Vago vs..?

Coming from someone with limited trap experiance, I found the L3000 a far easier boat to trapze from.  I have sailed the L3000 and Vago, both in F4/5 with 128kg all up.  I just found the L3000 a far nicer boat to sail.  Sure, I was crewing, so I can say what its like form a helm on the trap, but nah L3000 is so much nicer than the vago.  BUt that's just me and I am 5'6" so the boom height its not really an issue.

The good thing about lowish booms is you get more power for less heeling moment - which is what you want on a single hander.  Just look at a Contender, now that IS a low boom! 

This is one reason the Vago doesn't work s/h as well as it might.  Also that high freeboard does keep the helm dry and does make the rotomould hull tolerably stiff, but it also makes for quite a climb out onto the wire, whereas on the 3000 you just walk out steadily backwards using the ridges in the cockpit.

As for the class legality of singlehanding a 3000; you already can at most 3000 events and for the rest... I'm working on it.

You also need to be completely honest about your own sailing capability, both the RS400 and RS500 are definately not begginers boats even when sailed doublehanded.  In fact all of the boats mentioned have the ability to 'bite' the unsuspecting.

My advice would be to get to your local club and talk to the members, maybe get out with someone and let them see where you are in terms of competence, then be better guided.

If I am speaking out of turn and you are confident with your dinghy competence, my apologies, but better to be safe than ill advised.

 

Originally posted by NickA Originally posted by Sumo so stays pulling out is very unlikely. I'd concur with that - we've given our pico all kinds of hell and the only thing that pulled loose was a footstrap when yours truly took his fat guts out for a sail in a F7.  Now there's a block of mahogany behind the screws.  And the same happened on my GRP laser 2.

Glad to hear you never saw this. Take a look at the photos I casually snapped last Sunday. I think only 1 out of 8 Picos on the dock that day was still in good condition. I guess folk at my club really abuse these things. Golden rule to follow. Don't use the jib  fitting on the bow to  tie a painter on. They are just not designed for the towing loads...

I am not finding fault in the boat here but rather the sailors and I agree the same can happen on GRP boats as well. The point I'm trying to make is, when it happens and surely it will happen one day, it is much easier to fix things on GRP and end result looks much neater. Looking at all these franken-bows I'm sure you will agree with me.

Graeme, most skiffy boats sailed by people who arent completely and utterly confident dont go out in more than force 5 so i think you are doing reasonably well. even if the 500 isnt that much of a skiff. (i certainly wouldnt consider taking out a 600 without some "ballast" in a force 5 (yet))

Edited by mike ellis