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Oppie, Topper or something else |
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about a boat
Groupie Joined: 25 Oct 06 Online Status: Offline Posts: 60 |
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Topic: Oppie, Topper or something else Posted: 18 Mar 13 at 2:27pm |
Hi, My eldest wants to start sailing. She has a few "taster" sessions in an Optimist so knows what she needs to do ie pull the sheet to go faster, drop it to slow down, move her weight around and not bump into too many things. The rub is she is seven years old BUT 140cm tall and weighs in at 32KG (just over five stone). Anyone with kids will know she is very tall for her age. for example in wetsuit terms she wears 10-11 year old suits. And she will only get taller and heavier.
So should she go for an Optimist where she would not need to worry about being over powered but can just concerntrate on sailing techniques and then sell it in the next 18 months or a Topper where she will experience being over powered at some point, will be a bit wetter but she can grow into the boat.
Price is not an issue as they cost around the same second hand.
Thanks
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SoggyBadger
Really should get out more Joined: 26 Oct 10 Location: The Wild Wood Online Status: Offline Posts: 552 |
Post Options Quote Reply Posted: 18 Mar 13 at 2:43pm |
Start her in the Oppie.
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Best wishes from deep in the woods
SB |
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Contender443
Really should get out more Joined: 01 Oct 04 Location: United Kingdom Online Status: Offline Posts: 1211 |
Post Options Quote Reply Posted: 18 Mar 13 at 3:12pm |
What about an RS Tera, great little boats. If you get one with both Sport and Pro rigs then she can add the extra power of the pro rig without changing boat. This is an excellent little boat and is growing in popularity all the time.
Alternatively you could get a Topper with a 4.2 mainsail as well as the usual sail. Ultimately sail what is sailed at your club. and the best boat for your local sailing water.
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Bonnie Lass Contender 1764
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about a boat
Groupie Joined: 25 Oct 06 Online Status: Offline Posts: 60 |
Post Options Quote Reply Posted: 18 Mar 13 at 3:53pm |
Optimist, Topper and Teras are sailed! To be honest I think I will go with an Optimist but I will ask at the club too. May be a good idea will be for her to have a go in both and see how confortable she feels with them.
The biggest issue with the Optimist (hence my question) was during her taster days she saw some boys go out in Teras and was full of excitment only for her little face to drop when realaity hit that she would be in a boat that resembled a washing up tub!
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robin34024
Posting king Joined: 03 Jan 12 Location: Lincoln Online Status: Offline Posts: 116 |
Post Options Quote Reply Posted: 18 Mar 13 at 4:00pm |
I would go for the topper 4.2 rig. she will probably still be overpowered if it gets breezy, but when she grows out of the 4.2, she can move into the 5.3.
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kevg
Posting king Joined: 13 Dec 05 Location: Wrexham Online Status: Offline Posts: 120 |
Post Options Quote Reply Posted: 18 Mar 13 at 4:56pm |
I'm biased towards a Topper 4.2 and then the 5.3 but Optmists certainly have a strong following see:-
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Contender443
Really should get out more Joined: 01 Oct 04 Location: United Kingdom Online Status: Offline Posts: 1211 |
Post Options Quote Reply Posted: 18 Mar 13 at 5:36pm |
Why not ask her what she thinks is best. I suspect she might go for a Tera, my then 8 year old did.
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Bonnie Lass Contender 1764
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Rupert
Really should get out more Joined: 11 Aug 04 Location: Whitefriars sc Online Status: Offline Posts: 8956 |
Post Options Quote Reply Posted: 18 Mar 13 at 10:41pm |
The Tera is a great boat, and by the sound of it she has already seen them and liked the look. Mainly, though, she should be in what her friends are in, I'd say, as that way she will be having fun.
My daughter, who is 10 now, has had a Puffin for many years, mind, which no one else has one of. She far preferred that to the Oppie, as it had Mirror style tanks to sit on. Now getting into the Topper more, and unlike her brother, isn't a Tera fan. Her Godsister at a different club sails Oppies in a fleet and loves it. Best thing would be to be at a club with boats the Juniors can use whilst she gets the basics right, then she will be telling you what she'd like from a position of knowledge. |
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Firefly 2324, Puffin 229, Minisail 3446 Mirror 70686
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pondmonkey
Really should get out more Joined: 12 Aug 11 Online Status: Offline Posts: 2202 |
Post Options Quote Reply Posted: 19 Mar 13 at 7:13am |
She needs to speak to the kids who sail all three... buy the one with the group she thinks she is most likely to make friends with.
The boat is irrelevant at that age.
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about a boat
Groupie Joined: 25 Oct 06 Online Status: Offline Posts: 60 |
Post Options Quote Reply Posted: 20 Mar 13 at 9:13am |
Thanks all. I agree with all really. At least I know it will be an Oppi, Topper or tera!. But it will be what she wants rather than what anyone else wants which is key. And the reasoning of her judgement I doubt I will ever figure out!
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