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Solo fleet still growing
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Wrighty View Drop Down
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    Posted: 24 Oct 12 at 5:24pm
Originally posted by getafix

OK, you both love Solos, now get a room already.... Wink
   You need some glasses also need to read the posts, we only like class racing, I don not want  a vintage boat designed boat but have no choice,I like the people that race Solo as well, from the 505 fleets and other greats fleets/boats to a solo for class racing?


Edited by Wrighty - 24 Oct 12 at 5:45pm
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Posts: 2202 		Post Options Post Options   Quote pondmonkey Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 24 Oct 12 at 5:23pm
Originally posted by getafix

OK, you both love Solos, now get a room already.... Wink

lol... no, I don't love them at all.  I might grow to love them, but somehow I don't think so.

But I do love racing dinghies, and I've missed that and am looking forward to doing it again, properly.
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Posts: 2143 		Post Options Post Options   Quote getafix Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 24 Oct 12 at 5:17pm
OK, you both love Solos, now get a room already.... Wink
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Posts: 192 		Post Options Post Options   Quote Wrighty Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 24 Oct 12 at 5:15pm
Originally posted by SimonW99

Of course you could buy a boat thats more comfortable sail, faster without all that pumping and which has had 35+ new boats this year and a set rig and sail........... Ermm

 
 You have just made me sad, I was given the chance to have one to blast around local opens when they first came out as I knew the Hartleys for years at Blithfield, I was very stupid not to take up the offer and regreat it every time I think about it, urrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr.
   Not I was very good like the superstars I knew at the time. time machine please, rewind and play again.


Edited by Wrighty - 24 Oct 12 at 5:19pm
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Posts: 2202 		Post Options Post Options   Quote pondmonkey Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 24 Oct 12 at 5:07pm
Yep, at 95kg I'm still way up on ideal weight for a Solo inland.  But there's some leniency at play with the right rig, and the rocker profile of the Winder Mk2 is supposed to be a bit more forgiving.

I'm also cognisant that anything that encourages me to keep the pies off is a good thing, and I'm also more than fully aware that improved skills, learned by sticking in a boat I can actually sail long enough, will also make a massive difference.

Phantom would be my 'ideal' too, but they do feel like a lot of work when it gets a bit breezier... and again, I think there's only one left at the club, so just no point going back there for a match race against the spreadsheet. 
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Posts: 192 		Post Options Post Options   Quote Wrighty Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 24 Oct 12 at 5:02pm
Originally posted by pondmonkey

I must have a similar style to you then- I've gone to maximise lightwind, offwind performance and I'll take the pain elsewhere.  (Not bragging, but I can normally get a boat uphill well enough, it's all downwind where I lose out no matter what I've sailed in the past)
 
  I worked it out years ago, 84 kgs in a laser inland was just too heavy for the average wind, sailing against myself in a summer series me at 74kg vers me at 84kgs in light winds the 84kgs would get killed by the 74kgs, in strong winds the 84kgs sailors would be eight boats lenths ahead of the 74kgs sailor at the windward mark but the 74kgs sailor would regain 4 boats lenths downwing so still have a fighting chance, in light winds the 84kgs just go slow all the way around.
   Phantom is the best boat for my weight range to sail inland over the summer? 
Solo still has the fleet, good sailors look like weight around 80kgs?
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Posts: 2202 		Post Options Post Options   Quote pondmonkey Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 24 Oct 12 at 5:01pm
Originally posted by SimonW99

...very good value for an epoxy s'hander.

They are, and if there were a fleet of them at my pond, or any other pond 30 minutes from my office, then I wouldn't discount them at all.
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Post Options Post Options   Quote Guests Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 24 Oct 12 at 4:52pm
The 'Nova carries a very wide weight range and the adjustable forestay gives a very wide power range. Mark Hartley was Nt champ this year and he is 90kg +, but there are sailors at 75kg who regularly win. I was about 92kg this year and seemed equally competitive in the light. The new Epoxy boats with open transoms are stiffer and lighter and probably have an edge on a lightish reach, but early boats are still winning plenty of races.

The open transom and deck redesign make the boat much much more attractive and like the solo, they could have gone carbon on the rig, but the current rig works exceptionally well with the battened sail and swapping would have increased the cost for little if any gain apart from mast weigh aloft. In terms of fleets, I bought one, another one appeared shortly afterwards , a third is due and a fourth under consideration. once people sail them they are quick converts as they are so nice to sail - fast but forgiving. Our converts are coming from epoxy streakers and lasers. Where the fleets get established they are growing quickly because they are not only a great sail, but are very good value for an epoxy s'hander.
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Posts: 192 		Post Options Post Options   Quote Wrighty Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 24 Oct 12 at 4:27pm
Originally posted by SimonW99

I sailed a solo 20 years ago and whilst its moved on, the physics haven't change. Not knocking it or its fleets, but never remember being thrilled. Spent many, many years in lasers because of the numbers, but then found the Supernova and cant believe why I sailed Lasers for so long. Its long, light, low aspect powerful main and just really enjoyable to sail. Fast growing class with a well attended and growing travellers series that would give plenty of open options for someone in the midlands.  Thumbs Up
  I was waiting to see if the RS100 would keep growing at the fast start rate it started at, lookec at the results and open for next year, ok if want to go to Europe but not convinced, most are unused in the local club?
    The solo would be better with a split carbon mast and boom like the RS300/ RS100 if you had to add  weight to the boat to keep it in class, just wish the RS300 was in the position of the solo, great boat but lots of fun.
  Sep 2011 to sep 2012 92 boats put on the solo reg  http://members.ziggo.nl/broekvd/


Edited by Wrighty - 24 Oct 12 at 4:35pm
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Posts: 2202 		Post Options Post Options   Quote pondmonkey Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 24 Oct 12 at 4:23pm
Alternatives are nice and I absolutely agree with you that they're not for everyone and retain very traditional characteristics (good/bad ... that's individual opinion which can change with circumstances)... but as for the Nova, I'm led to believe by the two people who used to have them at our club, that I'd be a bit on the porky side at 95kg.  Probably a bit less of an issue on the sea- in salt water ;-0  But the real 'salient point' is that 2 people used to sail them; they don't anymore, so no one to race against.

I guess that's one advantage to multiple sails and rigs... you get to offer natural adjustment to suit people's sailing style and body shape, thus making the competitive weight range quite wide.  I think the Solo claims 65-105kg in the top third of the national fleet.  That's pretty impressive from one 12ft one-design platform.

Usually the only way to do this in a SMOD is through weight equalisation rules.  Feeling like you're attending Slimming World when you go to the registration desk and someone presents you with a set of scales is hardly the welcome most folks want from an open meeting... 


Edited by pondmonkey - 24 Oct 12 at 4:45pm
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