Thinking of a new boat, but what?
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=9831
Printed Date: 05 Aug 25 at 10:56am
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Topic: Thinking of a new boat, but what?
Posted By: Contender 541
Subject: Thinking of a new boat, but what?
Date Posted: 17 Sep 12 at 8:15am
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Okay then - another what boat thread, but this time from someone who is not looking to get into sailing, but looking to get back into sailing
As some of you may know, I have been away from sailing for a while following a knee injury at the 5oh nationals
I am an experienced crew (from F15 thru to 505) and can operate the front end of the boat without thinking.
I am an experienced but rusty helm (Laser, Contender, 420, 505 etc) and know what bits of string to pull, but not necessarily how to tune a rig for the conditions.
I want a single hander that has good rig control
I would like a hiker not a trap
I am 6'1"
I am 13.5 stone
I am stuck at Phantom
 or Solo  Answers on a postcard to the usual address (for those of you of a certain age) or on the forum for the younger members ------------- When you find a big kettle of crazy it's probably best not to stir it - Pointy Haired Boss Crew on 505 8780 |
Replies:
Posted By: Neptune
Date Posted: 17 Sep 12 at 8:48am
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How about a blaze? ------------- Musto Skiff and Solo sailor |
Posted By: r2d2
Date Posted: 17 Sep 12 at 9:00am
| How about D1 or RS100 |
Posted By: JimC
Date Posted: 17 Sep 12 at 9:05am
| The solution I found was an International Canoe. Not for everyone of course but it ticks an awful lot of boxes provided you're happy with being way out of the mainstream. |
Posted By: pondmonkey
Date Posted: 17 Sep 12 at 9:41am
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What is being sailed at your club? If you can get into fleet racing again (and at 13.5 stone that doesn't rule out a Laser) then I'd do that. Obviously with an old knee injury you need to be sensible- and 7 hour days hiking hard needs to be ruled out. I would also advise caution over the asymmetric hikers... they're hiking upwind and downwind. Give the knees a rest downwind, but the after effects of knee injuries are fairly unique, it might not be an issue. While talking of knees- it might bring some questions out over the Phantom as this is a kneeler downwind and it apparently can be uncomfortable. (although that was never an issue for me when I had one, it was lack of anyone to race against which I'll admit has clouded my own view on my phantom) FWIW- I've just chosen a Solo as this the class sailed at my club (and lots of surrounding clubs) It also seems a very popular choice at the moment judging from the sailing circles misfortunate enough to come into contact with me- not quite sure why: strength in numbers... chuck out the preconceptions- it's actually quite a sophisticated little boat... plenty of competitive options from £1k to £8k... a desire to get back into proper tactical fleet racing rather than corner banging... everyone's getting older.... 85 boat inlands... 100+ boats expected at Hayling for the 2013 nationals... excellent support from the main chandleries and sail makers with simple to understand rig selection for weight categories... combination of all/some of the above? For me it's simple- I've spent 10 years searching for the 'perfect boat'... it doesn't exist and even if it did then around where I live, it won't have enough numbers for there to be any proper racing. So I'll go for a Solo and just be bloody grateful that I still have an option to do some proper racing at my local club in a single hander other than a Laser, not that there's anything really too wrong with a Laser when you're just chucking it around a few club cans... I'm just too fat for one and a newer Solo's just a nicer boat in my humble opinion. I'm not going to pretend it's the most exciting and adrenaline charged boat out there, and certainly not going to tell you the lipstick makes it 'cool'.... but it's a sensible choice for good racing at both club, local and national circuit level. It should at the very least act as stepping stone to getting back to the roots of what most of us loved about sailboat racing in the first place - close racing, learning something new and an opportunity to think about the race, rather than just worry about the technique in keeping something upright whilst hoping the right corner's been banged; or worse, pretending you're racing other people when all you're actually doing is a time trial against a spreadsheet with other people getting in the way.
