New singlehandeded toy required

   I'm looking for a new boat. I sailed a lot up until I went to university 4 years ago, but between summer jobs in landlocked parts of the country, and no desire to squeeze myself into a firefly for match racing I've not been on the water much.

Back then I helmed an ISO for a couple of years which was great fun, although a bit of a pig to right in a blow,having spent my childhood sailing picos, fevas, 2000s and the like. I've done a wee bit of sailing on a couple of summer holidays, mainly in lasers or beach cats like the RS Cat 16.

I haven't exactly worked out where I'll sail but most likely on Loch lomond. I'm not a massive fan of racing and, most probably will spend most of my time sailing alone. Thus a boat that's relatively easy to right would be nice!

I always fancied a contender but not sure I've got enough trapeze experience or agility for it, having only trapezed on cats as crew. A little bit of me is also tempted by a single handed cat such as the sprint 15 or hobie 14/17 - but I'm concerned they'd be a pig to right. A blaze always sparked my interest as has the vortex, but no idea if a sensible choice. A laser would be the safe choice, but I quite fancy something a bit more exciting, without biting off more than I can chew.

For reference I'm around 6" 2 and somewhere around 90kgs.

Should probably add budget is around 1k, could probably stretch closer to 1500 but that's about it for now. 

Amy suggestions and thoughts welcome! 

Edited by Alibaba5643 - 15 Jul 18 at 2:17pm

Author	Message Share Topic Printable Version Delicious Digg Facebook Furl Google MySpace Newsvine reddit StumbleUpon Translate Twitter Windows Live Yahoo Bookmarks Topic Search Topic Options Post Reply Create New Topic
Alibaba5643 Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Newbie Joined: 03 Sep 11 Online Status: Offline Posts: 29	Post Options Post Reply Quote Alibaba5643 Report Post Quote Reply Topic: New singlehandeded toy required Posted: 15 Jul 18 at 2:11pm
	I'm looking for a new boat. I sailed a lot up until I went to university 4 years ago, but between summer jobs in landlocked parts of the country, and no desire to squeeze myself into a firefly for match racing I've not been on the water much. Back then I helmed an ISO for a couple of years which was great fun, although a bit of a pig to right in a blow,having spent my childhood sailing picos, fevas, 2000s and the like. I've done a wee bit of sailing on a couple of summer holidays, mainly in lasers or beach cats like the RS Cat 16. I haven't exactly worked out where I'll sail but most likely on Loch lomond. I'm not a massive fan of racing and, most probably will spend most of my time sailing alone. Thus a boat that's relatively easy to right would be nice! I always fancied a contender but not sure I've got enough trapeze experience or agility for it, having only trapezed on cats as crew. A little bit of me is also tempted by a single handed cat such as the sprint 15 or hobie 14/17 - but I'm concerned they'd be a pig to right. A blaze always sparked my interest as has the vortex, but no idea if a sensible choice. A laser would be the safe choice, but I quite fancy something a bit more exciting, without biting off more than I can chew. For reference I'm around 6" 2 and somewhere around 90kgs. Should probably add budget is around 1k, could probably stretch closer to 1500 but that's about it for now. Amy suggestions and thoughts welcome! Edited by Alibaba5643 - 15 Jul 18 at 2:17pm

Sam.Spoons Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Really should get out more Joined: 07 Mar 12 Location: Manchester UK Online Status: Offline Posts: 3400	Post Options Post Reply Quote Sam.Spoons Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 15 Jul 18 at 3:13pm
	Blaze if you want to blast around on your own, very easy to sail (though, like most decent racing boats, hard to sail well) and forgiving in a blow. Easy to right too when it dos go wrong. My mate, with experience limited to some windsurfing and a couple of years in a Topaz and L3k, has taken to his like a duck to water. A Mk1 would be in budget, there are boats around from £1100 on Apollo Duck or Blaze website at present. I haven't sailed cats much but I'd second your reservations re righting one when sailing alone. Vortex is cheap and a stable platform to learn helming from the trapeze but they are reputed to be less than sparkling downwind so an assy one might be worth considering. Contender might be ok, you are big enough, but learning to helm from the wire on one may be a bit of an ask. So my vote would be for Blaze, I love mine.
	Spice 346 "Flat Broke" Blaze 671 "supersonic soap dish"

