Choosing an Olympic Class

[lelandhubble]

Ok finally getting back to this. I guess I should have put some more background about myself.

I have been sailing for a while now. I live on a Peterson 34 here in Santa Barbara. I crew on multiple boats. Pretty Much anything I can get my hands on. I have raced Hobie 16's and oday daysailers. Boats I can think of off hand that I have crewed on...melges 24, j150, x412, santa cruz 27, ranger 26, and a few others....

I work on boats for a living so I know plenty well about time and effort.

Looks like the Finn is the best bet. No I can't really drop more weight. I like lifting weights and not being a bitch.

Thanks for all the input everyone.

 

[some dude]

hey Leland,

We have increasing Finn activity in So. Cal. It's an Olympic class through 2020. PM me if you want a great deal on a Finn that won the N.A.'s last year- as I live near you, and I'd like to see the boat stay here. You'll probably never get bored sailing a Finn, I've been at it on and off since 1977. This year there's a lotta races in So. Cal to keep you busy, and the people are pretty damn helpful! If you want to sail in a fleet of lots of boats, and you weigh less than 180 , get a Laser- they're a fun boat, and easy to charter at big events. Best yet, get both!

Re boat for sale-NAs or NA Masters?

 

[coolerboy]

I have a laser at 230. You can cruise when others have to flog to keep the boat flat. Finn prob better since winds in so cal lighter. Consider a 505 if you want to sail against big time sailors on west coast. At 200 you are perfect for the wire. You will learn more about sail trim, rig placement, boat handling, etc in 505 fleet than any other fleet.

 

[BalticBandit]

Cooler is right. You'll get better racing if you go the 5oh route. SB to Santa Cruz aint that bad a drive and this is what SC looks like in a 5oh:

 

[fastyacht]

505 is the only way to go. OR the dutchman except that their fleets are much smaller. 505 is a world class at the very highest caliber but with local support and all levels participating and encouraged to participate. And I daresay whatever you learn in a 505 will give you the skills you need for an Olympic campaign or at least that was always the case in the past. Look at who races them. All sorts. And it is fun. None of that whining about pros and stuff, that you get with some of the keelboat classes. You race the 505 because firstly, it is so fun to sail and secondly, because you are racing the best in the world. We like it that way. Even though I lose every race, I keep coming back for more. Too much fun.

Oh--and the fleet is deep. And unlike some other classes where the same guy wins the worlds fr 10 years, the 505 is way too interesting and difficult and competitive at the top, for that to happen. There's always at least 10 boats in the worlds who could win it. Just look at the results over a period of years. So it is always fresh.

The laser is miserable for big guys. You just don't ft in the boat, but I have fond memories of them when I was lighter as a kid. Just not as fun now.

 

[DRDNA]

hey Leland,

We have increasing Finn activity in So. Cal. It's an Olympic class through 2020. PM me if you want a great deal on a Finn that won the N.A.'s last year- as I live near you, and I'd like to see the boat stay here. You'll probably never get bored sailing a Finn, I've been at it on and off since 1977. This year there's a lotta races in So. Cal to keep you busy, and the people are pretty damn helpful! If you want to sail in a fleet of lots of boats, and you weigh less than 180 , get a Laser- they're a fun boat, and easy to charter at big events. Best yet, get both!

Re boat for sale-NAs or NA Masters?

N.A.s, not NA Masters -

 

[ease hike trim]

Who won the gold in the 505 in the last Olympics?

 

[fastyacht]

Who won the gold in the 505 in the last Olympics?

It's not an olympic class...which is why it is a better choice...because there isn't enough olympic class sailing in the US to support olympic development.

 

[couchsurfer]

Who won the gold in the 505 in the last Olympics?

It's not an olympic class...which is why it is a better choice...because there isn't enough olympic class sailing in the US to support olympic development.

.

....'olympic sailing',,,and 'USA' seem to be a conflict of terms these days,hard to put in one sentence :mellow:

...........let's see if Charlie can turn that around!

 

[jfunk]

Go the 5oh, You never regret a second spent in a 5oh. They teach you so much.

 

[ease hike trim]

Who won the gold in the 505 in the last Olympics?

It's not an olympic class...which is why it is a better choice...because there isn't enough olympic class sailing in the US to support olympic development.

You have a sharp eye for sarcasm.

 

[fastyacht]

I know, I know, I ruined the joke. Sorry about that. I just couldn't resist -- I'm in that spring fever mode looking at my 505 under 18"
of snow and it is getting me very antsy.

 

[surf nazi]

I know, I know, I ruined the joke. Sorry about that. I just couldn't resist -- I'm in that spring fever mode looking at my 505 under 18"

of snow and it is getting me very antsy.

