RS 500 or Laser Vago

RS500 too powerful to single hand.  Hardly any 2nd hand = expensive.

Vago not very nice (see all the other threads) and also not many 2nd hand around.

Feva the kids will love, but you'll soon find it very slow on your own unless its blowing a hooly.

FYI - The 3000 is a stable, easy, asymetric, trapeze boat ideal for the kids to learn trapezing on. Faster than a Vago, probably slower than an RS500.  Easier to sail than either.  It may seem a bit small for a 92kg person - there isn't much to the hull, no thwarts and virtually no freeboard but recent mods have opened up the deck space a load.  With the new North sails on, and single handing fromthe trapeze, my 78kg can manage in up to F4.  With the original Hyde sails I'd be OK up to F5+ (the main reefs and the jib furls).  At 92kg you could probably single hand it hiking!  2nd hand from £1600, new for around £5000 (£6000 with all the towing and covering gear).

The 3000 was my ideal "compromise" boat for sailing both with the kids and alone (and they can now manage it themselves).  Though when it's really windy and the crews won't emerge from cyberspace, I do sometimes long for a contender.

olly_love & Hobbo,

Thanks for your thoughts. Feva XL sounds promising (and flexible
enough if I pick up a regular rig that the kids can grow into and sail
themselves in due course.

In terms of what I want - something that will go v fast whilst not taking
too much in the way of maintenance or specialist care. Ideally something
that I will be comfortable sailing single handed but can get a second
person on board at a squeeze (and has a kite).

Regards

Lysander

Sounds like the two boat idea is the best solution. The Feva would be ideal as the XL rig allows you to potter around with them and still be entertained and the baoat is also ideal for the two of them to eventually begin to sail together, I suspect you would need to buy the small rig for them to do this at the moment though. Feva gets a bit of a bashing on this forum though for what it is Ithink it is a fantastic boat, highyl durable and as entertatining as possible for its design brief.

As for yourself you havn't really specified what you'd like. The idea of singlehanding a Vago or a 500 suggests you would like a boat that you are capable of singlehanding but in which the kids have something to do if they are crewing. Both the Vago and the 500 are viable choices, though if you do decide to go down that route you should probably have a look at the 3000 which is possibly cheaper - other people on the forum will be able to tell you more about it. For a complete alternative you may wish to look at the RS Vareo, which is a dedicated singlehander and may be a better option for you if you wish to get into racing/ push the boat to its full potential whilst still having a kite for your little ones to play with. If the kids really get into the Feva and you want a singlehander designed for your weight you could do worse than a Phantom, a relatively fun boat that'll provide good racing and a challenge to get it going fast.

Good luck with whatever you chose

The RS 500 is great! As long as the place you sail is big enough then its really good fun! The rigging isnt too complicated, rig is fairly forgiving, good fun in 4+ (admittedly need a heavier crew or that). I havent sailed the vago yet but there was/is (not sure if its gone) that was at the local sailing school but they sold it because it was too hard to sail and not stable enough and then it went to someone at the sailing club who i think got rid of it because on a windyish day (F5 maybe) his crew slipped and ended up on the shroud and then the boat ended up with a horrible black mark from the crews shoes. But then again downwind they look a blast! 

Or you could get a Fireball, be quick you've got 20minutes for a nice example on ebay!