The Olympic Trivial Thing Thread.

[Norm]

The GB fours were both tandem rigged, in opposite directions. So the bow and stroke were on bow side in one of them and both on stroke side in the other. It's generally for weight distribution and, especially in fours, to even up the torque effect on the steering.

The coaches' bikes were mostly the same white hard tail things with names removed or stickered over, but they did all seem to have their forks fitted correctly.

Guess who has just come back (by 5 minute bike ride) from the rowing lake.

 

[Maz]

The Queen coming out of the helicopter - did she jump or did bond have to push her?

She was throne.

 

[Speicher]

The GB fours were both tandem rigged, in opposite directions. So the bow and stroke were on bow side in one of them and both on stroke side in the other. It's generally for weight distribution and, especially in fours, to even up the torque effect on the steering.

The coaches' bikes were mostly the same white hard tail things with names removed or stickered over, but they did all seem to have their forks fitted correctly.

Guess who has just come back (by 5 minute bike ride) from the rowing lake.

Me jealous? Nooo.
Can I stay at your house on Friday and Saturday night?

 

[rikki]

I'm not jealous either.

 

[fimm]

I noticed this in the Eights yesterday, do you get left handed or right handed oarsmen ?

It is usual for an oarsman to only row on one side of the boat. Steve Redgrave is unusual in that at some point he changed to row on the other side than the side he'd started rowing on. I can't remember the details, sorry.

 

[Speicher]

Can anyone explain the blue lines in the water for the sailing?

When the camera cuts away to the view from the hillside or helicopter, it shows straight coloured lines? It only shows it for a very short time, so I cannot work out what I am seeing. Is it the linear distance between the dingies?

Should Portugal have given way to Australia? (I am not sure what class of boat that was). The commentator said that Portugal did not need to give way. I thought perhaps the Portuguese crew decided to change direction, and thus avoid a last-second change of direction? Is this the difference between the "rules" and doing what you think is best?

Oh, and one more question, for now. What is the difference between tack and jib?

 

[Arch]

Oh, and one more question, for now. What is the difference between tack and jib?

Tacks are pointy, and jibs are on cranes.

Hope that helps.

 

[Speicher]

Tacks are pointy, and jibs are on cranes.

Hope that helps.

 

[Arch]

Oh, some people are never happy! Ok, here:

http://www.wellesley.edu/Athletics/PE-old/sailing/sailing_tacking.html

(I didn't know, I googled!)

 

[Andrew_Culture]

I have been watching some of the rowing Steve Redgrave.

I used to work for him, you can't imagine how big he is in person, however big you imagine him to be he's much bigger!

 

[Rickshaw Phil]

Oh, and one more question, for now. What is the difference between tack and jib?

I can answer this one. Tacking and Gybing are the turns needed when zigzagging to sail against the wind. Tacking is when you are changing direction by turning the bow towards the wind. Turning this way is a generally gentle transition as the sail will just flap a bit as the wind changes to the other side of the sail.
Gybing is when you change direction by turning away from the wind. The wind crosses the stern of the boat when turning in this direction and the changeover is much more dramatic as the wind forces the sail across suddenly.

I hope that makes some kind of sense.

 

[Theseus]

Tacking is when you are changing direction by turning the bow towards the wind. Turning this way is a generally gentle transition as the sail will just flap a bit as the wind changes to the other side of the sail.

Point of order: While this may be true when out for a pootle round the boating lake, when racing it is common to use a technique called a roll tack. In this you start by trying to make the boat fall over towards the side you are sitting on and then change direction and scramble up to the other side before sitting down heavily. This speeds the movement of the sails fom one side to the other and the sitting down helps fill them up and speed you on your way. Done correctly it is a well co-ordinated dance between helmsman and crew. Done wrong, it is wet for both of them.

 

[Rickshaw Phil]

Point of order: While this may be true when out for a pootle round the boating lake, when racing it is common to use a technique called a roll tack. In this you start by trying to make the boat fall over towards the side you are sitting on and then change direction and scramble up to the other side before sitting down heavily. This speeds the movement of the sails fom one side to the other and the sitting down helps fill them up and speed you on your way. Done correctly it is a well co-ordinated dance between helmsman and crew. Done wrong, it is wet for both of them.

Everyone's a critic.

 

[Speicher]

Thank you Phil and Touche. I will try and remember this when I am watching the sailing during the week.

Do they have 15 races for each class of boat, or did I mis hear that?

 

[Norm]

Me jealous? Nooo.
Can I stay at your house on Friday and Saturday night?

Are you cute?