The F18 is no different from any other boat in the fact that certain conditions favor certain crew weights- there is no way around that, it is just physics. Where the good teams win regattas is by staying consistent in the conditions that don't favor them, and absolutely maximizing their performance in 'their' conditions.
...there are certainly weight bands that are good all-around performers, and for the F18 I believe that is in the 150-160kg range. For the East Coast of the US where it is generally moderate breeze, the lower end of that range seems correct. The European teams, and especially the Dutch teams, seemed to sail heavier (160kg) because they spend more time sailing in breeze.
...exactly where I am trying to square the upsides of practicing vs. the impact of our weight on overall performance. Of course we need to practice...that's a given. We suck. Give the Newtonian realities, I'm more thinking on the return on investment...
As for the correctors the light guys on our beach complain about the fact that the added weight is not 'live', but they are still, (as you know), are awfully fast. The only time we've (*ever*) beaten them racing (count on one hand...err three fingers...) is when it was honking around 15-20, where we were rolled better upwind and then we could lean our heavy butts off the transom going downwind.
