How does the Contender fair sailing again the 300? PY only 1 different.

What are contenders like in light winds handicap sailing?

Thanks

Had a 300, working my way gradually into a Contender.

 

 

Can't comment on the 300, never had one, but Contender is a superb boat and performs well in any sort of breeze, handicap racing in light winds you got no chamce, however don't let that be the deciding factor the performance and joy of sailing one in a breeze makes up for it.

 

 

Only saying wait for the big guns with more, shall we say more forceful views to contribute.

Yes. Well put and I agree. 

The Contender could be so so much more if it were not constrained by a luddite class association but even as it is, it's still a formidable boat, goes up wind like a train close reaches really quick, I've often fancied having a bash in one but the rig does put me off, i can't be doing with long chorded old hat low aspect sails as efficient as they may be, they're a nightmare for someone of my weight.

The 300 personally i wouldn't touch with a really good toilet brush, horrible wobbly falling over thing and for what? It does however have a very strong fan club here who will hate me for saying all that given I've never sailed it either, so my opinions are all prejudiced and with no support in fact other than having raced against both boats and watched other folk far better helms than I come to various 'grips' with them.

 

I thought it was Contender 992, RS 300: 1000.  Anyway, I agree with GRF amd PondM.

Light airs is always about patience, state of mind, slow very deliberate course adjustments and total focus , no matter what you sail, in a way very similar to howling gale sailing without the noise and excitement.

http://www.googlefight.com/index.php?lang=en_GB&word1=Contender&word2=RS300 - Contender v RS300

sure, but you'd be far more comfortable in nice cushioned chair in Starbucks reading the Culture section of the Sunday Times sipping caramel flavoured, extra shot Lattes.... or in the pub drinking ale, just to keep this forum suitably butch and manly.

Lightwind sailing is one thing, no wind drifting lying across foredecks.... no thanks.

 all round... esp. 5 knot rule

And there was me thinking Grauniad..

aye it is captain.  But it's also feckin' boring for us without the skills and carrying the extra cargo.  

 

... if it's a regatta and you have to go out, I've found turning into 2-Tack-Tony often pays as you lose so much boatspeed tacking upwind in most boats it rarely pays*. 

 

*Of course, if you have a steed well suited to roll-tacking, then that's always amusing up to a point.  Tide changes such considerations also.  If the venue's tidal and you can't get into the top 3, boat bimbling and beer takes precedence IMO!

 

wonder if the true 'max speed' of a 300 has ever been found, simply cos it's too difficult to stay upright long enough to find out!

If I were to chop the Blaze in for something more suitable to my reservoir I've got the choice of Contender or Phantom "fleets" (both only just have enough boats to get fleet results out of the handicap race).  

I'm starting to think there are more light-medium wind days than medium-interesting wind days so that pushes me toward a Phantom.  Having said that, I prefer the look of the 300, which I think is probably more comparable to a Phantom than a Contender.  

So, forgetting class racing (too skint and time limited for trapesing around the country), which would it be for you?

As both are sit down boats they are easier to sail for most people thn a contender as it has a trapeze, which is something else to learn as well as basic sailing. I've never had one but wish I had in my lighter days

 

Without wanting to uote a nonsense speed figure (heaven knows we have not heard one on here before) i clocked 17.6 knots peak speed in some fairly nice waves in a fecking windy Abersoch dinghy week.  There is no way i could get one to go faster as i was at the limit of what i could handle in a 300 that week.  Alas i no longer have the GPS track to proe it, but as i understand it that speed has been bettered.

 

yup, not trying to re-open the "is the 300 tricky or not" debate, no doubt there is a skill set to learn and rewards for doing so, but 'difficult' ? foiling moths, 12ft skiffs, canoes, cherubs and others present far more stability related challenges than the 300.....from limited experience I'd be a lot more confident heading into a "big" bear away or gybe in a 300 than an N12, skiff or moth, or an RS600, which certainly had me swimming a fair bit when I tried one.

 Wether you sail boats or boards, there is enough going on out there to keep you interested, shifts, mark angles and roundings, other boats, course decisions, all need to be decided with your head out of the boat not in it, and certainly not in the water which it probably will be more often in a 300 than a Phantom, imv.

agreed... the 300 is very rewarding, just wish there was still a fleet of them at Draycote tbh

I've never sailed one on the sea, actually I'd love a go at it one day, I reckon it'd be really good fun in proper swell, rather than chop.

Are there actually any fleets of contenders?

AFAIK- no, no known Contender fleets anywhere... 

We have 8 contenders on the system with probably 3 sailing regularly.

 

Does Canada count?  We have a fleet of 10+ sailing out of Toronto.  Really keen racers.  A bunch went down to Florida this spring for a regatta there. 

 

For single handed racing, it is the only game in town outside of Lasers.   Nice boat.  I was tempted to buy one, but have too gimpy a back to bend under for that low boom. 

 

Not a chance.  I don't race - too incompetent.  Committee boat is normally back on shore and finished their BBQ, by the time that I pass the last can.

 

It is.