So what do I get?

HI, i am 17, 12.5 stone and just got rid of a 420, i am looking to sail a much faster, more complicated double handed boat but i have a very low budget

any ideas??

yep

Hey all,

Don't know if you are interested, but here is what I found from research and chatting to people at the dinghy show.

1. Laser Vago. In demand, but laser in their infinite wisdom felt that the UK RYA dinghy show was not important enough to bring their one and only example of the Vago to it. They did want me to sign up to a refundable deposit there and then, without anything more to go on than a brochure and a promise of a trial before I paid the rest. To be honest, though, from what people around the stand were saying, the Vago will be a quick, but fairly tough boat aimed at training people to go on to the faster GRP lasers. It doesn't really have enough room up front for a comfortable day's sailing, if that takes your fancy instead of racing/. Having said that, it is a lot of boat for the money!

2. Topper Magno. Looks almost indistinguishable from the RS Vision, and looks quite a nice boat. Topper see it as a family boat with racing potential, so similar to the Vago, though I think they want to have a class and it be a racing boat of its own. The only drawbacks I can see is that just about everyone knocks the spinnaker as being a bit naff.

3. RS Vision. Well, it was there. Very roomy, nice looking (getting the feel I liked it?!). RS were honest enough to say that although they are selling at a rate of knots, they don't see it as a boat that will have a class and racing. They very much see it as a fun boat that can go fast, and that you can learn on without getting bored quickly. They said phrases like 'compromise to give all round appeal' and I have to say, it did. The person I was talking to said they recognised that people tend to swing between wanting to race and wanting just to be out on the water. They see the vision as the ideal boat for the person who just wants to sail without competing, and yet can still enjoy the speed and fun of spinnys and trapezes.

So, I think that answers it. The final interest of mine was a cat. To be honest, I still think they are great, and there are some cats like the spitfire that have daggerboards so as to improve their windward capabilities.

However, when I started asking round, there were very few lakes nearby that would allow me to put a cat in their dinghy park. That meant breaking it down every time I wanted to sail, and I am just not willing to do that!

Hope this helps others.

All the best

Perry

VecchioJohn
Please do not revive threads that are 4 years old.

I am sure the Original Poster either has a boat now or has decided to go off and play a game of golf instead.

Its not a moan directly at you but as a regular among others, newcomers keep posting on threads older than a year.

Hi all. Perry here. Gosh, its been a long time since I posted that. Well, as Philsy asked so nicely, the answer to what I got in the end was....

a motorbike!

I've spent the last four years sailing various boats at clubs, on lakes out west of London, and probably my favourite has been a cat, after all that. Its the new(ish) topper topaz 16, although everywhere I've gone on holiday recently has hobie 14's and they've been fun too.

However, my all time favourite boat over the last four years was a Sun Odyssey 34 foot yacht, which was great fun to sail, and comfy to sleep in as well! Yes, I've turned to the dark side and am sailing yachts now, just as much as dinghies, and heading for my yachtmaster.

At the end of the day, it was relatively cheap to rent things, my wife has learnt plenty, and the bike is truly awesome for something I can do and enjoy every day of the week.

So, if you want some advice, keep sailing, borrow other peoples boats, and buy yourself a motorbike!!!

Thanks for all the help..

Perry