ILCA 6 or 7

[Adam Boulanger]

What has contributed to your decision to sail ILCA6 vs ILCA7 in Nor Cal? Is the wind a factor - you want a smaller rig as to not be overpowered in typical SF breeze, less hiking? -adam

[Al Sargent]

Hi Adam,

It depends on a few things:

• Wind. Folsom Lake is usually light, Cityfront is usually windy. I sailed a 7 at the former and a 6 at the latter.
• Weight. At 180ish, I'll usually sail a 7 but once in a while drop to a 7. When I blimped up to 205, it was only a 7. Someone like Toshi always sails a 6 unless at Folsom Lake, where he sailed a 7 last year.
• Fitness. A relatively light but fit sailor like Julian or Tor can hike harder to hold down a 7 in bigger breeze. I'm nursing an elbow injury, so I sailed a 6 rig this past weekend. 
• Regatta schedule. If there's a marqee regatta on your schedule, then it's good to have more time in whichever rig you'll use in that event. For me this year, it's Masters Worlds, in a typically light air venue, so I'm trying to get more time in the 7. Last year's Worlds were in windy Adelaide, so I spent more time in the 6. 

In all cases, good rigging and fitness help ensure competitiveness across a range of wind conditions.

Hope that helps; let me know if you have specific questions. 

Best regards,
 
Al

asar...@stanfordalumni.org | +1 650 269 2176

On Thu, May 22, 2025 at 9:40 AM Adam Boulanger <abo...@gmail.com> wrote:

What has contributed to your decision to sail ILCA6 vs ILCA7 in Nor Cal? Is the wind a factor - you want a smaller rig as to not be overpowered in typical SF breeze, less hiking? -adam

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[Adam Boulanger]

Super helpful! Thanks for the detailed perspective from your own experience. Rooting for you at worlds :)

-Adam 

[david lapier]

Adam,

I weigh 180 and am 68 years old.  

My rule is, "If it's a month where you can eat oysters, then sail full rig.   If you cannot eat oysters, then sail radial."      One should only eat oysters in months with an "r".  Since May has no "r", then I sail radial.

The reason is not hiking.  I hike just as hard in radial as I do in full rig.  It is more a matter of comfort and ease of handling the radial.   Note that it is harder to get under the boom on a radial with full vang, but everything else is easier.

/David

To view this discussion visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/international-laser-class-association-district-24/CAP8fJnyKVp-kNfa6%2B3oX8CQkbNo57rCvmzsTwMeVn8qQZZb%3DQA%40mail.gmail.com.

[Adam Boulanger]

David, how would you describe the comfort difference on a radial vs full rig in bigger winds? Is it weather helm? -adam

[david lapier]

Adam:

Re: “comfort”

We are talking 20+ at my skill level.   

Downwind:  radial is much less sketchy.   

Upwind: much easier to put the bow down and get the boat trucking (which means keeping constant heel, trimming on every wave, using body movement as best I can).  Radials are well balanced upwind in breeze, so maybe it can be described as weather helm but that’s something I am always trying to avoid in any condition.   Radials are not over-powered when you weigh 30-40 lbs more than the size of person for which the rig is designed.

/David