laser vortex

Thanks Fergus - someone who actually noticed  that Vortex can perform very well in lighter breezes and are great in a strong wind.

It's interesting that some on this forum think the boat 'too stable' and hence boring while others have claimed that at a certain speed, it is uncontrollable and randomly flips over - quite a difference of opinion. Others have claimed they are nowhere near as fast as an MPS etc and yet Fergus and others will have seen Vortex at Keilder often in front of all but a couple of the many MPSs as well as many other supposedly faster and exciting boats (as will anyone who's been to ther Tiger, Grand Prix, Birkett and other major Hcap events etc over the years).

Of course. the truth is the Vortex is fast, but the MPS is faster at least in very competent hands (Sten / Trotter etc) or in lighter breeze - and so is the RS700. The Skiff types are also clearly less stable and so arguably slightly more exciting. But to use that to claim the Vortex is dull is ridiculous. Anyone thinking that should try flat out trapezing a Vortex in a F3-4 with 15m2 of kite tugging you downwind fighting to keep the bow out but still aiming down the face of the wave - not exciting - not a challenge? Get out of here!

Im 63kg and ive only sailed the vortex in a force 4 and i had no problems controlling it and i hadnt depowered the sail particularly so i reckon you can be as light as you want in a vortex.  When the big winds come blowing i often wish i had one!

Doug

I had a quick spin in one a few weeks ago, about F3-4 and I felt a bit overpowered at 12 stone, although I'm sure there's ways and means of depowering.

It was really quick upwind and downwind with the kite up, but weighs twice as much as a 600 so it wasn't as responsive as I'd like, although on the flip-side it was stale enough to tack with the main cleated.

I wasn't too comfortable with the lack of cockpit, on the 600 you step down slightly from the wings to the hull, but on the Vortex it's completely flat. The retro-fitted kite is a bit of a bodge-job, but that may have just been that particular boat.

I regularly sail my 600 against Vortexes, with a kite the PY is slightly slower than the 600, in light winds I sometimes lap them, in strong winds I struggle to keep up.

If you are going to sail in medium to strong winds regularly, then it might be a good option although it's not quite my cup of tea.