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Posted By: MattTrinder
Date Posted: 17 Sep 12 at 9:51am
| Supernova ? |
Posted By: G.R.F.
Date Posted: 17 Sep 12 at 10:21am
He's not been well lately poor boy, got self esteem issues as well, nothing that can't be sorted with a couple of flaming sambucca's after giving me a good thrashing at the Forum meet, but right now, pay him no mind and get yourself into a Blaze, er where will you be sailing it? ------------- https://www.ease-distribution.com/" rel="nofollow - https://www.ease-distribution.com/ |
Posted By: pondmonkey
Date Posted: 17 Sep 12 at 10:35am
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If there were a fleet of Finns/Blazes/Phantoms/RS300s/Contenders/D1s/K1s/MPSs/700s at my club that could consistently drum up enough guys for a decent race and not resort to relying on that god-awful handicap system that no one uses properly, well I'd happily join them (and probably wouldn't have waited the best part of two years to get my head there...) But alas, they're not what's being sailed here, or anywhere else nearby that I could realistically get to after work on a summer evening (Rutland's just too far...) So I'll take what's on offer (and just be damn thankful that some folks have been wise enough/mature enough to keep the class agenda going while idiots like me went around saying 'buy/make the perfect boat for you' and get the club to give you a 'fair' handicap). I'd completely failed to remember what it was about racing dinghies that is so addictive in the first place... close racing, tactical thinking and boat-on-boat action, not pissing around, sailing in convoy against some spreadsheet.
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Posted By: Contender 541
Date Posted: 17 Sep 12 at 12:19pm
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Thanks for the replies so far - A few comments:
What is sailed at my club? - always the most important question IMHO
Flying Fifteens
Laser
Contender
Phantom
505
RS100 - Had considered, not seen or sailed one, but not got the budget either
D1 - Not seen or sailed, not considered
Supernova - They look like a nice boat and have sailed against the occasional one, but
Blaze - Not seen or sailed, not considered
Canoe - Marmite boat and on my personal bucket list to try one, but not sure about owning
I think it does come down to who you would be playing with and as we have Phantoms at my club and they are readily available for all budgets, they have to be #1 on the list
------------- When you find a big kettle of crazy it's probably best not to stir it - Pointy Haired Boss Crew on 505 8780 |
Posted By: pondmonkey
Date Posted: 17 Sep 12 at 12:42pm
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Sounds like a Phantom is perfect then, happy sailing. ------------- |
Posted By: G.R.F.
Date Posted: 17 Sep 12 at 12:52pm
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At least you don't have to do anything, those Phantoms just sail themselves, those big blokes they don't even bother to hang over the edge, they just put the coffee on and bumble about, chuckling at us proper sailors stuck in irons going backwards... ------------- https://www.ease-distribution.com/" rel="nofollow - https://www.ease-distribution.com/ |
Posted By: Contender 541
Date Posted: 17 Sep 12 at 2:58pm
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Problem is I am under weight for a Phantom......I think
Having just lost 4 stone to get to 13.5, I have no plans on becoming a pie eater! ------------- When you find a big kettle of crazy it's probably best not to stir it - Pointy Haired Boss Crew on 505 8780 |
Posted By: AlexM
Date Posted: 17 Sep 12 at 3:07pm
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Solution ? ------------- |
Posted By: pondmonkey
Date Posted: 17 Sep 12 at 3:22pm
Probably worth hooking up on Phantom website- as I understand it, Selden do a softer mast and coupled with a flat cut sail you'd probably be okay. I also spoke to Jim & Andy at HD Sails about buying options, what to look for new vs secondhand and other set up options. They were very, very helpful: http://www.hdsails.com - www.hdsails.com I'm the other way- a tad too heavy for a Solo, (inland anyway) but I'd rather just accept the penalty and get on with some proper racing again. ------------- |
Posted By: G.R.F.
