Icon

Originally posted by Slippery Jim Haven´t heard of any Altos doing much recently though

I got to say that you've not been looking then Jim.

The Class now has demo boats available at Oxford SC, Deben YC and Wilsonian SC.

The Class series has been a great success with Alto's taking the top 4 places at the Medway Regatta (no 59ers in attendance), 3 boats at the Weymouth Sailfest gaining 12th, 24th and 80th places of 86 (no 59ers in attendance), 10th and 19th of 84 at the Round Sheppey Race (no 59ers in attendance). One ALTO went to the NSSA Regatta this year getting 3rd in the F/H Fleet (no 59ers in attendance).

Whilst I don't want to turn this in to a "willy-waving" competition, I'd ask you not to make disparaging comments about a Class in the way that you have please.

I've not enjoyed sailing as much as I have this year in over a decade! Sailing with my son up front has been fantastic in this boat, and the Class racing we've enjoyed has been incredibly tight despite the massive differences in weights between crews. Sailfest was just a total dream, with us, the Isos and Javelins battling around the course in perfect conditions.

For anyone that'd like to see first hand what the ALTO is about, feel free to contact Jo through SailAlto.com to have a sail.

Originally posted by iGRF   Because I've ruined several sports already commercialising them and this is my retirement hobby

Originally posted by iGRF Originally posted by 2547 Originally posted by iGRF   Because I've enhanced several sports already commercialising them and this is my retirement hobby  F tfy ... Ftfy

Barring the fact that I really like the minority group I've been hanging out with for the last ten years I'd have one tomorrow, makes a lot of sense to me from a boat design point of view. 

Originally posted by Ecosse The one thing I'll say is that the guys who've sailed Icons seem to REALLY like them for many reasons but primarily because they say they are fantastic to helm upwind, quick around the course, the rig really works and they are more stable than a lot. Seems Icons are good in most conditions and great in a blow and will accept a range of crew sizes up to about 25 stone. Anyone got any honest opinions on the boat .... not from the Forum Chat but from actually sailing one..... interested to hear some honest views from people who like it the way it is and not with Twin Trapezes, foils, a Rig from an international 14 and the bowsprit from an 18' skiff!  The boat isn't expensive so I hope that people will realise its good and start buying, don't want to be the only one having fun

I have been sailing an Icon for 18 months and I would absolutely agree with all of the comments that Ecosse has picked up and would add that, being very easy to depower, it also works surprisingly well with a lighter overall crew weight. Performance in big seas is also impressive, both upwind and down.
One of the reasons I chose the Icon was because I wanted a double hander that wasn’t going to be too demanding in terms of crew skills and yet was still going to be interesting for both of us to sail. This year I had a beginner RS700 helm as crew on Sundays and a complete novice as crew on Wednesdays and it worked! A few weeks back neither were available and it was the first time I had to make a second phone call to find a replacement. So a double hander that is exciting to sail but with the minimum of crew hassle.   Grf is moving his version in a different direction (nothing surprising there) but if that works for him then great.