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Thinking of a new boat, but what?
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Contender 541 View Drop Down
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Posts: 1402 		Post Options Post Options   Quote Contender 541 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Topic: Thinking of a new boat, but what?
    Posted: 17 Sep 12 at 8:15am
Okay then - another what boat thread, but this time from someone who is not looking to get into sailing, but looking to get back into sailing
 
As some of you may know, I have been away from sailing for a while following a knee injury at the 5oh nationals
I am an experienced crew (from F15 thru to 505) and can operate the front end of the boat without thinking.
I am an experienced but rusty helm (Laser, Contender, 420, 505 etc) and know what bits of string to pull, but not necessarily how to tune a rig for the conditions.
 
I want a single hander that has good rig control
I would like a hiker not a trap
I am 6'1"
I am 13.5 stone
 
I am stuck at Phantom Smile or Solo Confused
 
Answers on a postcard to the usual address (for those of you of a certain age) or on the forum for the younger members
When you find a big kettle of crazy it's probably best not to stir it - Pointy Haired Boss

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Neptune View Drop Down
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Posts: 1314 		Post Options Post Options   Quote Neptune Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 17 Sep 12 at 8:48am
How about a blaze? 
Musto Skiff and Solo sailor
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r2d2 View Drop Down
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Posts: 350 		Post Options Post Options   Quote r2d2 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 17 Sep 12 at 9:00am
How about D1 or RS100
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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: 17 Sep 12 at 9:05am
The solution I found was an International Canoe. Not for everyone of course but it ticks an awful lot of boxes provided you're happy with being way out of the mainstream.

Edited by JimC - 17 Sep 12 at 9:19am
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pondmonkey View Drop Down
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Posts: 2202 		Post Options Post Options   Quote pondmonkey Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 17 Sep 12 at 9:41am
What is being sailed at your club?  If you can get into fleet racing again (and at 13.5 stone that doesn't rule out a Laser) then I'd do that.  Obviously with an old knee injury you need to be sensible- and 7 hour days hiking hard needs to be ruled out.  I would also advise caution over the asymmetric hikers... they're hiking upwind and downwind.  Give the knees a rest downwind, but the after effects of knee injuries are fairly unique, it might not be an issue.  While talking of knees- it might bring some questions out over the Phantom as this is a kneeler downwind and it apparently can be uncomfortable.  (although that was never an issue for me when I had one, it was lack of anyone to race against which I'll admit has clouded my own view on my phantom)

FWIW- I've just chosen a Solo as this the class sailed at my club (and lots of surrounding clubs)  It also seems a very popular choice at the moment judging from the sailing circles misfortunate enough to come into contact with me- not quite sure why: strength in numbers... chuck out the preconceptions- it's actually quite a sophisticated little boat... plenty of competitive options from £1k to £8k... a desire to get back into proper tactical fleet racing rather than corner banging... everyone's getting older.... 85 boat inlands... 100+ boats expected at Hayling for the 2013 nationals...  excellent support from the main chandleries and sail makers with simple to understand rig selection for weight categories... combination of all/some of the above?

For me it's simple- I've spent 10 years searching for the 'perfect boat'... it doesn't exist and even if it did then around where I live, it won't have enough numbers for there to be any proper racing.   So I'll go for a Solo and just be bloody grateful that I still have an option to do some proper racing at my local club in a single hander other than a Laser, not that there's anything really too wrong with a Laser when you're just chucking it around a few club cans... I'm just too fat for one and a newer Solo's just a nicer boat in my humble opinion.

I'm not going to pretend it's the most exciting and adrenaline charged boat out there, and certainly not going to tell you the lipstick makes it 'cool'.... but it's a sensible choice for good racing at both club, local and national circuit level.  It should at the very least act as stepping stone to getting back to the roots of what most of us loved about sailboat racing in the first place - close racing, learning something new and an opportunity to think about the race, rather than just worry about the technique in keeping something upright whilst hoping the right corner's been banged; or worse, pretending you're racing other people when all you're actually doing is a time trial against a spreadsheet with other people getting in the way.


Edited by pondmonkey - 17 Sep 12 at 10:00am
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MattTrinder View Drop Down
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Posts: 27 		Post Options Post Options   Quote MattTrinder Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 17 Sep 12 at 9:51am
Supernova ?
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G.R.F. View Drop Down
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Posts: 4028 		Post Options Post Options   Quote G.R.F. Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 17 Sep 12 at 10:21am
Originally posted by pondmonkey

I'm just too fat for one and a newer Solo's just a nicer boat in my humble opinion.



He's not been well lately poor boy, got self esteem issues as well, nothing that can't be sorted with a couple of flaming sambucca's after giving me a good thrashing at the Forum meet, but right now, pay him no mind and get yourself into a Blaze, er where will you be sailing it?
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pondmonkey View Drop Down
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Posts: 2202 		Post Options Post Options   Quote pondmonkey Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 17 Sep 12 at 10:35am
If there were a fleet of Finns/Blazes/Phantoms/RS300s/Contenders/D1s/K1s/MPSs/700s at my club that could consistently drum up enough guys for a decent race and not resort to relying on that god-awful handicap system that no one uses properly, well I'd happily join them (and probably wouldn't have waited the best part of two years to get my head there...) But alas, they're not what's being sailed here, or anywhere else nearby that I could realistically get to after work on a summer evening (Rutland's just too far...) 

So I'll take what's on offer (and just be damn thankful that some folks have been wise enough/mature enough to keep the class agenda going while idiots like me went around saying 'buy/make the perfect boat for you' and get the club to give you a 'fair' handicap).  I'd completely failed to remember what it was about racing dinghies that is so addictive in the first place...  close racing, tactical thinking and boat-on-boat action, not pissing around, sailing in convoy against some spreadsheet.





Edited by pondmonkey - 17 Sep 12 at 10:41am
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Contender 541 View Drop Down
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Posts: 1402 		Post Options Post Options   Quote Contender 541 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 17 Sep 12 at 12:19pm
Thanks for the replies so far - A few comments:
 
What is sailed at my club? - always the most important question IMHO
Flying Fifteens
Laser
Contender
Phantom
505
 
 
RS100 - Had considered, not seen or sailed one, but not got the budget either
D1 - Not seen or sailed, not considered
Supernova - They look like a nice boat and have sailed against the occasional one, but
Blaze - Not seen or sailed, not considered
Canoe - Marmite boat and on my personal bucket list to try one, but not sure about owning
 
I think it does come down to who you would be playing with and as we have Phantoms at my club and they are readily available for all budgets, they have to be #1 on the list
 
When you find a big kettle of crazy it's probably best not to stir it - Pointy Haired Boss

Crew on 505 8780

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pondmonkey View Drop Down
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Posts: 2202 		Post Options Post Options   Quote pondmonkey Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 17 Sep 12 at 12:42pm
Sounds like a Phantom is perfect then, happy sailing.
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