Bytes and Lightnings
Printed From: Yachts and Yachting Online
Category: Dinghy classes
Forum Name: Dinghy development
Forum Discription: The latest moves in the dinghy market
URL: http://www.yachtsandyachting.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=8098
Printed Date: 10 Sep 25 at 11:02pm
Software Version: Web Wiz Forums 9.665y - http://www.webwizforums.com
Topic: Bytes and Lightnings
Posted By: tickel
Subject: Bytes and Lightnings
Date Posted: 02 Aug 11 at 11:12am
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Come on, drag out your Bytes and Lightnings for our open at Combs Sailing club in the Peak District this weekend. Saturday Lightnings, Saturday and Sunday Bytes. You won't be last (Byte) because I will be! I would particularly welcome GRF for who we would shave our backs, chain the women and warm the water.
Nice yellow Rondar Contender for sail. ------------- tickel |
Replies:
Posted By: Stargazey
Date Posted: 03 Aug 11 at 9:26pm
| Would love to bring my CII up ... but a little too far from sunny Southampton |
Posted By: Pabs
Date Posted: 07 Aug 11 at 7:30pm
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Fantastic event High 5 Combs SC
------------- Boatless and Clubless |
Posted By: tickel
Date Posted: 07 Aug 11 at 8:09pm
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Oh! how I agree Paul. My performance in my Byte was dismal but to see the top helms in the country fighting it out on a windy day was awesome, throwing the little boats into tacks and windsurfing down wind was a joy to see. I cannot understand why you are not all sailing them. The Lightnings also had close racing in boats from new to 30 years old and all under the lovely Peak District hills. I would also mention that Pabs was 3rd in a borrowed Lightning which progressively leaked throughout each race providing an accumulating handicap. Even though he is now somewhat 'over the hill' in age and fitness terms we still expect the old chap to perform well in the forthcoming RS 300 Nationals. ------------- tickel |
Posted By: fleaberto
Date Posted: 08 Aug 11 at 11:18am
A great day. Raining whilst rigging, bright & dry once done. Then rain again to de-rig - clear & dry once finished! Perfect 
Whilst not exactly the result i was looking for (...though regularly the result my 'skills' deserve!!) at least the mighty pink boat looked good on the water - beautifully accessorised with my pink gloves!
Cheers all at Combs, a nice day of racing and socialising.
 Lee
------------- Lightning368 'All the Gear' (409), Lightning368 'Sprite' (101), Laser (big number) 'Yellow Jack', RS Vareo (432)'The Golden Rays' |
Posted By: tickel
Date Posted: 08 Aug 11 at 12:30pm
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Well Lee your 'pink' is obviously not bright enough as I still managed to hit it! Sorry. Glad you enjoyed the day. ------------- tickel |
Posted By: winging it
Date Posted: 08 Aug 11 at 1:33pm
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I have to say I have had a couple of sails in her indoors' Byte and am converted - it is an excellent little boat and seems really quick, even with my 80kg to slow it down. Let me know if there are any more opens coming up and if it's windy I may drag myself along - once I've fitted the main jammers of course - wrist still isn't up to working the sheet yet! slim girl fat,, aka Nessa ------------- the same, but different... |
Posted By: rogue
Date Posted: 08 Aug 11 at 1:48pm
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My sister had one when we were teenagers and I was f**king my knees up in a Laser.
I only sailed it a couple of times, but it was a sweet boat and really nicely balanced on all points of sail. (I can only imagine that a CII rig has made it even better.) If I were Radial weight, I'd choose a Byte over it every day. Such a great little boat. |
Posted By: tickel
Date Posted: 08 Aug 11 at 1:51pm
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The next open is at Minnis bay on September 24/25th. I doubt if this will be very well supported but the Nationals are at Warash on 29/30 October. We will be there with the boy sailing my boat.
