Gap in the market?
Printed From: Yachts and Yachting Online
Category: Dinghy classes
Forum Name: Dinghy development
Forum Discription: The latest moves in the dinghy market
URL: http://www.yachtsandyachting.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=9292
Printed Date: 21 Jan 26 at 9:31am
Software Version: Web Wiz Forums 9.665y - http://www.webwizforums.com
Topic: Gap in the market?
Posted By: winging it
Subject: Gap in the market?
Date Posted: 04 May 12 at 10:10am
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Although it seems we have more than enough dinghy classes to meet every need, we're frequently asked on here for a boat that cna be single or double handed, mostly used for cruising and family joy rides. It needs to be light and it needs to be plastic. Remember when boats, like the mirror, had two mast positions for such use, and didn't the 420 also have this capacity? From what I cant tell there isn't such a boat being pushed out at the moment, so should there be,a nd what would the criteria be? Perhaps: Moveable mast for single or double handing, jib or no jib Small and manageable - say no more than 14ft (just over 4m) Rotomoulded, for pulling up the beach trolley that comes with a jockey wheel as standard - makes an amazing difference outbard bracket and rowlocks Simple dinghy design, ie bermudan rig, minimal fuss reefable mainsail room for the hamper cheap! Such boats do exist - look at ther ecently reviewed crabber, but not everyone wants that sort of traditional feel/design, they want something that looks like a bog standard family dinghy. Any thoughts? ------------- the same, but different... |
Replies:
Posted By: pondmonkey
Date Posted: 04 May 12 at 10:20am
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Laser Vago if the 'part time crew' is another adult RS Feva if the 'part time crew' are kids - both come with a choice of rigs and some dacron cut downs - both are inexpensive second hand - both can be repaired with a blowtorch
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Posted By: patj
Date Posted: 08 May 12 at 7:12am
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There's a Zoom sitting on a combi in our drive which ticks quite a few of those boxes - two mast positions for single handed or doublehanded with trapeze, simple design, grp, haven't measured its length yet but similar to a Laser and definitely cheap. Age unknown (seventies? eighties?) but the two rigs idea has obviously been around for a while.
Open to offers as we acquired it from a non-sailing friend and will probably e-bay it.
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Posted By: x1testpilot
Date Posted: 08 May 12 at 9:18am
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Wanderer? I've never sailed one.
------------- I like to take pictures of sailing, but I'd rather be sailing! http://www.LCSC.org.uk" rel="nofollow - LCSC.org.uk http://xdinghies.com/" rel="nofollow - Xdinghies.com/ X0 & X1 |
Posted By: Graham T
Date Posted: 08 May 12 at 9:50am
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I think Nessa is really asking if there is scope for a new design given the amount of times this sort of boat has been asked for on the forum, rather than what sort of existing boat would suit.... ------------- Osprey 55 "Tebutinnang" Osprey 1245 "Two Bob Bit" Miracle 1358 "Thumper" |
Posted By: tickler
Date Posted: 08 May 12 at 10:18am
Has your Zoom got a blue stripe on the hull (covering a repair) and a Lightning main? I sold one like that about 8 years ago. We only sailed it once, single handed, and it went OK. |
Posted By: RS400atC
Date Posted: 08 May 12 at 10:44am
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Light and Rotomoulded don't go together. Virtually any of the GRP versions of 60's dinghies would meet the needs. Things like Enterprises can be sailed singlehanded very well, they will also take a small family. It's not hard to tack a transom sheeted boat with a jib single handed. That's what some people used to do years ago, teach their kids to sail or sail with the family on Saturdays and a race on Sundays. I really don't see a gap in the market. For those who must buy new, the Vago seems Ok, there is the Topper Magno range, the Wanderer etc etc, even excluding things like the Ent as being expensive due to being class-race biased. |
Posted By: simonrh
Date Posted: 08 May 12 at 1:27pm
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It was trying to address the single handed / double handed question that led me to buying a Dart 18. Will actually get to sail it double handed for the first time on saturday after having owned it for well over a year. ------------- Vortex Asymmetric 1064 Dart 18 7118 Smartkat stunt sailor extraordinaire |
Posted By: Owenfackrell
Date Posted: 08 May 12 at 2:47pm
This is one of th ereason i got my Dart and i also have yet to sail her with both sails up.
