danishdan13
New Member
If a i weigh about 110 pounds and am gonna get heavier thoughout the year, should i buy a radial or a 4.7 rig?
Should i get a 4.7 or radial rig?
- Thread starter danishdan13
- Start date
markhamlin
New Member
Personally, I just got a Radial rig from Intensitysails.com , It hasn't overpowered me yet. Then again, I've only sailed it 3 or 4 times since I got it. I'd say a radial is good, I weight about 135lbs ( i think )... I'm also pretty sure the vanguard website says the Radial suits sailors from something like 120lbs to 170, so just start eating doughnuts
Merrily
Administrator
danishdan13 said:
Are you planning on racing and are there 4.7 races available? Are you an experienced sailor? What's the typical windspeed where you will sail? If you are growing fast, the Radial would be the rig for you, unless you are a beginning sailor in a really windy area. Then you might want to give yourself a break with the 4.7, and you will have more fun if you're not overpowered all the time.
sailor327
New Member
honestyl i know kids who are hikin like crazy in a breeze in a 4.7 who weight around 13. i would go for the 4.7 unless you arent racing then go for the radial to save some money.
Laser76489
Member
I have a son now 14 years old and he will be sailing a radial rig and weighs on the light side for it. The fleet is there for radial and he is growing. When he was 12 and 13 his weight was about 30 lbs less (he did struggle). If you have the money to change rigs 4.7 is a good choce but if you can only buy one go radial and grow into it.
Just my 0.02
Just my 0.02
The Boathouse
Member
It depends on what the prevailing winds are where you sail. At 110 pounds in a radial you will be overpowered in anything over 8-10 knots. Over 12 you won't be able to go upwind at all and over 15 you might as well stay home.
49208
Tentmaker
The Boathouse said:
I agree I would choose on wind speed for the the majority of racing, but to say a 110 pounder can not sail upwind in over 12 is not true. They may not be competitive upwind, but they can certainly sail upwind and the good ones make up a lot of ground offwind...
It depends on your aspirations I think, I started sailing a full rig at 16 as my aim was to get in the national squad (age 18 in the UK) and I felt that sailing the full rig from a relatively young age would give me an advantage over those that had stayed in radials that year or so longer. However I would have got better results in the short term in the radial.
The unfair thing about lasers (especially before the new rope systems came out) is that unless your lucky enough to be exactly the right weight within 5 kg or so and the right height (me personally would say about 6ft and 80kg for the sea for the full) you may always be slightly disadvantaged.
However, at your age, I would go for what fits your size best now as a season is a long time and it's frustrating going to an event and getting blown away for a week. Then consider selling the 4.7 (if that's what you choose) to raise the cash for a radial. If cash is short consider telling plenty of local charities / funds about your successes you never know what'll happen - Hope I haven't rambled too much, good luck!
The unfair thing about lasers (especially before the new rope systems came out) is that unless your lucky enough to be exactly the right weight within 5 kg or so and the right height (me personally would say about 6ft and 80kg for the sea for the full) you may always be slightly disadvantaged.
However, at your age, I would go for what fits your size best now as a season is a long time and it's frustrating going to an event and getting blown away for a week. Then consider selling the 4.7 (if that's what you choose) to raise the cash for a radial. If cash is short consider telling plenty of local charities / funds about your successes you never know what'll happen - Hope I haven't rambled too much, good luck!