What is frustrating is for 99.99% of the sailors I know weight has nothing to do with their performance. 1 Tiny mistake on the course completely outweighs any weight based gains or losses they may ever be able to realize. (When was the last time anyone reading this ran the perfect race – I’m lucky if I can keep it in the groove for 10 boat lengths at a time.) Yet the discussions on this board and on the beach constantly revolve around weight. “What is optimum, oh, I’m too big to be competitive, I cannot get that boat because I’m 5kg over some number somebody posted on a forum etc…..
Matt, we are not discussing an event that will see 99.99% of the sailing public take part, we are talking about an event and hence a class for the OLYMPIC GAMES.... and at that level weights do make a big difference. Ask the T fleet from Beijing if any of them went to the games at their normal weight? Or if they think 10kg makes a difference to performance?
Consider that 10kg weight difference makes a difference at the Games level whilst sailing on a 20ft boat with its associated displacement, now have a think about the impact of 10kg on a boat that's 4ft shorter! the % is massive. Now before you go an tell me it makes no difference to 99.99% of the sailors, remember: this is the OLYMPIC GAMES.
