Hi Larry:

I'm getting more use to the owner weighs X#s plus add the crew scenario.

Eric suggested 150#s at Spring Keel.

Verse your suggestion of skipper at finite 175# the lower 150#s solves an issue among some optimizied boats that swing 20 to 40 pounds over the weight limit from time to time. This is one reason to consider 150#s. Less phone calls to fine tune that last 20 to 40#s of crew weight at the current 880# limit.

I originally got on this up the weight band wagon for Fun Series because I'm looking to more easily administer confirming crew from an extended list. Like in one night after front work vs all week or longer.

With crew at 185# mean in your 175# skipper scenario, I've got several steady crew choices over that number in the 190# up to 220# range. Going through extended crew list of 30 choices only 7 are at the current mean or below. Nine pounds more than the mean under your current 175# skipper suggestion still leaves a lot of my crew choices on the dock.

So, I think there are a couple of good reasons to raise the Fun Series mean higher. First, skipper at 150#s works better for me at my weight. Second, for boats that don't want to sweat the 20 to 40# fine tune around the current 880#s race to race.

Along the easier to administer crew angle, I'd actually like to have 20#s of room at the high range of the maximum Fun Series total. I'd probably always be 20#s under but then I don't have to sweat the details and admin time in worrying 20 to 40#s this way of that way race to race. At your 175#s I'm still sweating the details race to race.

And if there's a crew change sometime before the race, that adds to the admin issue booking any crew at any of the lower weights.

More so I think the biggest issue is that there are many people over 200#s looking to sail on e27s and the first thing we should consider over our own wants and desires is how to get these people sailing in the fleet and that means upping the mean crew weight somewhere between 196# and 206#s. And I think the Fun Series is a great way for entry to a whole segment of people currently restircted from sailing because they weigh over 200#s.

At Spring Keel some of the old time owners were scratching there heads saying, like me, there wasn't anything wrong with the 1000# limit. And for the same old reasons, its harder to book crew at a lower mean average crew weight.

For the 150# skipper example that essentially gets my boat to 980# which I have championed as a minimum fleet aim. At 955 I'm right on the edge of booking crew easily and that's the hassle area I am trying to avoid. So 150 @ 980# works much better for me than 175# @ 955#.

At 980 why not just 1000#s as many old time owners have suggested.

I'd take the 150# skipper and 980# total for my boat because its a good concession which gives me 20# lee way needed not to be just at weight all the time.

Some still believe a set weight is better. Although, I think this skipper at X#s plus crew can catch on.

But I think the most important growth catalyst is to attract a whole range of people who can add numbers to the fleet regardless of whether they sail in Real Fleet Series of Fun Fleet Series. Fun Series seems the obvious placer to start.

Maybe the fine tune here is skipper at X#s, plus a specific range over just to make it easier to do the fine tuning at what ever the limit end up being.

Mike

:: well folks, I have been thinking about it and it seems
:: that since the skipper does not hike out or sit
:: outboard, his/her weight does not appreciably effect the
:: performance of the boat. Thus it contributes to the
:: competitiveness only in a subtle way. It sets a limit
:: for the total weight that the hiking members of the crew
:: can add up to. It gives a substantial advantage to those
:: boats with a skipper that weigh, say, 140 pounds. The
:: "outrigger 4 can average 185! I think that we should
:: make the skipper have a minimum weight of 175 to race in
:: the fleet.
::
:: OK maybe I am being sarcastic but I hope I make a point
:: nonetheless.
::
:: L2
::
:: :: Hi Everyone:
:: ::
:: :: I'll be sailing in the heavy person friendly M24 fleet @
:: :: Spring Keel this weekend.
:: ::
:: :: There after attending the e27 5pm function. Looking
:: :: forward to conferring with others on the benefits of
:: :: increasing the weight limit in Fun Series only.
:: ::
:: :: Desperado is at weight for LS. However, leaving a half
:: :: dozen people on the dock because they don't qualify
:: :: given the current weight filters 176# mean average, for
:: :: Fun Series, well, seems quite frankly; ridiculous.
:: ::
:: :: MB