Good Starter Boat for an Older Sailor

I am looking to return to sailing after a break of a number of years and like the idea of a dinghy or small keelboat. I would like a fairly stable boat that I can sail single handed and also with a partner. Nothing too sporty, but would like to use on the sea, as plan to sail in solent and around isle of wight, (though not a circum-navigaation).
Any thoughts of what should be looking for?
Don't want something that could capsize easily, as the one thing that has always made me apprehensive for a dinghy is seeing them topple over. 

If you're sailing in and around the IOW there are a number of local one design scows which can be sailed singlehanded but will easily accommodate 2.

Milford scows and Lymington scows are two that spring to mind but think that there are similar designs on the east side of the Solent. Gaff rigged, easily handled and these days in GRP.

If yiu fancy racing, the local clubs have races just for their local scow fleets.

Are you planning on keeping you boat on moorings, or hauled out when not in use?
If you have a mooring (including marina type pontoons), then a keel boat sounds a good choice.
If you're planning on land storage, you need to seriously consider how launching/recovery and land movement can be done.
I sail on an inland lake with no tide and gentle slope slipways. Even so, the Drascombe luggers are moored during their sailing months, not stored ashore.
Getting anything heavier than my Wanderer up the ramp needs more than 1 person (about 3/4 for a Wayfarer).
Also, consider if you're going to beach land for lunch etc., If so, you'll need a retractable keel that's easy to use.

I understand your concerns regarding dinghy capsizes, there are ways to reduce the problems - our sail training dinghies have masthead buoyancy - at its simplest an inflatable buoyancy bag fixed to the head of the mainsail. This prevents the dinghy inverting.
Second suggestion, take an RYA level 2 course (if you haven't already), capsize recovery is one of the topics (practical!) many of my students comment that the reality is much less scary than the anticipated terrors!

Colin

+1 to masthead floats, I use mine a lot on both the Spice and the Blaze when sailing without safety cover. Inversion on the sea can be difficult to resolve and sticking the mast in the mud at home is equally taxing so preventing inversion is well worth the extra windage. I have two floats, a fairly discrete double sausage one I use on the Blaze and 'The Pig' a pinky-orange 60 litre Crewsaver one that can keep the Spice from inverting even with two burly blokes climbing up the hull.

GP 14, really stable, good for cruising, still need two people on land though, you can always get a local engineering company to laser cut you a steel centreboard for extra stability, get it galvanised.

Edited by 423zero - 04 Jan 18 at 5:50pm