Pond Sailing Suggestions

Isnt that lake very shallow and full of weed? Does the GP have to sail with a shorter centreboard.

What makes you think the Enterprise has a bad PY, they are very suitable to a lake like yours, perhaps you have only ever seen a poorly sailed one which makes you think the PY is naff. If I were you I would go for the Enterprise.

Depends on what your goals are I suspect.

Are you looking for the best possible results on handicap?

Or are you looking to improve yourself as a sailor?

Will you be happy to chart your improvement in terms of being beaten by smaller margins? Maybe winning the start and making the others work hard?

Will people at your club think 'he's improving a lot in that old boat' or do they only respect winners? Would they just change your PY if you clean up in a bandit?

If the latter then sailing one design against someone you respect as being good seems a good way to go. If you're looking for wins on handicap, you need to dredge up something that's under-appreciated. My off the wall suggestion: Bosun. Spend most of the budget on a new rig. Don't blame me if you hate it as a boat, but I think most of them are so poorly equipped, it drags the PY up. When nobody is planing it's just another 14ft boat, but most other dinghies will leave it behind as soon as they plane. (Well, you did ask!)

When it comes to money, I'd be reluctant to borrow for a boat, but as well as the purchase cost you have to think about residual value. If you spend £4k wisely on a GP, you will stand a very high chance of getting £3k back after a year or two, whereas an obscure class can cost you less up front but lose most of it.

Alternatively spend as little as possible on anything that's the right size and get good at starting, boat handling, reading shifts etc etc But some of the running costs can be just as high, a new cover for a budget boat costs the same, insurance, boat parking, fittings, entry fees,

But I would want to go for a class with a decent association, coaching, local open meetings, secondhand sails available, tuning advice and good sailors to learn from.

Get a GP - and learn off the guy who's quite good (He'll probably be pleased to help). Don't search around for something that no-one else sails at your club.

 If you want to win because of a dodgy handicap - take up golf.

I've done enough 24hr races to think the GP h/cap is only very slightly more favourable than the Enterprise - but not very much and Ents certainly can have their day.