Yeah...mmmkay...yeah...I've seen that happen exactly **NEVER** times ...

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.

One of the most frustrating parts of the worlds for Brooks and I was not taking advantage of the light air last race due to a poor start. It was absolutely our fault for not seizing the opportunity in front of us.

That said, 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.

As far as corrector weights, I honestly don't think they make much of a difference.

If you sailed full time at a high level then the competitive weight would get lower as you work out how to sail the boat better in higher winds. The you have an advantage in the lighter stuff and not suffering in the heavier air.

luckily in F18 we are not that serious, so we find that the right weight is somewhere around 150kg.

...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.

hmmm... Must be getting to the end of the sailing season. Fights are starting to break out already. I think I'll pull up a chair and grab a beer. Should be an entertaining winter!

Crap. need a new keyboard. spit coffee all over screen. Best line of the morning Ding!

Does anyone care to fill a newb in on the weigh-in process? AKA is this done in full sailing gear, naked or somewhere in-between?

9/10 I'm carrying corrector weights+large sail plane. Unlike Ding weekly racing for me will be in light air against a few A-Cats so keeping the boat light certainly won't hurt. Any suggestions on where to acquire the corrector slugs that fit on the dolphin striker post?

weigh-ins at worlds were done in shorts and t-shirts. No shoes, hats, wallets, etc. Use dive weights as your corrector weights. It has to be the solid lead weights. Shot-weights are not legal (don't ask me how I know).

Pray tell, why is shot-weight illegal? Unless a hole appears in the weight bag and the stuff leaks out?

You answered your own question. After working weigh in at Worlds I can see how a bag of shot would inexplicably start leaking.

When you are little under weight you could drink a lot of water, or so I've heard.

That's why they have spot checks. You come off the water underweight you could get flicked for the day.

man, you make it sound so....official

Spot checks.
How many spots are you supposed to have? Stripes seem more reasonable. Safety gear,crew weights, boat weights and now spots. You keep up this mandatory spot requirement and you'll kill the class, Ding. F-16 is the future ,ya know. I heard it in Tybee Island,Ga. Back in the day we didn't need any Damn spots. Stripes were good enough for us.