Dare I even discuss a new class?

I'm currently in a quandry, either to cave in in my mind and buy a Contender, a boat that although excellent in its day, I find rather too heavy and in all probability I'm too light and short for it anyway. Our club has two fleets now, it's either the Lasers or the Contenders that are populated by our most competitive sailors and this season I've really struggled to the point a couple of times I just can't be asked to pit the Farr 3.7 against them and have been losing my mojo.

Don't get me wrong it's a lovely boat, really nice to sail, and has served me well these past two years in learning the ins and outs of single hand trapezing, but so very seldom do I even manage to beat Lasers over the water, never mind on handicap.

So the mind often dwells on what would be an ideal for my circumstances, which are obviously long on years and short on time left with faculties, so I contacted Dan Holman, who drew up the dreaded V2 for me (and advised against it)to see if he'd be interested in another go, this time with a whole bunch more experience than last time and a whole different requirement.

I wondered about something that would be at home inland or on the sea, that could be set up to trap, or have optional rack/seats, that you didn't have to kneel going downwind, that can run by the lee, that can be depowered on the fly, that would be stable at rest with noone on board, that had retracting foils without the requirement for flushing strips, and that could be designed in such a way that a self build was an option, and that could be built to weigh less than 50 kgs all up and beat Lasers at all points of sailing in light winds.

Why am I doing this online? I guess to find out if there is any interest in such a craft given that the one thing I do miss is having something or someone of similar speed to race against and am slowly coming to the class view (we have four solutions now down the lake).

Dan talks of around twenty grand for a custom build, but then all you have is one. So I wondered if having got the custom job going wether it could also have home build plans as an option and anyone esle might be persuaded, first step would obviously be renders which do cost time and money.

Anyway Dinghy development is the section title, lets bat it about at least, chuck some cold water, maybe this time I'll listen.

Edited by iGRF - 27 Sep 19 at 2:29pm

What happens if you stretch the Farr 3.7 concept to be more like 4.3, giving the extra waterline length to take on the Laser in the light stuff, but with the boxier hull shape both for stability and to give the high wind planing surface. You'd still lose out to the Laser in a real drift simply on wetted surface, but once hull length kicks in, with a far more efficient rig you'd be away.

It would, but would still fall over when left tied to the shore!

I believe Jim Hunt won the phantom national champs when he weighed around 12 stone. If you are good then much of this optimum weight stuff goes by the way. I liked my Contender although it frustrated me in the light stuff when sailing with lasers that were nearly as quick on a pond, but if all was good we wouldn't have anything to talk about on the forum.

Buy a Contender, join your local fleet and enjoy winning in the lighter wind.

We stopped needing new designs about 10 new boats ago.

Whilst I have never meet you Graeme I believe you are a small chap and hence relatively light weight (i.e. probably at or under 80kg). If that is the case you actually have a huge choice of boats already which are well established with large fleets nationally and internationally. Whilst these offerings sound like they do not appeal to you, I suspect that the issue will be convincing enough people to leave these well established classes to come join you!