| A Finn is a lot more than a glorified Laser, at least to those who sail
them. They have an unstayed, bendy rig on a rather narrow hull. They
have more sail area than a Laser, which together with a less stable hull
form makes for exciting sailing. They are acknowledged to be a "young
man's boat", since keeping them going a competitive speed in any wind is a
very athletic endeavour. They are an Olympic class, which helps keep
young agressive sailors interested in sailing them.
J.
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| .0� they look like a glorified laser,am i right ?
Don't believe everything that you see in a magazine.....
N.B. Don't believe everything that you read in a NOTES file, either
- I have never sailed one, although I have sailed an OK (European
boat, approx. same size as a Laser, like a baby Finn, but a little easier
to sail for most people).
A FINN looks a very nice boat when it is sailed well, but it is
normally sailed by Olympic hopefuls - i.e. the sort of people who
could sail ANY boat very well.
The hull is rounded underneath - so there is nothing stopping it
from rolling....
The mast is unstayed, and very bendy.... The boom is attached to
the mast, and often finds its way across the boat at a height of
about 2 inches above the deck....
The helms are often to be found wearing full skateboarding protection
suits. (although I would recommend a football players protection!).
The boat has a metal centre-plate. So? It means that, although the
boat is sailed by one person, it can NOT be recovered from the water
by one person.
The sail is slightly on the large size.... You need to be young
(18-30 ish), VERY fit (weight training 5 nights a week), VERY strong,
VERY agile, and fairly heavy (12 - 15 stone).
Because of these attributes it makes an ideal Olympic sailing boat,
(as it has for the last 25 or 30 years), but don't be tempted to
buy one until you have had a trial sail!!!.
Cheers, Chris
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| I've sailed Finns quite a few time in the past and have not found
them to be quite as brutal a boat as may be inferred from the previous
replies. Finn is about twice as heavy as a Laser, maybe one foot
longer and about one foot deeper. The mast is a single section
rather than a double and tapers dramatically from the step to the
mast. Sail area is a good deal more than on the Laser. Sail and
board controls are much more sophisticated and lead to both sides
of the cockpit. Generally, everything can be adjusted while hiking
out.
When setting the boat up to sail there's a bit more work than with
a Laser. Because of the weight it's ususally not cartopped although
with help, it's possible. Getting it in the water requires a trailer
or dolly. The mast isn't any more trouble. The taper actually
makes it fairly easy to balance. The strings that control everything
are a pain. But they're real nice to use once they're set up.
Sailing one is pleasure. Much dryer than a Laser because of the
greater freeboard. Nice rounded and padded rail to hike on. More
stable than a Laser because of the weight and flatness of the hull
aft of the centerboard. Not quite as hair trigger responsive but
that just makes for fewer capsizes. If you do go over, it's not
hard to get back up. I've done it often enough and I weigh 145
lbs. The boom really is low though. Kiss the deck on tacks and
jibes.
What appears to be "skateboarding" equipment is usually just a wetsuit.
The sailing ones come with padded knees and elbows to reduce wear.
The one peice of specialized gear that Finn sailors wear is a water
bottle jacket to increase leverage while hiking. This can weigh
over 35 lbs. Olympic stomach muscles are a prereq for hiking with
one of these.
Finns were much more common before the Lasers became popular. But
the weight, cost (over 3x Laser), and complexity have made them
something of a specialty item. Community boating in Boston had
some before buying Lasers.
Finns are hard to race competitively but not hard to sail. Very
responsive and predictable in all conditions. I've often toyed
with the idea of getting a used one for pleasure sailing to replace
the Etchells. But I'm addicted to racing and there's no local
competition for them.
- gene ho
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Finns are absolutely one of the most fun 1-designs I have ever
sailed. You can make one go almost side-ways up wind - that's towards
the mark. The Laser is a poor cousin in my opinion - but then again
they are easier to haul around.
If you are into racing real-hard, and enjoy the competiveness
of pitting your skills against the other, this boats for you - if
you can find someone else whose got one!
bs
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