Tornados beat planing 18-foot skiffs around the buoys, but the 18-foot skiffs seem to exhibit the highest absolute absolute top speeds.
Higher top speeds as quoted by Bethwaite..... Even the Skiffies take what he says with a grain of salt. I believe he also quoted a rediculous max speed for a Tasar once (over 20 knots from memory).
I wounder why the 18s have never done any form of measured speed runs....... Hard to BS timed runs.
Well I must be one of the few who can actually believe his Tasar claim. I have had several 16/18/20ft cats but my last mono (20 years ago) was an early lightweight (kevlar) tasar. I can recall launching it one wild day when it needed to be held down on its trolley with its sails down. Once on the water it was amazing. Real crash 'n' burn stuff but incredible to see the rate at which the waves were being overtaken downwind. I have never heard my wife swear so much in her life! When I returned to shore I was immediately accosted by several spectators who had been impressed by what they had seen the boat do. I am not saying it could perform like this regularly, but put the right ingredients in the mix and it is surprising what can happen.
