Standard or Radial
- Thread starter TimClark
- Start date
Merrily
Administrator
TimClark said:
The tall skinny guys at my club sail the Standard. Your height helps with righting moment.
, ( as long as your sailings up to scratch
)roger that Tim, didn't know you had both.
With the 15:1 vang, you can pre-bend the mast a lot, and with a lot of downhaul on, that sail gets pretty flat.
If it goes crazy, lift up the daggerboard 4-6 inches and pinch like crazy. (and silently curse the Laser Forum for convincing you to always sail your Full Rig
With the 15:1 vang, you can pre-bend the mast a lot, and with a lot of downhaul on, that sail gets pretty flat.
If it goes crazy, lift up the daggerboard 4-6 inches and pinch like crazy. (and silently curse the Laser Forum for convincing you to always sail your Full Rig
I sail at 65kg and am under 6ft and have tried the radial (and love it in some conditions). The problem in light air (i.e. before there is actually a 'breeze' which invokes sufficient turbulent mixing to give approximately consistent wind pressure and direction from mast tip to deck level) is that the shorter mast means standard rig sailirs can sometimes ghost right past you (even if they are heavier) with the taller rig.
Unfortunately, recommendations as to the 'ideal weight' for standard or radial rigs rarely discuss a sailor's height and fitness or the roughness of wind and water conditions involved. Decision on radial or standard rig if you are in the 'cross-over weight range' and not particularly tall or fit can be quite tenuous.
best is to decide where and with whom you want to sail/race and on what sort of courses/conditions. In small fleet racing on flat water with highly unstable and shifting winds a short lightweight can still do better around a triangular or orthoganal course with a full rig up to 10kts over their design wind (providing they are moderately fit and have very good reaction skills/technique).
On the other hand, if you plan to race in larger fleets (restricted lane options) with swells or chop and with only oscillating sea breeze wind variation, but at a higer average velocity - the radial might be better for a given weight/height and fitness scenario. - unless surfing downwind on swell is a dominant factor due to course layout. In the conditions described, a 55kg short sailor will get buried upwind but can accellerate downhill to regain 2nd or 3rd place in a 40+ fleet (so if the finish is downwind go standard rig, if the finnish is upwind go radial)
Overall, if you are in the 'cross-over range' choice depends on where and how you want to sail and with what group of sailors - for cruising the radial is great.
GL
Unfortunately, recommendations as to the 'ideal weight' for standard or radial rigs rarely discuss a sailor's height and fitness or the roughness of wind and water conditions involved. Decision on radial or standard rig if you are in the 'cross-over weight range' and not particularly tall or fit can be quite tenuous.
best is to decide where and with whom you want to sail/race and on what sort of courses/conditions. In small fleet racing on flat water with highly unstable and shifting winds a short lightweight can still do better around a triangular or orthoganal course with a full rig up to 10kts over their design wind (providing they are moderately fit and have very good reaction skills/technique).
On the other hand, if you plan to race in larger fleets (restricted lane options) with swells or chop and with only oscillating sea breeze wind variation, but at a higer average velocity - the radial might be better for a given weight/height and fitness scenario. - unless surfing downwind on swell is a dominant factor due to course layout. In the conditions described, a 55kg short sailor will get buried upwind but can accellerate downhill to regain 2nd or 3rd place in a 40+ fleet (so if the finish is downwind go standard rig, if the finnish is upwind go radial)
Overall, if you are in the 'cross-over range' choice depends on where and how you want to sail and with what group of sailors - for cruising the radial is great.
GL