Topaz 16CX

I agree with Sprint Bob, we have a few D16's in the club but they hardly ever go out and I've never seen one race. I think many boats are sold on the Neilson factor in that they sail one in Greece on holiday and buy one when they get back.. same with Pico's..

In honesty the dart 16 is an excellent school boat, indestructible yet simple to sail and get a buzz while your learning.. after that it's time to move on.

The 16CX from topper, we have one as a training boat at Carsington..  very well kitted out and everything seems to work well. Like the D16 its pretty much indestructible but it seems to have a little more likeability.. the bubble wrap textured non-slip takes some getting used to but at least its on the inside of the hulls also so you don't keep falling off while trying to right the boat.

IMHO - Dart 16 is great second hand if your on a budget, anyone new to cat sailing will be bored by the end of the summer though.. 16Cx and Dart 16x, better options for long term ownership so long as your not counting the deprecation

 

 

Originally posted by Dermot M Originally posted by alstorer There's also the Dart 16x, which Laser are claiming to be lighter/stronger- at a guess, they're using the same moulds with different plastic mix. But I guess there will be few second hand ones of those yet. There is no difference between a new Dart 16 and a new Dart 16X apart from the sails and chute kit. The hulls are exactly the same.

You saying they lie on their website? They claim 15% lighter.

If what is being suggested is actual fact and the new dart 16 (not the 16x) has the lighter hulls then Its a good job many of them don't race .. so much for the one design ethos!! it's just a shame that all the old boats are probably going to lose a great chunk of value as a result..

this is good news to the beginner though.. buy a cheap dart 16 to get used to cat sailing.. after a year (when your bored) flog it on and get something much better.. you'll probably not even lose any money if you buy cheap enough..

Edited by Yello Streak

"Also I don't believe that the Dart 16 was originally designed as a "One Design" It was a fun holiday cat. It's so much fun that people just started racing it."

Sorry but I picked this up from the class rules..

1.1     The Dart 16 was created as a strict one-design dinghy where the true test when raced is between crews and not boats and equipment.  The fundamental objective of the Dart 16 Class Rules (“The Rules”) is to ensure the strict one design concept is maintained

I bought a 16CX early this year and the grin hasn't left my face yet...it's flippin ace.  I usually sail it single handed, albeit as it's fairly breezy on the Solent,  this has meant without the jib, as of course the sails are mylar and fully battened.  In fact, last week I got Banks to make me up a Dacron jib and I've stuck a furler on the forestay, so I now have options to depower the boat in variable conditions when out alone.  The boat is fast, agile and on the rare occasion of a capsize (oh and one very hairy pitchpole when I was being plain stupid), she is an absolute cinche to get back upright, singlehanded.  I bought cattrax wheels and can comfortably launch and recover her alone on the steep stones at Stokes Bay, so she's not that heavy (about the same as a Dart 18 I guess).  The upsides - fast boat, great fun, indestructible plastic, twin trapeze, assymetric, ability to sail single handed, looks gorgeous.  Downsides - despite many requests, Topper still haven't sorted a rigging manual out - happy enough to flog you a boat, no interest in showing you how to rig it safely!  I had to get a seperate jib made, albeit Topper would have sold me their boring training jib and had to fork out for the bigger wheel trolley.  If you're not sure about buying one, I'm at Stokes bay in Gosport, the boat is 'Princess Natalie', if you've got insurance cover, come hunt me out and we'll take it for a blast.  As for the Dart 16 competition - yet to race, but as the 16CX is lighter, has a greater sail area and mylar sails, I guess it's likely to be faster in the right hands.  I'd have to look at the paperwork, but off the top of my head I think the PY for the 16CX is 840, perhaps that could help settle the debate?