Hi Merlin,

I used to sail a 200.  In my experience, over 21-22 stone struggles to be competitive in the marginal planing stuff. Th etop teams tend to be fairly light, but it depends how competitive you wish to be.  The biggest problem I had though was my weight (about 14 stone) in the back.  With that weight it is difficult to get the stern out unless you sit forward of the thwart whilst helming (which is difficult).  In summary, 14+ stone is really too heavy to helm a 200 competitively, but it'll be a much easier boat for your wife to manage.

Wont the 400 be to much for my wife who is only 5ft2 and 7-7.5 (wet) stone??  Whats the ideal helm weight for a 200??  I can feel another diet coming on!

MerlinBoy

Are you sailing inland or the sea (Can't remember where you are!) I find the inland sailing you want to be lighter so a 400 could be best. As for the sea, the 200 may fair better.

Me and OH have a 200 but are rather heavy for the boat. I think you would be  OK but I dont know for definate about the actual crew weights, I could ask for you on their yahoo group that tends to get replies a lot quicker.

Probably about 12 stone max really. although there are heavier helms and there are teams at that weight in the 200.

You would be fine in the 400, they carry a very wide weight range. I believe Roj won the nats the first time just over 21 stone. And they will happily carry 28. also being 14 stone at the widest part of the boat will help you out alot.

 The loads arent any more than the 200. in fact the jib is less in stong winds (due to the fact that the turning point is a plastic eye, rather than a ratchet block on the 400.

I Might have to have a go in my bros 400, I sail mainly inland but travel lots so sea and inland venues.  I do worry about scaring the wife with a 400 and putting her off completly.  A 2000 is an absolute no no.  I could get a much much newer 400 for my money the 200, but the class is dying off at the moment.  Sounds like a diet is the way to go! 

Its a bit of boat snobery i suppose.  The open circuit i beleive is not as well run and smaller then the 200, the boat is heavier and i found it less fun then a 200 to sail. The boat doesnt have such sporty appeal to my wife. 

I know currently sail a GP, but thats for completely different reasons.

**EDIT: i forgot to mention, i think they are over priced for what they are (i know 200's are expensive but nothing compaired to 2ks)

The class is certainly not dying out. The class experimented with a north-south divide this year which didnt go to well. 20 boats at northern opens and the same on the southern circuit. i believe this year they are going back to the all round the country traditional circuit which will attract more key members to the fleet and more numbers.

There are still nearly 1000 of them in the country, they wont die out anytime soon.

Ive never liked the 2000 the hull shape doesnt really sell it for me.

I think if you shed a stone and a half you would be a reasonable weight for the 200. they do have a good following.

With Christmas coming up

Kellogs diet anyone!!

2000 Open meetings this year have typically had over 30 boats: very competitive. Not as many as the 200 get, but more than many other classes.

The 400, having sold 40 boats this past year, is hardly "dying out": very few boats (compared, say, to the 200's) for sale at the present time. Fewer boats at the Nationals over the last few years seems to have translated to more boats at individual club level.

200 crew weights from 18 to 20 stone. 400 crew weights from 21 (inland) or 23 (estuary / sea) to 30 stone. 2000 weights cover the whole range! 18 to 30 stone (it helps being a slightly heavier boat - it carries the weight very well).

Cheers, Chris

Thats another good point they are bloody expensive.  I cant be a supply and demand thing there are loads of second hand ones forsale.  400's are not cheap i just think their value has now fallen to where it should be.  200's are fairly pricey still!  (one of the reasons i bought the GP was its broad crew weight)

400's are priced pretty well, there has been a massive fall in price in second hand ones over the past year, but only because ldc are now turning them out again after a long period of faffing about with the moulds going on holiday. I sold mine 2 years ago and got £2000 more than its worth now, but back then they were like rocking horse poo.

I think you have made the right choice Merlinboy, at the end of the day you are sailing the boat so its got to be what you want to sail. 200 are boats i dislike, but 1100 people disagree with me and tbh the number at the opens is very persuasive.

I think the 2000 looks seriously underpowered and to me looks like something you would see 6 kids and an instructor piled into at the uksa.

400s are brilliant boats, they carry weight very well and probably wouldnt be to big a load, but to do very well in them you do have to be very physical which is why i can understand your decision to go with the 2.

I was in the same situation as you a few years ago, my solution was to ditch the bird and get a bloke sailing with me instead. lol. Go for the 200 and if it isnt right, sell it. they hold there price amazingly.

Not sure ditching my wife is an option mate!! lol, thanks for the words of encouragement.  I would prefer a 400 but i think it would kill my wife.  The other option is to have another baby and buy another 300!! But deciding to have another baby in order to aid my choice in dinghy is a little.. well odd!

There was a question about 400's and private ownership (presumably vs sailing schools and holiday companies?).

I doubt if the actual numbers will ever be known! But the RS Class Association has a "enter your boat details here" option. There have 12 or so of those 36 or 40 new boats entered. Assuming (guessing here) that only half the private members bother to tell other people about their new boat, then that makes two thirds of the new boats to private members and 1/3 to organisations.