Dinghy hull weights

Hmm depends what your idea of 'fun' on the sea is. If abject terror as you watch it's nose drop straight into the back of everything that comes along is fun, then yes the Blaze is it. The guy that bought mine is a much much better boat handler than I yet last time we raced he went in I didn't and I wasn't that far behind him.

Now the Solution there is no worry, you just get on and race, no going in irons, no nose dives, no death rock and roll, but then that could also be described as boring, not fun at all.

The Blaze is a mission, you'll need to pack a lunch box for the trip across to the other side during a tack, so you tend to make definite tacking decisions, you'll need those hiking pad things, the bit you have to sit on which is the bit that isn't actually covered in net is a bit of a bum /thigh/back of the leg, ball breaker so you wont want to sit on it too long, hence tack plans, they tend to over rule the sun going the wrong side of the sail.
But it does have a good groove upwind you can lock it into and it gets better sailed a bit free, they say it planes, it doesn't, not planing like we know planing, but it does up a gear so you need wide corners, better on big water than small I'd say. I did manage to stuff it as well, but then I'm light and have yet to find a boat I can't stuff in light weather it's the one thing I am good at still.
Has it got a North sail, they tell me they are better, mine had elvstrom or something similarly scandinavian, as I recall you do need to mess with them, to get the top to twist, can't remember exactly what I used to do, everything's changed in my mind on what works now anyway, but I did have a couple of good results in it beating my mate in his Phantom.

Edited by iGRF - 12 Oct 16 at 1:12pm

So, the Blaze would be most like racing a board, it likes to stretch it's legs, it's a bit nosy offwind in waves but if you're heavy enough it's not a problem. It's got a retracting CB the rig is manageable and I suspect it can be depowered better than I knew how to when I owned one, they do tend to sail them with floppy shrouds or they were just starting to when I had one. They were also jerking around with sailing them using off the boom sheeting which I didn't care for, mainly because I can't tack for tuppence.

The Solution and I suspect the Europe also are more confined water boats imv quick to tack does the Europe have a retracting cb? There are a couple down our lake used by good sailors they can be a bloody pain to race against especially in light weather, the boom seems a bit low on the Europe and if it puffs up a bit the Solution leaves it easily and has better righting moment from it's width as far as I can tell not ever having actually sailed in a Europe but having the greatest respect for some Europe sailors who it's been my experience to be pretty damn sh*t hot.

Edit if its down to hull weights then its' Solution then Europe then Blaze I'd guess despite being a light build the Blaze I had weighed a ton, difficult to manage alone, although the young guy I sold it to seems to manage it OK, well when he gets mad and turns green.

Edited by iGRF - 12 Oct 16 at 12:27pm

Good advice. I'm currently trying to trace the owner of an abandoned Blaze and waiting for the opportunity to sail the Europe that is for sale at my sailing club.

I have some experience of SH boats Mike, OKs as a teenager and a laser for a few years before I got into windsurfing but you're right, my gut feeling is something not too radical if I'm to keep the Spice (which is definitely 'Plan A'). Streaker and Supernova are obviously good boats but I still feel I'm a bit light for the 'nova and FRP Streakers are few and far between so I'm back at Europe or Blaze or spending real money on an Aero/D-Zero or Solution.

Not that I'm saying you should do as I would.