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.
Thats very interesting. You have raced the 18s on several occations, haven't you? From your experience, how do the 18s compare downwind? Also interesting that even the skiff sailors have a hard time believing this. As already posted, I think Bethwaite claims a top speed for the skiffs well above 30 knots.. That been said, if I'm not terribly mistaken, I do believe that the official Tornado site claimed the top speed of the Tornado to be around 30 knots as well. To me that seems a bit high. Though I did believe the skiffies would achieve speeds in excess of (at least) 25 knots..?
Yep, raced them quiet a few times now on the F18. The F18 smashed them upwind and had the edge on the downwinds with the 18 Skiffs performing pest on the downwinds in relation to the F18 when it was 10 knots or under. The Tornado always had the edge on the F18. The Tornado class claims a top speed in excess of 33 knots. I think they are just as optimistic as Bethweight. Once again the Tornado class ran speed trials and whilst it is surley not the quickest run on a Tornado, they would be up there. Results were 27 MPH or 23.5 knots average over the 500 foot course. Completed in 12.53 seconds.
A far cry from 33 knots, however this was an average over 500 feet. The 18s have never done these types of runs...... Perhaps because the Bethwaite claims may be exposed for what they really are (along with many of his other wild claims)..... BS.
