tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-648347949599770133.post3364504146147195330..comments2023-04-27T06:05:39.787-07:00Comments on G-42 Blog: 50.57G-42http://www.blogger.com/profile/17471813573282096332noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-648347949599770133.post-14611430372232445502008-10-05T22:10:00.000-07:002008-10-05T22:10:00.000-07:00Michael,I agree with you that the sailors who have...Michael,<BR/>I agree with you that the sailors who have what it takes to break 50 will not be too deterred from pursuing that goal. I do, however, believe that they will have a very hard time convincing sponsors to cough up support for the kind of effort needed to make that happen. The canal was a result of Finian Maynard combining his sheer force of personality and persuasiveness with a tangible, realistic goal - break 50 and be the fastest windpowered craft in the world (that's what the outright record means - there's no requirement that it be what most people would consider "sailing").<BR/><BR/>And yes, anything >50.57 will be a serious target for eligible windsurfers - but let's be realistic. The combination of necessary sailor skill and determination, along with the rather hard-to-come-by conditions needed for those guys to make it happen (as evidenced by the rather long time it took the top echelon of fast windsurfers to get to 49.09) makes that goal a bit elusive right now - and given what the kiters at Luderitz put on the board this last week, I'm pretty sure that goal is a moving target.G-42https://www.blogger.com/profile/17471813573282096332noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-648347949599770133.post-57209443774327848582008-10-05T05:51:00.000-07:002008-10-05T05:51:00.000-07:00You think that because a kiter went 50 that no win...You think that because a kiter went 50 that no windsurfer wants to be the first windsurfer to break 50? I don't think that's the case. While there is certainly a good-natured competition between kiters and windsurfers to outdo each other (therefore making 50.58 a windsurfing target also) they are different sports. Certainly breaking 50 on a sail-powered craft remains out there.PeconicPuffinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15727526949787504644noreply@blogger.com