Spy photos

Building boats light then putting lead in helps to protect the competitiveness of the boat in the future against rule changes dropping the weight to a lower level. In theory if a change got the nod from the class association, the weights could be removed allowing the boat designed to present rules to be competitive under new rules, as I think Alex was trying to explain earlier. If you engineered the boats to be bang on the limit just now, any rule passed to drop the weight would see your design as being viewed as uncompetitive under new rules, so in essence this is a benefit both to boat owner and designer by pre-empting any rule changes. From a design point of view, as Laurence stated before and especially when experimenting with new hull designs, added weight can be used to perfect the balance of the boat, for instance, if you design a narrow boat which may tend to be bow heavy, this can be rectified by knocking the extra weight towards the aft of the boat. If you had distributed the extra weight through the construction in the build stages to make the boat "more sturdy" unecesarily, you wouldn't have the option of fidling about with weight positioning to fine tune the trim after the design stages.

Originally posted by 49erGBR735HSC Building boats light then putting lead in helps to protect the competitiveness of the boat in the future against rule changes dropping the weight to a lower level. In theory if a change got the nod from the class association, the weights could be removed allowing the boat designed to present rules to be competitive under new rules, as I think Alex was trying to explain earlier. If you engineered the boats to be bang on the limit just now, any rule passed to drop the weight would see your design as being viewed as uncompetitive under new rules, so in essence this is a benefit both to boat owner and designer by pre-empting any rule changes.

A boat designed to be sailed at 75kg is unlikely to be competitive when sailed against boats designed to be sailed at 60kg anyway!

Originally posted by 49erGBR735HSC From a design point of view, as Laurence stated before and especially when experimenting with new hull designs, added weight can be used to perfect the balance of the boat, for instance, if you design a narrow boat which may tend to be bow heavy, this can be rectified by knocking the extra weight towards the aft of the boat. If you had distributed the extra weight through the construction in the build stages to make the boat "more sturdy" unecesarily, you wouldn't have the option of fidling about with weight positioning to fine tune the trim after the design stages.

Or you could get it right first time?

What I said before seems quite logical, if you think you can design something exactly right the first time you are either a complete genius if the design is right or quite ignorant for overlooking the fact that certain areas need to be worked upon to get the best design. From what I said before with the foresight of boat designers would be that the boats are designed to be sailed at minimal weight then the extra weight would be added appropriately afterwards.

Italian Bistro: Designed in 1989, and won every nationals until the next rule change in 1997. What I call getting it right first time.

Originally posted by Strawberry Italian Bistro: Designed in 1989, and won every nationals until the next rule change in 1997. What I call getting it right first time.

Watch Out, The Cherubs are about!!


Nigel, Is that really Alton? I may have to try and blag a ride when I am up for the Vareo coaching day!

It does look good, But isn't it designed as a "womens skiff" - Those two on it there do look convincingly Male ...