'Wow' Boats
Printed From: Yachts and Yachting Online
Category: General
Forum Name: Banter
Forum Discription: For all those non-sailing related discussions
URL: http://www.yachtsandyachting.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=3316
Printed Date: 18 Aug 25 at 6:18pm
Software Version: Web Wiz Forums 9.665y - http://www.webwizforums.com
Topic: 'Wow' Boats
Posted By: JimC
Subject: 'Wow' Boats
Date Posted: 24 Aug 07 at 10:20am
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Thought to might be fun to have a topic to describe boats that have made an instant huge (positive) impression on you when you sailed one for the first time. I've sailed a lot of boats over the years, but there's only really been a few that strike out...
1) Laser! This will amaze people who know me, but the first time I ever sailed a Laser was playing about in surf at Stokes Bay, I think around 1974 or 75ish. It was wonderful, and the first time I think I really learned how much fun kinetics can be. The experience never remotely motivated me to buy one though! 2) Italian Bistro design Cherub. I don't have that strong an impression of my first time sailing a Cherub, although it must have impressed me enough that I owned no other class for about 20 years. But the first time I stepped into Dave Roe's Norwegian Blue it was obvious that this was a major breakthrough boat. She was planing upwind before I got on the trapeze. Magic boat! I soon built one. 3) RS300. I was royally impressed. Just a delightful boat, so light, so nimble, and really not difficult to sail. I was considering getting one until 5. 4) Twelve Foot Skiff. Simon Roberts 12 foot skiff rigged Cherub to be precise. Complete laugh to sail, just amazing, but absolutely and completely not what I want to own and race! 5) International Canoe. Nothing goes uphill like it, and the plank is such an elegant solution. Bought one. |
Replies:
Posted By: Scooby_simon
Date Posted: 24 Aug 07 at 10:29am
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Good idea, I have to take exception to your comment on 5. I'd think most cats in a little wind would just smoke an IC.
For me. 6, Hurricane 5.9 - such a fantastic boat and really got the hi-performance Cats going. 7, The first Generation of Single handed Cats with Spi's (Inter 17, Hobie FX1) - they were a massive giggle and a proper challenge to sail well. 8, F16 - Much lighter than the I17 / FX1, and bigger mainsail and slightly smaller Kite - totally Bonkers and a big giggle to sail. 9, Tornado - the big rig has re-invented the ultimate beach cat 10, VX40 (or what ever they are called now). If I had the spare dosh, I would buy one. 11, 49er, fairly quick monohull, that looks like a lot of fun to sail. 12, Foiling Moth - 'nuff said. 13, Edit to add Musto Skiff; the ultimate single handed non-foiling Mono. ------------- Wanna learn to Ski - PM me.. |
Posted By: Granite
Date Posted: 24 Aug 07 at 1:28pm
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1)Europe: First sailed one in big waves when I was used to sailing a Laser it opened my eyes to the fun of short light boats. 2)International 14: Stepping into the front of a 14 after sailing Hiking boats was just amazing the power, speed and complication was something else. Got myself one a year later. 3)Italian Bistro Cherub: (after conversion to 97 rules.) I had sailed a few Cherubs before and thought they were fun but after sailing the 97 rules Bistro I realised there was nothing like them and I had to get one. 4)Patterson 7 Cherub: I built a P7 without sailng one and first time on the water in a boat I had built was a great feeling. There is nothing like sailing something you have created. Especially if is is as lively as a P7 5)A class Cat: Sailed one and realised that cats could feel right after having previously only sailed tired Darts and Hobies that always felt strange and aquard. 6)Musto Skiff: Incradable acceleration and just loads of fun. ------------- If it doesn't break it's too heavy; if it does it wasn't built right |
Posted By: WildWood
Date Posted: 24 Aug 07 at 1:56pm
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in no particular order: Flying Dutchman - they're just soooo big and when I was young they were the fastest thing going I14. The first one I saw (about 15 years ago) had twin wires and mast head asymetric and went twice the speed of anything else Contender. Always wanted one. They look so elegant and simple and fast Windsurfers - I know they're not 'boats' but they are sail powered! In the right conditions they're faster than anything else on the water and such a hoot to sail. Really simple concept, but so hard to master and take years of practice to get good on them ------------- |
Posted By: sargesail
Date Posted: 24 Aug 07 at 2:10pm
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RS 300 Bought one off the plans and loved it ever since. never fails to bring a smile to my face whether racing, training or playing. So much fun! Nat 12 - 2 sailed at the club I grew up at. Not modern shape but still completlely different to everything else I'd seen. Probably a bit aspirational too - I've pretty much always been too lardy to race one. Foiling Moth - same as above. Love the idea. |
