49er

If we could find the money we would probably go for a rs800 but i dont think we will have enough.  From what I hear they are easier to sail and require less weight, anyone agree? 

Originally posted by 49erGBR735HSC The 800 has lower sheet loads, less sail area and the benefit of having a chute for the kite instead of bags. Its also a much lighter boat and a bit faster too. I haven't sailed the boat myself but they look like sorted boats and always seem to perform well. They can be sailed with a lower weight range too.

What he said really.

Iv sailed a 5000 a fair few times, and as im fairly light, the transition from boat to rack seemed like a leap of faith. ....though for the price you can get them 2nd hand at the moment, I think they're great. Although there are some cheap 800's floating around.

Also if you're light, trying to pull a 5000 up a slipway after sailing, really isnt great.

My limited experience of the 49er and the 800 suggests they plane in 7 or 8 knots of wind and at a speed of about 5.  However its a very subjective thing because both boats have the sort of hull shape which goes smoothly from non-planning to planning - so there's no real transition.  They're not like Wayfarers you know.  Even the much lower performance 4000 has a very blurred transition (unless you're sitting to far aft).

I'll have to dig out my "High Performance Sailing" by Bethwaite - it'll be in there somewhere.

As for lightwieghts sailing 5000s I have to point out that unless the conditions are very favourable my 88kg is not enough to get a 4000 onto its side from total inversion.  Sailing it is easy enough though.

Have you noticed the MPS seems very happy to lie on its side after a capsize - a real safety feature.

surely that is just the oposite of a safety feature?

A lightweight skiff floating on its side will have a lot of windage and drift away from its crew (who may be quite dazed after being flung off the rack) at quite a rate. Im sure there has been a big discussion on this before (possibly during the tasar development) and it resulted in 'open' masts that would fill up to invert but drain just as quickly

I'd give anything for the 4000 to stay on its side.  It takes so long to right since unless you are very quick it inverts, and in shallow water its a real pain.  I sail in an esturay most of which is shallower than a 4000 mast.  Very early on in my ownership of the boat I nearly drowned when a control line caught on a buckle and dragged me under as the boat inverted!  It was close and it certainly didn't feel like a safety feature.