RS500 (Again)

Have you sailed both Xpletive? How did you like the non-slip on the 500? And the leap out onto the wire for the crew in that same boat?

The 500, shorter, heavier & bigger-rigged, is certainly much more of a handful from what I've observed, and you'd expect a significantly better performance in excahnge for the hassle wouldn't you?

So far at Wilsonian it's first blood to the 3000 over the 500 - and that was a Laser 3000, on the water! With a V3000: no contest, except in the lightest conditions I'm guessing. And then the V3k is much easier to pull up the beach!

RS are recommending 960 for the 500, I believe, though all my calcs tend towards 1000. The V3k is starting off officially on the same PY as the Laser 3k - 1030 - which probably makes it a bit of a bandit (make hay while the sun shines!); but the CA has discussed suggesting 1010 as a trial number for starters.

The final numbers are likely to be pretty similar for both boats, in my humble opinion, with 500 owners going through the agonies that befell RS Vareo sailors, who this season sent out pleading letters to clubs asking them to use an easier number!

Originally posted by NickA PS: Graemef:  hear you sold your last boat "just in time"!!  Hope the 500 is nice and strong (should be at the weight ).

I sold it "too soon" I'm boat less, rescue boat duty again this weekend. A
young lad at our club has it, he's already converted it to sheet from the
rear of the boat, and he's got a new set of sails.

There's a load of upping of the ante at our club, nothing winds them up
more than a couple of loud mouthed windsurfers who have spent years
telling them they are all t**sers, jumping in a boat and giving them a
serious run for their money. Imagine the horror for them that a new fast
boat will bring.

And if you think I'm unbearable writing on here, imagine the pain you'll
suffer if I've just giving you a thrashing on the water. Especially if I get my
naked butt out as we come by on a three sail reach in a force five

The laser 2 boys we are normally locked in combat with have bought an
ex Olympic 470, One of the supernovas has gone for the junior version of
the Iso forget what its called, it aint going to save him, an RS 300 has just
shown up, not sure about that he can sail.

But whatever its going to be interesting and the pace has hotted up at
Hythe.

But one thing is written in stone.

If a laser 3000 beats us.

We'll eat it.

Originally posted by hum3 Originally posted by Medway Maniac The final numbers are likely to be pretty similar for both boats, in my humble opinion, with 500 owners going through the agonies that befell RS Vareo sailors, who this season sent out pleading letters to clubs asking them to use an easier number! Sort of... The letter is available for Vareo sailors to give to their club to help explain that the current PY was more intended to be used on windward/leeward courses, and not round the cans. The round the cans PY is similar to the 200's I recall.

The Vareo has two py numbers?  If only the B14 did... we can't reach with our kite on club courses and it kills us... owners start lobbying for "course specific py's"! 

V3000 vs RS500? 

For me it was the singlehandability that did it.  Don't think I'd cope with an RS500 on my tod, and would certainly not be allowed to race it that way at opens.

And a 3 sail trapeze boat that weighs little more than a laser 1 certainly is a fun thing to have - even wheeling it up the slipway is a pleasure!

Plus: it's custom built in the UK not mass produced in South America.

I'm sure the RS500 is a good boat and will sell in droves - but so far I'm still glad I bought the V3000 instead.  Try both before you buy.  If any RS500 owner fancies a boat swap for an afternoon, please give me a call.