Any Suggestions?

If you're going to get a single hander it's got to be a moth! If you were thinking of a 700 you'll be good enough! I'm about 50kg myself. Also, being a female mothie is cool - there's only 2 of us in the UK atm. You can adjust the rig easily so you're not overpowered!

The Europe is definitely a great boat, I bought one for £200 and have had a lot of fun with it.  I took it to the nationals and despite being probably overweight (I'm 5'6" and 11 stone) for the boat (as well as the boat being well overweight...) I managed a 4th in one of the lightest races of the weekend.  It's good far better handling than a laser (which in comparison handles like a barge).  Don't get too hung up on the boom, it's a technique issue and you get used to it quickly.  There are definitely some deals to be had and you can always buy a cheap hull and then mix and match the other bits as a lot of the olympic girls have multiple sails and masts that they'll be wanting to get rid of!

Lightning seems another popular boat for smaller lady helms, we've a number at my home club.  Don't know much about them though.

Good Luck

T

Originally posted by redback I'll just add a few observations.  The Europe is a real throroughbred and with the right rig you can make it fit your weight but it all costs a lot of money.  Soemone like Shirley Robertson was happy to spend enough money to try several rigs until she had a rig which suited her weight and style.  Most people can't afford that and when they buy a 2nd hand boat they gennerally have live with what they get.  If you could find a boat with the right rig I'd go for it because they are lovely boats. Alternatively you'll have to have something out of a box, ie Laser or Byte.  The new Byte rig sounds good but are there other boats to race against - probably not?  I reckon you'd learn more and have more fun if you sail a boat that others sail at your club - regardless of your weight (as long as you don't go silly, ie don't buy a Finn).

Hello! Regarding the Byte - I don't remember seeing any at my club - I'll do some asking around but they are mainly Lasers and Oppies. While I want to enter club racing initially I don't mind not having the same boat as everyone else - it's going to be a boat for me to learn in and get better in (hopefully!) I'm not sure there's much point getting a Laser if it's just going to be over powered constantly and it isn't the right boat to learn in...

The Europe is also high up my list of possibilities - there isn't anyone in Cardiff with a Europe (that I know of!) but I have friend in Bristol who knows a lot about them so I'll ask him for his thoughts

Guys Guys (and gal)

Let me tell you a few things that your coaches probably don't.

1)In most if not all adult classes maybe 10% of the fleet is in with even an outside chance of winning the championships. The rest are there because they enjoy sailing and racing. If you're not in that 10% its better to be in a boat that you enjoy sailing more than in a boat you might finish 3 places higher in. That way you have more fun. For most people it really is the taking part and not the winning.

2) Weight sensitivity in classes is relative... Its not about some magic weight that enables you to be powered up in some particular wind strength. The powered up state varies drmatically in different classes. Actually if the boat is weight sensitive then the right weight to be is exactly the average for the fleet, nothing else. In fact the "correct weight" for the Europe Olympic fleet was different to that for a mixed male and female series for exactly that reason!

3) Righting moment increases in proportion to your weight, but heeling moment increases to the square of windspeed. What this means in practice is that if you're around 20% lighter than the average for your fleet its like sailing in 1 wind force stronger than all the rest. So better too light than too heavy, especially if you're in a boat that has a well designed modern rig that will depower readily and in a controlled manner (ie not Laser, not Topper, but probably Europe and new Byte) Obviously don't go over the top, but if you're a 10kg underweight in a Byte you're going to be no more overpowered than right weight sailors in a 49er anyway.

i agree with alex c. weight isn´t the most important aspect in sailing business. it´s needed of course, but you can have fun and can sail succsessful with a low weight and the right trimm technic.
i don´t know how you all buy your boats in britain as a brit, but in germany you can test sail the boat you wanna buy.

i always wanted to know with which boats your childs learn how to sail in the uk. i´ve heard less about sailors who learned it in the optimist, which is the standart in germany.


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