Class Development Survey

The XD kit has meant that smaller people can sail the boat better in stronger winds, so as an average, the boat will have got faster, surely?

There have been various sail changes over the years, too, some of which have made the sails more durable. Assuming in many cases people buy a new sail when they can afford one, there will have been fewer shagged out sails being used for racing.

Now, I'm sure these changes have been minor compared to what has happened to some other classes, but knowing when the changes came in can still help put the picture together of what happened when in the UK dinghy scene.

Originally posted by jeffers Good survey Jim and easy enough to follow. Are you going to post your findings once you have a load of data?

If I come up with anything useful then I'll make sure its made available in one way or another. If there's something striking then you'll hear about it sooner rather than later.

Originally posted by iGRF I wonder how the advent of cheaper 'training or replica' sails has effected the Lasers speed, I know my main Laser adversary is faster than he was (or I've become slower) thanks to a new replica sail.

It still makes a different, cumulatively the boat is a touch faster and the control made it easier to sail.

Jim, had a go a filling the survey out.  But to be honest i don't know the exact dates of any changes so my information would be in accurate.  I'm not surprised you have had a poor response, its not particularly well written and the questions will only allow someone with an intimate knowledge of a particular class be able to answer (i just don't think there are that many of that person type out there)