Multi-rig racing

Originally posted by Rupert So, when the Aeros all race together, non handicap, will there be some opens done like the 18 footers where it is all one class and choose your rig, just to make a change?

The Blaze family has three sails of different sizes that can ALL be used on the same set of standard spars.  Fire (8.8m), Blaze (10.4m) and Halo (11.5m) are however raced as totally different classes even when they share meetings.  If you wish to 'mix' your use of them then you are racing in a different class and all that goes with that - easy to understand and clear.

The sails have the NAME on them boldly displayed so it is very obvious and we and the CA have been very clear on this issue since day 1 as well.     

The ‘alternatives’, 'Fire' and 'Halo' are selling well and this year the major Blaze opens will have a separate start for them.  Note the separate bit.

The Blaze Nationals at Hayling Island in early July will not be the Nationals for either of these sister classes ....

Apart from all that the CA is pretty relaxed about expanding the Blaze family.  Like many classes we have growing groups of both 'senior' and 'junior' helms and of course 'larger' helms.  Pleasingly 'Fire' is not only appealing to the light(er), young(er) and old(er) - its also beginning to attract and keep more female helms.

Another plus is that in the age of web forecasts that some argue is reducing those prepared to travel to events owners can easily bring along 2 sails now.   If you are light and it is blowing the proverbial dogs off chains on arrival you can drop a sail size and still enjoy a decent meeting.  Conversely if you are on the large size and it is disappointingly light you can switch from Blaze to Halo etc.  A lot of the time of course the forecast will be wrong anyway ...but you will be there and can make a decision on the spot.   This is not even diluting Blaze numbers however as more people are pitching up at meetings as a result anyway - and when we crunch the numbers later in the season it is looking likely to be more positive all round.

The alternatives ?  Own multiple classes or just stay at home, or sit on the shore  .... not as attractive surely to owners or to any inclusive leaning class.  We want more of the people to be attracted to and be suited to the boat in more conditions.  All you need is the sails, no need for additional poles, mast sections and so on.

Mike L.

Edited by blaze720 - 06 Mar 15 at 5:08pm

Originally posted by Rupert I was more thinking that you could swap rigs for the weather, even 1/2 way through. I guess the trouble is that unlike 3 guys on a skiff, the weight differences in an Aero are too big compared to the boat for it not to dominate who does well.Not for normal opens, just for sh*t and giggles and a bottle of something.

So how do you deal with people who reef?

I'm firmly in the sail what you want and score it on helm, but then we don't really have a noticeable fleet of anything. I think club racing needs to be made as attractive as possible.

If you change rig, then you change class. The fire rig is used at our club and in wind it is faster than the standard rig on the water and every time it has been honking it has beaten full rig blazes without handicap adjustment. Admittedly, in light stuff it struggles same as any smaller rig, but how do you set the py for it or any other small rig from any class. I once came second sailing a 4.7 in a blow, beating all other lasers across the water, and trust me, I am not 4.7 sized, but it was only rig available at the time for me to use. If they only get taken out when windy then py should be lower than full rig . I daresay that if I did the same with my d zero, then I would also be faster than the full rig when its honking. Trouble is we all want to sail in all conditions, but it is banditry to put up a small rig when it is honking.
Of course I have no idea what the answer is as we all want to enjoy our sailing in whatever conditions, and not being slammed about on the full rig of whatever class we sail as we get older holds many an attraction.....

To be fair, there is one fire rig owner who is using the rig in every afternoon race whatever the conditions to try to build handicap info and I have huge respect for this, but it does not change the fact that any two rig owner of any class who only changes down in the windy stuff is playing the system , though bet they have a nicer sail than those who are over canvassed.

:-)

Edited by Jeremyc - 07 Mar 15 at 7:45am