Wind Breaks Radial vs Full

WPB Sailor

New Member
Just curious where you guys thought a good break point is . Little background I'm 5'9" 165 almost masters age but very fit and used to (more than a decade ago) sail small boats at a high level. That said I haven't sailed a laser in a loong time - when I did there were no radial rigs. So while I'm getting hours in the boat what's a good jumping off point for the radial rig - one where i won't be too overpowered upwind but still have plenty of power downwind.

I'll be sailing in a mix of flat water with little chop - and some big waves...
 
If you're in bigger seas and breeze than you are used to you will appreciate the radial's relative stability downwind.
 
If you're in bigger seas and breeze than you are used to you will appreciate the radial's relative stability downwind.

I would agree w/this. At the MMWE it was blowing steady 18 w/gusts in the lower 20's. Us guys in the full rigs were hanging on to keep the round side down off wind while the radial guys were carving it up and having a good time!
 
Be a hero and go standard rig for al conditions. The extra sail area will force you to learn to be a better sailor than the puppies in the radial.

Sail or Die!

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Some of us have to sail Radial. I'm 93 lbs. and finished growing 20 years ago. No 4.7 fleets around here, and besides, I believe the people that race those are kids.

Mary

Be a hero and go standard rig for al conditions. The extra sail area will force you to learn to be a better sailor than the puppies in the radial.

Sail or Die!

24.gif
 
I'm a 5'9" 150lb Master sailor. If I'm racing in a Masters event where you can switch rigs, I would not go with the Radial against Full Rigs unless I was pretty confident the wind would stay above 15kts. Even at 15kts you are giving up some speed downwind unless the waves are huge.
 
Having said that, if you are new to the Laser getting your confidence and skill up in the Radial makes a lot more sense than beating yourself up and fighting with the full rig in breeze...
 
Radial is not just smaller, it is a totally different trimming and sailing regime
Top redial sailors point way low for speed to end up high
very tweeked regime - not like the outa control standard rig for 55kg sailors in 25K +
 
I'm also ~165, 5'10", mid 50's, pretty fit.I only sail recreationally and on smaller lakes.
Here's my own guideline
if <15 kts, and gusting <20kt, then full rig
if >15 kts, or gusting >20, then radial
if >20kt, or gusting >25, then 4.7
I have all 3 rigs so I can have fun in the widest range of conditions.
 
there's no reason you can't sail a full rig, sometimes the radial will be a little faster upwind and you'll have a little more control when its really windy
 
Perhaps another thing to consider is PY number.

If you're racing in an open dinghy Regatta, I think the standards have to give the radials something like a minute for every hour of racing or so.
 

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