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One boat or two???
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Seasick Steve View Drop Down
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Posts: 20 		Post Options Post Options   Quote Seasick Steve Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Topic: One boat or two???
    Posted: 04 Apr 12 at 9:27pm
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Hi,
I am doing my RYA 1 & 2 this spring with no previous sailing experience, I was hoping to get a new dinghy this summer for Anglesey, sheltered coastal water around red wharf bay, My son (11) is also having lessons, could anyone please point me in the right direction for a dinghy that me and my son can sail and I can manage alone, also my wife and daughter (8) may want to come occasionally for a bit of cruising

I am not sure whether a to go for something like gp14 or Laser 2000 to try to suit above or is this too much of a compromise and would 2 boats be better, 1 x light sporty for me and Son and a stable cruiser for family

Any advise or suggestions would be greatly appreciated

Thanks

Steve
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NickM View Drop Down
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Posts: 328 		Post Options Post Options   Quote NickM Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 04 Apr 12 at 10:10pm
Steve,
There are too many variables to give you a sensible answer. What is your budget? Where would you keep a cruiser (at what cost?)  Will you want to get into racing? You may not know how much your wife and daughter enjoy sailing (or not!) until they have been out a few times.  Will the the girls get worried when the boat heels a bit or look forward to the fun (?) of trying to right it when it capsizes?  In a couple of years, will your son (or daughter) want their own boats to race with their mates?
 
I suggest you start with a single, reasonably stable cruisable dinghy like a GP14, Wanderer, Laser 2000 or Laser Stratos  and see how the family interest in sailing develops.  Then you can move to a boat (or boats) that match the family aspirations. 
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kevg View Drop Down
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Posts: 120 		Post Options Post Options   Quote kevg Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 04 Apr 12 at 10:15pm
Both GP14 and Laser 2000 would be ideal choices for a family boat. I'm biased toward the 2000 being a 2000 owner and preferring the ease of an asymetric boat. The 2000 fleet has numerous parent and child combinations. 2000s can easily be sailed short or single handed. We have a number of 2000s at Bala if you want to pop over, send me a Private Message.
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JimC View Drop Down
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Posts: 6662 		Post Options Post Options   Quote JimC Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 04 Apr 12 at 10:16pm
Quite a few clubs these days have club boats available for rental by the day. Might be a better option for the rest of the family than a dodgy compromise.
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alstorer View Drop Down
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Posts: 2899 		Post Options Post Options   Quote alstorer Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 05 Apr 12 at 7:01am
Hold off on making boat buying decisions until you've done the courses!
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Al
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Medway Maniac View Drop Down
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Posts: 2788 		Post Options Post Options   Quote Medway Maniac Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 05 Apr 12 at 9:51am
I was an early promoter of 2000's at WSC, but having watched one of our best sailors go out single-handed in a 2k and then be unable to recover it from a capsize (happens to the best of us) on his own, I wouldn't want to recommend anyone to take kids cruising in a 2k without close rescue cover.

A old GP14 would take a while to bail out, but you'd get there eventually. 
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kingdacks View Drop Down
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Posts: 148 		Post Options Post Options   Quote kingdacks Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 05 Apr 12 at 7:25pm
Rs200  best fleet racing  and suitable for a father and son weight rate. Its also not that hard to get back up when its capsized and its a assymettric so can be easily accessible.
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doeywizard View Drop Down
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Posts: 150 		Post Options Post Options   Quote doeywizard Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 05 Apr 12 at 7:31pm
What about two single handers?      Then when your family want to come sailing you could ether two up in a singlehander or beg, steel or borrow a multihander. Once your sailing skills have developed in a singlehander you could then swap to a two man boat if you wanted, but I would wait till after the coarse and ask there.  
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Seasick Steve View Drop Down
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Posts: 20 		Post Options Post Options   Quote Seasick Steve Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 12 Apr 12 at 8:03am
Many thanks for all your help and advise on this, And I take on board comments regarding waiting till after the course. Both the GP 14 and Laser 2000 ar on my radar but I'm not sure whether either of these are possible to sail solo?
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Rupert View Drop Down
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Posts: 8956 		Post Options Post Options   Quote Rupert Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 12 Apr 12 at 8:30am
It depends on the wind strength. If you are sensible, and build up your skills slowly, rather than thinking you can jump straight in on your own in more wind than you can handle, anything can be sailed singlehanded.

Maybe take a look a the Comet Versa, which is designed to be sailed either with crew or without, and has built in reefing.
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