Another 'vs' thread

Originally posted by English Dave Don't forget guys, that Ellistine has just passed his RYA Level 1. And if his GF won't let his wallet near a Stealth then the X16 and N500 are probably also out of the question. Spending £1200 on a D18 will get him in the game and give him a flavour of it all. It's not as accomplished a design as the more modern offerings but it's still quicker than 95% of monos and quick and easy to rig.

Exactimondo!

That's brought me back on track. I was even starting to look at some of the monohull options - Vago, RS500 etc. Having said that, when you start looking into the costs it seems the mono's are cheaper all round what with the cost of parking and insurance etc.

Edited by ellistine

Ellistine,

If you seriously want a catamaran that can be sailed on your own or with your girlfriend, and shes controlling the purse strings, I would heavily endorse what English Dave has said and get a Dart 18. If most of your sailing is going to be singlehanded then I'd probably suggest going for the Dart15 instead but they are slightly harder to come by.
Regarding the costs, its a myth that cats are more expensive. A Dart 18 will cost between £1200 - £2500 for a clean example that will let you develop your sailing and be competitive at club level, and if you find yourself mastering it, it will be equally competitive within the national fleet. If you find a club which has a healthy Catamaran fleet then chances are you will pay no more to keep it in the compound than any of the dinghies. Insurance is probably cheaper on a speed for speed basis than dinghies, mainly due to the simplicity of the boat, I know for certain that you should get change from £200 whereas most RS600 sailors would be lucky to get much change from £300, and new covers from the Sail Register are pretty good and cheap.
The boat is simple enough to sail but challenging to really excel in, and has great fleet support including a good association which publishes regular magazines featuring helpful hints. Regular coaching sessions are run by the association and the parties are legendary.

What part of the country are you in and where will you end up sailing the boat ?

Thanks craiggo.

All very useful.

Originally posted by ellistine Originally posted by English Dave Don't forget guys, that Ellistine has just passed his RYA Level 1. and level 2. Some credit please!

Whizz-kid! Pah.