Silver Rudder - does it really matter what boat you bring

[Black Jack]

Looking at the list of current participants - it apparently doesn't.

https://www.silverrudder.com/?Participant-list

 

[Veeger]

I think you answered your own question. Nope, it doesn't matter. It's kinda like the R2AK in a way. It's about participating, not really about winning--well, for most folks anyway.

 

[Black Jack]

I think you answered your own question. Nope, it doesn't matter. It's kinda like the R2AK in a way. It's about participating, not really about winning--well, for most folks anyway.

Let's keep that in perspective in all this nonsense. I will try to remind those who will begin to use this (and other similar regattas) as proof that one new design is better than the others in the results when it may boil down to preparation, local knowledge, luck and actual sailing seamanship.

 

[Odd Sock]

Looking at the list of current participants - it apparently doesn't.

https://www.silverrudder.com/?Participant-

On this doll, show me where the Aeolos P30 hurt you.

 

[Black Jack]

It appears there is an editor and arbitrator of content possibly not of offend a sponsor.. My post disappeared despite not showing blood, gore or labias. Interesting editorial choice. first time for me.

 

[Hans Genthe]

Sail a competitive One Design if you want to compare your skills. In my opinion real competition is only in One Design. I looking forward to sail Flying Dutchman again.
ORC as Handicap rule works quite well if the designs are similar. IRC is worse. Yardstick, etc is a simple but bad solution, but enables fun to sail together. Silverrudder is just fun and shows how fast you can get around an island, shows the unrated speed of boats. But it is a nice race with lot´s of challenges, current, narrow fairways, open sea, all conditions in one race.
The Silverrudder is so successful, because it´s simple and really big fun. By the way a lot of good sailors which I know from Dinghy sailing.

 

[Ronja-express]

There is one big andvantage when you bring an old slow boat to the SR:
Nobody expects big performance from you.

I am starting with my 1980 Albin Express and have Pogo 30 and Seascape 27 in my starting group.
No problem if i finish late, I can still have lots of fun.

For Hans its totally different.
If he is slow, there will be a lot of chatter.
And when he wins, everybody will say the most extreme boat won.
No surprise.

But i know he ist an excellent sailor.
There are not many people able to sail a boat like that to its potential.
But I think Hans could be one of them.

Holger

 

[Black Jack]

There is one big andvantage when you bring an old slow boat to the SR:
Nobody expects big performance from you.

I am starting with my 1980 Albin Express and have Pogo 30 and Seascape 27 in my starting group.
No problem if i finish late, I can still have lots of fun.

For Hans its totally different.
If he is slow, there will be a lot of chatter.
And when he wins, everybody will say the most extreme boat won.
No surprise.

But i know he ist an excellent sailor.
There are not many people able to sail a boat like that to its potential.
But I think Hans could be one of them.

Holger

if and when you finish - what does that say about you and your boat? Does it mean more or less to you than it does to Hans?

I am reminded when I am sailing well with the entire SSS fleet - we are all the same and equal in most measures that matter.

 

[Hans Genthe]

When I sail one design, I am reminded that you can only sail a boat at the limit if you train. If you train a lot, if it's a competitive class. It took me years to sail a Flying Dutchman fast. There are speed differences of up to 25% between the first and the last boat. When we started in ASSO99, we lost 10 minutes to the first boat in an hour. That's far more than you can achieve with boat or rating optimization. It's all about trim, handling and tactics.
If you want to win, the most important step is to analyze the areas where you can improve the most. In my experience, it's usually not the boat ... after 25 years of sailing with the BB10, we gained so much experience, we have won almost every regatta, whether ORC or Yardstick. In the first year we won nothing.
My idea of a fast boat is a boat, which is optimzied in handling, so you can push it to the limit.

 

[Black Jack]

This year I have been training to sail my ancient Finn well which includes biking, running and lifting weights. physical and mental fitness are the keys to a successful sailing program. I am not sure if i ever will go out and race competitively on it. Over the years i tried my hand and owned a few one designs besides the Finn, Laser and Sunfish. I got a lot out of the Star. I loved owning the Birdboat (and a Bear) because they are such icons and beautiful vessels built for my home waters. The other odd boats were just plain fun. The 1D35 i helped rebuild and currently crew on sadly on does not have enough folks with boats to make a class race anymore.

With fewer developing or getting serious commitments in most of the one design classes in my area - I have to be more practical and must chose a boat that sails fast for the conditions which may or may not be in a class, provides the comfort that makes a boat worth owning as well as gives me a sense of proud ownership. I found it is hard to find a class that isn't full of folks that aren't fun to associate with. The great local community, attendance and support to solo and short handed racing adds a layer to this. This means I did not need to being restricted to OD which for a weird cat like me is actually liberating. I have enjoyed immensely the dynamic development while restoring them; to improve performance and handling characteristics with my own hands and learned skills on a careful budget. Maybe more so than actually sailing and racing them.

Coming from the opposite direction of Hans but not that unsimilar, I appreciate his work while I pursue this passionate hobby of saving racing classic yachts that if sailed right can prevail over boats that are worth 30x the cost. This is why I am seriously considering an entry in the next year or two. I can't imagine winning or likely finishing. Like I do here - i enjoy participating most.

 

[Ronja-express]

if and when you finish - what does that say about you and your boat? Does it mean more or less to you than it does to Hans?

I am reminded when I am sailing well with the entire SSS fleet - we are all the same and equal in most measures that matter.

First of all you have to understand that the Silverrudder is essentially not a race.
It is a challenge.
So my reward for finishing is that i know i sailed more than 130 miles alone.
And had fun doing it.

I am also racing the boat with crew but the fun in the SR is special for me.
It is really about testing yourself against die course and the weather.
Of course i try to sail fast but finishing and safety is more important.

There are some sailors (there are more like that than some years ago) that sail the SR as a race.
It is your own decision what you go for.

If you want to sail the SR you need to be prepared for very different conditions.
I had to learn that the hard way.
There is normally a variety of windstrength and directions over the course.

And i think Hans is right: There is a theoretical speed potential of a boat.
And there is the speed that you can actually extract from the boat.

Look at the results of the past Silverrudders.
You can see that old small boats are often faster than they should be.
And really modern boats slower.

If the SR was a handicap race, old boats would have a good chance to win.

Holger

 

[Black Jack]

First of all you have to understand that the Silverrudder is essentially not a race.
It is a challenge.
So my reward for finishing is that i know i sailed more than 130 miles alone.
And had fun doing it.

I am also racing the boat with crew but the fun in the SR is special for me.
It is really about testing yourself against die course and the weather.
Of course i try to sail fast but finishing and safety is more important.

There are some sailors (there are more like that than some years ago) that sail the SR as a race.
It is your own decision what you go for.

If you want to sail the SR you need to be prepared for very different conditions.
I had to learn that the hard way.
There is normally a variety of windstrength and directions over the course.

And i think Hans is right: There is a theoretical speed potential of a boat.
And there is the speed that you can actually extract from the boat.

Look at the results of the past Silverrudders.
You can see that old small boats are often faster than they should be.
And really modern boats slower.

If the SR was a handicap race, old boats would have a good chance to win.

Holger

View attachment 532389

We do agree that it is not a race but a challenge. There are many who think they must finish first in line honors to be winners. But that is not us.