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What defines a Skiff?
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Skiffybob View Drop Down
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    Posted: 04 Oct 11 at 8:35pm
Originally posted by JimC

If you can call a class of boat a skiff loudly in the bar at the Sydney Flying Squadron when its packed after an an 18 footer racing day and walk out without bruises then it probably is one...
What he said.
12ft Skiff - Gordon Keeble and the Furry Fly-by
AC - GBR271 - Whoosh
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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: 04 Oct 11 at 8:36pm
Originally posted by Mister Nick

Something that is frighteningly fast, can pretty much annihilate if you step in the wrong place at a certain time and is sailed by complete and utter lunatics?
What he said too.
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AC - GBR271 - Whoosh
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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: 04 Oct 11 at 8:37pm
Originally posted by Iain C

IMHO...

If it planes upwind...
At least 2/3 of the crew have the ability to trapeze...
It carries a large assymmetric...
 
...then it's probably a modern skiff.
 
Purists would say in addition if it has no halyards, the crew can carry it, it has no sail numbers, and it can trace it's history back to Syndey Harbour working boats, then it's a proper skiff.  Oh, and what Jim says about bruises.
 
In short, 12/16/18 definitely, 14/Cherub possibly, 49er/800/29er XX marginal, Musto/700 even more marginal, 29er/Buzz/500 no way Jose.
 
It's a hard thing to understand, I think we need a Top Gear Skiff Wall, or possibly a "Beauskiff Scale" to make it easier...
 
BSKF12, "The multiple rigs are made of carbon, and the lightweight craft is carried to the water by a team of suncream wearing gorillas.  The water is littered with the sight of 20knot pitchpoles and much swearing.  The air is fileld with constant bad language and the bar is totally covered in foam from spilt lager"
 
BSKF1, "Gelcoat, halyards, RYA badges and Zhik/Rooster kit is in abundance.  Spares are purchased online at much inflated prices.  Bullsh*t rises vertically".
 
Hope this helps Wink
 
and what he said.
12ft Skiff - Gordon Keeble and the Furry Fly-by
AC - GBR271 - Whoosh
B49 - Island Alchemy
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RS400atC View Drop Down
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I think it's a style or design influence rather than a rigid set of criteria.
Probably even a 'school of thought' that evolves over time.
An 800 would have been very skiffesque in 1990, it's a bit 'establishment' now.
Can't agree that the MPS is less skiff than a cherub.
But any one design is not the true spirit of skiffism, building last year's ideas and all that.
Cherubs have some skiff influence, but too many hull shape rules and when you get down to it, too slow! Only marginally quicker on PY than a 400, which is a dinghy. Almost a boat in fact!
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Chris 249 View Drop Down
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Posts: 2041 		Post Options Post Options   Quote Chris 249 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 04 Oct 11 at 9:24pm
Originally posted by G.R.F.

Originally posted by Chris 249

Skiffs are not just boats that plane upwind, because many skiff designers today say that (1) planing is almost impossible to tell from fast displacement sailing; 

Hmm only one conclusion to be drawn from that statement..

Many skiff designers have clearly never truly planed upwind.

b**locks.

It's just that it's not actually easy to define "planing"; it's a term that is as loose in general use as "skiff". Whether a 12 Foot Skiff is actually "planing" in 8 knots or 15 knots is as hard to work as whether a Raceboard or Div 2 board is actually "planing" upwind in the same breeze.
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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: 04 Oct 11 at 9:46pm
I agree.  There a very few dinghies that really truly "properly plane" even downwind.
 
This is all basically bo**oks.  The marketing guys have just called any old pile of cr*p a "skiff" in order to try and sell it.
 
Come a try a proper one, then you'll understand.
12ft Skiff - Gordon Keeble and the Furry Fly-by
AC - GBR271 - Whoosh
B49 - Island Alchemy
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blaze720 View Drop Down
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Posts: 1635 		Post Options Post Options   Quote blaze720 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 04 Oct 11 at 9:47pm
How would you know which one is dinghy and which one is skiff  ??

Well thats exactly the point - who b****y cares about what you categorise any boat as being except for the keyboard pedants out there ....  get a life guys and take up a hobby ... maybe try sailing occasionally perhaps ?  'A rose by any other name' etc etc

Mike L.
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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: 04 Oct 11 at 9:52pm
Originally posted by blaze720

How would you know which one is dinghy and which one is skiff  ??

Well thats exactly the point - who b****y cares about what you categorise any boat as being except for the keyboard pedants out there ....  get a life guys and take up a hobby ... maybe try sailing occasionally perhaps ?  'A rose by any other name' etc etc

Mike L.
What he said Wink
12ft Skiff - Gordon Keeble and the Furry Fly-by
AC - GBR271 - Whoosh
B49 - Island Alchemy
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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: 04 Oct 11 at 9:56pm
Just thought...it's pretty simple really isn't it.
 
How would you define a Ferrari?
 
Is it any car built in Italy - NO
Is it any car designed by Pininfarina - NO
Is it any car with the engine in the back - NO
Is it any car that is red - NO
 
So using the same logic, how you define a skiff is as follows:-
 
A 12ft Skiff is a skiff
A 16 Skiff is a skiff
A 18ft Skiff is a skiff
An I14 is an I14
A Cherub is a Cherub
A B14 is a B14
An RS800 is an RS800
A 49er is a 49er
etc.
 
Do you think that does it?
12ft Skiff - Gordon Keeble and the Furry Fly-by
AC - GBR271 - Whoosh
B49 - Island Alchemy
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rogue View Drop Down
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Posts: 978 		Post Options Post Options   Quote rogue Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 04 Oct 11 at 10:06pm
Well the nerds can blame Nigel Musto & Luca if they want...

http://www.mustoskiff.com/sub-pages/histrory.htm

The Olympic Singlehander Project morphed into the Musto "Skiff"... catchy bit of marketing to set it apart from the other options on the table- RS600, Contender, 700 & some other Italian ride iirc.

Other flat asymmetric dinghies from the same era were called Isos, Laser 4000s and RS400s... not Topper Skiffs, Laser 4 Losers Skiffs and RShikesyourtitsoffskiffs

Edited by rogue - 04 Oct 11 at 10:09pm
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