What boat to buy?

Hi all,

One more of the many beginners asking the question. About to buy my first boat and don't know what. so any advice would be very much appreciated.

I am 36, 5ft10, 11st and reasonably fit. Got my Level 2 a few months back and maybe another 20 hours or so on club boats for practice. all of my experience has been on Wayfarers and 420s.

In terms of the requirements.

I want a single handed dinghy but would like to be able to take my wife on board for some casual sailing.

For now, I just want to be able to practice, but don't want something that will get boring after a few months. don't want a boat designed for pros only either.

While I am reasonably fit, I wouldn't want a boat that is very uncomfortable to sail.

Budget-wise, I was thinking of something around £2k but it can be stretched. Its not that I cant afford to pay more, its that I am thinking that its not worth for a beginner to spend a lot of money (on a boat that he is likely to damage as well).

Looking at the club boats, most single handed seem to be Solos and Vareos, with a few Lasers. I was thinking of buying a laser to be honest (as I think Solos are too expensive), but the club instructors don't seem very keen on them (and they do look very uncomfortable)

Any advice or thoughts welcome

I don't think any boat really does that dual purpose bit very well.

My advice is always to join a club where they have two handed club boats available to borrow/rent and use those when you want to take the wife out for casual sailing, and get the singlehander that best suits you for singlehanded sailing.

I think you have to go and sail them really, because different people like different things about their boats.

The Vareo has the spinnaker which adds [extra interest/unneeded complication] (delete as applicable).

I personally don't like sailing Lasers much (other than messing about in waves when I was younger and fitter) so I'm not a good judge, but its probably a better boat upwind than the Vareo.

The modern foam sandwich Solo is undoubtedly a more sophisticated and thus rather more expensive boat to buy than the Laser, but various design features mean that it should cost rather less to run, so it probably all evens out in the long term.

The Solo sails will last much longer before needing replacement, the hull material will stay stiffer longer are probably the key things. Don't ask me to predict depreciation!!

I've just bought an old GRP Solo for £400 as a first boat.

My plan is to develop my technique in it then buy a laser.