A what boat thread B14 or RS400

   Hi everyone,
I currently have an early new rules 14 (no racks or t-foil) that I am considering selling as I dont get the use out of it that I would like, and I'm thinking of changing it for a hiking boat rather than a trapeze boat.
The 2 boats I'm considering are either a B14 or a 400. If anyone sails one of these boats can you give me any useful information to try to sway me to your class? Do either carry weight well or particularly badly, are the open meetings friendly or ridiculously competitive where people wouldnt even let their rig settings be known to newbies etc etc....
Have done my time in twin trapeze assyms so relatively speaking technique isnt an issue, but skill may be! 200's and anything small are out as I'm too big for them.
Thanks in advance. Oh and if anyone wants a full carbon oldish 14 PM me, it would be a very good introduction to twin trapezing for someone....
Chris

Edited by chrisg

Poll Question: Considering buying a (quick) 2 handed assym - what should i go for?
Poll Choice	Votes	Poll Statistics
B14	49	[65.33%]
RS400	23	[30.67%]
Something Else	3	[4.00%]
You can not vote in this poll

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chrisg Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Visit Member's Homepage Really should get out more Joined: 23 Mar 07 Location: United Kingdom Online Status: Offline Posts: 893	Post Options Post Reply Quote chrisg Report Post Quote Reply Topic: A what boat thread B14 or RS400 Posted: 06 Aug 09 at 12:52pm
	Hi everyone, I currently have an early new rules 14 (no racks or t-foil) that I am considering selling as I dont get the use out of it that I would like, and I'm thinking of changing it for a hiking boat rather than a trapeze boat. The 2 boats I'm considering are either a B14 or a 400. If anyone sails one of these boats can you give me any useful information to try to sway me to your class? Do either carry weight well or particularly badly, are the open meetings friendly or ridiculously competitive where people wouldnt even let their rig settings be known to newbies etc etc.... Have done my time in twin trapeze assyms so relatively speaking technique isnt an issue, but skill may be! 200's and anything small are out as I'm too big for them. Thanks in advance. Oh and if anyone wants a full carbon oldish 14 PM me, it would be a very good introduction to twin trapezing for someone.... Chris Edited by chrisg

Skiffybob Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Visit Member's Homepage Really should get out more Joined: 04 Dec 06 Location: United Kingdom Online Status: Offline Posts: 842	Post Options Post Reply Quote Skiffybob Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 06 Aug 09 at 1:08pm
	Chris No experience of RS400, but have raced a B14 for a couple of years. Nice boats to sail (they go propely, if a bit tippy after your I14), nice bunch of people (v. friendly and open to helping newbies to get up-to-speed), fun events with good socials. Spend proper money and get an Ovi hull with a cabon mast though. (Dick Roe's boat is for sale, which is a good bit of kit, ut he wants about £7k for it).
	12ft Skiff - Gordon Keeble and the Furry Fly-by AC - GBR271 - Whoosh B49 - Island Alchemy

JimC Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Visit Member's Homepage Really should get out more Joined: 17 May 04 Location: United Kingdom Online Status: Offline Posts: 6662	Post Options Post Reply Quote JimC Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 06 Aug 09 at 1:11pm
	Where are you going to sail the boat? What sort of water? Regular crew or "who's handy"? What sort of sailing do you want to do - high speed blasts, close boat for boat tactical or what?

chrisg Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Visit Member's Homepage Really should get out more Joined: 23 Mar 07 Location: United Kingdom Online Status: Offline Posts: 893	Post Options Post Reply Quote chrisg Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 06 Aug 09 at 1:17pm
	Hi Jim, It will be sailed at Draycote primarily. Would hope to do club racing in it so will be around the cans (no assym racing at Draycote unfortunately , unless its really windy when it will be just used for blasting... Would be hoping to sail it with the other half mostly, but part of the idea of getting something like a B14 or RS400 would be that without the trapezes I might be able to pick up a crew slightly easier than for the 14. Would like to get back out to doing open meetings more often too possibly. Thanks Bob but I think that is a tad out of my price range. i think I'd be looking at an old B14 with tin rig, possibly rondar hull - would that be correct? Edited by chrisg

