TOPIC:

I dont mean 150Kg clean and jerk or whatever the weightlifters do to get a hernia - but what do we think are the practical weight ranges for Albacore crews?
There are many "more mature" sailors out there who are our main target market. Is 30 stone combined weight the feasible upper limit or 29? Keelboats are the choice of desparation for real dinghy sailors - too slow, too heavy & too expensive

I sailed a club race last week with a scratch crew, we worked out afterwards that we were 33 stone all up!

It was a close race with the top 4 boats changing places throughout the race and all finishing within a few boat lengths of each other. The boat just behind were sailing with around 21 stone all up.

So anywhere between 21 and 33 stone is fine!

Perhaps I can offer a perspective from the point of view of a keelboat sailor.

I sail a Flying Fifteen and an Albacore and my crew and I are 26-27 stone combined. We find both boats very competitve across a wide range of winds with the rig of the Albacore having a wider range of adjustment to depower because of the shrouds, which are fixed in the Fifteen. However, the Fifteen has that nice big lump of iron underneath allowing you to push the boat harder for longer when it's blowing old boots. I like sailing not swimming, but I find the Albacore a very forgiving boat when the wind is up and a delight to sail.

Re: Albacore- I sailed the boat at the end of last year with my wife (9 stone) and on other occasions (when it was raining) with a mate (15 stone) I am 14 stone, so a range of 24-29. In both cases we were competitive on the same piece of non-tidal water and in a range of wind conditions. If I could swap them over at the windward mark though that would be great!

Re: F15- I crew for a smaller helm (78kgs/12stone ish) (in a gold fleet/competitive boat on the circuit) and we struggle against the heavier guys in the 14-18kt range. All other conditions we seem to be fine although would like to be heavier. The issue in this range is that we are fully de-powered, if not fully when the other guys are all still more powered up. Above it everyone is in the same boat (no pun) rig wise and below we are quicker. In waves we struggle earlier and for longer as we lack any punch to get through.

So in summary; as mentioned in other posts I think the albacore rig has a greater range of adjustablity and therefore caters for a larger number of crew weight combinations. The optimum?? I think it is 30 stone plus..

HughF wrote:

I think it is 30 stone plus..

I have to agree there Hugh (for everyone else bar me that is )

How heavy are Dave & Barney? Dave must be 14 stone and Barney 13 - probably 28 in total- this gives 392 pounds in US/Canadian money?
Its not their speed in a breeze that impresses me but that they have good speed in all winds and consistantly beat lighter weight crews in light winds!
Will Gulliver is of a more sturdy construction so if he has a chap crewing the total weight is probably also 28plus stone, Michael Mac (if he has Felicity crewing) must be a mere lightweight 26 stone all-up

I believe Dave & Barney aim to sail @ 340-360 lbs.

We increased our weight to 29 stone for 2010. & this was too heavy to go fast downwind. 26-28 is ideal all around weight.

We've sailed for some time at less than 21 stone. It's an absolute blast downwind as long as you're not reaching too close to the wind. Too close and there's simply no substitute for meat on the sidedeck and everyone just planes away from you while you stuggle. Similarly upwind is very hard work indeed. Whilst there are lots of things that can be done to de-power, it quickly turns out that those things don't do enough...

Light weather sailing though is much more pleasant, especially inland. Sailing on the sea always seems to require more meat even in the light stuff - don't know why.

The ideal weight will always depend on the fitness of the people doing the work. Since the very fit out there will be able to get their righting moment further away from the middle of the boat and keep it there, they won't need to be as heavy to gain the same leverage.

If it helps I know that when the Glens won the Worlds in a good breeze they were under 24 stone. There aren't many in the fleet nowadays that could get anywhere close to them on fitness though!

Extra weight is always an advantage on the sea for a number of reasons:
1.Normally start with long beat allowing the heavy boats to gain an initial advantage.
2.Sailing in chop or waves requires a broader sailing style, normally not adopted by pinching lightweights.
3.Momentum pays in waves, punching throught the larger waves example was this years nationals.
4.Heavy boats float better in salty water.
5.Sometimes its windier on the sea

Regards

TSF

Gentlemen, this issue (righting weight, and lack of it) is one which I've been fascinated and frustrated by, for decades. This forum has satisfactorily answered a greater percentage of my questions than all the hours spent, on all other forums, for all classes of dinghy. I think I know which class I'll be getting into, this summer...thanks.

30 stone and I was happy, now all this talk of 28 stone is no good.
Time to send the crew on a diet - so I can keep eating cake

david's and my combined weight has ranged from 350 to 365 pounds - depending on the pie consumption rate. that said i have always considered the competitive range to be anywhere between 300 and 360 pounds with an optimum at 340.

Hi all

I am surprised by some of what has been posted but some of it makes sense. This topic has been touched on before and of course at that time I put forward a different point of view.
Fairey and Woof/Young derivatives carry weight better than kingsfield Hulls. Before adjustable rigs and fly away poles this was even more noticeable. The main reason is the difference in rocker, kingsfield having less rocker suit lighter crews.

I have always been around 100Kg with lighter crews say 70-80Kg at 180Kg or (396 lbs) or (just over 28 Stone) I would probably be better off in a Woof and I would definitely be better off swapping places with Katie!

All of the above is of course dependant on skill and I agree that fitness is key.

Derek
7176
ps it also helps if your hull is smooth and down to weight, folis smooth too, oh yes sails that give you enough power, and when you pull a control line it works .... first time.