How easy is it to sail?

Originally posted by turnturtle

Following on from the Musto thread I thought I'd challenge the forum knowledge base with a little categorisation of boats and how difficult we view them to sail for someone of shall we say what average ability.
Scale of 1 - 10.

I rated the RS100 4, then I'd put the RS500 at 5, the Blaze at 6, the Alto at 7, with the L3k at 8, Laser/Topper 9, Hobie Cat 10.  Which is about the limit of what I've had a go in over the years

*Edit as per TT's list
1= Most difficult almost bloody impossible, MPS for me and probably Rs600 not that I'd know.
2 = Moth foiler thing (I'm guessing)
3 = RS 800 (only ever crewed it briefly)
4= RS100
5= RS500, 505
6= Blaze
7= Alto, 470
8=L3k
9=Laser/Topper
10= Hobie 14-16

Now this is just how difficult to sail, not sail well enough to win stuff, just to get it round a course in most winds from Bft1 to say 5.

If we got a consensus it could make a meaningful chart for newbies and maybe the rest of us when considering other stuff, like well, where would the Contender sit for example?

My guidelines are stuff like will it stand up on its own if you let go of it, how easy is it to get back into when it tips you out, how often does it just go into irons.. stuff like that.

And we should have no 'oh you're doing it wrong you have to rig it like this..' bollox

Just a basic what it does with minimum input, how easy is it..

It's a sail boat why won't it sail? Should not be a question we have to ask if it's in the 8 9 or 10 section

Edited by G.R.F. - 30 Nov 10 at 3:39pm