You're too big for all the boats you mention, I would think you'd need at least a Solo (with a Cumulus mast), which should be easily available in your price range. Get one with, or fit, righting lines, and try a trolley with a jockey wheel. Plenty of room for a child in there. The height of the handles on trolleys varies a lot, and I found getting one with handles at the right height for me made a big difference. Also, the Europe in partic has a very low boom, no good for bad backs! I think modern boats can be better in this respect, and tend to be lighter- have a look at the Supernova, (though you may need to spend a bit more). I would also suggest a boat with a proper cockpit would be more comfy- my back can't cope with Lasers for example; again the Solo is good in this respect.

Hope this helps.

Yup, it's a good little sea boat. The big advantage with the Solo is it's such a strong class, there's a really good 2nd hand market, so if you do your research and pay the right price, you should be able to sell easily if it doesn't work out for you. I think there are a few sailed near you, so you might even get one locally!

Re your question about trapezes, there aren't any trapezing singlehanders that would be any good as a first boat: probably the easiest is the contender, a lovely boat, but famed for its low boom....

The Contender is an option but perhaps not the best one:-

Fairly heavy.  Any spare bodies on board tend to get clouted with the tiller extension eventually (nowhere in the cockpit is safe!) and of course the low boom. You can get a sail altered as there is no minimum leach length though. Best talk to some of the Contenderers at Portishead if you're still keen. 

My husband will only trapeze because of his back so either crews me in an Osprey or helms a Contender when I am not available.

However, he really enjoyed borrowing a Supa Nova for an afternoon, compared to our sons' laser. Much more comfortable and forgiving.

Trolleys can often be adapted to add a jockey wheel - they don't necessarily always come with one in a class.  Also balancing the boat correctly on a trolley will help the weight issue.

You're just too big for a Streaker.

How about a phantom

a laser for big lads. Older examples in VGC under a grand.

  Reckon you would be too big for a solo, even a bit cramped but there will probably be lots of solo owners disputing this

Hiking is no doubt a lot better training for your torso stability than trapezing!

ALl this McKenzie inverting your spine stuff seems to have gone out in favour of palates torso and balance builders- done my back wonders. Get a joint qulaified physio-chiro,  a rare breed, or two one from each type,  who cooperate on sports injuries.

You're probably too heavy for a Vortex in any case. Don't know what difference the kite has made but when I had one (and was 80kg) the top guys were all in the 65-70kg range. And they're mainly in Yorkshire. And when the wind too light to trapese you have to weave yourself in and out of the shrouds and lowers with a tiller extension that bends as soon as you give it a hard stare.

Trapese is definitely best way to preserve a bad back. When Laser sailing I'd be visiting the osteopath at regualr intervals. Since trapesing my back has been fine. Although I have put on 10kg as a result of the reduced exercise (at least that's my excuse).

Dart15?