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The 2012 Olympic Legacy

Printed From: Yachts and Yachting Online
Category: General
Forum Name: Olympic Sailing
Forum Discription: The top end racing in our sport
URL: http://www.yachtsandyachting.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=9821
Printed Date: 28 Mar 24 at 9:33am
Software Version: Web Wiz Forums 9.665y - http://www.webwizforums.com


Topic: The 2012 Olympic Legacy
Posted By: pondmonkey
Subject: The 2012 Olympic Legacy
Date Posted: 13 Sep 12 at 9:29am
So it's all over, what (if anything) has the Olympics done to change your perception of the sport, funding in your club, how you go about your sailing or anything else really?



Replies:
Posted By: I luv Wight
Date Posted: 13 Sep 12 at 9:43am
The noticeable difference between sailing and Olympic sailing - the Olympians do massive amounts of pumping, ooching, rocking that is not allowed for 'normal' people/the kind of sailing everyone else does. It looks like a completely different sport.




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Freedom 21 Codling


Posted By: r2d2
Date Posted: 13 Sep 12 at 9:58am
well the tv coverage is getting better (even if the commentators arn't)

and several people at the club have said they are now playing with pumping etc


Posted By: GybeFunny
Date Posted: 13 Sep 12 at 10:49am
Yes, I have noticed people pumping more. Someone told a Finn sailor at my club that he could pump now, he thought as it was allowed at the olympics it was also allowed for club racing!
As much as I enjoyed watching Ben manhandle his boat down the runs I dont agree with the open pumping rules at the olympics, how many people seeing sailing think 'I couldnt possibly take up sailing, it looks far too physical for me'?


Posted By: ASok
Date Posted: 13 Sep 12 at 11:17am
I've changed so much that I'm looking for a velodrome to start training inTongue

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Posted By: pondmonkey
Date Posted: 13 Sep 12 at 11:18am
Alternatively how many people looked at it and changed their perception that sailing wasn't just sitting their sipping a G&T?  I really don't know, I'm not really convinced that many people watched it outside of sailing anyway, the Viper Higgins commentary was probably more on par with everyday perception than any notion of speed, pumping and physicality us lot bang on about.

For me, watching the finns and 470s in tactical racing was enough of a kick up the arse to make me order a boat again.  I'd previously written off dinghy racing as a no win situation for a few years until I could travel for opens again- either (crappy) handicap racing in boats I thought I'd like to sail (so frustration on a stick) or "boring, slow old boats" with nothing to do downwind and only pain up it.  The Finn coverage put that little prejudice / 90's hangover to one-side ( http://www.yachtsandyachting.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=9648&title=fantastic-finn-four-year-itch - I even started a thread at the time ) The 470s were enough of supporting act to the great finn coverage to remind me what I was missing... close tactical sailing.   I even 'appreciated' the star racing that I saw, but I have to say the best keelboat action was the match racing, which I can only look back fondly on from uni days when I had a brief introduction to it.  

It was a real eye-opener as the classes I was looking forward to watching pre-regatta (RS:X and 49er) were actually the most dull.  I'm not saying they're not worthy of inclusion, but they didn't inspire me to pick a boat up and stick on the 'race track and hope I don't have to play my joker'.  In fact the RS:X put the final nail in the coffin for me that says windsurfing's a beach sport, not a racing discipline as I'd once tried to have a crack at on Grumpf Kona, and was tempted to try again with the new RS:One board from Neil Pryde.

Anyway, I was cynical about the Olympics, and still think the Nothe was crap and Old Mr Whatsiname was damn lucky to have Macmillan & Bornhoft to act as foils to his utterly terrible commentary.  I'll admit even Shirley wasn't too bad on reflection; at least she smiled a lot, which says a lot for Scot that far south.   

So generally I'd say thanks to the Olympics, and also the great commentary on here from Mark, Gael and other forum members.  It's given me some renewed love for the sport and I'm looking forward to racing again next year.




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Posted By: SUGmeister
Date Posted: 13 Sep 12 at 11:26am
What it showed me was that skiff sailing really isn't the be all and end all of sailing, if you covet close racing then slow and tactical is the way to go as seen in the amazing coverage of the Finns. Explains the enduring popularity of things like the Solo and their consistent massive turnouts at their championships.

Having regard to pumping over 10 knots wind if a class's PY takes account of said pumping then surely it would be wrong for clubs to arbitrarily ban it. That said having shoulders that are beyond knackered I can only sit and watch in admiration at those that are able to do it so effortlessly and skilfully


Posted By: alstorer
Date Posted: 13 Sep 12 at 11:30am

as rule 42 is in force unless the SIs say otherwise, no class's PY takes account of it. I don't think 42 can't be modified by class rules, can it? Would be a nightmare to have SIs that switch 42 off fo certain classes but not others in handicap racing.



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Al


Posted By: Rupert
Date Posted: 13 Sep 12 at 12:26pm
Different classes switch on and off in different windspeeds, too. And we will have to allow RS's to hit the marks...

