Too big for a Laser??
- Thread starter fredd
- Start date
49208
Tentmaker
Hi Fred,
Without knowing where you are located (you might consider including at least your country in your user CP), it's harder to give you good advice.
I can tell you that I have raced Lasers at 235 lbs. I was competitive in my district whenever the wind was 15kts and above. Between 5 and 15 the weight advantage of the lighter sailors came into play.
It really depends on your perspective. If you are out there to enjoy racing, improve tactically and not worry about where you finish, you can do it. If you are looking at always finishing at or near the top and it's not a heavy air day, you will be kidding yourself. I opted to lose weight. I'm now down to 210 and working to get down to 195 or less. It's made a big difference where I sail (mostly 5-15 kts)
Where you are located would make a differance as to what other boats I would suggest. The Finn is a great boat to sail (IMHO) but even at 250 you would be considered "too heavy". I don't know much about the MegaByte, it looks like it's decent enough. The problem with both, again IMHO, is that in North America the amount of total boats activily racing is very low (less then 30) and the regattas are few and far between. So it will be hard to find local competition unless you happen to be in an area where there are existing boats. Right now Finns are active around the Santa Cruz/San Fran area in the US, but other then that the remaining 10-15 boats are spread out over the rest of the US. The situation is no better in Canada..
Good luck - you may want to search the forums here, there have been other weight related discussions.
Without knowing where you are located (you might consider including at least your country in your user CP), it's harder to give you good advice.
I can tell you that I have raced Lasers at 235 lbs. I was competitive in my district whenever the wind was 15kts and above. Between 5 and 15 the weight advantage of the lighter sailors came into play.
It really depends on your perspective. If you are out there to enjoy racing, improve tactically and not worry about where you finish, you can do it. If you are looking at always finishing at or near the top and it's not a heavy air day, you will be kidding yourself. I opted to lose weight. I'm now down to 210 and working to get down to 195 or less. It's made a big difference where I sail (mostly 5-15 kts)
Where you are located would make a differance as to what other boats I would suggest. The Finn is a great boat to sail (IMHO) but even at 250 you would be considered "too heavy". I don't know much about the MegaByte, it looks like it's decent enough. The problem with both, again IMHO, is that in North America the amount of total boats activily racing is very low (less then 30) and the regattas are few and far between. So it will be hard to find local competition unless you happen to be in an area where there are existing boats. Right now Finns are active around the Santa Cruz/San Fran area in the US, but other then that the remaining 10-15 boats are spread out over the rest of the US. The situation is no better in Canada..
Good luck - you may want to search the forums here, there have been other weight related discussions.
sailordude
New Member
yeah your kinda on that border of being to heavy. well you could sail but if you racest it wouldt be to competative. if your sailing a Laser full rig its good to be around 200 or less.
GeoffS
Member
I'm 6' 3" and 230 (+...). In local-fleet short-course racing my finishing position is mostly determined by how many stupid mistakes I make. On a good day, I keep up with (and occasionally beat) some folks who do well at the district level. Strangely enough very light air (0-3kn) is one of my best conditions (sail trim is a specialty...). In the high-teens to 20+ kn I'm overpowered, and get some absolutely wild screaming reaches, so the fun factor isn't too badly diminished.
For recreational sailing I think the Laser wouldn't be too bad. For local racing I'd choose a boat based on the personalities of the people you'd be sailing with. We have a great fleet here in Madison, so whatever they sail I'll be in it (as long as I can afford it...). As everyone else here has mentioned if you have aspirations of winning at the district level you probably want to look at a different class.
Cheers,
Geoff S.
For recreational sailing I think the Laser wouldn't be too bad. For local racing I'd choose a boat based on the personalities of the people you'd be sailing with. We have a great fleet here in Madison, so whatever they sail I'll be in it (as long as I can afford it...). As everyone else here has mentioned if you have aspirations of winning at the district level you probably want to look at a different class.
Cheers,
Geoff S.