Fastest dinghy?

Contenders are good value for money - check out the used boats on the Class Association Website. Plenty to choose from of different prices.

You will always get more choice in the older established classes.

Sorry we got diverted from the thread.

There is a lot of discussion about theoretical fastest boat and about relative handicaps.

Surely a practical challenge would settle this - for the time being. Something like the fast cat round the island race. This would give a wide variety of wind angles, tidal and wave conditions as well as probablly a variety of wind strengths.

Edited by Contender443

I think there are two distinct different arguments going on here, that are getting confused.  One is the fastest possible speed, this will probably be achieved by something small with not a lot of sail in a big breeze on flat water (board maybe?).  The fastest speed with respect to wind speed or round the cans implys average conditions and will be achieved by something that is powered up lower down the wind range.  Hence the argument of a 420 doing well on handicap in 30+ knots of breeze.  Faster boats are designed to be powered up early on and simply depower gradually as windspeed increases, but there is a limit to this and that is when smaller, "underpowered" boats start to do better on handicap. 

Originally posted by Wave Rider I guess RS 200/300 are a good option and the International Contender is a fairly cheap option isnt it??   are the 200/300 similar performance???

 

The 300 is way faster than the 200. the PY of the 300 is 1001 and in most conditions its a favourable PY once you've mastered the boat.

Bear in mind that although cheap contenders are plentiful, they are usually wood boats and tend to be older, heavier, less competitive boats. The 300 is a young design, the construction is bulletproof and unlike a wooden boat, you don't need to refinish it every couple of years and it's safe to keep at the dinghy park over winter. The sail on the 300 is also good for a lot longer than most and where else will you get a carbon fibre mast for this money.

I was looking to replace my Laser (145k sail no) with something younger & with an XD rig, which meant spending £2500 on a used boat. For £2200 I bought a 2 year old 300 in immaculate condition and am having a LOT more fun.

The contender is a cracking boat, but there's a lot of ex contender sailors in the 300 class, and there must be a reason for that ;)

I think it would be really interesting to get a well sailed Tornado and a well sailed 49er and pit them against each other in a variety of wind strengths and course configurations.  In most wind strengths I reckon the Tornado would win but I bet there are a few situations when the 49er would beat the Tornado.  Perhaps this is something Y&Y would like to organise?  I can suggest a 49er team who'd be up for it.