Posted By: sargesail
Date Posted: 24 Aug 07 at 2:11pm
| Hey Granite have you no space in your list for those decrepit L2Ks you nurtured!? |
Posted By: Merlinboy
Date Posted: 24 Aug 07 at 5:51pm
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I'm going to get laughed off here but hey: 1 the Byte, i bought one of the first boats out i loved it it matched me my weight etc. perfectly (only problem was it has a peeved handicap) 2 Merlin Rocket, i love merlins, stunning boats to sail and look at - just fantastic 3 International 14, i am just in awe of this boat (if thats how you spell it) So much power, a true boat that you will never completly learn or mastr ------------- |
Posted By: Lukepiewalker
Date Posted: 24 Aug 07 at 6:44pm
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Right then.... 1) National 12. I remember having a go in a Cheshire Cat at the club open day when it was reasonably windy, I was used to boats that went 'up' on the plane, this one just kept going forward and faster.... I've owned two in the past 10-12 years even though I am a bit heavy for them but they are just great... 2) International 14. Specifically the Howlett 1B Ian Walker won the 1993 worlds in. I have never sailed a fourteen but I had just started sailing in 1992 and in the pictures in the magazine that boat just looked so cool. I think that was my favourite iteration of the fourteens before the racks and when they still had decks. Still my favourite uber-performance class. 3) Finn. As I have followed sailing over the years I was aware of the Finn, but where I have sailed I had never seen one up close. I went to the boat show in 2001 (post Sydney) and they had Ian Percys boat there. Cool... As a 'large' person I was between boats and liked the look of them. I went to the stand, acquired some class magazines and joined the class association as an associate member. Unfortunately at that stage I didn't manage to acquire an appropriate boat and it wasn't until last spring that the planets aligned and I finally got one. For some reason it just felt 'right' from the start.... |
Posted By: craiggo
Date Posted: 24 Aug 07 at 8:02pm
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1. Alpha Grad, really smooth boat that got me hooked on the sport.
2. Laser, gave me independance 3. ISO, taught me the basics of high performanc (ish) sailing. 4. Dart 18, made me realise I was actually a fairly good sailor coming 3rd in my first ever event ! 5. RS600, At the time there was nothing like it and I learnt so much. 6. 49er, Perfectly balanced boat. Just a shame it was so ackward to land on the small leeward slipway at my club 7. RS700 or Musto Skiff. Both are truly awesome singlehanders, and I plan to keep my 700 for a long time ! |
Posted By: sargesail
Date Posted: 25 Aug 07 at 2:04pm
| craiggo - I know what you mean about the Alpha -how I would have loved one instead of my yellow peril and the "Warrior" |
Posted By: timnoyce
Date Posted: 25 Aug 07 at 4:39pm
Cherub Daemon... Not that i'm at all biassed 
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Posted By: Jack Sparrow
Date Posted: 26 Aug 07 at 11:37am
 Rob Peebles "Fifteen Minutes of Fame" and Nigle Wallers radical "Final Chapter". I saw them at the Chrystal Palace Boat show and they made me want to sail N12's. The boat on the N12 stand was old fashioned in comparision and we were leaving the show thinking we would stay with our Laser 2.  MX-Ray. Fell in love with it as soon as I saw one.   Moths sort of in general. But Andy P's Hydrofoiler and now the current versions. Cherub - 'Norwegian Blue'. My most recent Wow boat....  ------------- http://www.uk3-7class.org/index.html" rel="nofollow - Farr 3.7 Class Website https://www.facebook.com/groups/1092602470772759/" rel="nofollow - Farr 3.7 Building - Facebook Group |
Posted By: Lukepiewalker
Date Posted: 26 Aug 07 at 6:42pm
| You didn't write a bit for the class newsletter about your start in twelves did you Jack... When I got my first twelve it came with a couple of newsletters including a story about someone who started in a laser two but decided a change was in order when spousal (did I just make up a word?) relations reached defcon 1..... |
Posted By: Smight at BBSC
Date Posted: 26 Aug 07 at 7:27pm
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National 12, My first real boat. Gave me oodles of fun and taught me loads about sailing. Cherub(namely comfortably numb), great fun and mailto:s@*t - s@*t scary in the breeze. Plus it did 14 knots upwind Moth, Scared the crap out of me because they make no noise on the foils and they creep up behind you
------------- RS600 988 |
Posted By: BBSCFaithfull
Date Posted: 27 Aug 07 at 12:06pm
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14s- Some of the best sails ive had have been in one of these! Just pure power and the speed. ultimate twin wire skiff for me 49er- Awesome 18ft skiff- The dogs bollocks. Still the fastest thing out there! ------------- Greatfully Sponsored By www.allgoodfun.com Int 14 GBR 1503!! |
