Scorpian vs Lark

I have only ever sailed a lark once and it was a uni team racing boat so not a fine specimen so this might not be a great comparison!

I crewed at the scorpion nationals this summer and had a thoroughly enjoyable time. The boat is very nice to sail and when the breeze is up it was a real hoot to sail. We were one of the heavier teams at about 25-26st but in all wind conditions it is possible to de-power loads with the fully raking rig so nobody was ever completely over powered. The racing is amazing, gate starts with 60+ boats in a fleet was a new experience for me but they were always fiercely contested throughout the fleet. (from pensioners to young wipper snappers!) Not only that but the boats are beautiful on and off the water, wouldn't look out of place in a sitting room! The kite is a normal symmetric one so a bit of a challenge to get used to (but the move to the cherub will make it seem easy in the long run! )

You wont go wrong with either. They are both great boats and if my crew could get on with a conventional spinni I’d probably be sailing either one of them again now.

 

Having owned both over the last couple of years I’d say that the Scorp has an arguably slightly more powerful rig (or perhaps it’s just that it has less righting moment being narrower) but is easier to de-power with its more sophisticated rig and stiffer hull. The Scorpion hull is also a little more refined in the water but it is more cramped for the crew. But I am splitting hairs. There both good boats and basically the same speed the apparent speed difference in the PY numbers is I reckon is all down to the centreboards. The Lark just has a flat metal plate rather than a proper profiled board like the Scorp.

 

The real question you should ask is what’s being sailed closest to you, how much do you want to spend, and do you want GRP or wood boat. If you have loads of time and money Id buy a modern, wooden Scorp, they are so rewarding to sail and own… real piece of furniture if you’ve not seen one up close. However if you want a cheap and rewarding GRP boat then I’d get a good Lark. £1500 would get you a boat that could still win the Nats in the right hands!

 

For the record my Farther and I were 21st all up in the Scorp and Hannah and I were about 19st when we had the Lark but you could handle either boat in any wind as long as you don’t mind working hard.

 

Ian

Just athought.  The thwart is to stiffen the centre board case and hull and may be too far back to sit on and keep the boat in the correct fore and aft trim.  Many boats of this type are best sailed with the crew facing aft when they are inboard and its generally the best way to go when tacking.  So the thwart is an irrelevance when your are considering comfort.

I've sailed both classes.  The Scorp is a thing of joy but if you are on a budget I'd go for an old Rondar Lark.  Tough, low budget racing of a thoroughbred.  In fact thinking about it, how do Topper manage to sell boats like the Omega when there are such good classes as the Lark?

http://www.larkclass.org/

urm, have they reefed that lark????

How about my scorp - Nix has just asked if she can race the 12ft skiff with me in the summer, so I spose I can let the scorp go. No idea what shes worth - Built as a cherub trainer! Using a cherub kite! Stiff enough with single or twin wireing in mind and a bigger rig - but still underweight for a scorp! hehe!! Oh - with lead and a usual boring kite she can be used as a normal scorpion! Bah - boring I say!!