One of the great things about the Byte C2 is that anyone can sail one, high boom and quite big cockpit but a good light helm can sail one way above PY. On the Sunday of our open it was to windy for for a gentleman of my age and uselessness to attempt it but to see the top helms hurling them about.....By the way no one uses a jammer, far too dangerous but if you have an injury.... ------------- tickel |
Posted By: Ruscoe
Date Posted: 08 Aug 11 at 2:12pm
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I think both classes are great, the lightning especially. Always loved the look of them back int he 80's. If i was a smaller bloke it would deffinately be on my shopping list as from used to new they seem to offer great value.I have not sailed a C2 but i had a near new Byte years ago as a kid, i loved it but really struggled with the old rig on handicap, i seem to remember its PY being somewhere near that of a solo at the time. ------------- |
Posted By: tickel
Date Posted: 08 Aug 11 at 2:29pm
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Lightning 1152 and the new John Claridge boats are lovely and modern on Mylar.
Byte C2 1140. Choose Byte for a blow and lightning when it is light. ------------- tickel |
Posted By: Ruscoe
Date Posted: 08 Aug 11 at 3:16pm
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so is a lightning really faster then a modern solo? I would be really interested to find out? I should imagine he C2 is a little flyer in a breeze. ------------- |
Posted By: tickel
Date Posted: 08 Aug 11 at 4:54pm
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Remember Russ that the Lightning is 12' but carries as much sail as a full rig laser, but lower. In light winds it will out perform a Radial but as the wind increases the extra length of the Laser begins to tell and it will pull away. In a real blow the Lightning begins to get awkward. Those who sail Lightnings against Solos complain about the advantageous PY of the modern Solo. Byte C2 is fantastic in wind and the really good jockeys can turn them into windsurfers.
I am not a member of the 'anti laser society' but I am a member of the 'look at the alternatives society'. ------------- tickel |
Posted By: Rupert
Date Posted: 08 Aug 11 at 5:28pm
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The Lightning handicap certainly seems more realistic than the Solo one - I race against a couple of well sailed Solos (neither new, but both to a modern shape and well looked after) and I do find that in a straight line in a steady wind they will pull away, especially upwind. They aren't too different, though. A 30 year old Lightning will probebly be faster (and far cheaper) than a 30 year old Solo, and seems to need a little less "grunt".
Sorry I wasn't a Combs, Tickel, I was sailing the Minisail at a cvrda event at Clywedog. That was fun, too. ------------- Firefly 2324, Puffin 229, Minisail 3446 Mirror 70686 |
Posted By: Ruscoe
Date Posted: 08 Aug 11 at 8:27pm
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Cheers guys, i had never really thought about the Py of a lightning until i noticed it was so close to the Solo. But i do remember thinking they had a load of sail all those years ago. I can imagine it would be tricky to beat a modern Solo in most conditions. Good luck to the class, i really hope the resurgence continues. ------------- |
Posted By: drifter
Date Posted: 08 Aug 11 at 8:39pm
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Both great boats, but I'd have the C2 in a drifter and the Lightning for almost all conditions. The Byte is too prone to nosediving on runs, though less wetted area on the light stuff. Still prefer the Solo though-more comfortable!
------------- Stewart |
Posted By: Stargazey
Date Posted: 08 Aug 11 at 9:42pm
Have just booked my accomodation for Minnis Bay September 24/25 - looking forward to it as I bought my Byte this April and am still learning the ropes. It was blowing 25-30 knots here this weekend and I was completely out of control trying to go downhill, so hoping to get some tips off regular Byte helms. This is this first time that I have sailed a fully battened sail and must admit am loving the Byte - even if I have no real idea what I am doing  A good open event will hopefully give me some more of an idea.
My Byte is about 4-5 years old so is Topper built, so I'll be interested to see how the new Ovington boats compare.
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Posted By: winging it
Date Posted: 08 Aug 11 at 10:00pm
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tickler, do the bytes take part in the ovi inlands at grafham?
------------- the same, but different... |
Posted By: tickel
Date Posted: 08 Aug 11 at 10:29pm
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As far as I know there is no race for Byte at the Ovi's. In fact they do not seem to take much interest in the class.
Last years Nationals were won by a 19 year old Topper hull and this years Inlands were won by the same helm in a probably 12 year old boat. Both boats belong to me but I was not sailing them. In second place on both occasions was a brand new Ovington. I will try to find out who is going to Minnis Bay. ------------- tickel |