Laser or OK or...?
Printed From: Yachts and Yachting Online
Category: General
Forum Name: Choosing a boat
Forum Discription: Ask any questions about the sport!
URL: http://www.yachtsandyachting.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=12305
Printed Date: 05 Aug 25 at 2:20am
Software Version: Web Wiz Forums 9.665y - http://www.webwizforums.com
Topic: Laser or OK or...?
Posted By: Jamie600
Subject: Laser or OK or...?
Date Posted: 08 Feb 16 at 12:55pm
|
Hi all
I'm looking to change the Enterprise I currently sail for a singlehander but I'm struggling to think which one.
I sail on a small, extremely shifty lake, I'm 5'9" and 74kg, happy to go up or down a few kg if required. I'm pretty fit and don't mind being towards the lower end of the weight range for whatever class. Budget is around £2.5k and I can't have a wood boat. I'll mainly be club sailing but if I went to an open meeting I'd prefer not to be outclassed in terms of equipment before I even start.
I don't want a really fast boat, I had an RS300 before the Ent, great boat but I found it didn't really work for me. In light winds I struggled to hold off the more conventional boats, in medium - fresh winds I was off like a rocket and didn't see any other boats til I came round to lap them, and in heavy winds it was too much of a handful due to the above mentioned shifty winds.
In the main, the singlehanders sailed at the club are Streakers and Comets, a Streaker would make sense but an epoxy one is out of my price range, and when I sailed one I wasn't keen on the rig or the internal layout, and I'd prefer something a bit quicker.
If I draw the performance line at something no slower than an Ent, that leaves me with a Laser or OK, but I'm open to suggestions.
Ignoring issues of finding one with the right rig for my weight, and some posts I have seen on their forum complaining about the PY, I'm leaning heavily towards the OK as it seems to have more about it than a Laser. Does anyone have any experience of the OK and how it compares to a Laser or other options?
------------- RS600 1001 |
Replies:
Posted By: iGRF
Date Posted: 08 Feb 16 at 2:19pm
|
OK, I shall just have to be predictable and suggest you'd be better off with a Solution, you'd find a good one at that budget and a more enjoyable sail I've yet to experience, with the possible exception of a D Zero.
OK'S aren't they made of wood? And we all know that well known phrase, oft ignored in dinghy world.. 'Wood is no Good' or as my dear old mum would put it, "Nothing good ever came from Wood'  ------------- https://www.corekite.co.uk/snow-accessories-11-c.asp" rel="nofollow - Snow Equipment Deals https://www.corekite.co.uk" rel="nofollow - New Core Kite website |
Posted By: Jamie600
Date Posted: 08 Feb 16 at 2:28pm
|
Solution is a good shout - thanks
I'm with you on the anti-wood thing, but OK's are available in glass or composite as well so still on the shortlist ------------- RS600 1001 |
Posted By: iGRF
Date Posted: 08 Feb 16 at 2:55pm
Can't say I've ever studied or sailed one but I guess if you ask folk will tell you they're OK 
I crack myself up.. getting the coat now. ------------- https://www.corekite.co.uk/snow-accessories-11-c.asp" rel="nofollow - Snow Equipment Deals https://www.corekite.co.uk" rel="nofollow - New Core Kite website |
Posted By: Steve411
Date Posted: 08 Feb 16 at 4:05pm
|
Hi Jamie, OKs are not built of wood any more. Epoxy mostly these days. I had a go in a new one last year - very tweaky, hard work upwind (may get better with more than an hour's practice!). I quite liked it. The one I borrowed at the club is very well sailed and normally does OK on handicap. ------------- Steve B RS300 411 https://www.facebook.com/groups/55859303803" rel="nofollow - RS300 page |
Posted By: craiggo
Date Posted: 08 Feb 16 at 7:43pm
|
Having recently procured an OK, I think they are excellent boats. The new boats are very nice and the boat Steve had a go in is very quick. I find upwind fine, the problem is that you have to be very aggresive downwind. Just sitting in the bottom relaxing is not quick. Suprisingly 2.5k doesnt buy you a very new boat as they hold their value incredibly well but for that money you should be able to find either an all glass boat or a composite. Boats tend to be bought and sold independently to the rigs as rigs are built to bend numbers based on your weight and sailing style. A good 2nd hand mast can be had for £500-800 and 2nd hand sails to match from £200. Hulls are very strong hence why they retain prices and used boats are few and far between.
Where are you based Jamie600? ------------- OK 2129 RS200 411 |
Posted By: Jamie600
Date Posted: 08 Feb 16 at 8:45pm
|
Thanks Steve and Craiggo, all sounds good and certainly more interesting than a Laser. I don't mind if it's an older boat as long as it's still reasonably competitive. I did actually have one as my first boat when I was about 13, it was bought by my dad purely because he knew someone selling one, it was totally unsuitable as I can't have been more than 10 stone wet through! I'm based in Retford, Notts Craiggo ------------- RS600 1001 |
Posted By: bustinben
Date Posted: 09 Feb 16 at 10:31am
| Are you sure you'll be heavy enough for an OK? They seem to be sailed by quite large people... at 74kg and 5'9 you might even struggle to be competitive in a laser in over 12 knots. |
Posted By: Jamie600
Date Posted: 09 Feb 16 at 12:02pm
|
I'll be on a small lake 99% of the time, and I don't mind working hard upwind. The OK site reckons the optimum weight range is 70 - 90kg so although I'd be at the bottom end of the scale, it's on a par with where I was in the RS300. ------------- RS600 1001 |
Posted By: Ardea
Date Posted: 09 Feb 16 at 12:37pm
|
You might just get a plastic Streaker, but you'd probably have to wait until one came up. Supernova - you're a little on the light side for, but not by much and they are a bit faster. You can get a lot of boat for your budget.