As a slow boat sailor (or should that be a sailor of slow boats? - maybe both) it is good to hear people saying that it was the most interesting to watch. Mind, in real life, if I'm on the shore watching a boat blasting past, it is usually the boat with the big kite and spray everywhere that catches the eye most.

As for any lasting legacy for me? Not really. Maybe another trip to Minorca Sailing in 4 years to do it instead of watching it.


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Firefly 2324, Puffin 229, Minisail 3446 Mirror 70686


Posted By: gordon
Date Posted: 06 Oct 12 at 1:51pm
Rupert - Finn and 470 changes to rule 42 only apply to official class racing. When these boats are sailing in a handicap fleet then the rules of the handicap system apply. The same with the RS boats. Their apparent inability to sail round a mark without hitting it is only allowed in class racing, not in handicap racing.

This was the last Olympics with a true boat for heavyweights. The Star will of course continue to develop and expand as a class but now sailing is officially a sport for light weights




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Gordon


Posted By: Neptune
Date Posted: 06 Oct 12 at 4:48pm
Finn is not for lightweights is it, unless you count 95 kg light

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Musto Skiff and Solo sailor


Posted By: alstorer
Date Posted: 07 Oct 12 at 9:19am

Originally posted by gordon

Rupert - Finn and 470 changes to rule 42 only apply to official class racing. When these boats are sailing in a handicap fleet then the rules of the handicap system apply.

that'll be because it isn't a class rule, it's a standard SI change.

The same with the RS boats. Their apparent inability to sail round a mark without hitting it is only allowed in class racing, not in handicap racing.

 

as is this. Not a class rule, an SI change, and one that's often used beyond RS classes



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Al


Posted By: gordon
Date Posted: 07 Oct 12 at 10:27am
alstorer - other way round, at least for the Finns:

Sailing instructions may NOT modify rule 42 (rule 86.1b) but Class rules may (86.1c)

Finn Class rules DO modify rule 42:

C.1.1 RULES
(1) RRS 42.3 is changed by adding a new RRS 42.3 (i):
42.3(i) The Race Committee may signal in accordance with RRS
Appendix P5 that pumping, rocking and ooching are permitted after
the starting signal, except when the boat’s proper course is closehauled
or above. This changes rules 42.2(a), 42.2(b) and 42.2(c).
(2) The Finn Class recommends that race committees apply Rule C.1.1 (1)
in winds of 10 knots and above, measured at deck level on a race
committee boat at the windward mark. See also A.7.2.

For the RS boats - Class rules may not modify rule 31 (rule 86.1c) but sailing instructions may (86.1b). A class may therefore suggest that when a club organises a RS race they modify the SIs. According to the rules it is the Race Committee who publish the SIs.It would be interesting to know if a club or race committee has ever refused!

Do you have examples of SIs  other than RS classes modifying rule 31.


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Gordon


Posted By: alstorer
Date Posted: 07 Oct 12 at 5:06pm

I don#t have them to hand, but it is fairly routine for B14 and Musto SIs to remove the penalty for hitting marks- but not always, which keeps us on our toes. Think Cherubs often have it as well, 49ers, 29ers, 4000s, ISOs?

Edit:  http://www.hisc.co.uk/media/26736/2012_si_int_14_open.pdf - http://www.hisc.co.uk/media/26736/2012_si_int_14_open.pdf - I14s at Hayling this weekend



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Al


Posted By: gordon
Date Posted: 07 Oct 12 at 5:59pm
Not surprising that I had not heard of this as none of these classes sai in Ireland, nor, indeed in France when I lived there.




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Gordon


Posted By: getafix
Date Posted: 12 Nov 12 at 11:06am
Originally posted by alstorer

I don#t have them to hand, but it is fairly routine for B14 and Musto SIs to remove the penalty for hitting marks- but not always, which keeps us on our toes. Think Cherubs often have it as well, 49ers, 29ers, 4000s, ISOs?

Edit:  http://www.hisc.co.uk/media/26736/2012_si_int_14_open.pdf - http://www.hisc.co.uk/media/26736/2012_si_int_14_open.pdf - I14s at Hayling this weekend

 

Taken from above link

Touching a mark (other than a starting or finishing mark) with any part of the boat or crew shall incur no penalty. Manhandling a mark that results in an advantage is not allowed and a boat so doing shall promptly retire.

... so you can touch marks without penalty, but 'manhandling' them is a straight retire-or-DSQ, I wonder how you judge having to un-tangle the bouy mooring rope from your t-foil in this case?



Posted By: alstorer
Date Posted: 12 Nov 12 at 11:14am
I think that's covered in "that results in an advantage"- you could say that the manhandling results in an advantage in as much as it allows you to finish rather than be sat on your upturned boat whilst everyone curses you for making the mark harder to get round, but realistically you've gained a massive tiime pentlaty by cutting things so close to the mark, so no requirment to retire and no DSQ. I'd certainly hope that's what would happen if someone was petty enough to protest your misfortune

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Al



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