Am I dense, or what ?
Printed From: Yachts and Yachting Online
Category: General
Forum Name: Banter
Forum Discription: For all those non-sailing related discussions
URL: http://www.yachtsandyachting.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=4391
Printed Date: 17 Aug 25 at 9:31am
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Topic: Am I dense, or what ?
Posted By: floggy
Subject: Am I dense, or what ?
Date Posted: 17 Jul 08 at 4:13pm
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Looking to buy my first dinghy. (given up car racing fuel too expensive). am booked into do my RYA courses. I am a heavyweight (18 stone). in short term once mastered basics, i want to race. i have 3 sons aged 8, 11 and 14 who i hope would crew /use boat. Iam thinking about a mirror as a starter craft. seem quite robust. reasonably cheap. kids could use without me. my question is on the mirror website, http://www.ukmirrorsailing.com/mca/statistics.htm - http://www.ukmirrorsailing.com/mca/statistics.htm it says hull below sheerline = 1.15 cubic meters and, complete weight 135lbs. weight of water displaced 1.15m= 2535lbs http://www.onlineconversion.com/waterweight.htm - http://www.onlineconversion.com/waterweight.htm net = 2400 lbs ignoring buoyancy (which may not make a difference. my weight = 18x14 = 252lbs therefore i could have 7 fat friends in boat with me before it sank. doesn't seem right. joking aside. my point is that with my weight and a crew, the boat is unlikely to have too much weight in it. can anybody recomend a more suitable boat if there is one out there |
Replies:
Posted By: Laser 173312
Date Posted: 17 Jul 08 at 4:28pm
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I think you would find a Mirror a little to small. It's mainly sailed by 2 kids or 1 adult alone and has a smallish sail area. An Enterprise or GP14 would be a better place to start. Or you could look at a Laser 2000. Best do the RYA courses first and ask for advice on them. Also have a look at what is sailed at your local club, if they have some club boats try them out to see what you like. Hugh |
Posted By: winging it
Date Posted: 17 Jul 08 at 5:39pm
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Hugh is right - a mirror would be hideously uncomfortable. Don't just think about displacement, think about space - room under the boom, around the cockpit etc. Enjoy your course first then look around and take advice from your instructors/the locals. Where are you sailing?
------------- the same, but different... |
Posted By: Charlie
Date Posted: 17 Jul 08 at 6:12pm
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Ahh it does remind me of doing one of those paddle round the buoy and back again with as many people as possible on a topper, i think we got 14 kids on and it still didn't sink!
------------- Finn GBR 657 - Blown It Laser 164635 Planet Earth: 30% Land, 70% race course! |
Posted By: JimC
Date Posted: 17 Jul 08 at 7:42pm
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Displacement needed to stop the boat immediately disappearing under the waves is not the issue. The figure you need for a sailing boat is the one that will not sink the ends of the boat sufficiently that it becomes frustratingly slow and sails badly - plus the room in the boat issue of course.
A Mirror is going to be very small for you. There are a bunch of choices - for instance of the more traditional classes the good old Wayfarer can carry a good weight and a bunch of people in a satisfactory manner, but as people have said check out what's happening locally. |
Posted By: floggy
Date Posted: 17 Jul 08 at 8:08pm
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i am in bath, although maybe moving to torbay shortly. |
Posted By: Fans1024
Date Posted: 17 Jul 08 at 8:37pm
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Have fun on your course, as the above as said ask your instructors. Also, would your sons regularly race with you? Or is going to more of a singlehanded job? Budget? Anyways, welcome to the sport and wish you all the best  |
Posted By: winging it
Date Posted: 17 Jul 08 at 8:48pm
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If you are in Bath the obvious club to go for is Chew Valley, but the waiting list might be off putting. You could also look at Shearwater - a small, family friendly club in the Longleat Estate where they do sail some of the more traditional types of dinghy. If you're going to move to Torbay then Paignton has an excellent dinghy club.
