Background - 59yr old, 85kg man (me) and medium build woman (my partner) came back into sailing after 20yr gap and bought an RS400 2 yrs ago. Partner now decides she doesn't want to race and cant commit the time anyway, just wants to potter for an hour or 2 occasionally with me in a boat and maybe have some small speed excitement . The 400 doesnt meet that criteria, and I, reluctantly, accept that. (I love the 400... ). I was previously an experienced dinghy sailor, racing in Laser 2's for years at Nationals and Worlds, then an RS600, then a Spice. Have a long-expired Dinghy Instructors certificate. My partner is at competent crew level - we met only a few years ago.

So am after 1 boat (2 boats isnt really practical), where I can have some fun blasting (but not hairy), occasionally race and can go 2-up when needed, and single-handed for the rest.

After a ton of reviewing every boat on the planet, I seem to have narrowed down to 2 boats - completely different sorts though.

RS Vareo - fun single-hander that can occasionally go 2-up.

RS Vision - two hander (slower, simpler, safer, plastic version of the 400, for pottering but can be sailed single-handed.

Sale of the 400 (about £3k) will fund whatever boat I go for.

My questions to you great folk out there :-

Is the Vareo suitable for a slightly unfit, 85kg man and can it accomodate a 2nd adult occasionally - the RS website intimates it can, but then they would ....

Is the Vision enough fun for single-handed sailing? Not a fan of plastic tubs, and the interior looks a little like that, but can live with it, maybe.

I live 3 miles from the RS HQ and like their range, so am happy with them, but am open to other suggestions. Not interested in any 50's/60's/70's/80's type of classes" - sorry.

Any thoughts? Especially from those who have experience of these boats?  (Yes, I have read every Vareo and Vision thread on Y&Y  ;-)   )

Kite boats on a small pond are never likely to sail to potential. We have a very good RS200 at my local club but they struggle to do well and a Fireball helmed by a chap capable of winning races at worlds level who also struggles.

It teaches you boat handling and spinnaker drills but the time you lose is rarely made up unless the course is really favourable.

Originally posted by Sam.Spoons I was very tempted by the Vario but ultimately it was the kite that put me off as I wanted something I would have a chance of sailing near it's potential, a kite on a small lake must make it harder to sail to it's handicap.

I'm having a ball sailing my Musto at Burghfield sailing club at the moment, yeah I admit its a compromise, but actually its great boat handling fun and you notice the difference in the confidence it gives you.

Club sailing should be about fun, not pot chasing.

How true, hence the Blaze and Spice in Anglesey and, probably, a 'nova at home. But the OP want's something for occasional racing, singlehanded blasting and the occasional two up cruise. Vareo looks perfect :)

I think Burgfield is a reasonably large pond isn't it? Definitely helps with a fast assy boat. L&L is a bit smaller I suspect, our 200s and 400s do pretty well but we do have some very good crews. No Musto's though..... 

True, tho my club has a good youth program that commandeer the boats more often than not.

Do you think the Vareo a compromised single-hander? I know that some say it is slow upwind, but that is not really an issue for me.

Kinda looks that there may be an untapped niche market for this type of boat - single hander with room for 2.

Looking my fave option at the moment.  :-)

https://www.facebook.com/groups/dinghies/permalink/1382489858457122/?sale_post_id=1382489858457122&rt=11

Could not agree more. RS should be running a scrappage scheme.

These situations are where club boats come in handy. Buy the one you'll use the most and borrow the one that fills the gaps. Most doubleheaders that can be singlehanded will be painful to pull up the ramp alone

Yep, have heard the Vareo is purported to be slow upwind, though the owners site suggests this is also about boat tuning, as there is no reason for it to be slow design wise. I dunno .. just reporting what I read.

I think the RS100 is a bit too lively for me, and I am nervous of the wing width trying to right it after a capsize (if only I was still a fit, atheletic, rippling muscle, hunk of a 20+ yr old ...  )- and wont take a 2nd person. Personally I lust after an Aero, but out of budget and also wont take a 2nd person. ;-)

RS will cull whatever doesn't sell though.........

You want to try and climb into a Vision after a capsize, no handholds so its a one arm pull up on the shroud and then hope you can grab a toe strap with the other arm

We have one. When we bought it I wanted the option of me and my wife sailing together, or being able to sail with one or both kids.

My wife didn't want a trapeze or a symmetric kite.

400 too lively, 200 too small, it came down to L2000 or Vision and 2000 was £2k or £3k more expensive for a new one. The only advantage of the 2000 seemed to be an established circuit.

So we went for the Vision and yes it's plastic, yes it's heavy, but it's been great for us and what we wanted. 

But for singlehanding it is proper heavy to get up a beach or slip and it is hard to get into after a capsize. I really wouldn't fancy capsizing one singlehanded with the kite up.

Never sailed a Vareo, but for what you want I think it would be better than the Vision. 

You should not have any problem holding a Laser to the windward mark in Vareo, even if you foot a bit.  After that you leave them for dust.... even on a single sail reach.  

Think of it as a modern Solo with a downwind turbo button..... then you kind of get where the Vareo sits in the grand scheme of things.  At the time when the Vareos built some popularity in the 'not another laser' list of options, other choices were things like the Blaze, 300, Supernova etc... they are definitely geared more for performance than the Vareo.  I'd hope the 'solo with a kite' analogy is somewhat better and will not set the bar too high, thus to fail to meet expectations.

I would buy another one if the circumstances were right, but in all honesty feel things have probably moved on with the Aero coming to fruition on the international scene.  

In the end, bought Vareo #416 at the weekend. I have re-roped all lines in nice bright colours, added 16:1 kicker, new toes straps, and added righting lines. Ready to go sailing asap :-)

Hi Graeme,

I wouldn't want another RS100.... too much of a one trick pony, gloss definitely worn off that one.   If I wanted more performance out of a hiking dinghy, then the RS300 still makes the best sense by a country mile.    I can't say there's isn't an itch or two there that might need scratching before I'm done for good.

It only came with the full main, so thats the one I will use :)  I may buy the small one at some stage if I feel I need to - £527 from RS is a bit steep tho and 2nd hand ones appear rarer than hens teeth ;-)

Agree with all said about the Aero. Lovely boat and am following the chap doing the Lands End to John-O-Groats in one at this very moment. - http://racetoscotland.co.uk/