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

Weight = 92Kg

Speed = 39.7kts

Sail Size = 5.5m

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FknBryce said...

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

I'm 70kg, 2sec PB is 36kt, sail 5.2 X15.
I know what they're saying I'm always a few knots under the heavier guys, but for the 36 I had nice conditions, wind was steady, about 25kt and water flat. It felt really easy, unfortunately the conditions didn't last, I'm sure I could have gone faster.
I'm sure height is also a big factor, in the old money I'm 5'7"

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decrepit said...

I'm 70kg, 2sec PB is 36kt, sail 5.2 X15.
I know what they're saying I'm always a few knots under the heavier guys, but for the 36 I had nice conditions, wind was steady, about 25kt and water flat. It felt really easy, unfortunately the conditions didn't last, I'm sure I could have gone faster.
I'm sure height is also a big factor, in the old money I'm 5'7"

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

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hardie said...

Weight = 92Kg

Speed = 39.7kts

Sail Size = 5.5m

yea right, you sure you had those scales calibrated lately

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

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decrepit said...

.
I'm sure height is also a big factor, in the old money I'm 5'7"

hey decrep 36 great stuff i have a z boom thats looking for a good home

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.

Hi FknBryce,

I weigh 78kg's and have done 41.85 knots on 5.1m sail.

Cheers.

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.......

70kg, 187 cms, 35kts on a 5.8 (and a W52 as refered to in Lao shi's post)

Twas only the third time on the sail and board, think I can go faster with more time on it. This summer will tell

I find this post interesting as a lighter dailor. Sailquik you give us lighter ones hope

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

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easty said...
<<<<

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

Unfortunately the conditions weren't good enough to test the theory, before it grew back.

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

Looking at GPSSS site top ten and seems that all the fast guys are tall and over 90kg (with weight jacket) seems to me small guys can go fast if it's real flat but as soon as the bumps get bigger the small guys suffer most and the gorillas fly.
(Personally 1.74m/ 72kg/ 41.1 kts 2 sec)
......Just got to eat more weetbix !

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.

thanks guys. thats pretty interesting. i thought that the heavier guys would have been much faster. but thats great. i need to get myself a smaller sail. thanks guys

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.

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evets said...

Woa there Fkn Bryce.
>>>

I think he's right, he'll go much faster with a smaller sail, as long as he has enough wind and flat water to go with it.

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evets said...

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!

Yep, the Bonominator is absolutely right. If you don't feel overpowered on the square reach run-in, you will probably not have enough power to max out off the wind. But even when you are not maxed out, a smaller sail set right can be faster.

At least at Sandy Point , where the wind can be very laminar and relatively steady, and the water relatively flat (low drag) I usually find it significantly faster to go with a fuller-set 4.4m Koncept than to go with a 5m which I have to flatten out to stay upright with. One reason is that deep off the wind, a flatter sail is not so efficient so I am carrying a lot more drag (and weight on the board) but generating no more power with the larger, flatter sail. Smaller, fuller sail also keeps the center of effort lower where I can utilise its drive more effectively.
Like everything about this esoteric sport, it is a balancing act.

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?

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FknBryce said...

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?

This is a guess only, but say you ware at Sandy Point and had a decent slalom fin: you could expect 32-35knots in 20-25knots of wind at 120degrees broad reach. Add a couple of knots if you had an assymetrical speed fin.

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FknBryce said...

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.

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FknBryce said...

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?

sorry mr fknbryce...i'm not a sandy point sailor but speaking as someone with similar weight to you i would be stoked to get 30knots out of that combo on the swan ...at hardies (mandurah) i would be stoked to get 35! given that theres not much more than 20 knots of wind and the water is fairly flat (less than knee high).
big respect if you can hold down a 6.7 in 25knots!
how fast have you had the combo?

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 ??

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Haggar said...

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 ??

hi haggar, i am a slow sailor myself (see the gtc for proof),
fknbryce was talking about using his 6.7 in conjunction with his diamond board 120ltr
a smaller board would be quicker as you suggest.
remember your weight of 76kgs is roughly 10 per cent heavier than mr fknbryce.
as for weight vests there is no doubt about it...imo adding weight is the single easiest,surest way of increasing you pb but beware this can come at great cost to your health!
as for how much? as much as you can comfortably manage while still remaining positively bouyant i use between 9 and 11 kgs...11kgs being (extremely) border line for bouyancy i use it in a divers weight belt so i can wear a pfd on top.

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FknBryce said...

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?

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

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Haggar said...

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 ??

Hi Haggar Weight can make a diff if the conditions are right but
it also wears you out allot quicker. I tend not to wear one unless its pretty consistant wind.

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Haggar said...


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 ??

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.