Why?

   Whoa.... 

As one of the early members of the Vortex Class Association and Yorkshire Dales (then Grimwith) megafleet, I sense the need for a little balance.

I no longer sail a Vortex but have had some of my best sailing in one.  It is a unique experience but anyone who has seen the Torquay Nationals video would be hard pressed not to agree that it looks like fun sailing and racing. 

Yes, it is not the full on experience of a 700 or skiff but that makes it more acheivable for the average sailor and, trust me, mastering it with the asymmetric is far from straight forward for the experienced sailor.  Upwind it is easily the best, smoothest sailing experience I have had and that includes an 800.  Downwind it can be a challenge in a blow because of the leeward hull and short waterline length but the best can master it.  It moderate winds it is great, a challenge but acheivable.  Admittedly it does not have the same 'feel' of a conventional monohull, just different.....  and yes it is hard to tack but not like most cats and not unlike any trapezing single handed boat in a blow.  

The added assymetric was carefully designed from good components and works better than other systems I have used....  with just the odd problem...  sheets under the hulls being the main one.  There is a carbon fibre shute mouth to match the tubular kite guide mocked above.

We have any number of fabulous blasting Vortex pics to balance the p*** take above.  I'll add if folk want.

The mistake Laser made in my view, putting some initial quality issues to one side, was to try and market it as a kind of inexperienced sailors trapeze boat.  Ok, there is stability around a start line, but that's were the simplicity ends. 

Edited by cjsailor - 05 Jan 12 at 10:26am

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cjsailor Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Newbie Joined: 26 Dec 11 Location: Leeds Online Status: Offline Posts: 11	Post Options Post Reply Quote cjsailor Report Post Quote Reply Topic: Why? Posted: 05 Jan 12 at 10:24am
	Whoa.... As one of the early members of the Vortex Class Association and Yorkshire Dales (then Grimwith) megafleet, I sense the need for a little balance. I no longer sail a Vortex but have had some of my best sailing in one. It is a unique experience but anyone who has seen the Torquay Nationals video would be hard pressed not to agree that it looks like fun sailing and racing. Yes, it is not the full on experience of a 700 or skiff but that makes it more acheivable for the average sailor and, trust me, mastering it with the asymmetric is far from straight forward for the experienced sailor. Upwind it is easily the best, smoothest sailing experience I have had and that includes an 800. Downwind it can be a challenge in a blow because of the leeward hull and short waterline length but the best can master it. It moderate winds it is great, a challenge but acheivable. Admittedly it does not have the same 'feel' of a conventional monohull, just different..... and yes it is hard to tack but not like most cats and not unlike any trapezing single handed boat in a blow. The added assymetric was carefully designed from good components and works better than other systems I have used.... with just the odd problem... sheets under the hulls being the main one. There is a carbon fibre shute mouth to match the tubular kite guide mocked above. We have any number of fabulous blasting Vortex pics to balance the p*** take above. I'll add if folk want. The mistake Laser made in my view, putting some initial quality issues to one side, was to try and market it as a kind of inexperienced sailors trapeze boat. Ok, there is stability around a start line, but that's were the simplicity ends. Edited by cjsailor - 05 Jan 12 at 10:26am

cjsailor Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Newbie Joined: 26 Dec 11 Location: Leeds Online Status: Offline Posts: 11	Post Options Post Reply Quote cjsailor Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 05 Jan 12 at 10:32am
	Here's a link to some clips from that Torbay video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S4da-JpFlYA This was pre kite of course. Edited by cjsailor - 05 Jan 12 at 10:45am

cjsailor Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Newbie Joined: 26 Dec 11 Location: Leeds Online Status: Offline Posts: 11	Post Options Post Reply Quote cjsailor Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 05 Jan 12 at 10:57am
	...and here is some asymmetric stuff http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=elWA2neH33A&feature=related best footage past the first bit so watch it all.

