Navigator wrote:
Checking up on Doug's clear assertion (below) I find that Doug is not
correct. North say their fastest spinnaker is a radial and that 2003
Lightning world champions use them.

http://www.northsailsod.com/class/li...lightning.html

"For top performance and durability, we offer the R-2 and the RC-1
spinnakers. Both spinnakers are fill radial with fully glued seams for
smoothness and resistance to snags. Both are built from AirX fabric."

Please quote the part that says specifically which spinnakers the 2003
World (or for that matter the 2003 NA) champs use. In fact it says
specifically that the R-2 and RC-1 are *reaching* spinnakers. You know
the difference between reaching and running, yes?

If you looked further down that same page you find the Bruin and another
cross cut runner.

"The Bruin has long been recognized for the downwind performer that it
is. Slightly flatter in the middle for 1998, the Bruim is much more an
all-around performer with little sacrifice to its proven broad reaching
and running performance."

Gee, you must be wetting your pants thinking that you've *finally* shown
me wrong, for once. Of course, you almost were a man and admitted your
mistake about those big old wooden ships, but now that's all behind you,
eh? Back to the same old bluff & bluster for Navvie!

Fresh Breezes (to them wot kin use 'em)- Doug King