I want a boat, but have no idea what sort and would be greatful of some help.

I have not been sailing long (a week 1 to 1 coaching plus once a week for 4 months) but have picked it all up pretty quickly and want to be able to sail more often and widen my experience.

I am a 17 yr old girl 5''8 and 58kg. I love trapezing but have only been on the wire as crew and am unsure about helming from the trapeze, would it be hard to pick up? I need a single hander really as most of the people i sail with have their own boats already, and if it was a double hander i would want to crew and not helm. I have been thinking about a contender, but not having sailed one am slightly anxious. Also considering a laser but kind of want something a bit more racey. Any Suggestions?

Thanks, Casi

I live in somerset. Would kill to crew a cherub. Or anything better than a topaz to be honest. The problem at my club is that noone ever seems to need crew...it being very small. (closer to a pond than a lake)

A radial would probably be the sensible option but to be honest i want a bit more of a challenge . I really want something with a trapeze...are there any double handers that i could manage single handed? My main concern about that is my weight (or lack of it).

Casi

having had a day to fall out of a 700 this weekend i would very definately not recomend jumping straight into a trapeze single hander. i have been sailing for years started in a cruiser then my parents got me and my sister a feva now have a standard rig laser and when i went out in a 700 this weekend i found it difficult. the heming from the wire bit is easy, its the getting onto the wire with all the sticks and bits of string and turning the corners that is the worst bit. you need a 2nd pair of hands.

as for the contender from what ive heard you need quite a few pies to keep one flat but thats just what ive heard.

i would say go for a laser radial/europe/byte for a few years to get used to the racing thing and the getting around a course and stuff then when you think your ready try something more challenging and by then you may also have found someone to crew for.

You could try the Vortex. Suitably depowered it would work OK with your weight.

But as others have said, you are probably better off starting a few rungs down the ladder. Even if we assume you are very talented (and not in the way that Stuberry means) you haven't enough experience to have sailed in all conditions, even in a Topaz. And in a singlehander you have to work it out all on your own.

Time on the water means working it all out when the conditions suddenly change on you or something on the boat breaks and you have to get it home. There really is no substitute for it. On the way you'll experience all the things that you learnt in your classes and start to put a perspective on things like balance and trim and apparent wind.

But if you are looking for a milestone to indicate that you could handle a Vortex (and there is a big jump between that and a 600 or 700/MPS) then if you can comfortably crack gybes in a Radial in a Force4/5 then you'll not cause too much damage when moving up.

Durleigh Sailing Club. Except that I don't exactly sail with them, as I dont have a boat. I sail with Somerset youth and community sailing, but its based at durleigh.

The reservoir is big enough for a trap boat, just not a hugly fast one. There are a couple of contenders sailed, laser 3ks, I think the fastest allowed is a fireball or sim. Not quite musto skiff or rs6/700 water though. 

Looks like a radial is going to be the best option for now :( and maybe try and find someone who will have me as crew while i increase my experience.

You might be able to borrow a Contender in a light day to get a feel for it. At 58 kgs, you are on the light end of the scales (I'm 60 kgs and 5ft8) and unlikely to handle a Contender in a blow, but you'd be trapezing in a Force 2, when all the lardy a*ses are still trying to get more power. Quite an advantage on the run too, especially in light winds (as much as I like them, Contenders are dead boring in those conditions). The thing that really matters is being able to right the boat from a turtle. I can usually make it (except last Wednesday, when I forgot to uncleat the kicker and the bl**dy thing inverted in no time and stayed there like a stone, doh ).

With practice, your handling skills will improve and you'll be able to depower the sail quickly in a gust. Besides, there are many ways to tune a Contender; you need to ask the good guys, they'll be happy to help. On mine, I have an old Goldspar mast with a very flexible tip, specially adapted for lightweights (by a previous owner in the mists of time).

If you want to have a single-hander trapeze, Contender's the best option, IMO. Don't listen to the bleating crowds telling you to go for a Topper or a 4.7 just because that's what they say in the book! If you enjoy it, you'll get better soon enough!!

I am lucky enough to have a Topper to play with when it's blowing a 5 or 6, in screaming reaches surfing the big waves - that's fun.   

