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Wood or GRP?
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Bootscooter View Drop Down
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    Posted: 02 Jan 13 at 9:52am
I did think about double-handers, but;
a) We're both helms
2. My job makes weekends at home unpredictable at best.
... so I have looked at daft stuff like old 49ers, L5000 etc but I don't think it's workable.
 
At Farmoor we have a fantastic Laser Fleet, an Assymetric Fleet, and Handicap Fleets which includes a couple of 600s and 2/3 Dart 15s that sail reasonably regularly during the summer.
 
We have a couple of Lasers that are not going to be sold as he'll no doubt go back into the Yoof thing next year, so this is meant to be a "sh*ts and giggles" boat - I don't see the point of us getting another hiking unarig single-hander each when I want (and he does too) us to do something completely different.  I had pretty well decided that the OK would be ace (I used to race one many moons ago Big smile) especially considering his Finn ambitions, but as mentioned we already have 2 VVGC Lasers.
 
So... for one year only (probably), huge grins and different to a Laser?
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Posts: 3958 		Post Options Post Options   Quote winging it Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 02 Jan 13 at 10:04am
you do have some handy contender sailors at Oxford, but you won't get a decent rig (ie carbon) for £1k.  I would avoid a low boom boat like an OK until he has finished growing.  There is a nice axeman for sale here at Hunts which would suit him and teach him an awful lot.  A pair of low riders might be a good solution and definitely plenty of sh*ts and giggles.
the same, but different...

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Roger View Drop Down
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Posts: 524 		Post Options Post Options   Quote Roger Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 02 Jan 13 at 10:12am
Given your detailed explanation of the why's etc, my first thought was go for a Contender, will be a good challenge, lots will be learnt and they are great fun, big grin factor if that's whats your looking for.

The problem is there don't appear to be many around in any price bracket!!!
I wouldn't worry about carbon rigs etc, they will be way out of your price range, but that won't take away from the fun and learning.

The secondhand market will come to life a little more over the next couple of months as people make plans for the year, change class, upgrade etc just as you are, so patience may be required, but I'd still be looking at Contenders.
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Posts: 1094 		Post Options Post Options   Quote Bootscooter Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 02 Jan 13 at 10:46am
Originally posted by winging it

you do have some handy contender sailors at Oxford, but you won't get a decent rig (ie carbon) for £1k.  I would avoid a low boom boat like an OK until he has finished growing.  There is a nice axeman for sale here at Hunts which would suit him and teach him an awful lot.  A pair of low riders might be a good solution and definitely plenty of sh*ts and giggles.
 
 
You know what.... I'd love that, but.....
 
 
*stares mournfully at scales reading 95Kg*
 
 
 
I used to have a Contender that the boy used to rob when he was 11.  We do have some excellent Contender sailors at Oxford, but there is a massive performance difference between good and "cheap" boats that I think we'd get frustrated by quite quickly.
Can anyone here comment about the Dart 15s? Seems a lot of grins for the money, and I believe that older boats can remain pretty competitive...
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Posts: 403 		Post Options Post Options   Quote GybeFunny Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 02 Jan 13 at 12:02pm
Originally posted by Bootscooter

 
Can anyone here comment about the Dart 15s? Seems a lot of grins for the money, and I believe that older boats can remain pretty competitive...

You talk about doing opens, I am assuming that will mean taking 2 boats and hence double stacking. I have never seen a double trailer for cats? Do they even exist? Or are you happy to just be trolley dolly at the opens?
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Posts: 1094 		Post Options Post Options   Quote Bootscooter Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 02 Jan 13 at 12:10pm
Originally posted by GybeFunny

Originally posted by Bootscooter

 
Can anyone here comment about the Dart 15s? Seems a lot of grins for the money, and I believe that older boats can remain pretty competitive...

You talk about doing opens, I am assuming that will mean taking 2 boats and hence double stacking. I have never seen a double trailer for cats? Do they even exist? Or are you happy to just be trolley dolly at the opens?
 
I've spent the best part of 4 years as coach and trolley dolly, so it's time for me to get back on the water LOL.
Luckily I've got some contact with the fabricators at work, so making up a decent double trailer shouldn't be too difficult.
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Posts: 6662 		Post Options Post Options   Quote JimC Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 02 Jan 13 at 12:42pm
A Unicorn is after all an A, so its a big sophisticated boat with a lot of gear. I can't imagine you're going to get them that cheap without accepting a pretty heavy maintenance overhead. And even though they might be heavy by current A standards, they are still pretty light for what they are. I'd find the thought of taking on the maintenance of two of them pretty intimidating unless I had a lot of time and enough workshop space to be able to work on one assembled and under cover.

Obviously the two boats to maintain is going to be true no matter what you pick, but the bigger the platform...

Edited by JimC - 02 Jan 13 at 12:43pm
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Post Options Post Options   Quote Guests Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 02 Jan 13 at 1:09pm
I think the underlying question is what does your son want to get out of his year away from squadding. If he 'merely' wants to have fun and recharge his batteries, then a Dart 15 is a right blast in a bit of wind. But it will do very little to enhance any Olympic ambitions as it is so very different from a Finn (no kinetics, no rig tweaking, no quick tacking etc).
If elite level sailor is the genuine ambition, then I fear that a year in a £1k Dart or Contender etc will not help at all. Can you stick with the Laser and use a cheap second boat to blow away some cobwebs once in a while? Or try a Solo for some good competion away from the youth system in a boat that is still a bit relevant to Finn/Laser sailing.
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Posts: 1094 		Post Options Post Options   Quote Bootscooter Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 02 Jan 13 at 1:22pm
Originally posted by Peaky

I think the underlying question is what does your son want to get out of his year away from squadding. If he 'merely' wants to have fun and recharge his batteries, then a Dart 15 is a right blast in a bit of wind. But it will do very little to enhance any Olympic ambitions as it is so very different from a Finn (no kinetics, no rig tweaking, no quick tacking etc).
If elite level sailor is the genuine ambition, then I fear that a year in a £1k Dart or Contender etc will not help at all. Can you stick with the Laser and use a cheap second boat to blow away some cobwebs once in a while? Or try a Solo for some good competion away from the youth system in a boat that is still a bit relevant to Finn/Laser sailing.
 
A very good point - hence my initial preference for the OK - and an area we will no doubt discuss at length again before making a final decision.  I am very aware though that any individual youth sailor has at best, the tiniest chance of making it all the way so as a parent I want to make sure that he fully aware of the joy of sailing outside of the elite pathway, as well as being prepared to fully support him within it, if that's the way he wants to go.
I'm also very aware that as someone who was not far off a Transition place at 13, he's about 2 years ahead of where he "should be", as that's something designed for 15/16 yr olds.  Regardless of what we end up getting, we'll still be keeping the Lasers, so that we can still practice the fleet racing skills when we feel like against the extremely strong Oxford fleet.
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Posts: 1094 		Post Options Post Options   Quote Bootscooter Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 02 Jan 13 at 1:36pm
This is him aged 11
 
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