29er, why just the kids

   I had a 29er that I sailed with Sarah for a year - we enjoyed the boat but not the other sailors. I think we'll have more fun with the N12.
The boat is just part of what makes a class - the people are probably more important.
After all sailing is a very social sport ...
Rick

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Guest Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Newbie Joined: 21 May 04 Location: United Kingdom Online Status: Offline Posts: 0	Post Options Post Reply Quote Guest Report Post Quote Reply Topic: 29er, why just the kids Posted: 08 Nov 06 at 1:20pm
	I had a 29er that I sailed with Sarah for a year - we enjoyed the boat but not the other sailors. I think we'll have more fun with the N12. The boat is just part of what makes a class - the people are probably more important. After all sailing is a very social sport ... Rick

glewis Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Groupie Joined: 05 May 06 Location: United Kingdom Online Status: Offline Posts: 79	Post Options Post Reply Quote glewis Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 08 Nov 06 at 1:11pm
	Pushy parents - remember a 29er meeting at Grafham several years ago with a bunch of overly competitive parents, didn't do anything for the hangvoer I was suffering on that day.

glewis Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Groupie Joined: 05 May 06 Location: United Kingdom Online Status: Offline Posts: 79	Post Options Post Reply Quote glewis Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 08 Nov 06 at 1:09pm
	KK I agree, just been reading your other question about how to sail your new boat, sounds like you are getting to grips with it. Would agree with those people who are saying get the kit up as soon as you can, I used to have a Laser 4000 which was quite a handful with two sails off the wind, with the kite up the boat is lighter on the helm and far more stable, could throw it around and it was far more forgiving.

English Dave Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Visit Member's Homepage Really should get out more Joined: 10 Aug 06 Location: Northern Ireland Online Status: Offline Posts: 682	Post Options Post Reply Quote English Dave Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 08 Nov 06 at 1:08pm
	I think 30 years is pushing it but there's no doubt it is a fantastic design of boat. When the RYA adopted the 29er as their youth "transition to 49er" boat people made that connection in their mind. And the fact that you have to be so damned light to be competitive. It depends what you want from your sailing, I suppose. And there is no law prohibiting adults. But most dinghys are designed with an optimum weight in mind. If you stray too far outside those weights then you may struggle either to control it if you are light or get the most perfromance from it if too heavy. Although obviously different from the 29er, the I think the Spitfire is probably the best new design of catamaran for many years (sorry Stealth guys). But I'm 6'1" and 14st and my crew is similar. There are already enough reasons for being at the back of the fleet without addind to them. So I don't sail one. Totally agree with Jack on the social as well. For those non-Olympians amongst us, sailing is a very social sport. It gives us something to talk about in the bar afterwards. Difficult if your competitors can't get served. And God save us from pushy parents!
	English Dave Ballyholme Yacht Club (You'd think I'd be better at it by now) Hurricane 5.9 SX RS700

k_kirk Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Posting king Joined: 09 May 06 Location: Japan Online Status: Offline Posts: 172	Post Options Post Reply Quote k_kirk Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 08 Nov 06 at 1:05pm
	The question is, who cares about what the label says... Your thoughts were precisely my thoughts when I decided to get the 29er. I was easily swayed towards the XX when I told Julian Bethwaite where I'll be sailing it and he explained why I may want to get a larger sailplan. I am 37, weigh about 100Kg and reckon I will have tons of fun singlehanding this boat once I figure out how. I have a 10 year old with whom we will be right at the optimal weight of about 140kgs so racing two up will be just great. By the way I sailed the boat on Monday with a crew about 70-75kgs and even though the wind was light we were still flying when the small puffs hit us. Boat was planing upwind with crew on trapeze. We were about 30kgs above the recommended competetive weight limit. In short, don't worry too much about what perceptions might exist for the particular class you fancy. If you think its the right class for you and if you have worked yourself through the logic and convinced yourself (as I was and still am) just go for it. I'm sure you'll be all smiles like I am!!! Cheers, KK Edited by k_kirk

Jack Sparrow Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Visit Member's Homepage Really should get out more Joined: 08 Feb 05 Location: United Kingdom Online Status: Offline Posts: 2965	Post Options Post Reply Quote Jack Sparrow Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 08 Nov 06 at 12:59pm
	Well I owned one of the first in the UK. Before it became a youth squad boat. And I am afraid to say that I sold it when it was adopted by the RYA. Frankly I couldn't cope with the hormonally fuelled open meetings and training days. Being a small adult I was looking forward to the classes introdction and it developing into what you are describing. A well rounded class, catering for a large age group. But from my view point at the time there just weren't enough adults in the class. And I sold it on. As it was to two kids that had got there money form there Auntie. It is sort of embarasing being the oldest in the room on a training day apart form the guy instructing and him tell off the kids for mucking about in the dinghy park or canteen. Sailing after all is a pass time that takes up a lot of time, and when you want to relax after sailing, say in the bar, you want to talk to other adults and maybe share a beer etc. I moved back to the Cherub which fulfilled my criteria quite well. If not a little harder to sail. By the way I think Jim is probably quite right.
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glewis Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Groupie Joined: 05 May 06 Location: United Kingdom Online Status: Offline Posts: 79	Post Options Post Reply Quote glewis Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 08 Nov 06 at 12:57pm
	Good point made there Ian, I used to sail an RS200 with my other half and prior to that, a sixteen year old - both are light and perfectly suited to this type of boat. I then purchased a '4000 which in retrospect, needed us to spend more time on it to sail it competently as it's quite a powerful boat and needed more commitment than we could give it. I have sailed 29ers and they are a brilliant boat and definitely suited to people who were even lighter than us. In terms of labelling a boat, I guess it's got a lot to do with what the manufacturers perceive the target market to be. A company will look to identify where there is a gap in the market, or where the current product does not meet what they think are the needs of the market, and look to fill it. This may change as magazine like Y&Y review it, or if it becomes an established fleet and different type of people start to sails it outside the target market. I would suggest the best approach is to ignore the "tag" and decide if a boat is right for you. Giles

ifoxwell Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Really should get out more Joined: 05 Jan 06 Location: Hoo Online Status: Offline Posts: 669	Post Options Post Reply Quote ifoxwell Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 08 Nov 06 at 12:31pm
	JimC made a statement in a separate post that went something like “I think the 29er is the best new one design of the last thirty years.”, I hope you don’t mind me quoting you here Jim. Not sure I agree or not, as there are plenty of good boats to consider in that time frame, but it is, for me, the best two man boat that I have currently sailed. The trouble is that half the population is to big to sail it or at least appreciate it, and as a large slice of those that can are teenagers it just winds up being classed as a youth class, and becomes a niche boat rather than mainstream. Just as the Europe wound up being a woman’s boat when it’s really just a great small persons boat. Why is it that say the 200 gets labelled as a small adult’s boat and yet the 29er just gets labelled as youth. Even before it was officially chosen as that. So many people are struggling in 4000’s and stuff because they are just a bit to much for them and are missing out on the fun that you can get from a 29er. Its not for everyone but if you want a fast and thrilling ride... why just leave it for the kids Ian