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Contenders - a class HP dinghy
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kneewrecker View Drop Down
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Posts: 1586 		Post Options Post Options   Quote kneewrecker Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Topic: Contenders - a class HP dinghy
    Posted: 30 Sep 14 at 2:51pm
So - what are the real pluses and minuses to the class?

Is the low boom fear irrational?  It looks low, the videos on youtube look frightening, but then when I see them being sailed in the flesh it doesn't seem to be a major, major issue.... with respect, the guys don't seem to making as much of a dogs dinner of the corners as one might expect looking at the boat when ashore.

Anyway, they've got a 100+ boat Europeans heading to Highcliffe in a couple of years and the class seems to be doing better than it has for a long time from an outsiders perception point of view.

What's the deal?  I'd also point out the class seems to hook people in for the long haul... the same names are at the top of the fleet as were there 10 years ago + when I first joined this forum to ask about them.  


Edited by kneewrecker - 30 Sep 14 at 2:56pm
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Posts: 3048 		Post Options Post Options   Quote jeffers Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 30 Sep 14 at 2:54pm
The few times I have sailed one I never found the boom excessively low but I did find i needed a 3rd hand a lot of the time!

Nice boat to sail especially once you got it going on a reach or upwind.
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Posts: 745 		Post Options Post Options   Quote Null Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 30 Sep 14 at 3:15pm
I struggled with the boom height the few times i sailed one, but i can imagine technique has so much to play.  I nearly bought one a while back when i saw Ben Mcgrane messing with shorter leech mainsails.  I am pretty sure i will own one, one day but would want to sail somewhere fairly open first.
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Posts: 6499 		Post Options Post Options   Quote iGRF Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 30 Sep 14 at 3:21pm
They're too heavy yet they add lead, the rig is ancient but it seems to work, they are bloody fast and in a breeze they should wear gun belts.

Oh did I mention absurdly inappropriately priced wood from some brand that sounds like my new brand, Brunotti?

Edited by iGRF - 30 Sep 14 at 3:24pm
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iGRF View Drop Down
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Posts: 6499 		Post Options Post Options   Quote iGRF Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 30 Sep 14 at 3:23pm
As an addendum if ever a class needed a light build smaller modern rig makeover suitable for humans, this one does.
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kneewrecker View Drop Down
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Posts: 1586 		Post Options Post Options   Quote kneewrecker Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 30 Sep 14 at 3:26pm
Originally posted by Null

I am pretty sure i will own one, one day but would want to sail somewhere fairly open first

absolutely- always one of the boats I need to tick off the bucket list.  Along with a Finn and 505.
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kneewrecker View Drop Down
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Posts: 1586 		Post Options Post Options   Quote kneewrecker Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 30 Sep 14 at 3:32pm
Originally posted by iGRF

As an addendum if ever a class needed a light build smaller modern rig makeover suitable for humans, this one does.

what- and immediately consign the entire fleet to the scrap heap?  

If lighter and a rig overhaul were 'essential', surely the RS600 would have created a more lasting dent in the numbers- which seems fairly stable on the Nationals measure:


It's certainly well over halfway up the races recorded on PY list for 2014- and the largest recorded singlehanded trap boat in PY racing.  (No idea how MPSs are out there class racing now they've grouped up though... so take that 'claim' with a pinch of salt.)


Edited by kneewrecker - 30 Sep 14 at 3:33pm
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Posts: 6499 		Post Options Post Options   Quote iGRF Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 30 Sep 14 at 3:35pm
Originally posted by kneewrecker



Originally posted by iGRF

As an addendum if ever a class needed a light build smaller modern rig makeover suitable for humans, this one does.

what- and immediately consign the entire fleet to the scrap heap?

What all 63 of them? Who even cares let them join Cee bee bees, or whatever that old racing dinghy class thing is called, I forget.
If us new generation sailors who demand quality, ease, lightweight and performance get what we want to hell with old people.
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Medway Maniac View Drop Down
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Posts: 2788 		Post Options Post Options   Quote Medway Maniac Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 30 Sep 14 at 3:44pm
Did the introduction of a carbon mast lower the optimum helm weight?

As for being a bandit, I've seen them struggle to beat good Lasers in the light stuff.  As ever the the PY is an average of light airs (very slow) and windy (very quick).  Combine with a Laser 8.1, maybe, for an optimum quiver of boats.
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iGRF View Drop Down
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Posts: 6499 		Post Options Post Options   Quote iGRF Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 30 Sep 14 at 3:54pm
Originally posted by Medway Maniac

Did the introduction of a carbon mast lower the optimum helm weight?
As for being a bandit, I've seen them struggle to beat good Lasers in the light stuff.  As ever the the PY is an average of light airs (very slow) and windy (very quick).  Combine with a Laser 8.1, maybe, for an optimum quiver of boats.

Well, they're a wire boat so I wouldn't expect them to perform without it being in use, however we do have one lighter guy who can make it go, as our Alto has deteriorated he can now see us off in light conditions even off the wire (or maybe because of the new carbon mast i hadn't thought of that), but yes in that the good lasers will win. Because they are bigger bandits than the Contender which I always seriously thought was well pitched handicap wise for the reason you give, even so it suddenly has been decreed to be much faster according to this new baseless computer algorithm that we're going to hear about in November if any of you guys fancy a beer, banter and question of the status quo y'all would be welcome...

Edited by iGRF - 30 Sep 14 at 3:56pm
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