gouvernail
Super Opinionated and Always Correct
Rig swapping...
It was offered as an experiment and it seems to me it is well past time to see how the current rule is serving our fleet's needs....
MY OPINION ....SO FAR
It started as an experiment and I believe rig swapping should still be an experiment.
Perhaps, for the next year, it should be available ONLY when the fleet majority agrees to allow it for the event. We should continue to look for the ideal balance. With that concept of, "Let's make this rig swapping thing work perfectly" in mind...
Here goes>>>
My research says rig swapping is giving 150 to 170 pound guys the chance to be very fast in light air with a big sail and very fast in big breeze with a small sail.
This is creating a result where as sailors weights digress from that range the ability to be competitive in a general all conditions event is reduced more dramatically than before the rig chage option was allowed.
The result??
Big guys who used to occasionally win when regattas were 100% big breeze rarely win anymore and tiny guys who used to win when regattas were 100% light air never win anymore.
I think the rig swapping option was and still is a great experimental concept for keeping the back of the fleet on the water...that part of improving the game for frail guys who formerly went home is working well.
On the other hand, those in the top 50% of the fleet are using the rig swapping option as an unfair strategic weapon against less ideally sized sailors. Laser sailing has always been a game for 165 lb very tall sailors and others whose talent helped them keep up with the perfect sized guRig swapping is simply extending the domination of teh middle weight group...and perhaps extending the ideal overall conditions size range down a few pounds.
My current belief is top sailors should not probably not be allowed the swapping option.
I suggest sailors whose overall score is in the top 50% of the fleet should not be alowed to switch.
Yes, I understand a sailor might sail big rig do well, then sail a couple overpowered races and drop down to the lower half, swap rigs, gain back into the top half, and be stuck with the small rig when the wind dies back down .
That seems quite fair to this big guy who has the wrong rig up whenever the wind gets light and has no options to throw up an MC scow sail.
OK Flame away!!!
It was offered as an experiment and it seems to me it is well past time to see how the current rule is serving our fleet's needs....
MY OPINION ....SO FAR
It started as an experiment and I believe rig swapping should still be an experiment.
Perhaps, for the next year, it should be available ONLY when the fleet majority agrees to allow it for the event. We should continue to look for the ideal balance. With that concept of, "Let's make this rig swapping thing work perfectly" in mind...
Here goes>>>
My research says rig swapping is giving 150 to 170 pound guys the chance to be very fast in light air with a big sail and very fast in big breeze with a small sail.
This is creating a result where as sailors weights digress from that range the ability to be competitive in a general all conditions event is reduced more dramatically than before the rig chage option was allowed.
The result??
Big guys who used to occasionally win when regattas were 100% big breeze rarely win anymore and tiny guys who used to win when regattas were 100% light air never win anymore.
I think the rig swapping option was and still is a great experimental concept for keeping the back of the fleet on the water...that part of improving the game for frail guys who formerly went home is working well.
On the other hand, those in the top 50% of the fleet are using the rig swapping option as an unfair strategic weapon against less ideally sized sailors. Laser sailing has always been a game for 165 lb very tall sailors and others whose talent helped them keep up with the perfect sized guRig swapping is simply extending the domination of teh middle weight group...and perhaps extending the ideal overall conditions size range down a few pounds.
My current belief is top sailors should not probably not be allowed the swapping option.
I suggest sailors whose overall score is in the top 50% of the fleet should not be alowed to switch.
Yes, I understand a sailor might sail big rig do well, then sail a couple overpowered races and drop down to the lower half, swap rigs, gain back into the top half, and be stuck with the small rig when the wind dies back down .
That seems quite fair to this big guy who has the wrong rig up whenever the wind gets light and has no options to throw up an MC scow sail.
OK Flame away!!!