Date Posted: 17 Sep 12 at 3:40pm
Yes we knew that, http://www.hetracil.com - Lucky there is a cure take it before it's too late. ------------- https://www.ease-distribution.com/" rel="nofollow - https://www.ease-distribution.com/ |
Posted By: pondmonkey
Date Posted: 17 Sep 12 at 3:42pm
 walked in to that one didn't I?------------- |
Posted By: Ruscoe
Date Posted: 17 Sep 12 at 3:43pm
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Stu, What sort of budget you working towards mate? You would be about perfect D-One size. Being a former 5oh sailor you would enjoy it (speaking from experience) great fun up and downwind, growing fleet with some top competition. Also forgiving enough to help blow away the cobwebs.
Be good seeing you on the water again anyway mate, wasn't it Lyme 3 years ago you did your knee? ------------- |
Posted By: Ruscoe
Date Posted: 17 Sep 12 at 3:46pm
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James you will be fine in the Solo, i sailed one at 95kg although soon dipped my weight as i was a little heavy in the marginal stuff, but even at 92 ish i still got trounced by the skimmers in marginal conditions. But upwind in a blow i could really get all of the power down. Anything less then a 5 knotts you will be fine anything over 10 the same inbetween and if i were you i wouldnt bother getting the cover off as you will get your ass handed to you by a 10 stone 70 year old ------------- |
Posted By: Contender 541
Date Posted: 17 Sep 12 at 6:42pm
Hi Russ - Budget is between 2 and 2.5k, hence the RS100 is a no go, and yes it was Lyme that killed my knee - 3 Nationals ago, not 3 years!! Biggest problem I have is (and whisper this) - Everything after a 5oh is just so slow and the next level up - 49er, Int 14, 18ft Skiff, Musto, RS700 etc is one I actually dont want to take (bucket list, but not to actually own) ------------- When you find a big kettle of crazy it's probably best not to stir it - Pointy Haired Boss Crew on 505 8780 |
Posted By: Contender 541
Date Posted: 17 Sep 12 at 6:49pm
Liked it from the launch off and love the concept of a baby Phantom, but I can get similarish performance from a 8.1 Laser. I do however admit, the Solution is so much more than the Laser ------------- When you find a big kettle of crazy it's probably best not to stir it - Pointy Haired Boss Crew on 505 8780 |
Posted By: Kev M
Date Posted: 17 Sep 12 at 7:38pm
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If you're still going to sail at Burton Paul, you can try my Blaze out. I'm thinking of selling it, it's a good boat but my weight combined with the wind makes me feel I'm only selling it at 50-75% most of the time, with someone lighter in the same wind it could be more fun for that person. We should now have three regular Phantoms (well, three on a Wednesday and two on a Sunday) now that Dave B has sold his Phantom to a now ex-Laser sailor. There's also a new Supernova in the club and a couple of Vareos, although the Vareos don't get out much. ------------- Successfully confusing ambition with ability since 1980. |
Posted By: getafix
Date Posted: 19 Sep 12 at 4:55pm
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I'd give a Blaze a go, particularly if you're not mad keen on mega-hiking and have a ~2.5K ish budget, you'll get a lot of Blaze for that and they don't need ball-busting hiking until it's really honking, when they're an absolute hoot. Only draw back is they're dull as dish-water in light-marginal stuff (IMO) when you weigh 12.5/13st or more*. But then a great deal of boats are too, not just the Blaze. *Opens and Nationals aside, as you'll be competing with plenty of others in that weight range too.
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Posted By: Contender 541
Date Posted: 19 Sep 12 at 7:08pm
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Well as Kev M is at the same club as myself, I may have to get in touch!! ------------- When you find a big kettle of crazy it's probably best not to stir it - Pointy Haired Boss Crew on 505 8780 |
Posted By: Don Novello
Date Posted: 21 Sep 12 at 1:51am
| It's all about budget really |