Which Boat

I have a Phantom for sale if you want to have a go. Message me.

Epoxy Phantoms started well before S/N 1175 - more like 1100

If you are just wanting to sail (rather than race) an earlier GRP would be ok (less stiff and heavier but much cheaper)

Don't think its a beginners boat - it can be a proper handful when its blowing. But great boats.

Ok so after a lot of discussions etc I have decided on the phantom, I have read a lot about them and the different masts etc. so last question grp or epoxy, which is stronger? 

Compared to the others on your list, the Phantom is head and shoulders above for speed and pedigree-feeling.  By no means too stable as you seem to be supposing with "a little flat on the water as I want a thrill too".  You can lay it on one chine for a rest, but just try sailing it dead upright on all points of sailing - you'll have your work cut out!

Well the thing is the last 3 on your list are rotomoulded thermoplastic boats.
This is a different form of construction, used primarily for entry level boats and ones for the less committed racer.
Its main advantages are:

- cheaper mass production
- very resilient to knocks and bumps

The main disadvantages are:-

- tends to be rather heavier, especially for larger boats
- not as stiff, which tends to mean the boat feels a bit less crisp to the experienced sailor

The Solo and the Phantom are full on race boats, and even though the Solo is a rather small and slowish boat of rather elderly design, modern foam sandwich (=glass fibre) ones are the fastest possible slowish elderly design if that makes any sense! Both have been in production for a good many years, which means that there are older cheaper and not as intrinsically fast boats about, including wood as well as plastic ones.

The Vareo is kinda between the two stools. Its not really a full on race boat, but its not entry level either.

Edited by JimC - 25 Jul 15 at 12:54pm