------------- the same, but different... |
Posted By: radixon
Date Posted: 17 Jul 08 at 8:57pm
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/\ All has been said. There are many boats out there suitable for you, these include the Laser 2000, Laser Vago, RS 200, RS Vision. Then there are the less expensive options of a GP14, Enterprise or maybe a Lark Most important thing is to learn loads from your course, enjoy it and then look to trying before buying. There is the Southampton Boat show in September, probably the best time to view all boats, buy gear and experience what is on offer. ------------- |
Posted By: Noah
Date Posted: 18 Jul 08 at 8:54am
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Speaking from experience, a Lark doesn't carry weight well - especially in the 'back seat' . They don't have the roomiest of cockpits either. Great boat for 22-24 Stone all up weight, but 1at 8St you'll find it frustrating - stick to GP, Wayfarer, or Ent. There's my 2p worth... ------------- Nick D-Zero 316 |
Posted By: Medway Maniac
Date Posted: 18 Jul 08 at 11:25am
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I wouldn't have thought the Laser 2000, Vago or RS200 would happily deal with 18st + crew. Another vote for the Wayfarer, which you will find at rhe Southampton Boat Show, although a lot of other possibilities will be absent. The show is generally for bigger manufacturers - go to the Dinghy Show at Alexandra Palace next March for a much better overview. Or better, go around the local clubs and talk to people after racing with likely looking (bigger) dinghies. ------------- http://www.wilsoniansc.org.uk" rel="nofollow - Wilsonian SC http://www.3000class.org.uk" rel="nofollow - 3000 Class |
Posted By: floggy
Date Posted: 18 Jul 08 at 12:33pm
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had a look around following above advise ( and an old article in yachts and yachting) and might have a look at a phantom. seems quite suited for a lardy boy. have booked on my course so, we'll see how it goes.
|
Posted By: MerlinMags
Date Posted: 18 Jul 08 at 7:48pm
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Three golden rules:
1. Don't rush into buying a boat. 2. Definately try a few before you buy, even just crewing for someone else. 3. It matters more what sort of boats are sailed at your local club - you want to be in a fleet, not the only one of a kind when racing. |
Posted By: GBR884
Date Posted: 18 Jul 08 at 9:10pm
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Yeah as above......enjoy the course and ask your instructors, also ask around at the club where you intend to sail. But i'd say look at GP14, Enterprise, Wayfarer or for a singlehander.....phantom, blaze??, 600 (sorry got carried way! But whatever you do dont rush into buying a boat. Adam ------------- |
)Posted By: Peter Rhodes
Date Posted: 19 Jul 08 at 9:24pm
| the figure for the hull volume below sheerline refers to everything below the top edge of the hull, therefore for it to displace that much the top of the hull will be the waterline, hence why it will require you to have 7 people in it to do that! |
Posted By: radixon
Date Posted: 19 Jul 08 at 9:52pm
I've heard of sink the Topper, but sink the Mirror, 3 people (1a, 2c) is bad enough, not sure where you'd put 7 people! ------------- |
Posted By: Wes
Date Posted: 21 Jul 08 at 8:13am
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Hi Floggy, I'm also a Bath based sailer. I sail at Chedder resevoir. It's further than Chew but there isn't the massive waiting that you'd be constantly bumped off of due to being a new sailer, never having sailed at other clubs or knowing the comittee.... So, after you have done the course (Weymouth i guess?) why not come down for a look around and a sail? I'ts much easier getting advice if you can actually get into the boats that you are being advised about. It also makes a lot of sense to get a boat the is commonly sailed at the club that you are sailing at. Then you find that a lot of people will be around to give you advice on how to set up and sail the boat. Mirror probably not the boat for you though! |
Posted By: Chew my RS
Date Posted: 21 Jul 08 at 9:06am
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It has to be said that sadly you will probably struggle to join Chew, due to the long waiting list and prioritisation of 'expereienced' sailors. However, there is a large (50+) fleet of Wayferers and they are all an extremely friendly bunch (they cruise rather than race). I'm sure they would be delighted to take you for a sail anytime to try one. if you are tsying in the Bath area, there is also bristol Corinthian (Cheddar reservoir) and a couple of clubs at the Cotswolds water park. A mirror would be too small, my choice would be a Laser 2000, but they are quite pricey 2nd hand (easy to sell on though). ------------- http://www.sailns14.org - http://www.sailns14.org - The ultimate family raceboat now available in the UK |
Posted By: ChrisJ
Date Posted: 21 Jul 08 at 11:57am
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Take a long look at the Laser 2000. Established fleet (35 for an Open Meeting at Chichester over the wekend), great boats with lots to do for the crew - but it is still possible to sail single handed if you want. A good weight carrier, and can either take you and one son for a race, or you and the lot for a cruise and a picnic. There are lots of Dads and Sons / Dads and Mums / Dads and Dads / Mums and Dads / Daughters etc sailing and racing them: so a good atmosphere at the different events. |
Posted By: craiggo
Date Posted: 21 Jul 08 at 12:59pm
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If you want a bit of tidal sailing and your still in Bath, then Thornbury SC is only 30mins away. We have a couple of L2000s, Miracle (inlcluding last years Inlands Champ), Scorpions & Wayfarers.
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Posted By: JimiQuik
Date Posted: 21 Jul 08 at 4:48pm
| Me thinks there are 2 or 3 L2000s at Paignton SC in Torbay too. |