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Papa Smurf View Drop Down
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    Posted: 28 Jun 16 at 5:57pm
[/QUOTE]

If they have any sensory perception left as decrepit Solo sailors what they'll experience next will go one of two ways. 1)They'll have a heart attack and die, thereby removing one of your competitors, 2)There will be an awakening, they'll realise that trolling about in that coffin on water has been literally dinghysailorwaitingtodie, the experience of a D Zero, it's curves under your calves, the way it hunts lifts for you, the way it passes through the water almost without leaving a shadow, never mind a wake. If they have any cash left in the pension pot, there will be a stampede to join you..[/QUOTE]

I may have to quote you on this next time I'm at the bar. It will be sure to get a response  Big smile
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Ardea View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Quote Ardea Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 28 Jun 16 at 9:12am
The Streaker is very similar speed to a solo and laser radial, if you are slow you can race against byte C2 and if you are fast  you can wind up the laser sailors.  If the solo fleet is strong at your club Id definitely recommend a sail in a streaker.
As my bias, I own & sail a streaker which I find a really nice boat to sail, you just seem to be fighting it less than a laser.  Having said that I didn't even look at the  d-zero because it was out of my budget and I was afraid I'd fall in love!
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iGRF View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Quote iGRF Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 28 Jun 16 at 9:07am
Originally posted by Papa Smurf

As has been said it is possible to introduce a new boat to the club that others will want to take up. The Zero is beautiful, modern and according to all reviews a pleasure to sail. I'm really tempted to sail the first one on this water.........Suck it and see I suppose. Try before you buy. 



If your lake is anything like our lake, camaraderie is there whatever you sail... As long as you remain in the pecking order. Now when you come along with something quick, like the D Zero, two things will happen, One they won't like it up them, you getting above yourself, Two they'll want a go in it.

If they have any sensory perception left as decrepit Solo sailors what they'll experience next will go one of two ways. 1)They'll have a heart attack and die, thereby removing one of your competitors, 2)There will be an awakening, they'll realise that trolling about in that coffin on water has been literally dinghysailorwaitingtodie, the experience of a D Zero, it's curves under your calves, the way it hunts lifts for you, the way it passes through the water almost without leaving a shadow, never mind a wake. If they have any cash left in the pension pot, there will be a stampede to join you..

Edited by iGRF - 28 Jun 16 at 9:08am
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Post Options Post Options   Quote Charmed Quark Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 28 Jun 16 at 8:16am
Having had an RS100 and then a Solo I came to the conclusion that having a boat you enjoy is the most important thing. 

I have gone for the new Hadron H2 which is really a single handed smooth skinned carbon Merlin with a fat head fully battened main. A real delight to sail with plenty of performance, beautiful manners, great comfort and being so light it is easy to manage ashore. It is also easy to recover if you do chuck it in. Carries weight no problem and goes well on sea and restricted waters. A windy close reach at sea is the most fun you can get with your trousers on. Whats not to like?

Everyone who sails it likes the boat and I am sure the class will grow to provide good one design competition in due course. Not as extreme as, say, the RS100 (although much faster upwind) but modern design and materials means it gives you a much better experience to sail than the traditional designs.

Certainly done it for me as a boat. Now need to see more out there to get the camaraderie of competition. Hope to have a few at Chichester Harbour Race Week (Fed Week) next month.  Try one, buy one and I'll race you!
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Papa Smurf View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Quote Papa Smurf Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 28 Jun 16 at 7:25am
Looking at myself and why I sail, one of the reasons I enjoy sailing so much is that I like the camaraderie and the competition. I also like to sail in and of itself, so finding a boat that is great to sail is also really important.

My problem is finding a boat that pulls these two motivators together.

As has been said it is possible to introduce a new boat to the club that others will want to take up. The Zero is beautiful, modern and according to all reviews a pleasure to sail. I'm really tempted to sail the first one on this water.

What is off putting is the thought that others in the more settled classes won't follow. They have good, close racing already in a boat they know and by all appearances enjoy. 

I have seen Solutions, Supernova's, Streakers, a Byte and a Phantom race around alone against the clock and it doesn't look like much fun no matter where you finish. The Solutions have now all gone, the Byte rarely sails, but Phantom and Streaker numbers have increased a little. 

I suppose the answer is to try the established classes first to see how I take to the boats. Those that sail them have been very welcoming, partly perhaps in an effort to maintain and increase fleet numbers, but certainly very supportive. As I mentioned in an earlier post, the best of the club helms sail these boats. I have no doubt I would learn a lot from sailing with them. 

Saying that, I think iGRF's suggestion that I will need to be in a faster boat than they are to be close enough to them to see how they do things is certainly valid.

Suck it and see I suppose. Try before you buy. 

