I am looking to start sailing & am looking for a bit of advice as there does not seem to be any sail clubs close to me & this is the ususlly entry point.  

I am 6'3 & about 100k kilos.  My only bit of experience was a (very old) Yamaha Seahopper (similar to Laser), I found in a friends garage, made up what I reckoned was close to the orignal rigging & off I went. 

I want to find the magical dinghy that does it all.....it will let me sail single-handed while I hone my skills but it still needs to be exciting so I dont loose interest after a year or two. I am quite athletic & don't mind the odd dunking.  After a few seasons I want to be able to take my kids out & introduce them to sailing.

My research has got me this far......Single handed laser is too small. V3000 may be a good option.  Vago looks great fun (but has been criticised), RS400 looks good but apparently not for single handed (even for one as tubby as myself?), RS500 looks fantastic.  If I had the cheque in my hand right now, the 500 would be the one, but I may be out of my league & loosing sight of the idea of taking the kids out on it.  

Does this magical dinghy exist?

I may be biased but the V3000 would be a good buy, but i would recomend an old laser 3000 there are a few very cheap at the moment and providing you make some of the modifications will be perfectly suitable for singlehanding but only upto a force 4 ish.

Hope this helps

Dan

Looking at where you are, I take it you will be sailing inland. As to the size of the place you will be sailing, only you will be able to inform us how large the lake is.

As for boats, what is available in Luxembourg? Are you considering importing the ideal boat or is there a second hand market available?

Based on the fact you aren't near any clubs the other option you have is to go on holiday and try these out. Something like an RS Vareo or a Finn maybe more what you are after, one has a kite, the other is an Olympic class.

Very difficult to recommend especially as there may not be any around you to test sail.

Vario might be the perfect option, virtually the same underwater hull shape as an RS500 but single handed.  Plenty of room for the kids and you can play with the spinnaker to keep things interesting.

Ian

RS700 GBR960

http://www.sail4cancer.org - www.sail4cancer.org

I've seen people say L/V3000 are only single handable upto F4 a few times.  does this mean even with a reefed main on on L3000 ? Not sure if you can reef the main on a V

Think long and hard about whether you want an allrounder. They are always a compromise and will considerably restrict your choice of class.

If most of your sailing is going to be single-handed it might even be worthwhile getting an exciting single-hander for yourself and then a beat up old double-handed boat that is quite stable as a second boat to take the kids out in.

However, if you are set on the idea of an allrounder I think the RS Vareo would be a good choice. I bought one earlier this year and I really love it (although I have not tried taking anyone else out in it yet).

Radixon - you have picked up on my dilema.  It's hard to pick something when I am effectively searching in the dark.   No water (of note) in Lux.  A long narrow lake in a deep valley is the only option, approx 200mx800m.  I am sure I should be able to find moew open water a couple of hours into France.  I am not expecting to find something for here, but am researching for my retun to the west of ireland. 

If head ruled heart, the Vision should be the clear leader, but the 3000 & Vario (which I hadn't seen before) look to be a bit more fun, but.....mossman has thrown a spanner in the works...tempting me to stick to a singlehander...my kids will be disapointed with you !  Still can't stop you-tubing the rs400 & 500 though.

Origianlly I was looking at a cat, but I've been told to steer clear by a friend.  His 'trust me' was enough so its a mono for me.

Thanks for the feedback, all. 

Looks like 3000 & Vago take on the Vario & I promise to get help to get help to get past my RS500 fixation.  

Now I just have to find some place nice & warm to try them all out........!!!  .

I'd go for a carbon rig on my 3k right away - not becasue I'd expect it to give more speed - it wouldn't - but more for even easier handling and because it would somehow be more in keeping with the superlight hull.

But you're absolutely right, Villan, the reason we don't is that it would up the cost of a new boat by about 20%, and it certainly wouldn't make it 20% better by any means

Originally posted by NickA You could consider a cat, maybe?  The Dart 15 and 18 though old and ugly take one or two with ease.  Best ask on the cat pages as they'll know more than me. Personally, I just prefer sailing monohulls.  Cats feel like cheating .

Ugly?  Thats a bit harsh

The Dart 18 has very active fleets in Belgium and France, so if you ever get racing or want to learn more about them then there are plenty of people around. 

Personally, i love sailing the D18 singlehanded.  Its very fast, forgiving and a great challenge.  Nice a stable too for taking the kids out on.  My only complian is that its big - great for singlehanded and on the wire, but not so good around the dingy park and when launching/recovering by yourself.

I agree with otehr comments - treat the family to a Neilson or similar holiday and try out different mono's or cats.  See what suits and what the family gel with.  You never know it may even be a cat !

looking ath that photo of us, is it me or is the mast extremely straight and upright?

We should really de'power when it gets that windy.

Originally posted by hollandsd i am yet to see a photo of an Rs500 doing this, for an easyish boat to sail you get a lot of bang for your buck.

the 500 will also do this in the right conditions. i have been wave hopping in a 500 and its great fun because its so easy to sail and forgiving. not sailed the 3000 or 3V so cant compare though.

That is me sold.....3000 it is. 

Only questions I have in the back of my mind is why Laser stopped producing it & what are the bugs that Vandercraft had to iron out in the V3000? 

Are they serious enough to make me steer clear of the L3000.  Considering my (lack of) ability, I expect it will not make much of a difference (other than the dent in my wallet).

the only thing you need to watch for is under the gunwhales where the shroud plates attatch there will be a stainless steel plate it needs to be mre than 2 inches long or it will pull through the deck, its a problem laser sorted out on their later boats..

Basically what vandercraft have done is stiffen and lighten the hull, redesigned the sails and there is a new rudder, but even at the nationals the old boats werent doing too badly..

if you have anymore questions pm me and i will do my best to help (im on the 3000 comitte)

My guess is that it was a lot cheaper for Laser to make the plastic Vago than is was to make the g.r.p. 3000, simple as that.

As to bugs, Dan has identified the only one, and while there's no question that the Vandercraft boats are lighter, stiffer and thus potentially quicker and more lively, with its extra weight the Laser is definitely more stable.

The old Hyde sails as supplied with the Laser could also be said to be more versatile for singlehanders - you can furl the jib and reef the main. That said, Vandercraft are now also optionally supplying a Dacron North jib which in principle can also be furled (the Mylar one is battened, thus unfurlable) - some of us are about to fit furlers to our V3k's and try that out.

Thanks Dan/All. 

The advise is much appreciated.  Must admit, the responses have been great.....quite a supportive community.  Felt the same welcome/friendliness when I crewed  on a boat for a couple of weekend races.

I don't think you can say 500+ boats in six years is 'not selling', though 'not selling in numbers sufficient to suit the big producers' may be correct.

The fact remains, once you've made the expensive moulds, it's a lot cheaper to chuck a load of plastic beads into the mould and heat/rotate for a bit than it is to lay-up and then stick together g.r.p. hulls and decks to make a proper boat.

• it was slow up wind, especially in light wind and hard to sail to its official handicap in less than F3/4.  Fixed by the new North Jib (debatably).
• the cockpit was cramped, especially for two adults.  Fixed by changing the vang to a gnav and moving the mainsheet block from the floor. Anyway, if one of you is out on the wire it isn't a problem.
  
• it didn't look very cool - fixed by the see-through North sails
• no free-board, you get wet.  Some people expect to sail and stay dry
• the ropes get in a tangle on the floor ... still my biggest problem!