Hi Tony,



Even though I have a 9.4 I would prefer to stick to 8.5 simply as some sailors would have trouble handling a 9.4 and others do not have or want one. The racing should be fun so pumping around with a 9.4 is more of a stamina event for the fit ones rather than a fun event for all. I think Dave’s idea regarding only pumping on slalom events is a good one though.



It would be fun to run a pursuit race but we would need a couple of people on the bank to police it. We also need to put a bit more thought into the format.



Cheers



Phill

Sandy,



Not too harsh or grouchy – spot on I thought! But what did you expect? You are dealing with “boys” and their slightly more expensive “toys”! (P.S. Hope the knee gets better soon - but if you will play rough sports!)



As Tim pointed out to me last season, if you are going to have a race then some people will want to win (or beat someone else). If you are going to have a competition, expect people to be competitive – or words to that effect. So all this “taking it too seriously” …… is probably aimed at those who did well by thos who feel they should be doing better than they are. For many, it is the competitive element that makes it enjoyable. I think those who don’t enjoy it should just sail.



Whilst I enjoy potted sports competitions as much as the next man, like Mike, I fear that Tim’s suggestion would be far too complex to administer (Tim, have you been at Mike’s morphine?) and would demand too much from Tony or others on the bank. Plus, everyone finishing simultaneously might be great in the wonderful world of Nirvana (a bit like the “no competition in schools” lobby) – but that isn’t a race! No offenceJ



Contrary to what has been said re course racing, skill aside (and all other things being equal), its weight and sail size that affect board speed in non-planning conditions. Therefore, a lighter man with the same sail, on the same board, should always beat a heavier one (not pumping). This is simple physics and fluid dynamics. And I speak from experience as one weighing in at 100kg – but that will change soon I hope. Although I don’t fancy going through what Mike has, just to facilitate some muscle wastage!L



I’m happy to go for non-pumping if you think it can be policed and if it is not going to cause arguments, bad feeling etc. My experience, however, is that it will. The governing bodies binned the no pumping rule many years ago because it was an absolute nightmare. Many a sailor has left a race in high dudgeon, sometimes never to return, because he has been disqualified for pumping. I have even witnessed “fisticuffs” after a pumping protest was threatened – wouldn’t that be fun in front of the barbeque! After all, what constitutes a “pump”? Will it be, as Dave suggests, 3 pumps on a turn and perhaps 2 on a wave? (Yes, even on lakes!) Who will count etc etc – but so be it if that is what the majority want.



I was also amused by the comment that fitness should not be a factor. I can just hear the Sunday league footballers (not the most serious of sportsmen) telling their manager that the only reason they lost a game was because the other team were fitter than them. Perhaps we should not have weight categories or even sail sizes but perhaps age or “fitness” groups. I’d like to be in the “47-48, fit for his age but ever so heavy” category. Perhaps then I could win? But even that wouldn’t replace the challenge of chasing after Mike’s wake. I think that racing, at whatever level, is a combination of many factors; skill and tactics, but also fitness – Windsurfing is, after all, a “Sport”. Mike is more than just fit (maybe not at the moment) He proved he is the best all round windsurfer who raced last season and it would be taking it away from him to say it was only fitness which enabled him to win in the same way it would be to say he did it because he is only 74kg.



Furthermore, as someone who has experience of large sails (I have little else in my quiver) I know that 1m can mean the difference between planing and non-planing. And once on the plane, larger sails help create more of their own apparent wind, keeping you on the plane for longer (Grandmother and sucking eggs springs to mind) How many times last year did we “sludge” around in marginal conditions getting frustrated when a few knots more wind (or a bigger) sail would have made it more enjoyable. After all, planing is what it is all about – isn’t it?



My vote is still with going for 9.5 (or even Chris’s “run what you brung”) although I do hear the arguments that course racing could be treated differently in terms of pumping; but I fail to see that it is really any different in principle from pumping in slalom.



David



P.S. It was nice to get the objective comments of some people who didn’t race last year and here’s hoping they will this year.

Hi All,



While I agree that a larger sail would mean more time planning, in big sail conditions we use teaching boards not really designed to plane. Changing up to 9.4 on these boards I feel would not make much difference apart from to Tony’s income (sorry Tony). I personally would not enjoy pumping round 4 laps on a teaching board with a 9.4.



Phill

Hi Tony

The great debate has just got me into trouble with my better half who wants to know why I'm patching up the splits in my ancient 9.4m in the living room after reading the emails tonight. Hoping for a measure of success with the repairs I vote for 9.4m and for slalom as much energy as can be expended on the night to get the board ahead of the other madheads aiming for an early barbee, not that my sub 60kg has anything to do with my vote of course. Alternative suggestions could be big sails only for those carrying cutlasses and boarding irons or Dinos and an extra lap for anyone caught shouting starboard! Whatever the voting outcome we all have a great fun time Thurs eves, many thanks and long may it continue!

The dog is attacking the luff tube so it's back to repairs and in case a weight vote comes into play I'm off for pud and choccies too.

Graham

One simple rule......

Anyone who takes it too seriously gets disqualified.

Roll on Thursdays!!!!

Phill,

Thanks for that but I don't remember ever doing 4 laps last year! In fact my recollection is that we only did 3 laps once and the remainder were 2 lap races. (They may well have felt like 4 laps!)

I agree, however, that few enjoy drifting round on a light wind day but if pumping were to be banned (policing issues aside), a 9.5 would help us get round a course race that much quicker than an 8.5 -and to the beer and barbeque!

Regards

David