No New Rig for the Laser?
Picture of a new rig developped by Bethwaite -- source: Improper Course |
In the post, Julian Bethwaite talks about the development of two rigs. Yet none for the Laser or the Olympics.
Here are excepts (questions are in bold)
"Is this rig for the Olympics? No. The rig in the photo is too big and the rig we’re developing for the recreational market is too small, so neither are for the Olympics as the article states."
"I understand it’s not for the Laser but if it was, how would
it feel? The carbon rig is 5 kilos lighter which is less than half the
weight so the inertia, which is the square of the weight/arm, is dramatically
better. It’s like driving a Porsche instead of a tank. In addition, a Laser rig
bends to leeward and “kinks’” at the deck level, so this additional weight
reduces the righting movement by 12%. With carbon rigs, this is 4% so a sailor
effectively has 10% more power."
Source: http://www.impropercourse.com/2018/05/julian-bethwaite-lasers-olympics-and.html
Source: http://www.impropercourse.com/2018/05/julian-bethwaite-lasers-olympics-and.html
What the blog post does not mention is for what boat that new rig, "too big" for the Laser, is being developped.
And the new rig in the picture seems very similar to the one featured in Sailing Illustrated - where the hull is actually visible, and it is a Laser (see below).
Note that on that Sailing Illustrated picture (which is at least partly photoshopped - check the sail numbers), the sail does not seem to be oversized, especially if the righting movement is reduced by the carbon rig, as explained in the above quote.
Picture from Sailing Illustrated article |
https://optimist-openbic-sailing.blogspot.com/2018/05/singlehanded-dinghies-for-2024-olympics.html