I'm sure you 505 people are very nice and the crew on the wire ballet is beautiful. I think i heard Johnnie Wier compare it favorably to Ice dancing. However, the dude's question was what olympic class fit his 6'3" 230 lb frame. Mmmm ? And he likes to lift weights and doesn't want to be a bitch. Mmmmmm? what olympic class does that fit into ? I'll give you a hint...FINN !!! Nothing else is even close so please shut up about your 505.

If someone asks what non olympic class that most ice dancers prefer to sail , then you can tell us about all the wonderful things that the 505 teaches you.

 

[fastyacht]

Yes, that's true, I agree that the Finn seems the only real good fit, but he wants to sail crewed. That leaves him with the 49er or nothing. And he'd need a really small helmsman for that one yes?

In the past, a number of Olympic sailors sailed the 505 when they weren't out racing the 470 in the Olympics...because it was fun and good and all that.

I don't really think any Olympic classes in the US are strong enough to get yourself into the Olympics in them, unless you move to Europe or something. The exception was the star. And the laser is actually a joke, too. I was astounded when one of the national qualifying events for the laser brought out 3 boats and only 2 of them rigged. Totally confused by that. I think we had 8 505s there that day.

 

[couchsurfer]

I know, I know, I ruined the joke. Sorry about that. I just couldn't resist -- I'm in that spring fever mode looking at my 505 under 18"

of snow and it is getting me very antsy.

I'm sure you 505 people are very nice and the crew on the wire ballet is beautiful. I think i heard Johnnie Wier compare it favorably to Ice dancing. However, the dude's question was what olympic class fit his 6'3" 230 lb frame. Mmmm ? And he likes to lift weights and doesn't want to be a bitch. Mmmmmm? what olympic class does that fit into ? I'll give you a hint...FINN !!! Nothing else is even close so please shut up about your 505.

If someone asks what non olympic class that most ice dancers prefer to sail , then you can tell us about all the wonderful things that the 505 teaches you.

.

.......sure,,finns are good on the westcoast & all,,,but certainly not th'be all,,end all.

... it's sounding like yer clipped your head a few too many in th'gybes,no? :huh:

...people are giving input,opinions,ideas,,,,that's all :mellow:

.....I believe there's an FlyingDinausor in the OP's area,,would love t'get a guy that size on the wire

 

[surf nazi]

I know, I know, I ruined the joke. Sorry about that. I just couldn't resist -- I'm in that spring fever mode looking at my 505 under 18"

of snow and it is getting me very antsy.

I'm sure you 505 people are very nice and the crew on the wire ballet is beautiful. I think i heard Johnnie Wier compare it favorably to Ice dancing. However, the dude's question was what olympic class fit his 6'3" 230 lb frame. Mmmm ? And he likes to lift weights and doesn't want to be a bitch. Mmmmmm? what olympic class does that fit into ? I'll give you a hint...FINN !!! Nothing else is even close so please shut up about your 505.

If someone asks what non olympic class that most ice dancers prefer to sail , then you can tell us about all the wonderful things that the 505 teaches you.

.

.......sure,,finns are good on the westcoast & all,,,but certainly not th'be all,,end all.

... it's sounding like yer clipped your head a few too many in th'gybes,no? :huh:

...people are giving input,opinions,ideas,,,,that's all :mellow:

.....I believe there's an FlyingDinausor in the OP's area,,would love t'get a guy that size on the wire

Yes, it's awesome that everyone has a voice on the interweb and can give their unasked-for opinions. However, the guy asked a specific question about olympic classes for his size . But rather than answer that question you 5 0 holes start blathering about how great the 505 is.

Tell you what...next time some dude asks for a non-olympic class boat that he can sail with his husband, then you tell everyone how wonderful 505 land is and I will remain silent . Deal ?

 

[fastyacht]

LOL.

He should simply but three boats.

1. Finn.

1. 49er.

and one 505. So that he can actually play with others regularly.

take a look at scheds:

http://www.nafinnclass.org/

http://49er.org/event/

http://www.pitchpoleenterprises.com/49erna/racing/calendar

http://www.usa505.org/schedule

 

[ease hike trim]

How about a two man bobsled?

 

[some dude]

Tell you what...next time some dude asks for a non-olympic class boat that he can sail with his husband, then you tell everyone how wonderful 505 land is and I will remain silent . Deal ?

Yes, next time I ask that question, tell me all about the 505 which I'm sure is a great boat, good people sail it, etc. meanwhile it sounds like the OP needs a Finn

 

[some dude]

Tell you what...next time some dude asks for a non-olympic class boat that he can sail with his husband, then you tell everyone how wonderful 505 land is and I will remain silent . Deal ?

Yes, next time I ask that question, tell me all about the 505 which I'm sure is a great boat, good people sail it, etc. meanwhile it sounds like the OP needs a Finn