Choosing a boat: Too ambitious?

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Too ambitious?

Printed From: Yachts and Yachting Online
Category: General
Forum Name: Choosing a boat
Forum Discription: Ask any questions about the sport!
URL: http://www.yachtsandyachting.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=5008
Printed Date: 04 Aug 25 at 7:34pm
Software Version: Web Wiz Forums 9.665y - http://www.webwizforums.com

Topic: Too ambitious?

Posted By: Zepher
Subject: Too ambitious?
Date Posted: 23 Dec 08 at 10:47pm

Hi guys, can somebody tell me if i'm being a bit too ambitious. This year I returned to sailing after a break and bought a cheap laser to see if i still enjoyed it.... I do and now i'm looking at upgrading to something a bit more competitive.

I was thinking of just upgrading to a newer laser as there is a competitive race scene at my club and i still have a lot of learning to do, however for a bit more cash could proably afford an RS700 -which is a growing class at the club. I have a bit of trapeeze experience already and am very tempted to push myself, but is this a step too far?

Replies:

Posted By: dave.blakesley
Date Posted: 23 Dec 08 at 10:59pm

Can you give us a bit more detail on what experiance you had before you
came back to sailing? and where do you sail? what other singlehanders are
there around the club? How big and competitive is the 700 fleet? Whats the
budget? and what about an in between step first? or a double hander?

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Posted By: iamalipaul
Date Posted: 23 Dec 08 at 11:06pm

Plenty of advice to buying single handed trapeze skiffs, just search in the forum and you can read the posts, including some of mine.

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Still swimming with an RS700!

Posted By: bert
Date Posted: 23 Dec 08 at 11:06pm

First see if you can have a sail in one at your home club, This should help make the choice that is best for you at this time.

You may thing WOW or a step to far /to early, Either way the test sail should gave you a better informed viewpoint.

Good luck & have fun

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Phantom 1181
AC-227 IC 304
blaze / halo 586

Posted By: Zepher
Date Posted: 23 Dec 08 at 11:14pm

Hi Dave, I used to sail a Firefly and then an Osprey as a teenager, but after moving for uni a stopped sailing. Recently a friend tempted me back crewing for him in a fireball before i bought the laser. I now sail at chew valley lake where there are many classes raced, and a 'fast assymetric' class is planned for next year. I would be looking at around 3k for the new boat and im looking to crew someone in the near term to help brush up my trapeeze skills.

Hope that helps.

Posted By: JimC
Date Posted: 24 Dec 08 at 5:42am

You can probably work up to almost anything if you're prepared to spend enough of your sailing days on the beach because you're not yet ready to sail the boat in F3+ or whatever. You may find this frustrating though...

Posted By: Guest
Date Posted: 24 Dec 08 at 8:38am

If you are fit enough and keen there is no reason why you should sit on the beach in a F3+ ... if you are willing to learn and can take the knocks go for it.

See http://www.mustoskiff.com/sub-pages/learning-curve.htm - http://www.mustoskiff.com/sub-pages/learning-curve.htm

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Posted By: Merlinboy
Date Posted: 24 Dec 08 at 10:07am

I say just do it Zepher! Just be prepared to swim round a bit. Personally i find it easier to achieve things if i don't think about them ie. just jump straight in and go! Worse thing that can happen is you will have to sell the boat and buy another laser. If i were you i would buy one in the winter season (they should be cheaper) and crew for someone in a trap boat over the winter, when the spring/summer comes you wont get quite so dis-heartened after your 4th or 5th swim and you will have a bit more trap experience.

Good luck.

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Posted By: radixon
Date Posted: 24 Dec 08 at 10:51am

I just got a 700, had a Laser but wanted more excitement.

Christmas has got in the way but as soon as thats over I am going swimming, ( mean 700 sailing)

Go for it!

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Posted By: feva sailor
Date Posted: 24 Dec 08 at 3:11pm

well if the 700 doesnt work out and want something more exiting than a Laser RS300 seems somewhere inbetween