Rupert Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Really should get out more Joined: 11 Aug 04 Location: Whitefriars sc Online Status: Offline Posts: 8956	Post Options Post Reply Quote Rupert Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 15 Jul 18 at 3:16pm
	International Canoe. But if you get a contender, just make sure you build up to the big winds, and you'll be fine.
	Firefly 2324, Puffin 229, Minisail 3446 Mirror 70686

PeterG Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Really should get out more Joined: 12 Jan 08 Location: United Kingdom Online Status: Offline Posts: 822	Post Options Post Reply Quote PeterG Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 15 Jul 18 at 3:32pm
	I'm not sure I'd choose a trapeze boat if you expect to be sailing mainly on your own without cover.
	Peter Ex Cont 707 Ex Laser 189635 DY 59

Sam.Spoons Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Really should get out more Joined: 07 Mar 12 Location: Manchester UK Online Status: Offline Posts: 3400	Post Options Post Reply Quote Sam.Spoons Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 15 Jul 18 at 8:26pm
	Me neither and I've done both, singlehanding the Spice in the lighter stuff. Most trapeze boats would limit the conditions you would be comfortable in (Vortex excepted maybe but probably not much fun in a drifter). Something with a little more stability widens the range of conditions you will sail in, the Blaze has done that for me and is a nice sail in 5 knots while still being manageable in 25+.
	Spice 346 "Flat Broke" Blaze 671 "supersonic soap dish"

Alibaba5643 Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Newbie Joined: 03 Sep 11 Online Status: Offline Posts: 29	Post Options Post Reply Quote Alibaba5643 Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 16 Jul 18 at 11:56am
	Thanks guys, some useful insights. I should probably clarify, that when I said sailing alone I didn't necessarily mean without cover, just as opposed to joining in with the racing, although maybe my mind will change on that. Sam, so you find the blaze perfectly manageable in a blow? The iso had a fully battened main which while mega powerful, meant that when it was really windy it could feel like it was taking you for a ride, not the other way around. I still quite fancy a contender, but perhaps it's too big an ask.

Sam.Spoons Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Really should get out more Joined: 07 Mar 12 Location: Manchester UK Online Status: Offline Posts: 3400	Post Options Post Reply Quote Sam.Spoons Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 16 Jul 18 at 12:48pm
	I was out in F5+ (20-25 knots) yesterday, just blasting, and the Blaze was brilliant. Well overpowered most of the time but staying in control. FB mainsails are definitely less forgiving in the blow, the current Blaze main has three full battens in the head and short ones in the bottom half of the sail. Works very well. FWIW I sailed the Spice on Saturday in 15-20 knots (two up, and great fun BTW), I have an ISO rig on it to preserve my good suit of Spice sails, and it really showed how much more manageable the Blaze sail is. Edited by Sam.Spoons - 16 Jul 18 at 12:49pm
	Spice 346 "Flat Broke" Blaze 671 "supersonic soap dish"

Time Lord Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Far too distracted from work Joined: 03 Dec 13 Location: Warwickshire Online Status: Offline Posts: 301	Post Options Post Reply Quote Time Lord Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 16 Jul 18 at 1:24pm
	If i recall correctly Loch Lomond has large shallow areas. Not sure if they are buoyed at all (think not) so you should consider a dinghy with a lifting centreboard rather than a dagger board which will not lift up when you hit the shallows.
	Merlin Rocket 3609

Sam.Spoons Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Really should get out more Joined: 07 Mar 12 Location: Manchester UK Online Status: Offline Posts: 3400	Post Options Post Reply Quote Sam.Spoons Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 16 Jul 18 at 2:12pm
	Blaze scores again
	Spice 346 "Flat Broke" Blaze 671 "supersonic soap dish"

Alibaba5643 Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Newbie Joined: 03 Sep 11 Online Status: Offline Posts: 29	Post Options Post Reply Quote Alibaba5643 Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 17 Jul 18 at 9:56am
	I believe depth isn't too much of an issue. They have a fairly large keelboat fleet and the Loch is fairly well marked. Looking at their fleet they seem to have a wide range of dinghies, so I think it shouldn't be too much an issue. Hopefully chatting to a club member soon who should be able to keep me right. Sam,you're a clear advocate of the blaze. Any tips on what to look for if I ho down that route?