Stealth [John Alani]
Posted: Thu Sep 29, 2005 9:18 am
John Alani replied:
Bob,
IF you'd read my post properly you'd have seen that my boat is plain old style GRP and I won the Nationals. No question of an arms race or stisfaction.
Carbon reinforced hulls ARE stiffer than standard GRP, but what will that gain you in a typical race? Maybe a few seconds? The equivalent of one blown tack? Sail well and you'll win.
As for the spec of the latest Stealth, it HAS become more refined, but then so have many other classes (including the Spitfire) since inception. However many of the Stealth features are repeated in the newer dinghy and cat classes throughout the world. It's just the technology becoming cheaper and filtering down from the Grand Prix classes. All foam sandwich boats use directional reinforcing or they'd quickly fall apart (unless they're heavily overbuilt). I fail to see what is exotic about canted hulls, or a snuffer, or a self-tacking jib? At the end of the day the prices quoted against the build spec are amazing when you consider that a Spitfire or similar will set you back almost ?10k and yet here we have a STRONGER boat with 'exotic' materials (your words) for almost 20% less initial layout! I fail to see the concern or what is bad about it?
I notice you didn't address my queries on your yardstick for defining 'better' or using 'bigger' as a justification for one builder over another. An elephant is bigger than a mouse, but does that make it 'better'?
It is true that the sailing world encompasses development classes and OD's, but 'polarized' - I don't think so. Many helms and crews happily make the transition between these classes. Do you mean there are diehards in each camp? Then yes, there always has been. I'm not saying that Formula is 'better' than OD. Nor am I saying the opposite. They're just different approaches. You pays your money and takes your choice. I just choose to pay it to the person or company that gives me the best deal rather than HAVING to pay it to One Particular Manufacturer.
Also it's not the person who spends the most who wins in Formula, it's the person who spends appropriately, who UNDERSTANDS his boat and how to make it fast, and SAILS IT WELL. In this repect, just like the OD classes, it's talent that will come out on top in the end.
Happy sailing to all.
Bob,
IF you'd read my post properly you'd have seen that my boat is plain old style GRP and I won the Nationals. No question of an arms race or stisfaction.
Carbon reinforced hulls ARE stiffer than standard GRP, but what will that gain you in a typical race? Maybe a few seconds? The equivalent of one blown tack? Sail well and you'll win.
As for the spec of the latest Stealth, it HAS become more refined, but then so have many other classes (including the Spitfire) since inception. However many of the Stealth features are repeated in the newer dinghy and cat classes throughout the world. It's just the technology becoming cheaper and filtering down from the Grand Prix classes. All foam sandwich boats use directional reinforcing or they'd quickly fall apart (unless they're heavily overbuilt). I fail to see what is exotic about canted hulls, or a snuffer, or a self-tacking jib? At the end of the day the prices quoted against the build spec are amazing when you consider that a Spitfire or similar will set you back almost ?10k and yet here we have a STRONGER boat with 'exotic' materials (your words) for almost 20% less initial layout! I fail to see the concern or what is bad about it?
I notice you didn't address my queries on your yardstick for defining 'better' or using 'bigger' as a justification for one builder over another. An elephant is bigger than a mouse, but does that make it 'better'?
It is true that the sailing world encompasses development classes and OD's, but 'polarized' - I don't think so. Many helms and crews happily make the transition between these classes. Do you mean there are diehards in each camp? Then yes, there always has been. I'm not saying that Formula is 'better' than OD. Nor am I saying the opposite. They're just different approaches. You pays your money and takes your choice. I just choose to pay it to the person or company that gives me the best deal rather than HAVING to pay it to One Particular Manufacturer.
Also it's not the person who spends the most who wins in Formula, it's the person who spends appropriately, who UNDERSTANDS his boat and how to make it fast, and SAILS IT WELL. In this repect, just like the OD classes, it's talent that will come out on top in the end.
Happy sailing to all.
