Post by Bruce on Dec 17, 2002 9:52:39 GMT -5
Congratulations to Matt Struble and the F-18HT class on a fine showing in the first major distance race for this exciting new class!
I must admit that I was not convienced that the Javelin 2 could run with the likes of the I-20 and Nacra 6.0 w/spinnakers in distance races, particularly when a lot of reaching is involved. This year's Steeplechase featured more reaching than anything else, yet the Matt's Javelin 2 outperformed the ex-Worrell 1000 Nacra and Inters.
I knew from all the previous results, that the F-18HTs were bouy racing demons. They seemed to be optimized to go upwind and downwind, so they excelled in windward-leeward courses commonly used today. Reaching ability was left suspect, until this past weekend.
I spoke to several top I-20 sailors who said that they were surprised to see that Matt was definately faster on a "jib reach" than they were. They said that the Javelin was seen often to plane in these conditions. A couple of W-1000 sailors seemed to think that the Javelin could carry its chute at higher angles than they could on their I-20s. All stated that the Javelin is in a class by itself going upwind. I look forward to seeing how it will do against the I-20s and Nacra New England 6.0s on a run. Maybe the next distance race will have some running. Does anyone care to guess how this match up will turn out?
I must admit that I was not convienced that the Javelin 2 could run with the likes of the I-20 and Nacra 6.0 w/spinnakers in distance races, particularly when a lot of reaching is involved. This year's Steeplechase featured more reaching than anything else, yet the Matt's Javelin 2 outperformed the ex-Worrell 1000 Nacra and Inters.
I knew from all the previous results, that the F-18HTs were bouy racing demons. They seemed to be optimized to go upwind and downwind, so they excelled in windward-leeward courses commonly used today. Reaching ability was left suspect, until this past weekend.
I spoke to several top I-20 sailors who said that they were surprised to see that Matt was definately faster on a "jib reach" than they were. They said that the Javelin was seen often to plane in these conditions. A couple of W-1000 sailors seemed to think that the Javelin could carry its chute at higher angles than they could on their I-20s. All stated that the Javelin is in a class by itself going upwind. I look forward to seeing how it will do against the I-20s and Nacra New England 6.0s on a run. Maybe the next distance race will have some running. Does anyone care to guess how this match up will turn out?