Youth Class ?

Ahh yes.....get rid of both the 29er and 420, and replace it with a boat that is highly suitable for two youngsters to carry up a slip way, which is full of lead, and racks that require a leap of faith in order to get on to.

I sail a 29er and prefer it to the 420, but there is no better boat at. And for anyone who hasn't ever raced a 29er in a big compeition and says its not as tactical as a 420 then you dont know what you are talking about. The 29er is tactical, at the top level like any class all then boats go the same speed and you dont just ring the bell every beat like alot of people think you do. The 29er is also very tactical downwind and it opens up a whole new level of gains and losses. Someone also said that the 420 was cheaper?!?! That is not true, a 29er costs £5500, including everything to sail, thats it. Compared to the 420 which i know that the top guys pay more than that for everything needed to sail. The sails on a 29er last at least 4 weeks long regattas, wheras a 420 jib goes in a week along with the kite. The 29er has a really large competitive weight range from about 100-145kgs, especially at the worlds last year but they were in San Fran were we had crews of 160kgs in gold fleet and us who were 130kgs and in 25knots we could go the same speed. Its all personal preferance and which boat you want to sail and not which boat is right to sail. The RYA has always pushed people from junior classes into 420s but now its not the isaf boat (or not in 07 or 08) there pushing kids in the 29er.

I picked the 29er because i wanted to go into 49ers after and for some reason i really do not like 420s at all. I think im also a speed freak because going out in 25-30knots in a 29er a ripping upwind and downwind is awsome.

The RYA screwed up by dropping the 405 because now youngsters are supposed to jump from a oppy to a 29er and they are completly different. I use to sail a 405 and there awsome boats when your young, and 3 out of the 4 GBR 29ers in the Gold Fleet at the Worlds came out of 405, and the top 2 male 29ers in the UK now are also ex 405 sailors which has to say something when they have tiny fleets. anyway my thoughts

oh and laser 4ks are not quicker than 29ers lol

I have never heard of a sail which remains the same through a 4week regatta, but thats not the same a 'lasts'. We all expect plenty from our sails, and while Ive never used them (the boats that is), I wouldn't expect 29er sailors to be any different. Would make a good new thread, this subject.