Iain C Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Really should get out more Joined: 16 Mar 04 Location: United Kingdom Online Status: Offline Posts: 1113	Post Options Post Reply Quote Iain C Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 05 Jan 12 at 11:15am
	cjsailor, it's just a bit of banter, there's no need to restore balance to the Force. Let's face it, 49ers are pretty agricultural, use them once and they're no longer competitive, Fireballs look like Toppers/coffins/Halfords roofboxes (delete as appropriate) with pocket hanky kites, foiling moths look like someone crashing a hang glider. FWIW I have sailed a Vortex, and yes they are a bit "unique" but I do see the point, especially in a blow. But come on, let's be honest, they are fugly... And you're right, I should have included a picture of the carbon fibre shute mouth. Here you go. Edited by Iain C - 05 Jan 12 at 11:16am
	RS700 GBR922 "Wirespeed" Fireball GBR14474 "Eleven Parsecs" Enterprise GBR21970 Bavaria 32 GBR4755L "Adastra"

cjsailor Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Newbie Joined: 26 Dec 11 Location: Leeds Online Status: Offline Posts: 11	Post Options Post Reply Quote cjsailor Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 05 Jan 12 at 11:32am
	Ok.... fugly... like a Zonda ! Nice looking shute by the way.

simonrh Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Posting king Joined: 10 Jan 10 Location: United Kingdom Online Status: Offline Posts: 186	Post Options Post Reply Quote simonrh Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 07 Jan 12 at 11:17am
	I loved my Vortex as an easier "in" to single handed trapeze and asymmetric handling. Like so many other boats, it might be easy to get in and sail initially but to sail it well takes masses of time-in-the-boat to get half way decent. Do clubs still really do the "not sure if it is a catamaran or not" thing? It is the same length and 5.5" wider than a std laser so only needs a normal berth? Handicap tends to give away that it isn't a catamaran and, after all, it only has one hull! If you wanted to buy a boat for not much cash to get into the vaguely skiff style sailing then they are great. My one sold for 1700 fully fitted with 3 mains ( 1 new) and all road kit.
	Vortex Asymmetric 1064 Dart 18 7118 Smartkat stunt sailor extraordinaire

winging it Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Really should get out more Joined: 22 Mar 07 Online Status: Offline Posts: 3958	Post Options Post Reply Quote winging it Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 07 Jan 12 at 11:32am
	the Torbay footage does make it look tempting - the venue that is. The contenders have their nationals there in September. edited to say that if I'm trap sailing by then, and the waves get a tad bigger, I'll probably be wishing I was on a vortex Edited by winging it - 07 Jan 12 at 11:33am
	the same, but different...

Matt Jackson Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Really should get out more Joined: 21 Sep 04 Location: Darlington Online Status: Offline Posts: 962	Post Options Post Reply Quote Matt Jackson Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 08 Jan 12 at 9:31pm
	I loved my many Contenders and gave Vortex sailors a hard time as much as others but those guys that couldn't spend lots of hours on the water got on much better with the Vortex than the Contender. This meant they still got in some quality sailing rather than flopping around in the drink just after the windward mark or worse making the gybe mark a lot wider! I think the Vortex could do very well given a similar game plan as the Blaze... and possibly a re-think on the kite system.
	Laser 203001, Harrier (H+) 36

Ginge Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Posting king Joined: 28 Dec 11 Location: Isle Of Axholme, Doncaster Online Status: Offline Posts: 117	Post Options Post Reply Quote Ginge Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 08 Jan 12 at 10:24pm
	Does anybody know when they will be building them again?
	Laser

rogue Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Really should get out more Joined: 04 Dec 08 Location: United Kingdom Online Status: Offline Posts: 978	Post Options Post Reply Quote rogue Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 08 Jan 12 at 10:33pm
	the problem with what I've read about the Vortex renaissance is that they are desperate to replicate the current boat (all bar some pointless T-Foils). The should go down a box rule that allows old boats to comply, but FFS, put right the bits that are wrong with it from a ground up approach. The number of people who say, "hmm Vortex, looks aside, it could have almost been a perfect performance singlehander" Well if they just bloody fixed the bits that were wrong with it, (as Cirrus/BCA so rightly did with the Blaze) then it might actually be worth a damn.