Ok, thought I'd never do one of these "what boat" threads but the time has come.

I have been sailing the Laser for 6 years, learnt a lot in it (as it has been my first boat) but the time has come to move on to stretch myself and progress my learning curve. I am not the most competitive person racing but race to get out there and try and win if I can. I did however manage to "strategically" win the TVLG Radial class, so I know I can win things but have got the "been there, done that" slogan running through my head.

So what do I want, something that I can learn more with, has to be singlehanded (have a 200 for the occasional times OH wants to sail) so been thinking of a trapeze boat, but then again, maybe not. The stats about 6ft, 12st (sailing weight)

I have been looking at the Blaze, 300, 600, 700, contender and Vareo.

Blaze - Ok, but not sure I'd get on with it, would it be a progression/challenge

300 - Knocked it out, cos its a "drop hiker" something I struggle with following a knee injury back in the kiddie days.

600/700 - look exciting, watch in awe as they fly past me and (i want to do that) comes over me!

Contender - looks a low boom, never seen one (apart form Villians old thing!) so don't know a lot about them.

Vareo - Looks good, got a kite but as you spend longer going upwind than down, will be a pain (from what I have heard) 70% of the time.

So maybe a trapeeze boat, not had a lot of experience trapeezing but did start off crewing on a Dart Hawk (F18) or a more advanced hiking boat

So rather than the go for my boat answers, I'd like, what would you go for answer.

Thanks

Where do you sail?

What other boats sail at your club?

If you have bad knees then I would try a trap boat. Although if you stayed in the laser for six years with bad knees then they can't be that bad.

I would not rule out the 300 as it is a very comfortable boat to hike from and you can pretty much hike straight leg if you raise the toe straps enough. Also it does not need any grunt to sail it. I think any of the boats you have suggested will improve your appreciation for trim/pitch etc. I think Mr Moore might be taking offers on his 300. If you want a test sail you can always look someone up on http://www.rs300.org.uk/ - http://www.rs300.org.uk/  or pm me if you  want sorting out and I'll try and find someone in your area.

I got bored in the laser quickly and then was looking for something to push my boat handling on, I dont think anything (apart from an IC) would have worked quite as well on my appreciation of just what constitutes a flat boat as the 600 did. I couldn't agree more with TT, the 600 is a DREAM to windward, even in a chop it goes upwind like a train. The only thing I miss from the laser is the close racing, but I've only started missing that in the last 4 months or so as I have finally got up to the standard of being able to get the thing around a race course at least as fast as most of the open meeting fleet.

The only downside is how much good it has done for my repair skills, they do seem to have several little niggles in their design, like kicker bolts that you can't get at to tighten, and daggerboard cases that seem to constantly leek. Looking back at how much time I've spent on mending the 600 maybe I wouldn't have gone for it if I had appreciated how much work it needs but I think its worth it for the feeling of flying past just about everything to windward.

Those canoes still look very scary to me despite the positive comments above,

I do fancy a bash in a Blade or RS300 though.

status, if your anywhere near n.wales or falmouth then your welcome to have a sail in my 300.

having came from a radial into a 300 myself i can say that it has taught me so much about steering and sheeting for balance downwind. it also taught me a lot about slogging upwind but rather than going for pointing (as in laser) you need a combination of speed (low) and height. very difficult to get the balance. it is a beautiful looking boat which depowers nicely with kicker and downhaul, rewards good sailing and punishes bad sailing.

one thing i would say is that in breeze and chop the 300 is almost impossible to sail to handicap because you cant really go for it due to the fine bow digging in (it can be very frustrating like today). one other thing, the booms hurt like hell if they hit you on the head. i have a lovely line shaped lump as proved. this isnt normally a problem but my halyard slipped 6" over the course of the race

i wouldnt discount the 300 if i was you until you try one. its surprisingly friendly on the knees and a very comfortable hiking position.

I work mate! (Full time!)

Seriously I found an early one that was advetised, knew the bloke who had it advertised to get rid of it as he was unable to sail it due to injury. Saw it, paid him, towed it.

Hopefully come Saturday i can play and tweek it, really looking forward to sailing it (and swimming) will try and create a Blog as its probably the fastest boat I have sailed since F18 sailing when I first started out.

12 mtrs of sail upwind and 28mtrs downwind will definately prove interesting!

Sounds like a splendid choice.

Keep us posted as you get used to her and let's see some photos.

I work too, i am a mechanical engineer. May upgrade at some point to a musto but at the moment i am quite happy about the 600 :

Originally posted by craiggo Rich, Enjoy your first swimming session

I was waiting for that one! The OH who is also a sailor keeps telling me it will improve my swimming skills more than my sailing!

Will be rigging it propperly this weekend, cant wait to check out the pump system properly on the kite!

  You've bought a great boat!! I got mine in June and still yet to master it.  Every time out is an adventure, hoping to get up to club racing spring next year when I dont need a 20 mtr exclusion zone!?  Loads of help on Yahoo, but you probably know that already.

Enjoy