Finally, if there are any boat builders reading this: why oh why there isn't a single hander with trapeze for lightweights? I am convinced a good design would attract plenty of customers, stuck between hiking boats or double-handers. And don't bring in that link to the Farr 3.7, cos I'd rather get a new boat build here than getting one shipped from NZ  

(mini Musto Skiff - would that be possible?? )

Vareo with a slightly bigger main and a trapeze. I'd buy one.

Oh yer good point 

caveat all above with if you have about 2k+ to spend then.......

Thanks for all the help.

I think I'm going to look into a laser or sim. for now, and get as much crewing experience as i can

So now all i have to do is find enough money...

Larger semi-battened main makes for more power which can be feathered easier through gusts by numpty sailors like me...

Subtle difference, done for a very specific reason making the boat more achievable for more people.

Ian

I think most people (myself included) would regard the skiff and the 700 as largely interchangeable. I seriously think there's a place in the market for a trapeze monohull with a main about 10 sqm and a spinni about 12-13ish. No racks and a reasonably stable hull form as a stepping stone to the more extreme boats or as a fun boat for people who don't have the time or energy (or youth!!) to master the MPS/700.

I know the Vago is marketed as doing this but its "multi role" design seems a bit of a compromise. I do think the Vareo lends itself to a bit of a tune up along these lines quite well (come on RS, give it a go) 

What about a trapeze on a Solution. It is currently marketed for 65 to 80kg sailors.

As far as the Vareo goes I would ask TT about brazilian cracks. Is it really up to the extra forces put on it.

As well as a feeder to the MPS / 700 we are looking at a boat that will be ideal for people in the 50 to 70kg bracket. Thereafter is the MPS / 700 domain.

Originally posted by Jack Sparrow Originally posted by Contender443 I would ask TT about brazilian cracks.... Is that appropriate language for this forum?

I don't know, ask TT. He was the first one to crack that line!!

Originally posted by Hobbo Originally posted by Noah A trap on a Solution and anyone could sail one. What I want is weight equalisation or a trap on a Phant, so I can go play with the big boys... There is weight equalisation in the Phantoms - it's called the Pie shop.

I have a quetion for you. Who goes to the pie shop more often, a Finn or  Phantom helm or a Star crew?

We need Big Wave Dave to answer this question

Are you free 21st-27th July?

Do you want to sail at the Cherub nationals?

I would love to, but whether or not i can depends on how well i can negotiate with the parents.

Where abouts are they?

Also, are you sure you want someone with as little experience as me crewing for you in the nationals?

Regarding experience, I'm not really the type of person to take racing overly seriously. I'm out there to have a blast. And I'm sure they'll always be someone to race against, even if it's not the front of the fleet. So whether or not your an Olympic class crew is neither here nor there.  But, I do shout alot. Mostly because I've done something wrong and need to blame someone else. So you;d have to be able to not take that personally. Ask Hobbo, he's my regular crew.

As long as you're comfortable trapezing and handling a kite, you'll be just fine!

The nationals are in Weymouth, not far from Somerset in the scale of things.

Well I have spoken to my parents and they say no . Mainly because they can't be bothered to drive me, and they dont know what a cherub is anyway. I'm also supposed to be going to plymouth on the 27th, and they think that i cant manage 2 weeks sailing in one go.

If you ever want crew in the future though, I would love to. Once i can drive, I can do what i want and my parents cant stop me  And i dont mind being shouted at and blamed for other peoples mistakes, I get that a lot. But you may get an earful back, depending on my mood at the time.

Thanks for the offer though, and Im really sorry (and cross) that i cant make it this time.

I think I know who you are...your around on saturdays now and again?

I definitly know your boat anyway, thanks so much for the offer. I am currently trying to make the owner of the pink one let me have a go on his, and if i can talk sense into him may buy it once he has his new laser, assuming that I can sail the thing.

I have been considering moving clubs, but as I'm off to uni next year it seems a little pointless, I also have a lot of friends at sycsa at the moment, and its really close and convenient. The unis Im applying to are all good for sailing, so that should give me more oppetunity to sail faster boats.

I will definitly ask around about sharing a cherub or something, thats a good idea.

Thanks again, I will probably see you around at some point.