Good news for Pico owners
Printed From: Yachts and Yachting Online
Category: Dinghy classes
Forum Name: Dinghy development
Forum Discription: The latest moves in the dinghy market
URL: http://www.yachtsandyachting.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=13988
Printed Date: 06 Aug 25 at 4:24am
Software Version: Web Wiz Forums 9.665y - http://www.webwizforums.com
Topic: Good news for Pico owners
Posted By: Dakota
Subject: Good news for Pico owners
Date Posted: 17 Nov 22 at 8:43pm
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Have just seen an announcement that Jo Richards has regained the rights to his designs that used to be sold by LP. On the face of it , this seems great news for current and future owners of Vagos, Bugs, Bahias and Picos . Especially given the supply problems these boats have had in the last few years .
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Replies:
Posted By: JimC
Date Posted: 18 Nov 22 at 9:56am
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https://www.sail-world.com/news/256133/RS-marine-group-of-companies-expands" rel="nofollow - https://www.sail-world.com/news/256133/RS-marine-group-of-companies-expands
For those who didn't see the announcement. |
Posted By: Rupert
Date Posted: 18 Nov 22 at 11:09am
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Glad the Pico is making a comeback, always had a soft spot for it, and not just the one behind the mast. ------------- Firefly 2324, Puffin 229, Minisail 3446 Mirror 70686 |
Posted By: Dakota
Date Posted: 18 Nov 22 at 1:22pm
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Posted By: 423zero
Date Posted: 18 Nov 22 at 6:19pm
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Thought about this through the day, Topaz or Pico, think the Topaz wins on most counts. Speaking from an adults point of view. ------------- Robert |
Posted By: NickA
Date Posted: 20 Nov 22 at 8:57pm
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Had a Pico for nearly 20 years; finally sold it to a sailing school. Great little boat, especially with the "race" sail on it. My club staged a PY>1200 regatta last weekend so the kids club could challenge the adults ... I borrowed a club Pico, it sank ( no bung!) Light winds so the toppers won.
Anyway, hope Jo can find someone to make them. Vagos less so .. they were never good once rotomoulded. ------------- Javelin 558 Contender 2574 |
Posted By: Dakota
Date Posted: 20 Nov 22 at 11:59pm
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According to the press release , the original manufacturers are all ready lined up and ready to go . Looks like RS are very keen to supply the parts market for the 50,000 boats already in the market
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Posted By: CT249
Date Posted: 21 Nov 22 at 9:43pm
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That's great news. I should have realised that the Pico vanished from the ranks of available boats because of Rastegarical rascallinations! We have a fleet of Picos we are very happy with and it's great that we will be able to get spare parts. is it fair to say that RS is one company that seems to do the right thing by sailing itself, rather than merely watching their own interests? The way they apparently manage things to manage that their "heritage" classes and "orphaned" LP products remain alive is a strong contrast to the way some classes by LPE and in the USA have apparently been effectively murdered by their manufacturer.
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Posted By: Dakota
Date Posted: 21 Nov 22 at 11:27pm
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It looks like LP only sell three boats now, the sunfish , a non class legal ILCA ( laser) and the Cascais. The Pornstar link is still there but takes you no where . In the USA the main importer of sunfish has had to start making its own foils and rigs because it cannot get spare parts and has recently launched it own boat using these parts on a very very very similar Sunfish like hull . It seems a sad result for a company that used to claim , with some justification, it was the largest manufacturer of dinghys in the world . The comparison with RS could not be more different. |
Posted By: Dakota
Date Posted: 21 Nov 22 at 11:39pm
I’ve never sailed a Pico and I’ve only ever said a Topaz at a Sunsail holiday resort ( that dates me some what ) , so I am no expert on either of them. But I do have to say the Topaz is the with out a doubt the worst boat I have ever sailed, in my view, and if that’s how adults coming into our sport first experience single handed sailing I am not surprised they don’t stay in the sport .
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Posted By: Paramedic
Date Posted: 22 Nov 22 at 7:49am
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RS will at the end of the day most definitely have their own interests at heart, but will put their heart and soul into something worthwhile. This is inevitably to the long term benefit of the classes they take on. They've certainly got an eye for a good product and have produced far fewer total turkeys than their rivals.
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Posted By: Spindizzy
Date Posted: 22 Nov 22 at 10:11am
| I hear very little good from people regarding the Topaz. Uncomfortable and tippy being the main ones. Sailed Picos loads. Solid, easy to sail and tough as old boots. With the sport sail it goes well for a rotomould. Sailed right it actually points ok. Bit small for two adults but great for one. Easy for two kids to sail. Having the vertical battens puts it up against the Fusion which has been doing very well. I guess the Pico will mean the RS Zest may vanish from the lineup as thats essentially a blinged up Pico anyway if you look at the hull shape (same designer). Could be RS transfer all the plastic roto boats to the new sub company and focus RS main to the performance side. |
Posted By: Sam.Spoons
Date Posted: 24 Nov 22 at 12:42pm
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I have sailed a Topaz a few times, it's no thoroughbred but it's not bad. Too small for two adults though I have done it in silly wind and it was a hoot. I know a few adults who sail the singlehanded and enjoy them for what they are, cheap, simple and bulletproof. ------------- Spice 346 "Flat Broke" Blaze 671 "supersonic soap dish" |
Posted By: Riv
Date Posted: 24 Nov 22 at 8:27pm
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Odd...."I hear very little good from people regarding the Topaz. Uncomfortable and tippy being the main ones" (Spindizzy) Our Club Topaz is a firm favourite among those a bit too big for a Pico and not wanting to use the club Lasers. (Booms are too low). Topaz is a really stable boat. Bit heavy and the Topper Daggerboard feels too small and too flexible. We bent the boom at the mainsheet attachment. It has loads of volume forward of the dagger board to support the crew, this means that it tends to sail bow up all the time which looks odd to me but I'm the only one whose ever noticed. ------------- Mistral Div II prototype board, Original Windsurfer, Hornet built'74. |
Posted By: 423zero
Date Posted: 25 Nov 22 at 10:55am
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I have sailed Pico and Topaz extensively, both are good at what they are expected to do, in my opinion Topaz is far superior for an adult, higher sides give more comfort, (if it is windy enough to sit on the sides), both are kneelers in light winds, being rotomoulded they are generally softer. Laser losing control of any boats is a good thing. The big issue at the moment is their version of the ILCA is so cheap, who would buy a Pico, Topaz etc, for similar money to a top spec Laser ? ------------- Robert |
Posted By: Dakota
Date Posted: 25 Nov 22 at 2:45pm
Very true . But you do have to factor in resale values. At the moment you can buy Picos or Topaz’s and know what they will be worth if the club has to sell them in two, five or even ten years time with some degree of accuracy. The same cannot be said with the LP LASER. I’ve seen a couple of second hand ones come up for sale but someone always asks if they are ILCA class legal and they are withdrawn from sale. Does anyone have any first hand experience of what they are going for second hand ?
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Posted By: 423zero
Date Posted: 25 Nov 22 at 6:32pm
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Dakota, was thinking private buyer, Laser/ILCA probably to delicate for training purposes, beach hire.
Never seen a second hand one, talking pre ILCA, Lasers tended to be kept for years, could be a couple of years before we get a idea. https://www.sailingchandlery.com/products/laser-race-standard-mk2-sailing-dinghy?utm_campaign=gs-2019-08-23&utm_source=google&utm_medium=smart_campaign&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIrsu2mf_J-wIVdGHmCh1bzAoPEAQYBSABEgJGXvD_BwE ------------- Robert |