first single hander

   I am returning to sailing after 14 years. I've basically forgotten most of what I had learnt! 55 years young, 95kg and 6 foot 1inch tall.

I've read most of the 'which boat' threads, so have a shortlist of single-handers:

Laser (with rooster 8.1 rig)
Phantom
RS300
Solution
Hadron H2
Supernova
Aero 9
Devoti D Zero

I will be sailing inland on a small puddle where the wind dies in the evening. I want to join in the evening racing after getting myself up to speed. There are several lasers( sailed by shorter and smaller helms), a byte C2, a streaker, a europe, a miracle, a gp14 and an rs200 who regularly sail in the evening.

So, which of the typical recommendations for my weight, height, age, and experience would be best inland on a small puddle in light airs?

Author	Message Share Topic Printable Version Delicious Digg Facebook Furl Google MySpace Newsvine reddit StumbleUpon Translate Twitter Windows Live Yahoo Bookmarks Topic Search Topic Options Post Reply Create New Topic
wolfram Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Newbie Joined: 30 Jul 21 Online Status: Offline Posts: 23	Post Options Post Reply Quote wolfram Report Post Quote Reply Topic: first single hander Posted: 30 Jul 21 at 1:11pm
	I am returning to sailing after 14 years. I've basically forgotten most of what I had learnt! 55 years young, 95kg and 6 foot 1inch tall. I've read most of the 'which boat' threads, so have a shortlist of single-handers: Laser (with rooster 8.1 rig) Phantom RS300 Solution Hadron H2 Supernova Aero 9 Devoti D Zero I will be sailing inland on a small puddle where the wind dies in the evening. I want to join in the evening racing after getting myself up to speed. There are several lasers( sailed by shorter and smaller helms), a byte C2, a streaker, a europe, a miracle, a gp14 and an rs200 who regularly sail in the evening. So, which of the typical recommendations for my weight, height, age, and experience would be best inland on a small puddle in light airs?
	Wolfram

423zero Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Really should get out more Joined: 08 Jan 15 Location: United Kingdom Online Status: Offline Posts: 3419	Post Options Post Reply Quote 423zero Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 30 Jul 21 at 1:55pm
	Laser and Aero 9 probably the simplest of these, talking rigging.
	Robert

wolfram Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Newbie Joined: 30 Jul 21 Online Status: Offline Posts: 23	Post Options Post Reply Quote wolfram Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 30 Jul 21 at 2:16pm
	I have experience (in the dim and distant past) of lots of rig controls on a national 12 so not that daunted by lots of string.
	Wolfram

Old bloke Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Posting king Joined: 03 Nov 17 Online Status: Offline Posts: 121	Post Options Post Reply Quote Old bloke Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 30 Jul 21 at 2:54pm
	Jeremy Clarkson once wrote that the answer to almost every "what car should I buy?". Was:- buy a Golf. The boring sensible answer to "what singlehandedly should I buy?". Is buy a laser. You'll be sailing against other people, having competion, making friends and if you don't like it, you can easily sell it.

iGRF Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Visit Member's Homepage Really should get out more Joined: 07 Mar 11 Location: Hythe Online Status: Offline Posts: 6499	Post Options Post Reply Quote iGRF Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 30 Jul 21 at 2:59pm
	No question, get a Phantom and trash the lot of them over the water, then joke as they trash you back on handicap, but you'll be out front, looking down the boom at them, you can do things like ask them why they can't keep up, oh and don't even hike, they love that, if you're just sat there. Take a flask, pour some coffee.. they like that even more, just don't offer them any.. Unless they can keep up of course.. A recentish Epoxy Sandwich version built by say Vandercraft, or similar, they're dead easy to sail and at 95 kg I'd say you're heavy enough in the conditions you speak of. Edited by iGRF - 30 Jul 21 at 3:04pm
	Snow Equipment Deals New Core Kite website

eric_c Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Far too distracted from work Joined: 21 Jan 18 Online Status: Offline Posts: 382	Post Options Post Reply Quote eric_c Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 30 Jul 21 at 3:14pm
	Some of those singlehanders you list are faster than anything you will be racing against? So you will have to be miles ahead and 'out of touch' with the fleet to be competitive? You might learn more racing something about the same speed as the other boats? A Laser with other Lasers to learn from is rarely a big mistake. But look at the people not just the boats. Who are the kind of people you relate to? If e.g. the Laser sailors are all very good young and serious maybe you'd have more fun focussing on other boats? Personally I consider the boats and sailors who will give me a good race on the water and I try not to worry about doing well on PY. The rooster 8.1 can be hard to sail to its PY, but it can keep you in touch with faster classes sometimes. Some people the OP's size and age are more supple and agile than I am. others will find things like the Laser awkward in light air and would be happier with a Finn or Phantom. If you are going to spend proper money, think perhaps beyond your own pond. Which classes have local opens or fleets with regattas? Which classes offer coaching? Which classes hold events in nice places you might want to sail? These are great ways to improve your game.

wolfram Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Newbie Joined: 30 Jul 21 Online Status: Offline Posts: 23	Post Options Post Reply Quote wolfram Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 30 Jul 21 at 4:31pm
	Thanks for the advice so far. I have never owned a golf Good points about the racing with the fleet. The Solution is closest on PY to the lasers.
	Wolfram

epicfail Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Groupie Joined: 01 Dec 19 Online Status: Offline Posts: 61	Post Options Post Reply Quote epicfail Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 30 Jul 21 at 4:41pm
	I returned to sailing after over 30 years off, it's like riding a bike etc -racing makes you better and it's great fun.

wolfram Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Newbie Joined: 30 Jul 21 Online Status: Offline Posts: 23	Post Options Post Reply Quote wolfram Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 30 Jul 21 at 5:34pm
	Yes - I ventured out in the club Fusion for the first time a couple of weeks ago - I managed to sail a triangular course, putting in tacks, gybes - close hauled up wind, hiking on a broad reach, and silently running with the dagger-board up. It was great fun! I was surprised how much I had remembered. However, my tacking was appalling - I was completely at sixes and sevens - It can't have helped that I almost exclusively used aft sheeting in the past. Lots to remember, lots to learn (racing rules!) and lots to refine.
	Wolfram

Do Different Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Visit Member's Homepage Really should get out more Joined: 26 Jan 12 Location: North Online Status: Offline Posts: 1312	Post Options Post Reply Quote Do Different Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 30 Jul 21 at 7:36pm
	Phantom all day long: originally designed specifically for your size and inland waters.