Cactus Cowboy
Well-Known Member
Y'all know I've been living in the boondocks for a while, so I missed this 2019 video of F50 racing craft in action... man, oh man, this modern technology has turned sailboat racing into an extreme sport, lol.
I like this video because it gives viewers a good close look at some of the newfangled technology... that breakdown of controls on the wheel itself was insightful, I never knew the skipper had that many controls right there at his fingertips. Pretty amazing stuff...
This video also does a pretty good job of explaining how other gear or components work aboard the boat, and gives a good analysis of each crew member's job on board. Very nicely done, and the action is incredible... can you imagine accelerating to 40 knots PRONTO aboard your Laser or Sunfish? Yeah, and THEN you woke up, lol...
Anyway, this F50 video is certainly worth watching, it's a slick production backed by big money but it delivers in terms of insight & performance. I thought it was kinda funny, that one gal saying she was more of a "pilot" now than a sailor... that's where modern technology has taken the sport.
In my time on this planet, I've witnessed a lot of changes & technological advances across the board, and changes in the athletes themselves: look at what vertical skateboarders are doing now compared to the '70s & '80s!!! Never in my wildest dreams could I have foreseen the changes, and sailing is no different as far as major advances go.
Look at these modern racing crews, with their helmets and what amount to fancy climbing harnesses: they look like pilots in their group photos, lol. Funny thing, I was always an early proponent of using climbing harnesses aboard boats (for maintenance purposes, mind you), rather than using clumsy bosun's chairs... the harnesses are safer, for starters.
I recall Bill Bennett [R.I.P.] commenting upon my harness one day when I brought it aboard to do some "sling work" (as I called it). He told me, "All the guys are using those now." He was referring to the bow men aboard Cup racers of that era, and his statement made perfect sense... a climbing harness is so much lighter & more efficient, ya know?
Anyway, enjoy this video, it's certainly educational... these F50s sure are wild, it's just amazing what these modern boats can do. At my age, I lean more toward SLOWING DOWN and enjoying the cruise, lol... but I can still appreciate these high-performance craft and the crews which make them get up and go. 40 knots in seconds flat, lol... damn.
F50s in action...
P.S. Those monohulls seen in the introduction are NOT F50s, but they are still BAD@$$, lol... CHEERS!!!
I like this video because it gives viewers a good close look at some of the newfangled technology... that breakdown of controls on the wheel itself was insightful, I never knew the skipper had that many controls right there at his fingertips. Pretty amazing stuff...
This video also does a pretty good job of explaining how other gear or components work aboard the boat, and gives a good analysis of each crew member's job on board. Very nicely done, and the action is incredible... can you imagine accelerating to 40 knots PRONTO aboard your Laser or Sunfish? Yeah, and THEN you woke up, lol...
Anyway, this F50 video is certainly worth watching, it's a slick production backed by big money but it delivers in terms of insight & performance. I thought it was kinda funny, that one gal saying she was more of a "pilot" now than a sailor... that's where modern technology has taken the sport.
In my time on this planet, I've witnessed a lot of changes & technological advances across the board, and changes in the athletes themselves: look at what vertical skateboarders are doing now compared to the '70s & '80s!!! Never in my wildest dreams could I have foreseen the changes, and sailing is no different as far as major advances go.
Look at these modern racing crews, with their helmets and what amount to fancy climbing harnesses: they look like pilots in their group photos, lol. Funny thing, I was always an early proponent of using climbing harnesses aboard boats (for maintenance purposes, mind you), rather than using clumsy bosun's chairs... the harnesses are safer, for starters.
I recall Bill Bennett [R.I.P.] commenting upon my harness one day when I brought it aboard to do some "sling work" (as I called it). He told me, "All the guys are using those now." He was referring to the bow men aboard Cup racers of that era, and his statement made perfect sense... a climbing harness is so much lighter & more efficient, ya know?
Anyway, enjoy this video, it's certainly educational... these F50s sure are wild, it's just amazing what these modern boats can do. At my age, I lean more toward SLOWING DOWN and enjoying the cruise, lol... but I can still appreciate these high-performance craft and the crews which make them get up and go. 40 knots in seconds flat, lol... damn.
F50s in action...
P.S. Those monohulls seen in the introduction are NOT F50s, but they are still BAD@$$, lol... CHEERS!!!
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