RS500 ...

Originally posted by Shingle Yes I think so, people in the world are generally getting heavier, unless you sail with Kate Moss there will be a demand for boats with better weight carrying abillity that still get the adrenaline rushing. Two people that are 26st is it crime?

yes I agree- there are many ex-rugby players or overfed teenagers who are over 15 stone , and have similar mates. "go sail the 505,FD finn or phantom." "er no thanks we want something fun and modern with a quick learning curve ie single or no traps."

 First boat quoted (always the 505 if you are 18 stone like me) , well how many clubs have fleets of  them now? an expensive travllers boat- now they have approved carbon rigs, the sky is the limit. IDeal for heavy guys in the pre- assym period. FD is in the same box IMHO and worse at club level.

as for the others, yawn.

With SMODS popping out every five minutes how many clubs will have fleets of anything?? lets face the truth, every club has its set of people who will buy the latest boat. Most of the time though I have a sneaking suspicion they only do so to show they can afford it :-)

With 175 boats at the Worlds I don't really think you can discount the 5oh as a has been boat.

Likewise the FD's will normaly attract 100 boats at a major event, not bad for an ex-olympic class, someone must still love it :-)

The 5 toner was pitched at the same 5oh / FD sailors market.. but despite being the fun / modern boat of it's day you can pick them up dirt cheap now and when was the last one built? 2 years ago?

 

Appart for the weight of the 5000, she was a good boat to sail and race. The boat may not be as advanced as newer classes but for the prices and type of performance you can get out of the boat, they are still good boats and really cheap to run.  

Originally posted by redback A V3000 prototype is racing at my club.  The boat is significantly faster than the L3000 in any sort of breeze although the helm claims he thinks its not as good in the light stuff.  The helm is very good but this doesn't explain completely why the V3000 is embarassing the 4000s - it has to be the boat, particularly the lighter hull.

Couldn't bear to look at this site (as 3000 class secretary) ... imagined RS would have conjoured up something a bit special ... needn't have worried ... RS and Laser will hype it out for the mass market share, but lighter weight club sailors who are 'in the know' will go for the V3000 out of these three, and that's Vandercraft's target market, so there's hope?

After 4 weekends at Wilsonian ... two weekends of F3-4s ... there were some complaints over the V3000's 1030 handicap I believe, but I understand the sailing committee supported retaining the 1030 figure ... an indicator of the future I hope

By the way, in answer to another comment, in recent talks with Frank Bethwaite he views the 3000 hull form as still being very competitive

And somebody asked for some pictures ... here's the only ones we have so far, on the water, in less than flattering conditions!!!:

http://laser3000.lasersailing.com/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=6 11

Originally posted by damp_freddie god this thread is mogadonal

Did you by any chance mean monotonal ?