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What Asymettric? |
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English Dave
Really should get out more Joined: 10 Aug 06 Location: Northern Ireland Online Status: Offline Posts: 682 |
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Topic: What Asymettric? Posted: 03 Jan 07 at 1:52pm |
Although I don't totally disagree with redback's fairly pompous comments, it's worth remembering that the difficult part in sailing a 600/700/MPS is keeping the damn thing upright. All experience of windshifts will be immaterial until then. And keeping them upright is largely a question of power management and balance. I can't see how sailing for any length of time in a Mirror would help in this regard. The learning curve is steep to be sure, but if daveb has the commitment and fitness (cos you use lots of energy righting boats) then why not give a high performance boat a go? I'm assuming that his big boat skills mean that he can do a triangular course well enough and knows a bit about sail trim. I used to windsurf for years. Got clocked at over 30kts and could do a few jumps. Couldn't carve-gybe to save my life! Didn't let it put me off - I just fell in, swam the rig round and started off again in the opposite direction. Come to think of it, I couldn't go upwind either so every so often I would walk the board 100m back up the beach. My point is that you don't have to be totally proficient to get a huge kick from high-performance sailing. I know I am Cat biased but could I suggest a Dart/Sprint 15 or a Dart 16. Cheap with trapeze and lots of space for light weight crew. Dart16 even has spinnaker option. Both are quicker than Vortex, Vareo and even (apparently) an RS600. Dart16 is low-maint tupperware and Sprint15 has good race circuit. |
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NickA
Really should get out more Joined: 30 Mar 05 Location: United Kingdom Online Status: Offline Posts: 783 |
Post Options Quote Reply Posted: 03 Jan 07 at 4:48pm |
Well said Dave, ....but cats are cheating. Like going fast in a car instead of on a bike
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Javelin 558
Contender 2574 |
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English Dave
Really should get out more Joined: 10 Aug 06 Location: Northern Ireland Online Status: Offline Posts: 682 |
Post Options Quote Reply Posted: 03 Jan 07 at 8:01pm |
Nothing wrong with cheating. It's getting caught that's illegal!
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Iain C
Really should get out more Joined: 16 Mar 04 Location: United Kingdom Online Status: Offline Posts: 1113 |
Post Options Quote Reply Posted: 03 Jan 07 at 8:16pm |
Dave I would thouroughly recommend the Contender. I learnt to drive from the wire in one, and it's a nice stable platform to learn in. I consider myself reasonably handy yet when I sailed a 600 recently it certainly kept me on my toes and i did swim a couple of times. If you are learning you WILL end up capsizing and dragging your hook across the deck and an older Rondar Contender will put up with that just fine. And if you are 10st in medium breeze on anything apart from a dead run the Contender will feel powerful and exciting. In fact the only real drawback is the space to get under the boom whilst tacking, however again if you are 10st you will probably find this much easier than me (13.5st). Good circuit, lovely looking boat, good sails/rigs from Wavelength, older boats still competitive, dacron sails rather than mylar (although you can have mylar if you really want) mean it will put up with you falling on the main, you can't lose really. One thing, get a space near the water as they are heavy for a singlehander. Good luck!!! |
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RS700 GBR922 "Wirespeed"
Fireball GBR14474 "Eleven Parsecs" Enterprise GBR21970 Bavaria 32 GBR4755L "Adastra" |
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BBSCFaithfull
Really should get out more Joined: 06 Dec 05 Location: United Kingdom Online Status: Offline Posts: 1251 |
Post Options Quote Reply Posted: 03 Jan 07 at 8:23pm |
Dave,
Trial and error is the name of the game! The 600 has a powerfull rig and is quite a difficult boat to sail well. But they are cheap so a lot of fun for your money! All i can say is you should just try all the boats you are thinking about! Have fun!, Aelx |
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Hector
Really should get out more Joined: 10 May 04 Location: Otley, Yorkshire Online Status: Offline Posts: 750 |
Post Options Quote Reply Posted: 04 Jan 07 at 1:33am |
QUOTE=NickA]
An asymetric Vortex sounds like a good idea. Anyone tried double handing one? How much does the add-on asymetric kit cost these days? And where do you get spares (sails etc) now laser have stopped making them? [/QUOTE] The asymmetric kit costs around £1000 from the class association or get a secondhand one (although the asymmetric versions sell quite fast. Laser have committed to continue to stock spares for the standard boat. In time, it may well be that one of the potential new builders the class association are talking to will take over spares etc. There's plenty of room so you can sail two up but there's not much point for an adult as there's not much for the crew to do. If you want to sail two up regularly, get a doublehander. On the other hand, I have sailed with one daughter trapezing for first time including 'Hanging five' over the bow - that got her hooked (bad pun) into trapeze sailing and she now crews a 29er. Also once with up to 5 kids aboard so that was fun for different reasons. The Vortex is vastly underated by many (especially on this forum) and given your criteria, and the potential to develop your skills deserves consideration. but as always, its best to have a trial sail - where are you based NickA? Edited by Hector |
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radixon
Really should get out more Joined: 27 Oct 06 Location: United Kingdom Online Status: Offline Posts: 2407 |
Post Options Quote Reply Posted: 04 Jan 07 at 10:32am |
Before parting with any money, its best to take a look at the boats you are considering in question. Not sure if it has been mentioned but why not take a look at them at the London Boat Show. There you can talk to the manufacturers and ask the questions you want.
If you are still undecided after then, then you can visit the Dinghy Show where the Class Association's may be to ask. After all, as it is going to be you that is sailing it, you want to make sure the boat you buy is the boat you are going to want to sail. |
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Garry
Really should get out more Joined: 18 Apr 04 Location: United Kingdom Online Status: Offline Posts: 536 |
Post Options Quote Reply Posted: 06 Jan 07 at 5:50pm |
Unlikely to be many classes represented at the London Boat Show - Dinghy Show is far better |
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Garry
Lark 2252, Contender 298 www.cuckoos.eclipse.co.uk |
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Post Options Quote Reply Posted: 06 Jan 07 at 7:12pm |
Yeah i would say make the dinghy show the primary place to have a look around at classes!
The London boat show will have very little in comparison. |
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combat wombat
Far too distracted from work Joined: 16 Jan 06 Location: United Kingdom Online Status: Offline Posts: 345 |
Post Options Quote Reply Posted: 06 Jan 07 at 8:47pm |
The B14's will be at the London Boat Show... although I wouldn't
recommend singlehanding one! Don't forget the docks race on the
14th at the Boat Show, many classes being represented there.
Watch the B14's win :)
My vote is for the Contender. You can pick them up for obscenely cheap prices and they last - very good platform to trapeze off and awesomely quick upwind (ie pace a 29er!). Buy a cheap one to start with, sail it then get an RS600 or 700 when you're feeling confident. Or, buy the most beautiful boat ever built - a Bonezzi Contender. |
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B14 GBR 772
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