Posted By: Scooby_simon
Date Posted: 27 Aug 07 at 1:53pm
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Think you'll find the 18 is the fastest Mono Dinghy out there. ------------- Wanna learn to Ski - PM me.. |
Posted By: Smight at BBSC
Date Posted: 27 Aug 07 at 6:19pm
I don't think he was counting cats ------------- RS600 988 |
Posted By: Alex C
Date Posted: 27 Aug 07 at 10:21pm
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after having questioned the build quality of the spice, i'm now going to put it forwards as a 'wow' boat. i've never sailed one mind, but i still have the y&y with the boat test and it was my favourite boat for a whileas was the mx-ray. ended up getting a buzz which was fantastic fun. 600 was pretty impressive too. the other 'wow' boat of course would have to be the cherub daemon! not a fan of boat-building so its nice to get the performance of a cherub without having to spend time on it. also it sails like nothing else i've tried, consider me a convert. ------------- |
Posted By: Smight at BBSC
Date Posted: 27 Aug 07 at 10:27pm
I think i like to add to the list RS 600. There was a force 1-2 today with some nice gusts and this was the result. ------------- RS600 988 |
Posted By: chrisarnell1
Date Posted: 28 Aug 07 at 8:51am
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Growing up as a kid in the 70's, sitting on dad's cruiser every weekend & wishing I could try dinghy sailing instead of rowing around the boat in a rubber dinghy,these are the boats that inspired me at the time. (Yes, I know they don't have the same impact compared to today's designs but imagine its 30 years ago & you're 10 years old 1 / Topper - I saw an early, brand new one, in a chandlers at Bucklers Hard. It looked like no dinghy I'd ever seen before & to my mind the first "cool" looking boat suitable for kids. I spent the rest of the summer holiday dreaming about owning one. 2/ OK dinghy. Awesome looking boat with massive amounts of varnished deck, unstayed rig & scary low boom. We had a good fleet at our club in the 1970's & I fell in love with the boat at 1st sight. Have been sailing one for 30 years now. 3/ Fireball - incredible looks & performance. It was ahead of its time in the 1960's & still one of the best downwind rides. My first time on a trapeze. 4/ Contender - another ground-breaking boat & the idea of helming from the wire was considered "extreme" just a few years ago. And its still getting a lot of votes for prettiest boat ever on another thread. ------------- RS300 393 OK GBR 21 |
)Posted By: English Dave
Date Posted: 28 Aug 07 at 12:05pm
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I suppose that - in the order in which I encountered them. 1. Scorpion - crewed one when I was about 13 and was so impressed with the speed compared with my Cadet! 2. 505 - So many strings to pull. For a techno-geek at 15 this was heaven. Started my love affair with the trapeze. 3. Laser - I remember sailing a friends in Chichester Harbour in 1986 when it was blowing F5. Can't remember having had such a hoot! (however, in 1986 I also thought that Def Leppard were a great band 4. ISO - Just so different from anything I had sailed before. 5. B14 - You never forget your first skiff! 6. MX Ray - Didn't actually like it much in the end. Can't deny it made me think "Wow" though. Mad boat! 7. Hurricane59 SX - Having 2-sailed this beast for a couple of years the addition of the kite was electric. Still in love! ------------- English Dave http://www.ballyholme.com - Ballyholme Yacht Club (You'd think I'd be better at it by now) Hurricane 5.9 SX RS700 |
)Posted By: Chew my RS
Date Posted: 28 Aug 07 at 8:24pm
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A Class cat - the one at my club 25 years ago looked SO cool Topper - well it was my first boat and I loved it ISO - really was a 14 for the masses ------------- http://www.sailns14.org - http://www.sailns14.org - The ultimate family raceboat now available in the UK |
Posted By: Hector
Date Posted: 29 Aug 07 at 1:05am
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Sailed a 49er with the new all carbon mast and BIG rig on it two weeks ago. Now that was a real wow boat. Also sailed the 29erxx- very good, but not a patch on the sheer power of the new 49er set up. I want one! |
Posted By: catmandoo
Date Posted: 29 Aug 07 at 11:18am
 ------------- |
Posted By: Pabs
Date Posted: 29 Aug 07 at 1:39pm
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1, A Mirror every one should enter sailing this way and you really do appreciate every boat you sail. 2, Roll decked Grad 1 of 6 ever bade fantastic boat very smooth and well balanced. 3, RS300 in my eyes the finest single hander I have ever sailed. Fast works you as hard as you work her and a pleasure to sail. 4, My latest boat the B14 pure adrenalin and after the nationals this week the friendliest and hardest partying fleet there has got to be!
