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Dinghy for a Middle Aged Starter
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themeaningoflife View Drop Down
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Joined: 06 May 11
Location: Essex/ Kent
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Posts: 212 		Post Options Post Options   Quote themeaningoflife Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Topic: Dinghy for a Middle Aged Starter
    Posted: 23 May 11 at 7:19pm
vareo? plenty big enough for 2 with the kite 2 keep kids interested but easy to handle for somebody your size with just the main (small or large) just in case you hadn't chosen already :)
Cambridge University Lightweight Rowing Club
RS800 1128

kindly sponsored by RWO Marine
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stewart smith View Drop Down
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Posts: 62 		Post Options Post Options   Quote stewart smith Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 23 May 11 at 6:58pm

Don’t bother with a ½ boat!  Buy a catamaran.  Many can be sailed easily single handed, as well as two up.  Catamarans give you a gentle learning curve, a great family picnic platform and great fun from the start.  They can be sailed in a wide range of winds and good well made boat can be found quite cheep.
Stewart Smith
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rickstar 1027 View Drop Down
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Posts: 44 		Post Options Post Options   Quote rickstar 1027 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 21 Feb 11 at 8:22am
no DO NOT GET A FEVA the mainsail on its own sails horrible
i would go with mirror
miracle
cadet
dracombe ........
Mirror 58430
Laser
Vortex 1027
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doeywizard View Drop Down
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Posts: 150 		Post Options Post Options   Quote doeywizard Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 10 Jan 11 at 6:07pm
The rs feva is a good two person boat and it can also be sailed with just a main sail on your own, there was some one in the YHYSA who saild it single handed and was doing very well
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getafix View Drop Down
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Posts: 2143 		Post Options Post Options   Quote getafix Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 10 Jan 11 at 9:43am
GP's have a nice deep cockpit and the boom is relatively high = most have 'seats' inside too, this is a really good feature IMO for family sailing.  The space under the transom and foredeck (depending on design you get) can be extremely useful for stowing beach, fishing and picnic stuff too. They are heavy, so steep or slippery slipways are not brilliant, but if you can get one cheap enough, then ~£250 spent on a really good launching trolley makes a lot of this issue go away, you can also fit a small outboard pretty easily as well (although not too small as you need some grunt to get a GP with two or three people onboard & some gear moving, particularly if you have tide &/or wind against you).
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RS400atC View Drop Down
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Posts: 3011 		Post Options Post Options   Quote RS400atC Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 30 Nov 10 at 12:14pm
A GP14 would be too heavy in some places, they are not the lightest boats to pull up the slip, with only one adult. They are of course, absolutely great fleet racing boats, for racing against other GP14's.
My advice would be to join a club with similar members, then look for a boat of the same class as some of the other people there sail. Most people will take you out for a trial sail, although it's not the ideal time of year.
In our club, comparable Dad/Child teams sail Visions, RS200, National 12, Vago.
Don't necessarily go for something too slow and underpowered, you want it to be responsive in light air.
 
One thing I would say, is buy a boat with the idea that you might move on from it as your skills and interests develop. And as people grow up of course. So think twice before investing too much cash or winter hours on your first boat. One of you might take to racing seriously for instance.
Just look for a sound, well sorted example of a class that will be easy to sell on later.
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kfz View Drop Down
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Posts: 96 		Post Options Post Options   Quote kfz Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 25 Nov 10 at 10:05pm
Originally posted by JimC

GP14 - Not too heavy?? This is one of those statements that prospective buyers should evaluate for themselves at their own venue, because whilst doubtless its true for the person making the statement there are many who would find that its not true for themselves in their circumstances.


Yes absolutely

Kev
GP14 Fleet Captain
Liverpool Sailing Club

Liverpool SC
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JimC View Drop Down
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Posts: 6660 		Post Options Post Options   Quote JimC Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 25 Nov 10 at 8:16pm
GP14 - Not too heavy?? This is one of those statements that prospective buyers should evaluate for themselves at their own venue, because whilst doubtless its true for the person making the statement there are many who would find that its not true for themselves in their circumstances.
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kfz View Drop Down
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Posts: 96 		Post Options Post Options   Quote kfz Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 25 Nov 10 at 6:45pm
Considor a GP14

Cheap as chips
Lots have varnished decks
Classic styling
Dead stable
Low running costs
Designed for family sailing
Racing at all levels
Cruising at all levels
Very popular lots of clubs
at home in Tidal water
Often fitted with reefing
Standard boat with cheap standard off the shelf fittings
easily maintainable at home
Active class association which fixes spares prices
Not too heavy
Jib or Genoa  (vital for young crew)
Choice of wood, GRP or FRP

Certainly works for me. My lad  is six and has just got the hang of steering and trying hard with the jib.

Kev
GP14 Fleet Captain
Liverpool Sailing Club

Liverpool SC
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doeywizard View Drop Down
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Posts: 150 		Post Options Post Options   Quote doeywizard Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 25 Nov 10 at 6:30pm
if it was a single hander what you want then a solo or streaker but if you want a multihander then there is enterprize (but you cant sail that single handed) if your daughter wants to sail then I would advise getting competative in a single hander (but that might just be me). 
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