Skiffybob Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Visit Member's Homepage Really should get out more Joined: 04 Dec 06 Location: United Kingdom Online Status: Offline Posts: 842	Post Options Post Reply Quote Skiffybob Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 06 Aug 09 at 1:25pm
	If it's mainy for club racing with Amy, then I would think that a 400 might be a better bet.
	12ft Skiff - Gordon Keeble and the Furry Fly-by AC - GBR271 - Whoosh B49 - Island Alchemy

chrisg Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Visit Member's Homepage Really should get out more Joined: 23 Mar 07 Location: United Kingdom Online Status: Offline Posts: 893	Post Options Post Reply Quote chrisg Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 06 Aug 09 at 1:28pm
	Thats what my head says too, but that doesnt normally stop me when it comes to buying boats......

hollandsd Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Visit Member's Homepage Really should get out more Joined: 12 Oct 06 Location: United Kingdom Online Status: Offline Posts: 853	Post Options Post Reply Quote hollandsd Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 06 Aug 09 at 1:29pm
	B14Hands down. especially if you have a smaller crew.
	Laser 184084 Tasar 3501 RS600 698 RS600 782

alstorer Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Really should get out more Joined: 02 Aug 07 Location: Cambridge Online Status: Offline Posts: 2899	Post Options Post Reply Quote alstorer Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 06 Aug 09 at 1:38pm
	Whilst I'm a current B14 sailor, if you are mainly going to be doing pond sailing round odd courses the RS is possibly more suitable. The B14 fleet though is ridiculously friendly, there's well developed tuning guides on the website etc. If you do fancy one, there's an old epoxy Rondar just gone on the market- whilst it is older than the polyester ones, it is probably stiffer. See here. It is certainly a decent craft. However, I would really, really recommend that even if you don't go for a gucci Ovington, a Carbon mast is just so much more civilised. Not sure what mast 745 (on this list) has. It carries weight surpisingly well- Barry and I's mid-back fleet postion is much less to do with being heavyweights, much more to do with skill level. We have pulled off suprisingly good race results in near-drifters- though we tend to get left behind in marginal planing. Al B14 GBR678
	-_ Al

JimC Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Visit Member's Homepage Really should get out more Joined: 17 May 04 Location: United Kingdom Online Status: Offline Posts: 6662	Post Options Post Reply Quote JimC Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 06 Aug 09 at 1:38pm
	I've sailed 400s a fair bit. After a skiff type you'd definitely find them a bit down for blasting - they most definitely have a "top speed". On the other hand when they get there they do it with a lot of noise and spray, so its kinda entertaining. The B14 would be going 30% faster though! The 400 is a far better roll tacking/boat for boat racing option, and definitely much easier with pick up crew for because the baby kite is a doddle to handle. Not knowing your other half I can't comment on whether she'd find the B14 kite a bit too much work to hoist and drop. The 400 has a reputation for needing a fair bit of lard, but my observation is that its less of an issue inland as you don't have to get the wide bow through waves. Draycote is to my mind on the large side for an RS400 to be really competitive, and on the small side for a B14, but both boats should be able to do OK. I think you and she need to go sail both boats and see what you think! In fact, more to the point, find out what she thinks... Edited by JimC

chrisg Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Visit Member's Homepage Really should get out more Joined: 23 Mar 07 Location: United Kingdom Online Status: Offline Posts: 893	Post Options Post Reply Quote chrisg Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 06 Aug 09 at 1:48pm
	Agreed, would definitely try before buying. Was interested to see if people could come up with any alternatives really as I've racked my brains and cant think of any other classes suitable really...