the Albacore can be single handed occasionally.
As for with/without kite, it's difficult to sail any boat with a kite to handicap on those small courses anyway, hence we do far better in the Albacore than the Lark or Merlin Rocket. The non-kite-boat sailors of the committee wouldn't give any allowances anyway, back when we moaned, so we persevered with the kite as the boat was handicapped for it. |
Posted By: Sam.Spoons
Date Posted: 26 Sep 16 at 10:13am
Strangely, my one event singlhanding the Spice I was given 930 which is the original manufacturers (usual highly optimistic) PY for the Spice. I had been sailing to 930 since I bought the boat and it's only this year that a revised number has been suggested. The current estimated number for the Spice is 950 so I did actually take a 20 point hit  I've just read an article on the Int Canoe and noticed the seat can extend to 2m from the centreline so, in fact, they have a little more leverage than I do solo....... Two trapezeing OTOH.......
|