Hi, advice please!......

I have been helming for a couple of years, Toppers, a Pico with a race sail and tried one or two other things in light winds and feel ready to step up - but not too far!  I sail on sea and estuary and am unlikely to sail much inland.

My goal is to be able to sail in a wide range of wind conditions, not have something that sees me miserable on the shore while everyone else goes out to enjoy the wind. It's more important to me to be able to sail my boat in a bit of a blow, work hard for sure, but feel that I'm up to it while I'm still gathering experience (and bruises!) than it is to sail a more challenging boat just because lots of other people do. 

 I'm light - 50-52kg. I don't want to sail a Laser Radial because I tried a couple of times and struggled with it in the waves and not being hugely strong or heavy, the kinetics of wave sailing are tiring!  I've been told Lasers are a tricky length for sailing through waves and that I'd be better off with something shorter which will be easier to manage. Also a Radial in anything more than a decent Force 3 is going to see me moping ashore (don't want to play with a 4.7 rig).

I considered a Streaker, maybe with the new smaller rig, but think I'd prefer something with an unstayed mast for downwind fun. Or am I missing something on technique here?

 A Europe has been described to me by a few people as a 'baby Finn' - but that boom looks awful low, and I've heard they are quite twitchy, and my skills probably aren't there yet.

A Byte II is a possibility but I like the look of a Comet Xtra (with its re-vamped rig its supposed to be good for lightweights but same PY as the normal rig) and I read a good review of it, though I don't know what it would be like on the sea - does anyone out there have any experience of a Comet  (either rig) on waves?  I've been told they are a bit like sailing an easier version of the Laser.

A Lightning?  The forum didn't exactly enthuse about these, and I suspect the Conmet Xtra might be a kinder rig? 

Any other ideas, bearing in mind my weight and limited experience, would be gratefuully received,

Athene

Athene,

Have another look at a Streaker. Lightly built, only 48kg minimum hullweight and can be sourced in wood, grp, and frp.  If you are looking at a wood one take someone who knows about areas which might be prone to frost/water damage.   A well sorted boat is exciting to sail and in moderate wind and flat**ter can give a standard Laser a run for it's money.  I sailed at the Nationals and was beaten by a lady who must have been all of 7 and a half stone dripping wetwith a solid background in Topper sailing.

djdhi

Thanks guys,

I'll have another look at Streakers - sounds like they'll be easy to haul up the slip way too.  Why is choosing, buying and owning a boat more fun than choosing, buying and owning just about anything else?

Athene