High Performance Boats

Originally posted by Medway Maniac Originally posted by owain A b14 isnt far off the mark at 880. Somethin like a b14 with a slightly bigger kite, narrower wings and a single wire wud fit the bill. We were almost there then, with a B14E: http://www.yachtsandyachting.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=2 358&KW=B14 Bit more carbon in hull, rig, racks & foils should do it. There was the single-wire 800, of course, but nobody seemed to fancy it. So, would there be a demand?

That would be the most expensive B14 ever built!  Check the B14 forum and search for B14E for some interesting takes on the B14E with single trapeze from people who used to sail them.  The twin hiking boat is generally thought to be quicker than the single trap boat, so the better idea would be a carbon hulled B14 with carbon racks and carbon mast.  We already have the carbon mast, but can't see the racks being carboned anytime soon. 

We don't need a bigger kite to go quicker.  Currently running 29.2 sq/m and that is quite big enough, the only production boat currently available with bigger kite is the 49er I believe, but could be forgetting something. 

The trick here isn't developing a boat that can sail fast enough to justify a yardstick of 850 in bursts (how about a N12 with bigger rig and trap? or a lightened B14 etc...) the real kicker is developing a dinghy that can be sailed round the average course, by the  decent club sailor close to, or beyond 850 in 'normal' club racing. 

It's all very well making boats that are devestatingly quick in bursts (foiling moth anyone) but there is a limit to the numbers of club sailors out there who can make them go round a course on a sunday like that - if it's too extreme, sales dry up and that's why the big boys (RS, Laser, Topper) aren't bothered.

The Hartley Daemon, 29er/29erXX or B14 are probably the best two-person high performance "production" boat options you've got, if you don't want twin wire, then buy a 505 if you want to go mega quick (specially in a blow) with a single wire.... you'll have the satisfaction of a truly fantastic class org, great national, euro and world events, storming performance and lots of string to play with (if you want it)

Originally posted by owain A b14 isnt far off the mark at 880. Somethin like a b14 with a slightly bigger kite, narrower wings and a single wire wud fit the bill.

Slightly bigger kite ?  Its already around 30 sq.m giving the B14 50 sq.m of downwind sail !  All that without a trapeze ( or two).  And you want to add narrower wings ??!

There are plenty of single trapeze dinghies to choose from and some are very good.  And you've got to ask why the single trapeze RS800 flopped. 

Originally posted by BBSCFaithfull Originally posted by boatshed Originally posted by owain A b14 isnt far off the mark at 880. Somethin like a b14 with a slightly bigger kite, narrower wings and a single wire wud fit the bill. Slightly bigger kite ?  Its already around 30 sq.m giving the B14 50 sq.m of downwind sail !  All that without a trapeze ( or two).  And you want to add narrower wings ??! There are plenty of single trapeze dinghies to choose from and some are very good.  And you've got to ask why the single trapeze RS800 flopped.  Leverage VS Righting moment was very poor

Maybe but the reality was the single string 800 had wide wings and was rubbish for the helm as a sit out boat.   Did it have tramps ? 

 

Edited by boatshed

As many people arond this forum will know...

Topper dropped out of the GRP boat market last year to concentrate solely on carrier bag recycling (just my opinion).

Most of the ex Topper GRP boats are now built successfully and profitably but the relevant CA's.

The CA's know what their sailor want and give to them in bucketloads, something that Topper never did....(aside from being very good on the Blaze wing issue which they did a free upgrade to all CA members).

Paul