I have done a bit of club racing (v.small amount tbh!) at my local inland lake (50 acres).  

The club is friendly but not completely racing oriented, there are similar people who could crew for me most of the time if my younger cousin couldn't, vice versa.  I have half my seamanship skills signed off (don't ask about why- long story!)  I would do a the spinnaker course before i properly sail my own boat.

At the moment, i'm not largely into racing, i'd rather spend time practicing skills, having fun. I would have to go on handicap or borrow a club boat if i wanted to race, but i'm not that bothered about racing just yet.  

The club has a selection of double and single handers i could borrow if i don't have a crew, have a crew.  Therefore i am looking at both types!  However, i would only want a small double hander for obvious weight reasons. 

I weigh only 7.5 stone, without a wetsuit on etc.  My crew would be anything from 7 to 9 ish (a mix of people, all teens, like me) if i got a double hander.  So, overall roughly 16 stone. 

I like the look of a Hobie 405, as they are cheap and look quite fun, they look good to get experience on.  In light winds, would i be able to sail with just the main on my own?

Also toying with the idea of the apparently hated boat topaz tres/race.  I have experience of the uno from when i first started, and like the idea that i know i could right easily. Quite versatile i reckon.

Rs feva, big class association, which can only be a plus compared to the others.  However, they are more expensive, and don't look as "fun", and i still probs couldn't haul it up a slipway!

Byte c2, don't have any experience of these.  They are cheapish, and look a bit laser like.  If i wanted to take someone else out, i'd have to hire a club boat though. 

What other suggestions?  I would have someone help up the slip way etc if needed, even though it would be nice to have something as light as the topaz in which i could be more self sufficient.

Sorry for the ramble! 

Saying that, the club already has one of each of these actually, so will have to try them and see what their like to sail etc

A Feva would be a great bet, they are really good boats and they have a tendency to produce extremely good sailors. They are good fun and you'll never be short of people to ask for advice. :)

Think i'm veering towards small double hander types, i think i might outgrow a pico a bit too quickly to be worth buying my own.

The gpr mirror is what you both reccomend so that must say something. Heron too.  Will keep my eye open for fibreglass ones especially.

I think a feva would also be a pretty safe bet from the sounds of it, they look a little, dare i say more fun/ little "sportier"?  There are deffo class racing around here for if i ever want to progress onto that (youth boat, right?).  However,  they are the most pricey mentioned but am i correct in thinking rs boats hold their value okayish?

No mention on hobie 405s yet, there's one locally for sale, think i may atleast try it out also unless there is anything drastically wrong with them!  They look fairly testing (for me) but look like fun and are a very good price afterall, even if i could only race mostly on handicap if i wanted to.

 

The Feva is a strong class supported by the RYA so it is here to stay for a while. Plus lots of opens and training events.

 

For a single hander you could not go wrong with a RS Tera with the pro rig or a Topper.

The criticism are more appropriate in really strong winds. The regatta earlier this year involved winds of about 30 knots (Not forum speed - I'm aware that the maximum gust in one of the squalls 

was 47.2, and wasn't that tonnes stronger than the average that day. Ask the moth guys, one of whose rigs had to be cut off in the beach hut rescue), and I ended up taking the Tres three-up. In those winds, it gets planing, and then all the criticisms levelled, such as instability, enormous quantities of spray and a massive bow wave come into play. Playing the main alone I was struggling to keep it upright. However, up to about 20 knots, the boat is very pleasant, and can only really be criticised on ergonomic grounds - lack of space, no kick-off points etc.

Somewhat late in the day but better late than never.  The Hobie 405 was designed as the RYA Intermediate Youth Training dinghy so probably not suitable for those who are adult and lardy.  It's more challenging than a Feva or Topaz, and the like but more manageable tham a 29-er.   My son is 13 and an ex-Tera sailor and had no issues getting to grips with the 405.

Below is a new online resource for junior sailors interested in finding out about the HOBIE 405, a performance dinghy that was (and is) much ahead of its time in many respects. The Hobie 405 was designed from the ground up as the RYA intermediate youth training dinghy, not a leisure boat with go-faster add-ons. With great build quality, an asymmetric, single wire and PY of 1089 it  ticks a lot of teenage boxes and still offers a manageable and very affordable entry into real asymmetric sailing for younger sailors.  With competitive 2nd hand examples often around the £500.00 mark with combi, what's not to like?

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