Aero 9

Originally posted by Paramedic Originally posted by Peter Barton   Surely the ability of a hull to carry weight is more a function of the hull design shape and size rather than its weight. Ultimately it is the all up total weight (boat + sailor) that needs to be considered in terms off 'carrying' ability. 'Overpowering' is not an issue until the breeze is up and a heavier sailor is then more able to deal with that. Before then the extra power does help with initiating speed and acceleration. So, your boat weights say 50 kilos. we have a hobbit helm who also weighs 50 kilos. We also have a helm who weighs 75 kilos. He is sailing at a 25% weight disadvantage. Let's take a boat that weighs 75 kilos. and the same two helms. The heavier helm now has a 17.75% disadvantage by my (very quick, please forgive me if i'm wrong) maths. Thats one reason why the lighter a boat is the harder it is to make it carry weight. Your variable (crew) weight is a larger portion of the whole package and it can be reduced easily and legally by changing the sailor. I think its more of a problem for two person boats, but it must also apply here.

Edited by Peter Barton - 10 Sep 20 at 4:34pm

"Hull has a lower increase in surface area drag for the increase in displacement"

Can someone explain this statement? I thought that as a sphere as the maximum volume for minimum surface area that a rounded hull like the laser would gain surface area at a lower rate than a chined hull.

The shapes are very different, and a chined Hull has a lower increase in surface area drag for the increase in displacement. Jo had this in mind with the hull design. The angles are not there for their aesthetics.
The difference given an appropriate rig should therefore be smaller.
There will be a difference in acceleration for sure. But that is the same in any boat.
If the light weight can remain in any way competitive upwind, they will be earlier to plane off wind, as long as the reaches are not set too tight, and will usually make up more than they loose.

But this Brings us back to the fundamental question. Is the aero an all round boat for a 90kg Sailor?. Are you going to be competitive against a lighter sailor in night to moderate winds, unlikely. Are you going to sail a rewarding boat that really flies in a breeze and will get up on the plane earlier than you would in most other single handlers, yes.
If you sail for fun and don’t have the time, fitness, solvency and water to sail a Musto skiff or a moth. It’s a great boat. If you want to win every race on handicap, well, there are a couple of boats that may be good, but if you don’t like Finns and Phantoms you need to loose 7-10 kilos.
My favourite boat still is a N12. But always having been over 75kg and often over 80. I was never going to be super competitive. But that was not why I sailed them.

Andy

Originally posted by turnturtle As for the Aero - it still looks like a boat for lightweights to me, the multiple rigs (or certainly between the 7 & 9) do not 'add value' imho.  No harm in this, gthe Aero's a cracking success and nice to see it building fleets around the UK.

Originally posted by Wiclif Or you could have the issue of the lighter sailors changing up as the wind drops, potentially spoiling a heavier sailors event.