|
Posted By: rich96
Date Posted: 11 Feb 16 at 11:33am
|
Jamie
The OK is much much nicer to sail than the Laser and a very interesting class. All of the boats are slightly different and, as mentioned above, you can get a rig tailored to your weight. You would be on the light side but,if not sailing on the sea/in waves, it would be fine. The max optimum helm weight is far more than you have indicated - there are 100kg + sailors doing well (using stiff rigs). The hull seems well suited to carrying weight variations. They are not currently great handicap boats - in most conditions its very difficult to beat Lasers on the water even though they are now sailing off a similar PY. Nick C said somewhere that they really are more like well sailed Solo pace. However, in the right conditions they go very well. Upwind they are a lovely boat to sail. |
Posted By: Jamie600
Date Posted: 11 Feb 16 at 9:27pm
|
Thanks Rich that's good to know. I'm currently trying to arrange test sails in an OK and Solution so watch this space ------------- RS600 1001 |
Posted By: iGRF
Date Posted: 11 Feb 16 at 9:36pm
|
Good to see you're going to give a Solution a go I've not sailed an OK it will be interesting to read how it compares. ------------- https://www.corekite.co.uk/snow-accessories-11-c.asp" rel="nofollow - Snow Equipment Deals https://www.corekite.co.uk" rel="nofollow - New Core Kite website |
Posted By: Jamie600
Date Posted: 12 Feb 16 at 2:25pm
|
I think it's going to come down to personal preference after sailing both, as it should.
After a bit more research, on paper the Solution seems the best best - I am the right size, it's one design, I can get a newer boat for the money, but the turnouts at events are a bit on the low side. To be fair, that will only improve if people buy them and go to events...
The OK on the other hand is a much stronger class both nationally and internationally, and although I will mainly be club racing it's still nice to have that as an option.
I was pleasantly suprised to be offered a demo boat to use at an open by the Solution class, rather than a quick spin in someone's boat that I was expecting. ------------- RS600 1001 |
Posted By: Jamie600
Date Posted: 23 Mar 16 at 12:32pm
|
Just an update - the Enterprise has sold and I had a test sail in a Solution, really great boat.
It powered up very well and was planing in about 8-10 knots. Very comfortable and nicely laid out.
I did find it a bit strange upwind, unlike say a Laser where you sheet in block to block and feather it, this seem very much a footing boat. Although I could point high, the speed dropped right off compared with sailing a little freer, with the boom quite far out over the quarter. It was very easy to oversheet.
I was so impressed I arranged to buy that particular boat and will be picking it up this weekend. I can see it being quite a weapon on our small lake.
I discounted the OK in the end as I am not really big enough, plus there's the hassle of having to have the rig tailored to me. That and the fact that to get an Ok the same age and condition as the Solution, I would be spending twice as much ------------- RS600 1001 |
Posted By: Rupert
Date Posted: 23 Mar 16 at 7:53pm
|
Congratulations! Getting a new boat is always exciting. ------------- Firefly 2324, Puffin 229, Minisail 3446 Mirror 70686 |
Posted By: mothlee
Date Posted: 23 Mar 16 at 7:58pm
It's the grf effect working again  . Congrats think you have made a good choice. Anyways liked the look of the solution and if I had knees that worked I would consider one myself.
|
Posted By: mangoman
Date Posted: 24 Mar 16 at 10:40am
|
I will second that; I always liked the look of the Solution and have now had one for 2 years and just enjoy it more and more. Yes you are right, upwind foot off and let the main out to keep the boat flat seems to be fastest. Trying to outpoint Lasers that pinch up in the gusts does not work at all, just blast underneath them and you will get to the windward mark in front of them and with a big smile ! |
Posted By: iGRF
Date Posted: 24 Mar 16 at 10:57am
|
I wish I could do that footing off, there's a guy down the lake Jack Turnbull when the winds up he'll launch just as the start gun goes, then proceed to pile through everyone in it.
I've never sailed like that, as a lightweight I've only ever known stuffing it and tbh I can mano y mano outpoint a laser in lighter winds, but I have to sit way forward and then lean forward and twist my body upwind windsurfer style. I'm pleased you chose it, it's such an under estimated boat, they so screwed up it's marketing labelling it a lightweights phantom. Nobody considers the Solo as a lightweights anything and the Solution carrys more weight than a Solo. You need to spend some time messing with the adjustable forestay, working out how much depower when, and I find letting off the shrouds helps when you want to run by the lee yet keep the kicker on. Anyway hope you enjoy it, don't go winning too often the handicap was about where it needed to be until they moved the Laser again, you can have some good scratch racing in it against Lasers. ------------- https://www.corekite.co.uk/snow-accessories-11-c.asp" rel="nofollow - Snow Equipment Deals https://www.corekite.co.uk" rel="nofollow - New Core Kite website |
Posted By: mangoman
Date Posted: 24 Mar 16 at 2:41pm
|
Yes we saw that Mr Turnbull's style at the Nationals this year !! He did good though. Maybe we can get a posse of Solutions at Wilsonian's Medway regatta this year ? |
Posted By: Jamie600
Date Posted: 27 Mar 16 at 9:21pm
|
Thanks for the tips guys, it will be a while before I can put them into practice though. Twin's birthdays next week followed by two weekend's back to back OOD duties... ------------- RS600 1001 |