Modern symmetric two-hander?

Would a light, wide, small rig boat not have other problems? Incidentally I saw a caravan being reversed into a driveway by remote control. It had an electric motor fixed to the jockey wheel. Sit on the prom and the boat drives up on it's own.

Weight is a really important factor and tends to put people off using boats. When I see Wayfarers on trolleys at our club I know they will not be going out much. Just too d*** hard at the end of the day.

I think it was JimC who said that a light boat is a joy from the moment you take it out to the moment you put it back. This is how I feel.

However even light boats are actually quite large pieces of sporting equipment. Though I have never sailed one I expect that picking up a Tasar and turning it over is not that easy unless you have a nice piece of smooth grass and space. Things like Merlins are probably more difficult as the shape is just hard to hold onto. So many times with things it's not just the weight but the shape as well when handling them.

With the bigger boats like Wayfarers it is probably really dangerous handling them without a lot of help. Steep slopes, unbraked trolleys and heavy boats are painful. I'm lucky to be in one piece.

So back to the modern symetric two hander. Many boats are separable, tenders, canoes and kayaks and tandem sailboards come to mind.

What I'd like is a boat like the Tasar, a bit more stable but about the same weight which can be broken down for storage and maintenance. Three or more pieces of boat each weighing 25kg or so would be managable. I have no usable garden so they would have be easily stacked and stored.

A lot of thought has been given to all sorts of lifting equipment, in the dinghy world we are still using trolley technology from the age of horse drawn transport. There has got to be room for a really radical solution.

I really like Chris' classical post, made me smile.

Things like Merlins are probably more difficult as the shape is just hard to hold onto. So many times with things it's not just the weight but the shape as well when handling them.

Riv
Actually getting a Merlin off the trolley and turned over on its side is dead easy, can be managed by one person and not a superman either! I have a bad back that flips out for no discernable reason (which is one good reason to sail the Merlin as I can stretch out). The width makes it easy to lift and when she is on her side, she stays in position.

Getting back on the trolley singlehanded is slightly more problematic but nothing that cannot be solved by a rope through a pulley attached to a fixed point behind the stern which allows you to lift the bow up while pulling the trolley under. Much easier with a body to push the trolley under but crew's are never around when needed!

Point of information

The Merlin has I believe a MINIMUM class weight of 98kg without rig and possibly its rudder as well.  Icon has always had a target production hull weight of 75kg.   I know nothing of the hull  GRF appears to have access to, but I simply cannot believe it is heavier than any Merlin one ... it should of course be many many kg's lighter.   The original Icon hulls were all vinylester so should have no water take-up problems either - so it might just be worth weighing it ! .... and the Merlin 

Mike L. 

Or maybe the bandit Merlin GRF always talks about has been cheeky with the corrector weights....I suspect not mind, its probably his age playing tricks with him!