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| Aldo Alesio at St. Francis Yacht Club | August 18 |
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Hi Bob: In response to your post, yes I'd like to see the weight limit up'ed for several reasons. 1. It's easier to get crew all season from a cast of crew. For the 2008 Fun Series I mailed to 33 of which 1/2 are prior crew. For me, a 980# weight limit makes it easier to mix and match these people to sustain five solid crew over a season's racing. 2. In support of #1 much of that crew list is the result of an I'll sail with you if you sail with me deal. I'll sail on a number of different boats through the season and this exchange method across a cast of crew choices, offers diversity racing, works against the opportunity cost of work, family and other recreation while keeping more than my boat well enough crewed. I did, at one time, have the same crew for 5 years. And then the class intiated the weight limit of 1000#. Today even for this group, family activities would take precedence over sailing. 3. The boat sails faster with more crew weight; 1050# being ideal based on my 25 years of experience in the class, with dimishing returns downwind occuring somewhere around 1100#s+. 4. I was encouraged when I heard back from Dan on the unique number of votes per my inquiry on the unduplicated count supporting some weight limit modification. That count places those who want some form of modification within (for this last vote) 3 people of gaining a majority from that votes limited sample. So based on the last vote count, there is a catalyst out there for change that has not yet been fully realized. That change comes with time, democractic consensus and some legitimate persuasion so thank you for the dialogue. Note my 2008 race plans are all based on sailing this years Fun season within the current weight framework; despite my 240 pounds in the back of the bus, except where there are any loop holes enabling a lighter crew weight given this area wide open for explotation as it has been exploited for some time. Believe me around SF 'lite' is exploited by all the top boats and that extends to more than just crew; running rigging, deck, interior, designer specified crucial fastenings; if you consider 4 of 8 window bolts 'crucial'. Then how about boats who replace Lexan with sticky back for windows? Personally, I don't care either way vis the way I have my boat rigged for the way I use my boat. Simply, there are a lot of little inequities. How about the lite motors? Specifc to scientific. This is not the first time the E27 vs M24 comparison method has come up with the 980# Express solution. And, in th M24 fleet that gets 25 boats on the line every race, anyone can tell that the varying weight of crew is very wide per boat including women, lite weights and heavy weights. The exception is a a couple of top boats that chose to sail with 5 lite weights for, in my opinion, the same advantage lite weight individuals in the E27 class sit in the back and then stack the rail with the greatest % crew advantage they can muster; for greatest % weight on the rail out of tacks for acceleratign and especially in lee bow situations. Now, I don't mind going head to head with these boats my way which is not optimum nor is my boat optimized. Simply, that having a higher weight limit supports sustainable crew from a cast of crew. For me, the type and kind of racing I do, a 980# weight limit make the whole season much easier to administer. On your J24 example; yes it hard to compare Apples and Oranges. That is an E27 vs a deltoid pumkin seed (and I've sailed on a lot of them) that has at least as much volume and weighs more. That is 2790# (they're not all that lite by a long shot) which sail with 880 = 31% as you stated. J24's are a great volume sailor with 5 people upwind at the top of the #1. And will better a M24 in this condition. After that, they're toast and especially compared to an E27. Comparing the Moore to the Express is much more of an Apples to Apples comparions as both are ultralights. I think you're right that there are better boat to boat comparisons than the J24 and E27. I'm proposing that example is M24 vs E27 and subsequently my scientific attempt at making that crew weight comparison. Please note my presing for crew weight limit gain is not to make the boat any less equal or more or less markable, although, E27s are faster with more crew weight in the general conditions around here. My aim is simply to accomodate a wider group of crew invites for a sustainable crew all season without having to hassle the weight administration each and every race. Cheers, Mike :: Mike: ::
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