Weight vs Speed

just out of curiosity.... how much do you weigh, whats your personal best peak speed in knots and also what size rig were you using?
as a very light sailor im often told it will be near impossible for me to break 35knots. anyone 65-75kg that has done this?
show me numbers :)

cheers

Bryce

A sailor around 65kg has done over 40+ knts check GPSS alot of lighter sailors also use weight jackets

On another tangent, did shaving that beard off increase your aerodynamics and hence your speeds?

were talking about body weight ? how about the board weight, and the lift from the fin, and the sail, and if the sail isn't set rite , i think it's a combination of all of the above

Height 176cm, Weight 78Kg, PB 2sec 38.84.
Board 2000 starboard slalom (similar to W52, 50.5cm wide) with nose removed.
Sail KA koncept 07, 5m.
Fin choco 24cm.

Also the build up to top speed is important. At my local you have about 400m max run.
This PB was 4knots to 39knots display in 375m.
I am sure if I had caught the same gust with a longer run up I could have gone faster.

I think Yoyo has proven that efficiency is important when you are a lighter sailor.
See here www.seabreeze.com.au/forums/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=53240 achieved at the same spot.

I'm 74-76KG depending on the month of the year. (More in winter )

46.15 2 sec peak on a 4.4m KA Koncept. Cracked 45 at least once without a weight vest from memory and on a 5m KA Koncept.

Lighter guys can go very fast at Sandy Point. The trick is to have the right gear suited and tuned to your weight.

It is definitely true that taller and heavier guys usually can consistently go faster, but every now and then, when all the planets align.......

The Sandy Point guys are a bit lucky as the conditions will play a huge part in allowing you to go fast. eg: some regulars....

www.gps-speedsurfing.com/default.aspx?mnu=user&val=44482&uid=1762

and this guy...

www.gps-speedsurfing.com/default.aspx?mnu=user&val=40514&uid=188

Not to mention this fella: www.gps-speedsurfing.com/default.aspx?mnu=user&val=44756&uid=1027

I'm just shy of a knot slower than Daffy in all categories and about the same weight. Same comments too. Just need to have the right conditions and be fit. The trick for lighter sailors is to have total body strength combined with efficient equipment selection and no fear! Go small as you can with sail and fin without compromising power if the wind is consistent and larger sail if a little gusty. We need to work MUCH harder than the big guns, no doubt about it. For instance, Spotty is only 1.5 knots faster than me, not much in the scheme of things so achieving mid 40's speeds is possible at Sandy Point at least. Have a look at the Pit Crew's post from GPSTC last month at Rye. Spotty's track is way smoother than mine but speeds comparable.

Woa there Fkn Bryce.
Smaller sail you say...... that may not be the case unless you are a formula sailor. What sizes are you using? To go fast you need to hang on to enough sail to go fast off the wind, go small enough to be comfortable in strong winds across the wind and you may not have enough drive imo.

Woa woa. I said as small as you can WITHOUT COMPROMISING POWER. Efficiency is your best friend when you're not a gorilla. You won't find anyone that sails at Sandy Point regularly who'll disagree I think. If conditions are choppier or gustier then yeh use a bigger sail for sure. Try using a 5.8 when someone like Spotty is using one and you'll be lucky to pull a 35-36 when he's doing 43. Or you may pull one 40+ run off but you won't be able to hold on for 4 more!

im using a 6.7 rs6. its a very nice sail but by the time its 25+ i have a bit on.
what sort of speeds SHOULD i be capable of with a 6.7 when i weigh about 68kg using a 120l ahd diamond race board?

At Sandy for your weight you would go 5 knots faster with the same sail a meter smaller and a smaller board and fin. But with the larger board, the bigger sail would probably be as fast or faster if you can hang onto it because the board drag will be more and the overall speed will be slower. Remember that the faster you go, the more apparent wind you have. This is another reason why changing to a smaller sail can sometimes be faster when in efficient conditions. Even if the wind is only 20 knots, by the time you get up to 35 knots board speed the apparent wind across the sail is pretty high so the larger sail may be well out of it's best wind range.
In the same wind on choppy water you might be going 10 knots slower so the apparent wind is proportionately less and the larger sail may be working really well whereas the smaller sail would be underpowered.

Hi Snides, I'm not a fast sailor yet, but have done a bit over 34 knts with my RSR 6.7 on a I86, this was just in a couple of creeks here in Brissy on very short runs. By the way, this sail is quite manageable in 25 knts. I have no doubt that this combo can do 40 knts with the right conditions, although I might be a bit light. I've also got a 5.8 RSR which I'm keen to wind up this summer.

No one has mentioned carrying weight yet. I have lost a lot of weight and am now about 76 kg. Should I be thinking about wearing some weight, if so how much and will it really make any difference ??

hey mr bryce (can i call you Fkn?) is that a jav or a cherub in your avatar? nice trim!

For me, whether to wear weight or not is a strategic decision that depends on the type of conditions, the aim of the session (a couple of max speed runs or the best possible average?) and my current level of sailing fitness.

In 20-25 knots good Sandy Point conditions I rarely wear weight. When it is like that it is usually about trying to get as many runs as possible to maximise your chance of 5 good runs. Even when I am at peak fitness (relatively ) I can go a hell of a lot longer at peak control without the energy drain and muscle fatigue that wearing weight induces. One thing you don't want on a day like that is to be too buggered to do a good run late in the session if there is a good squall or conditions improve. If I know the prime conditions window is shorter, I will be more inclined to wear some weight. Also when the wind is gusty and unstable which dictates a larger sail. Of course, when I am down to fully powered on the 4.4m and the wind is just plain nuclear, I will always put weight on, but then I must pace myself to get the best out of fewer runs and I will be more inclined to walk back rather than sail upwind so as to save energy. (I am an old bloke after all! )
In good steady winds in the high 20's, in the past I have been more inclined to go with the 4.4m and no weight rather than the 5m with weight but my 09 5m Koncept is sort of upsetting that a bit because it it working so well in the high 20's - low 30's wind range that I have been tending to hang on to it a bit longer and put weight on.

For all that, the maximum weight I ever use is about 5kg and usually go with 4kg or less. I wear it at high on my shoulders as possible and find it helps to stabilise the rig and my body by promoting better flex and gust absorption in the rig.