radial? help an old(er) bloke out please

Z

ziggy

New Member
newbie here,
had lasers on and off for 30 years, now old, unfit....thinking about getting yet another, not tall bloke so wondering about radial rigs.
5'7" and old and fat 75kgs, always struggled with the taller people, probably just lazy, but i do not take it seriously just do the odd race but mainly enjoy just going out for a sail, generally in 15 - 20 kmnots conditions
can anyone help with your thoughts
 
I'm 5'10", 95+ kilos, and I find the radial perfect for my level of unfitness. Been having a ball over the last month or so, even if the boom seems to be 6" lower than it was 25 years ago. I can sail a race in 15kts and not feel totally knackered, and then go an do it the next day as well without too much pain. I did try a full rig but have given that up as bad joke, just too hard and I didn't enjoy it.

We've been rebuilding the Laser fleet at our club, and are just starting to get a good "old farts" group going - lots of fun, and at least I'm even starting to beat my daughter. It may be a problem when she goes from the 4.7 to radial though:p

Peter
169709
 
I am gonna tell both of you I think you are to fat for radial.on good wind you can sail but when the wind is lower you will be very slower than the ather normal radials.I am 65 kilos and I have been sailing laser standard on a wind of 20 m/s with very problems but I stay end don"t give up you should sail standard now you will have good experience. I just tell you my opinion. Now I have 63 kilos and I dont now what to sail radial or 4.7 but I think that I will sail radial
 
I think there is an argument that most body weights can sail most rigs, maybe not competetively but its doable.

I think the thing here though is that if you don't enjoy sailing a full rig then sail a radial or 4.7. Unless you are going to win the olympics or something then its all about having fun, I even think the dudes at the olympics would also tell you its about having fun.

I think the best bet is borrow someones rig, sail it, and measure your smile after. Sailing is ace do the thing which is acest!
 
PeterInTassie said:
We've been rebuilding the Laser fleet at our club, and are just starting to get a good "old farts" group going - lots of fun, and at least I'm even starting to beat my daughter. It may be a problem when she goes from the 4.7 to radial though:p

Peter
169709
Click to expand...

:p Peter, thanks for the laugh. My husband and I enjoyed that at breakfast!

My weight bounces between 70 and 75 kgs, depending on how much Christmas cheer I've had. If there's light air I use the Standard; more air, the Radial. If we get more women using the Radial in our club races, I'll stick with the Radial. I even have an old 4.7 rig that I plan to try out some blustery day. It's definitely about the fun!
 
looks like a big smile and go a radial, peter in tassie, you are my man, you made my decision. thanks everyone for you advice
pete in melbourne
 
Hi,
several years ago, I bought my old 46438. She had only a Standard rigg. 1st time I went out with her, aft long time, the winds have been so strong and tricky, that I better would have made the decision to better sit ashore at that nice restaurant at that harbor I started from and have a great "fish n chips"-meal with a couple of good German beers...

My luck was: the depth of the lake only is 1,6 meters (Every time I did capsize, I was able to stand on the ground, to have a little rest to get back new energy...) and I knew how to "sail" a "secure safety half wind storm course" that did allowed me to return to the harbor, aft an hour or so, totally overpowered....
Okaaay, I did lean: I forgot to read Dr. Michael Blackburn's "Sailfitter" book, months before that adventure and to strict follow his fittness trainings....
But, to the otherhand:
I returend to the harbour "alive" and Laser 46438 not got any damage, a great experience! I do that in those winds again but use a Radial rigg, I promised to myself.

Months later, the LooserLu had a better fittness and owned an old Radi-rigg. I went out on that lake in heavy, gusty, shifty winds, again. ..Whow.. I made my day.
I practiced in heavy winds on that lake more often again and later on, at the big Dutch lakes, too. I survived.

From getting enough experience about what that "devil" is about, that obviously lived inside of Laser 46438, I was prepared to give the Standard rigg again a try, in heavy winds, of course. Aft an hour of pure battle, I succeed over that devil inside of Laser 46438 (This remembers me to those old wild west movies, where fearless cowboys ride wild horses the 1st time... ).

In our days, I use both: Radial rigg and Standard rigg. To the beginning of the season: I try it with the Radial rigg (presuppotion: difficult wind conditions, less physical fittness) and later on, most times, Standard rigg. At the beginning of the season: my weight is at 96 kg (depends on the aspect, how many of the Lindt-choccolate, in December I not did send as a chrismas gift to Merrily and her husband and sons :D , in reason the stamps for that parcel would have been to expensive), but a the end of the season, in late October, "the balloon in front of my stomach" complete is away (for that the sweet christmas choccolates may come again ...). :)

Summary: Radial rigg and Standard rigg are both great for me, mo matter if I weigh 96kg (my length is 193 cm) or less.

Ciao
LooserLu
 
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