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boatshed View Drop Down
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Posts: 457 		Post Options Post Options   Quote boatshed Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Topic: Lark Dinghy
    Posted: 02 Aug 19 at 4:02pm
Larks are cheap second hand, so, it'll not break the bank to get a decent club racer.  They do have a few "interesting" vices meaning in a breeze, they happily nose dive and their round sections make them roll quite alarmingly on a run.  Their glory years were in the 70's and 80's with 100+ nationals attendance and getting in the top ten then was good going.  They are good on inland waters.   Although it doesn't have a kite, the Tasar is a much better, quicker and more civilised boat. 


Edit.  If your racing is typical "round the cans" stuff, in my opinion, an asymmetric kite is the way to go.   What about a Merlin Rocket?


Edited by boatshed - 02 Aug 19 at 4:18pm
Steve
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Sussex Lad View Drop Down
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Posts: 360 		Post Options Post Options   Quote Sussex Lad Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 02 Aug 19 at 3:56pm
Yes Albacore a lovely boat, sailed one a few times with a heavy weight mate, couldn't fault it. My wife though is about 8.5 stone I'm just over 11.25.......we're a bit small for an albacore.

Because of crew comfort issues we have been sailing the L2 in strong stuff and the Ent in light stuff. Nearly every time we've sailed this year the wind has varied considerably during races leaving us wishing we'd chosen the other boat. This way lies madness. It's no way to get results in a series either no matter how bad those results might be. We need a wind strength all rounder, reasonably good and comfortable in the light stuff and something that suits our weight when it gets stronger.......it has to be a symmetric, my wife likes something nuanced to do up front, I like them too. it has to be small to suit our weight and for dragging around on shingle. It has to be hiking with crew comfort in light stuff.

Aesthetics, although not the be all and end all are important too, The Lark is a very pretty little boat imo. It helps the "feel good" factor of being in a specific boat. 

Not made a final decision yet, not until we've tried one, so I may be back

Edited by Sussex Lad - 02 Aug 19 at 4:08pm
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Old bloke View Drop Down
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Posts: 121 		Post Options Post Options   Quote Old bloke Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 02 Aug 19 at 11:18am
No spinnaker but the Albacore has to be the most knee friendly dinghy
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andymck View Drop Down
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Posts: 397 		Post Options Post Options   Quote andymck Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 02 Aug 19 at 7:25am
Read the original post
A scorpion although a lovely boat is not suitable for a crew who may have to have a new knee.
Andy Mck
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Mark Aged 42 View Drop Down
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Posts: 98 		Post Options Post Options   Quote Mark Aged 42 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 01 Aug 19 at 2:08pm
Is the 420 an option? Nice and comfy for the crew and symmetrical spinnaker. With a 2 adult helm/crew combo, the trapeze would not need to be used unless it got very windy.
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JimC View Drop Down
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Posts: 6662 		Post Options Post Options   Quote JimC Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 01 Aug 19 at 12:21pm
Scorpion will plane easily upwind??!
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JohnJack View Drop Down
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Posts: 246 		Post Options Post Options   Quote JohnJack Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 01 Aug 19 at 11:36am
Originally posted by Sussex Lad

 

Scorpion has come up in discussion elsewhere. Have sailed against them at the Sheppey race a few times and they do look quite good with a versatile rig although very narrow for a hiking boat. Look like they could be quite a handful when the wind gets up.

For the moment I'm trying to get info on the Lark. 

I would second the Scorpion. Really good boats if you want a bit of performance as well. Very controllable rig and easier to de-power.
It is narrower yes, however the advantage of that is the crew tends to be sat on the side rather than stuck under the boom on the thwart even in the light. Will plane easily upwind and points nicely well balanced and pretty stable for a fast boat. Pretty good in a blow to.
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NicolaJayne View Drop Down
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Posts: 109 		Post Options Post Options   Quote NicolaJayne Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 01 Aug 19 at 9:49am
Originally posted by jaydub

The Lark was based on Mike Jackson's March Hare design IIRC.


https://www.national12.org/boats/index.php?objecttype=design&action=list_boats_of_design&design=March%20Hare
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NicolaJayne View Drop Down
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Posts: 109 		Post Options Post Options   Quote NicolaJayne Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 01 Aug 19 at 9:48am
Originally posted by rich96

Originally posted by Sussex Lad




The rear end of a Lark doesn't look much like a 12 to me, more like the 2 imo although I hadn't clocked the rocker.  ....that aside thanks for the encouragement Rich  and yes the L2 is awful in the light stuff Smile


It was designed in the 60s by a well know N12 designer. It wont look like a recent 12 but was like 12s of that time


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Sussex Lad View Drop Down
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Posts: 360 		Post Options Post Options   Quote Sussex Lad Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 29 Jul 19 at 8:30pm
Originally posted by RS400atC


Unless the crew is out on the wire, most things are better than a Laser 2.



That was the case when the py for the 2 was 1035. Now sadly (or happily depending on your perspective) the PY is 1085 it will clean up with both hiking if sailed at a reasonable club standard. Happily for us our club agreed to our request to reduce the figure by 40 otherwise I would have been too embarrassed to race it.
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