4.7 in the Radial fleet??

gouvernail

Super Opinionated and Always Correct
When there are not enough Radials for a fleet of their own we have often allowed Smaller Radial sailors to not only sail with the Laser rigs but to switch between rigs.
It is not likely ther will be 10 4.7 rigs for the Easter Regatta.
It is likely some really small people will show up with 4.7 rigs.

I do not want to drown or even abuse any of the tiny folk. In fact, I would like to encourage them.

If the wind is light, I see no really big reasons the 4.7 sailors couldn't sail with Radial rigs and have a blast.
If the wind picks up, would the 4.7 rigs perform well enbough such that the tiny folk could switch down to the tiny rigs and have fun and actualy get around the course quickly enough so they aren't a drag on the rest of the fleet??

Becuase I have never seen Radial to full rig switching cause anything but less self abuse and more fun for those who switch, my current plan is to allow the 4.7 sailors to swith back and forth.

Am I screwing up??

any opinions??
 
I'll be sailing a Radial, and I don't mind if the 4.7's swap between Radial/4.7. With the winds that are predicted, I'm sure most will be comfy with the Radial set-up, though.
 
I don't believe in switching from big rig to Radial - guys who are light for big rigs should just take their turn at getting beaten when it blows. It doesn't seem fair to me to use the big rig and take the advantage of light weight when it's light, then take the advantage of the Radial when it's heavy. Lasers are about a level playing field, not switching gear to go faster. If you're about 73kg and could switch from big rig to Radial you'd be almost unbeatable IMHO.

I should mention I'd do better at club level if I sailed big rig and used the radial in a blow, so I'm not speaking from personal bias.

However, I think it's different for the real lightweights. If you are light enough to be faster with a 4.7 than a Radial in a blow, you're really too light to be fully competitive in the Radial as far as I can see. A 70kg Radial sailor can be fully competitive with a 50kg Radial sailor in the light stuff and the lighter sailor will get murdered in wind.

So the only way the 50kg sailor will be really competitive against a 70kg Radial sailor is to shift down to the 4.7 when it blows (and as far as I can see even then they'd be slower overall).

Having said all that, i live in a fairly windy place which may change things.
 
I don't know squat about the 4.7 versus the radial and that is why I asked for advice.

Thanks for the notes here and the ones sent personally.

I do share HECS view about switching to gain advantage. That would be wrong. However, the only folks I have ever seen doing switching betwen rigs have been those for whom the option was made available...The small or old folks who are generally near the back end of the Full rig fleet and learning ( or getting too geriatric) switch to a Radial when the wind is strong and survive rather than swim.

Our lake is small and the winds are puffy and shifty. Full rigs will virtually alays enjoy a speed advantage in the lulls and make up for any advantage a smaller sail can offer in the big puffs.

I do know that brutalized, tired, beat up sailors tend to stay on shore as soon as they have a reasonable opportunity to get off the boat. Smaller sails,I think, are there to get more folks in the game and give them an opportunity to stay there lponger.

Currrently I plan to just let anybody grab a 4.7 and sail in the radial fleet.

Note: I have 100% personal control over the sailing instructions, trophies and food. If the plan is not working, we will modify it on the fly. Also, i can give trophies for any reason I choose, so some extra recognition can be given for performance regardless of how the scores come out.

I think all regatta hgosts should have a few extra trophies available for "folks who just need a trophy>" We always know who those folks are. The mistake is letting them go home without recognizing them and making the want to come back!!
 

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