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jeffers View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Quote jeffers Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 28 Jun 16 at 7:04am
Originally posted by turnturtle

it could probably do with a little more diversity too Jeffers.... no women competing at the nationals?  

Stark contrast to the Aero Southerns recently:

http://www.rsaerosailing.org/index.asp?p=results&rid=3249

Very cheap shot. There are ladies in the Zero fleet. Unfortunately they could not make it for a variety of reasons. We also have another lady who is about to join the fleet.
Paul
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Huck View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Quote Huck Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 27 Jun 16 at 5:13pm
The Zero does have Lady helms.  In fact one of which quite often destroys the boys.  Also a now on the committee.
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Post Options Post Options   Quote turnturtle Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 27 Jun 16 at 2:04pm
it could probably do with a little more diversity too Jeffers.... no women competing at the nationals?  

Stark contrast to the Aero Southerns recently:

http://www.rsaerosailing.org/index.asp?p=results&rid=3249
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jeffers View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Quote jeffers Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 27 Jun 16 at 12:18pm
Originally posted by Papa Smurf

I've always liked the Solution but, as you say, you don't see many about. We used to have four of them at our club but they have all faded away over the last couple of years. The class seems to have lost momentum, perhaps because of the arrival of the 'Zero and Aero.

The ex Solution sailors are now in Solo's and a Streaker - as appropriate to their weight :-)

There is a 'Zero up for sale reasonably close to me. They are beautiful and look to be well put together. Excellent reviews. The problem is that they are a new class. There aren't many about so there is nobody to race directly against. I'm based in Lancashire, well outside the area where the boat is being promoted, so a sail test is not going to happen. What is a little off-putting is that I have seen two one year-old boats for sale this year. Makes me think the owners are moving back to the traditional, established fleets after the novelty wears off.

But. I like beautiful and if the boat sails as well as reported I would have difficulty choosing the sensible option...
 

Papa smurf, I know the D-Zero that is for sale in your area. The reason it is for sale is because the owner has moved and no longer has a convenient club or the time to travel to get to one. He is sure he will return to sailing in the future (if it is the one in Yorkshire).

If have dropped you a PM as I can put you in touch with some D-Zero owners in your area who are happy to offer a go in their boats.

As for saying where the class is promoted, the CA are keen to encourage and support the northern contingent as we feel it is often an area where other classes fall down. We have a northern tour this year (I am off to the Birkett this coming weekend, feel free to swing by Ullswater and say hello).

In terms of general advice though (and taking my CA hat off for a moment) I cannot fail to echo the advice already given. if you want class racing then sail a class that is established at your local club. if you want something different go for the boat of your choice and then let others have a go (this is how Hunts went from 1 D-Zero to 5).

Also get a test sail in as many of your potentials as you can. The D-Zero CA can help there. for the other you would need to contact their CA and see what can be offered unless you can track down a local boat owner yourself.


Paul
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iGRF View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Quote iGRF Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 27 Jun 16 at 11:41am
Originally posted by Papa Smurf

I've always liked the Solution but, as you say, you don't see many about. We used to have four of them at our club but they have all faded away over the last couple of years. The class seems to have lost momentum, perhaps because of the arrival of the 'Zero and Aero.


My comment wasn't so much about the class, it was about the ability to buy a boat, they get picked up very quickly if they come on the market. As to the Class it is a bit North Centric because I guess all the early adopters come from up there, it also suffered at the time of your four with a bit of an unattainable yardstick which is now closer to where it ought to be versus the Laser, well until the laser decided to slow down some more thanks to PYAG muppetry.

Truth is you can have good battles with Lasers, on a Lake in lighter stuff you can trash them, on the sea in waves they'll trash you,like for like sailor weight and skill. You will also be able to mix it with the Solo's and this will give you the opportunity to sail alongside and watch helms that might be a bit better than you.

It honestly wasn't until i was able to follow some really sh*t hot helms for a bit, that I was able to mimic their sailing style and you can only do that initially in a boat faster than them, don't listen to all this class is best none sense, it really isn't. Until you are at optimum performance yourself, with your head straight and confident can you take folk on in a one design environment. Hanging on the rear end of a bunch of class fiends will condemn you to duckpond mentality and screw with your head, lose for a bit in something faster, study why you're losing, read all the books, but most of all stay in touch with the front of any fleet, there's more going on there you can learn from than bringing up the rear. I think a Solution is good for that on Lakes, I like the D Zero as well, but it might be a tad too fast for mixing it with Solo's and Lasers. Compared to the S boats it's a little more ponderous tacking, not much but on tree surrounded water you have to go where the wind says, whereas the D.Zero is more a res boat where the shifts don't Oscillate as fast and you can bang a corner with a degree of certainty. But either way, see what comes up either of those two would be good.
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