Kevlarpirate
Member II
Recent racing boats: Let's look at them
Hulls break and delaminate………
Rudders break
Keels fall off
Low freeboard causes shipping green water constantly throwing crew overboard
Boats capsize and stay inverted (Fastnet 79)
Rigs break
All problems traceable to riskier design, minimal weight construction and the designers know it!
Why? The answer is speed and speed alone, and except for downwind, the gains over the years have been about zero. What is this mindlessness with surfing 30 kts anyway?
I was very happy with 12 meter racing. These new boats really don’t do it for me. I think they are ugly. Plumb bow pounders. Twin foil canting keel, water ballast does nothing for me, sorry. This last weekend I was on Pyewacket Kialoa III and America Eagle. Top to bottom, inside and out. Kialoa had a 40 lb vice in her workshop. Truth be told, these racers and the people behind that effort are going in the wrong direction. These new boats are unsafe in serious open ocean. When will they learn that the thrill of racing over the years has taught that relative speed, not absolute speed is key. Boat designs from the late 60’sand early 70’s are the safest and strongest. (I started big boat racing in the early 70”s SORC)
Who builds a strong upwind big sea boat now? Why don’t we have upwind racing with big boats that don’t come apart, so at least at the end of the race everyone finishes in one piece and we can see who the real heroes are?
What is driving this mindlessness??? Mindless people belong on jet skies!! I hope Volvo pulls out of this, maybe that will stir up some sense!
If I may send a message it would be to sail and enjoy a good safe boat which most of us already own. Don’t think that life safety equipment is a solution for compromised design and construction. At some point most of you will move up to a bigger or faster boat.
I have sailed and raced for 36 years and seen plenty. Recently I raced a TFCK 40 foot PH = -15 The boat was a pain! I have had more fun on boats that rated 150.. Fast is fun.
True, but know it can be done with a tough boat .Sail on!
Hulls break and delaminate………
Rudders break
Keels fall off
Low freeboard causes shipping green water constantly throwing crew overboard
Boats capsize and stay inverted (Fastnet 79)
Rigs break
All problems traceable to riskier design, minimal weight construction and the designers know it!
Why? The answer is speed and speed alone, and except for downwind, the gains over the years have been about zero. What is this mindlessness with surfing 30 kts anyway?
I was very happy with 12 meter racing. These new boats really don’t do it for me. I think they are ugly. Plumb bow pounders. Twin foil canting keel, water ballast does nothing for me, sorry. This last weekend I was on Pyewacket Kialoa III and America Eagle. Top to bottom, inside and out. Kialoa had a 40 lb vice in her workshop. Truth be told, these racers and the people behind that effort are going in the wrong direction. These new boats are unsafe in serious open ocean. When will they learn that the thrill of racing over the years has taught that relative speed, not absolute speed is key. Boat designs from the late 60’sand early 70’s are the safest and strongest. (I started big boat racing in the early 70”s SORC)
Who builds a strong upwind big sea boat now? Why don’t we have upwind racing with big boats that don’t come apart, so at least at the end of the race everyone finishes in one piece and we can see who the real heroes are?
What is driving this mindlessness??? Mindless people belong on jet skies!! I hope Volvo pulls out of this, maybe that will stir up some sense!
If I may send a message it would be to sail and enjoy a good safe boat which most of us already own. Don’t think that life safety equipment is a solution for compromised design and construction. At some point most of you will move up to a bigger or faster boat.
I have sailed and raced for 36 years and seen plenty. Recently I raced a TFCK 40 foot PH = -15 The boat was a pain! I have had more fun on boats that rated 150.. Fast is fun.
True, but know it can be done with a tough boat .Sail on!