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Posted By: simonrh
Date Posted: 08 May 12 at 3:13pm
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I sail mine on my own with 2 sails if there isn't a huge amount of breeze. Sometimes i even remember to get the halyard hook facing the correct way and I can get it down again! ------------- Vortex Asymmetric 1064 Dart 18 7118 Smartkat stunt sailor extraordinaire |
Posted By: winging it
Date Posted: 08 May 12 at 3:44pm
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this is the thing isn't it? I bought a kestrel thinking her indoors might venture out with me, but alas no, not interested. I'm lucky in that I have lots of other boats to sail on my own, but had I not, well the kezzer isn't that easy on your tod. Lots of people (novices) ask for a 'one size fits all' type boat and I think if there were a modern version of such a thing it would do quite well. ------------- the same, but different... |
Posted By: rodney
Date Posted: 08 May 12 at 3:48pm
Skipper 14   Image © Brian Pollard
------------- Rodney Cobb Suntouched Sailboats Limited http://www.suntouched.co.uk" rel="nofollow - http://www.suntouched.co.uk [EMAIL=rodney@suntouched.co.uk">rodney@suntouched.co.uk |
Posted By: simonrh
Date Posted: 08 May 12 at 3:56pm
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F16 cats a bit much for the type of thing you were thing of maybe! ------------- Vortex Asymmetric 1064 Dart 18 7118 Smartkat stunt sailor extraordinaire |
Posted By: RS400atC
Date Posted: 08 May 12 at 5:03pm
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Must admit, Dart 15 crossed my mind. I thought better of mentioning it on a dinghy forum though. I don't know if I should admit this, but the last boat that I raced singlehanded and also took Mrs 400 out for a ride on was a Contender. Cruising does not have to be boring. |
Posted By: simonrh
Date Posted: 08 May 12 at 5:28pm
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Have sailed vortex with other people but it was either a. stationary if wind was light or b. scary if wind was up ------------- Vortex Asymmetric 1064 Dart 18 7118 Smartkat stunt sailor extraordinaire |
Posted By: RS400atC
Date Posted: 08 May 12 at 5:30pm
Isn't that business as usual ;-) |
Posted By: maxibuddah
Date Posted: 08 May 12 at 8:30pm
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I used to sail a Marauder on my own including flying the spinnaker....mind you wouldn't try in anything above a force 2 ------------- Everything I say is my opinion, honest |
Posted By: simonrh
Date Posted: 09 May 12 at 8:36am
Maybe a little. ------------- Vortex Asymmetric 1064 Dart 18 7118 Smartkat stunt sailor extraordinaire |
Posted By: Rupert
Date Posted: 09 May 12 at 8:48am
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The gap I'm currently thinking is there is for a rotomoulded junior boat for teens to move to after the Feva - the RS boats jump to the Vision, which is far too big, Topper's offerings either seem to be aimed at the Feva market or are again too big. Does the Vago fit the slot? Otherwise, they end up in 420's (nice boats, but a step back in time, and up in complexity, and a pain to look after for a junior group) or are expected to leap into 29ers, which on a small and gusty lake means spending a lot of time swimming. Any ideas? Seems that it would be a similar market to Nessa's 1 or 2 person boat? ------------- Firefly 2324, Puffin 229, Minisail 3446 Mirror 70686 |
Posted By: gordon1277
Date Posted: 09 May 12 at 9:08am
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Hi Rupert
is that market not ment to be filled by the Qba? ------------- Gordon Lossc |
Posted By: alstorer
Date Posted: 09 May 12 at 10:26am
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No- the Q'Ba is a single hander with an optional jib (direct Pico competitor), the Feva is a double hander than can be sailed 1-up. They're pretty much the same size (the Q'ba is slightly shorter with a slightly bigger main) ------------- -_ Al |
Posted By: RS400atC
Date Posted: 09 May 12 at 10:31am
Not rotomoulded, but RS200, L2000, also the Vago, You mention 'youth group', so I suppose this is the point where group-owned boats diverge from individually owned boats where kids might start looking beyond their local club and onto open meetings etc. |
Posted By: themeaningoflife
Date Posted: 09 May 12 at 11:10am
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AS somebody who made the move from Fevas to 29ers I fully support it...we learnt on Bough Beech,which isn't exactly an easy place to read the shifts and gusts/lulls...the other route found worked was into the 200, where everything is kept simple and it can be sailed in precisely the same way as a Feva. ------------- Cambridge University Lightweight Rowing Club RS800 1128 kindly sponsored by http://www.rwo-marine.com" rel="nofollow - RWO Marine |
Posted By: pondmonkey
Date Posted: 09 May 12 at 11:24am
| I was going to say 200 too, and if you really want a trap but a more stable, less 'skiff/squaddie' approach, then RS do offer the 500 as a viable 'step-up' from the Feva. |
Posted By: Rupert
Date Posted: 09 May 12 at 1:59pm
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The 200 and 500 are certainly on my mind, but certain experience with them suggests that whilst they are lovely boats to sail, they may not be robust enough for club boats? I would like to be wrong about that, as they are both a huge amount of fun to sail for lighter weight people. We have privately owned L2000's taking part in the sessions, and they are pretty close to being right, but just seem a little on the big side for kids who are still growing. We did have a club 29er, but the upkeep was fairly expensive, and the jump to sailing it too big for young sailors who weren't aiming for glory, but to have plenty of fun in a slightly more controlled manner. I sailed several times and found it surprisingly managable, mind - certainly not a monster. ------------- Firefly 2324, Puffin 229, Minisail 3446 Mirror 70686 |
Posted By: gordon1277
Date Posted: 09 May 12 at 2:04pm
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Hi Rupert
I know not plastic but the v3000 formerly laser 3000 would be an option. It has been greatly improved by Jeff and other people have said it is now a good boat for teenagers. Did well at the bloudy mary in 2011. Regards Gordon ------------- Gordon Lossc |