------------- Boatless and Clubless |
Posted By: catmandoo
Date Posted: 29 Aug 07 at 1:46pm
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I could have sworn this thread was "wow " boats and the all carbon Tekkat gets passed by for chat about Mirror Dinghies and Grads !
"Wow" ! ------------- |
Posted By: English Dave
Date Posted: 29 Aug 07 at 2:04pm
All three go pretty much the same in a drifter ------------- English Dave http://www.ballyholme.com - Ballyholme Yacht Club (You'd think I'd be better at it by now) Hurricane 5.9 SX RS700 |
Posted By: JimC
Date Posted: 29 Aug 07 at 3:32pm
When I started the thread the idea was to mention boats that you have jumped in yourself and immediately been very impressed. Perhaps few or none of us have jumped on that Catamaran... Boats we would like to have the opportunity to sail could be another thread... Feel free to start it! |
Posted By: catmandoo
Date Posted: 29 Aug 07 at 3:44pm
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sorry just read last few pages , understand now thats threads for you .an lazy peeps
------------- |
Posted By: mike ellis
Date Posted: 29 Aug 07 at 9:45pm
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wow boats? well to start i will have to say jumping into a laser after sailing a feva it felt soooo smooth and effortless(i will get slated for that comment i know, maybe it was just saving energy by not having a crew to shout at...). that was in a force 3 with the radial rig. i had a grin on my face. having owned one for a few months and done reasonable in an open now i appreciate how much fun they can be with a tiny rig in 30 knots, but the boat isnt that much of a wow. But then i jumped into trapeze boats, furballs and 800s, the furball was the best, i never thought a boat that looked so nice could go so well, 3 sailed windy reaches are brilliant. now i am hell bent on a 600. i think the chalenge of sailing one is what has made me go wow, 5 capsizes within the first 5 minutes in a boat just made me think ive got to sort this out and now im getting my own. ------------- 600 732, will call it Sticks and Stones when i get round to it. Also International 14, 1318 |
Posted By: Blobby
Date Posted: 31 Aug 07 at 5:38am
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Only 3 for me...in order of sailing them... 1) Contender - saw one in an old copy of Y&Y back in about '86 and thought "one day it will be mine..." actually bought one in '91 and first time out on the wire upwind was definitely a "wow" moment. 2) Laser 5000 - did a demo sail in one in about '97 - wow was it heavy and wow we got two on the wire in no wind at all (followed 5 seconds later by teabagging it). 3) Musto Skiff - did a demo sail in Brisbane last year...just wow. ------------- One step forwards, 2 steps back... |
Posted By: Pierre
Date Posted: 31 Aug 07 at 1:08pm
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Only one for me. When I had just become a teenager, and sailing the Mirror I had made with my Dad, we were doing the Summer Regatta at Pentewan and reaching across the bay. A boat came past us at a severe rate of knots and I have loved the style, sheer class , and speed of the things ever since. I have only ever been in one once but they are a lovely piece of kit on every level. I refer to the FD.
