RS400 advice please

   We own, sail and enjoy RS400 number 547, and are considering getting a newer boat. 
Did the 400 suffer from periods of poor quality as certain other RS boats are purported to have? If so what sail numbers might be best avoided?
Also, when were the newer foils introduced?

Author	Message Share Topic Printable Version Delicious Digg Facebook Furl Google MySpace Newsvine reddit StumbleUpon Translate Twitter Windows Live Yahoo Bookmarks Topic Search Topic Options Post Reply Create New Topic
dopamine Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Groupie Joined: 26 Oct 06 Location: Burkina Faso Online Status: Offline Posts: 68	Post Options Post Reply Quote dopamine Report Post Quote Reply Topic: RS400 advice please Posted: 14 Aug 10 at 8:59am
	We own, sail and enjoy RS400 number 547, and are considering getting a newer boat. Did the 400 suffer from periods of poor quality as certain other RS boats are purported to have? If so what sail numbers might be best avoided? Also, when were the newer foils introduced?

Jamesd Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Far too distracted from work Joined: 01 Feb 08 Online Status: Offline Posts: 377	Post Options Post Reply Quote Jamesd Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 15 Aug 10 at 7:55am
	hey mate, best to get on the RS400 yahoo group But most boats are pretty good, the early 1200's seem pretty fast, well built and can be picked up at a decent price. The new foils were introduced around 1100, or just after. there is a big difference between the new foils and the old ones and the profile should allow you to sail higher. Look for boats with the take away/continuous controls, this is far easier than the standard controls. you can do it your self but it costs a fair bit and requires some thinking and splicing.

dopamine Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Groupie Joined: 26 Oct 06 Location: Burkina Faso Online Status: Offline Posts: 68	Post Options Post Reply Quote dopamine Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 18 Aug 10 at 12:46pm
	Thanks James, Have applied to join the yahoo group but I think it's gone on holiday............... Have been hearing about IOW built boats and Brazilian built too. Surely somebody out there can supply a chronological history? Steve

Jamesd Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Far too distracted from work Joined: 01 Feb 08 Online Status: Offline Posts: 377	Post Options Post Reply Quote Jamesd Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 18 Aug 10 at 12:56pm
	well i dont think there were many brazilian boats, if any. i think woofy 4's finished at about 1299 and i believe the PJ built boats (IOW) started about 1315. Basically the IOW boats are the ones without a hatch under the mainsheet, but there may have been some with it. No idea about the ones between, if they exist im afraid, perhaps brazilian? If you trail through this forum, theres a bloody long essay written by rog gilbert on the subject of 2nd hand 400s and what to look for, but it was written about 8 years ago, but its all relevant