|
Posted By: FireballNeil
Date Posted: 31 Aug 07 at 1:11pm
| Fireball for the first time I planed upwind, seemed really really cool when you have only sailed a miracle or a laser before! |
Posted By: NeilP
Date Posted: 01 Sep 07 at 8:39am
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Pierre - any time you want to renew your acquaintance with the FD, we are at your service. Same goes for anyone who wants a real "wow" moment. My wow boats: 1 - FD. Need I say more? 2 - Ultra 30. Just always looked like such fun, and complete mayhem 3 - 470. I know, I know. In my defence I was 14,and I had never sailed a trapeze boat before. It just felt so much more powerful and responsive than anything I'd sailed before. I still have a soft spot for the class ------------- No FD? No Comment! |
Posted By: redback
Date Posted: 02 Sep 07 at 2:15am
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49er for me. Such big sails and still controllable - in fact seemingly so stable and effortlessly fast. The only trouble is it requires strength and agility. I can be nimble for a while and I can be strong for a while but if I try and be both I get knackered in 20 minutes. My son says strength with agility equals athletisism, therefore I haven't got it! I'm afraid I have to agree but it hasn't stopped me from sailing a 49er again. Perhaps I'll stick to this.
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Posted By: mike ellis
Date Posted: 02 Sep 07 at 3:26pm
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redback, whats te PY of a 4000? its just because it seemed really slow compared to me in a 600 yesterday but i thought it was meant to be quite quick. ------------- 600 732, will call it Sticks and Stones when i get round to it. Also International 14, 1318 |
Posted By: tgruitt
Date Posted: 02 Sep 07 at 3:44pm
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ouch, sometimes there are other (nicer) ways of saying what you mean.
------------- Needs to sail more... |
Posted By: mike ellis
Date Posted: 02 Sep 07 at 3:46pm
 all i was saying was that the 4000 i was sailing against seemed slow and i thought they were fast boats, is that mean?------------- 600 732, will call it Sticks and Stones when i get round to it. Also International 14, 1318 |
Posted By: BBSCFaithfull
Date Posted: 02 Sep 07 at 6:21pm
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Depends who's sailing them
------------- Greatfully Sponsored By www.allgoodfun.com Int 14 GBR 1503!! |
Posted By: Ross
Date Posted: 05 Sep 07 at 12:28am
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4000's PY is 908, I think it should be higher. ------------- Ross If you can't carry it, don't sail it! |
Posted By: Merlinboy
Date Posted: 05 Sep 07 at 8:38am
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908! really? ------------- |
Posted By: mike ellis
Date Posted: 05 Sep 07 at 11:06am
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so they should have been faster than me. (but i should have been faster than the RS 400s so perhaps i shall keep my mouth shut, but i was faster than some of the 400s...) ------------- 600 732, will call it Sticks and Stones when i get round to it. Also International 14, 1318 |
Posted By: English Dave
Date Posted: 05 Sep 07 at 1:51pm
I have actually found it needs greater athletisism to crew a 4000 than a 49er. The 49er's rig "breathes" better so you are not doing so much in-out-in-out (with regards trapezing - wash your minds out with soapy water) as I end up doing on a L4000. ------------- English Dave http://www.ballyholme.com - Ballyholme Yacht Club (You'd think I'd be better at it by now) Hurricane 5.9 SX RS700 |
Posted By: Iain C
Date Posted: 13 Sep 07 at 2:15pm
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Fireball-first time my £100 20 year old woodie planed was amazing...only sailed Toppers, Mirrors and Bosuns on a very small pond and had hardly ever planed! "Slug" Cherub...I've owned a few Cherubs, succesfully campaigned a 2005 rig boat and also sailed Simon's boat with the big 12' skiff rig up (as Jim C mentions), but the fastest, bounciest, scariest ride of all was crewing it in a F6-7 with the little 1997 rags up single wire...it went SO fast it was just unreal, I would estimate probably 25knots or so (I've had 20 out of Suicide Blonde a few times and it was nothing on that!) IACC80-I've been lucky enough to crew and also helm an America's Cup 80...the sheer power and numbers are just mind blowing, for example there are no genoa cleats or self tailers...you just hang onto the sheet which is connected to the genoa, which is basically producing a couple of hundred horsepower, simply by taking five turns around a carbon fibre winch which costs £250,000...nuff said! ------------- RS700 GBR922 "Wirespeed" Fireball GBR14474 "Eleven Parsecs" Enterprise GBR21970 Bavaria 32 GBR4755L "Adastra" |