Laurent Giles 'Jolly Boat' Exeter |
29er GBR 074 Tynemouth |
J24 (Sail No. 4239) Dartmouth |
List classes of boat for sale |
Single hander for over fifties |
Post Reply | Page <123> |
Author | |
nickd
Newbie Joined: 15 Jun 20 Location: Cambridgeshire Online Status: Offline Posts: 5 |
Post Options
Quote Reply
Topic: Single hander for over fifties Posted: 17 Jun 20 at 4:15pm |
NickM99 - I'm surprised also! I didn't put it on my list, primarily because Europes seem to be like hen's teeth within the UK, but if it wasn't for that I'd have been interested, and if anyone has anything to add I'm still interested to hear.
Other surprises for me.. Nobody's said anything about Byte C2, and hardly anything re Vortex which I can see is a bit of an odd thing but it does look fun. My current thinking is that Blaze, as suggested by a few, looks like a good candidate. Neptune mentioned a good point about capsize recovery. Another thing that I find surprising having come back to this world of sailing after quite a gap, is that there are so few internet resources available to help people compare sailing dinghies. If I wanted to buy a new smartphone there are no end of reviews and comparison tables out there, but if you type "Byte C2 review" into YouTube, believe me, there's not much returned other than a random selection of videos, of which only one is close to being a review. I think there's a business opportunity for someone there! Anyway, I am very grateful to all who've replied for your helpful and friendly advice.
|
|
Sam.Spoons
Really should get out more Joined: 07 Mar 12 Location: Manchester UK Online Status: Offline Posts: 3398 |
Post Options Quote Reply Posted: 17 Jun 20 at 5:48pm |
I've never sailed a Byte, sailed a Europe once, it was a very old and fairly neglected boat but if I loved it, delightful boat. I am at the top end of the weight range though and there are very few stiff masts and suitable sails around used.
I have no problem with capsize recovery in the Blaze, but I have had a lot of practice..... Nor have I sailed a Vortex but I wouldn't consider one for a small lake* but would for the sea. It is possible to be competitive on handicap in the Blaze but I doubt you could get close to the numbers in a Vortes on anything other than wide open spaces. I believe much of the development was done at Yorkshire Dales which is on a big exposed lake in the Yorkshire Dales, I wouldn't buy one for our lake as I believe trapezes are a liability on a small pond. * Especially the assy version, I think the assy version came about because the Yorkshire Dales Vortex sailors decided it was underpowered offwind but I'm sure one of those guys will be along to correct me if that's not the case.
Edited by Sam.Spoons - 17 Jun 20 at 5:58pm |
|
Spice 346 "Flat Broke"
Blaze 671 "supersonic soap dish" |
|
pondlife1736
Posting king Joined: 17 Jan 14 Online Status: Offline Posts: 106 |
Post Options Quote Reply Posted: 17 Jun 20 at 7:33pm |
I currently sail Sprint (Dart) 15, Unicorn, and Phantom on a large inland lake. I used to have a Vortex, bought when they first came out and I was looking for an easy to trapeze single-handed monohull. I'd just come from a Dart 18 and thought they might be the best of both worlds between a cat & mono. Actually I thought it was the worst of both worlds! Not good in light winds and slow to tack, but nothing like as fast or nice to sail as a Sprint 15. Admittedly mine didn't have the later kite, but even with, they're no match for Contenders etc with similar PY in any wind condition. Sorry to any Vortex lovers out there!
Regarding kites generally, if your chosen club, like mine, races round the cans rather than W/L you are better off without one unless you enjoy just blasting about for the fun of it. Why not another Sprint? Plenty of them at Grafham and more than enough room.
|
|
nickd
Newbie Joined: 15 Jun 20 Location: Cambridgeshire Online Status: Offline Posts: 5 |
Post Options Quote Reply Posted: 17 Jun 20 at 7:52pm |
Decisions decisions! Well I've rulled out Vortex and Topaz, so that's progress (putting aside the dozen or so other good suggestions added to the short list!).
I'm looking forward into meeting some people from this forum when I do hit the water |
|
iGRF
Really should get out more Joined: 07 Mar 11 Location: Hythe Online Status: Offline Posts: 6496 |
Post Options Quote Reply Posted: 18 Jun 20 at 4:25pm |
Hi nick we're similar weight but I'm shorter, I'd add the Solution as one to look at, no kite but as someone else said unless you have a big enough area you're pretty limited, the RS100 or D1 are probably a bit on the big size.
Everyone will tell you to buy what they sail and I guess I'm just as bad, but to get to it, I went through the following single handers, Blaze, RS100, Laser EPS, Solo (briefly), even have a little minisprint which isn't really a proper boat these days unless you don't mind trailing miles behind everyone then pissing them off by stealing their chocolates on handicap. Two others I liked but for different reasons didn't go for, the Aero 7 and the D0 and if I were to put them in order I'd say 1st D0, 2nd Aero, 3rd Solution and 4th= the Blaze & EPS. Kites are only any use on the sea if you are serious about racing, until someone comes up with an acceptable way of firing a symmettric kite from a single hander, I can't see them ever gaining momentum on smaller inland water. There's a very good guy amusing us at Htyhe with his Vortex antics, I'd cross that from your list for now and anything made from washing bowl material as well. That's my three happorth, welcome back to sailing. PS the Europe is a girls boat PPS Had a very serious look at the Byte C2 which I thought was a great rig, but the boat is too short, something I'm wrestling with, with my current sea ride, a Farr3.7. Edited by iGRF - 18 Jun 20 at 4:29pm |
|
nickd
Newbie Joined: 15 Jun 20 Location: Cambridgeshire Online Status: Offline Posts: 5 |
Post Options Quote Reply Posted: 18 Jun 20 at 4:34pm |
"PS the Europe is a girls boat" Haha, you should see the car I drive - you'd realise that I care little for such issues!
Seriously though, many thanks for a lot of very helpful advice there. Nick
Edited by nickd - 18 Jun 20 at 4:35pm |
|
iGRF
Really should get out more Joined: 07 Mar 11 Location: Hythe Online Status: Offline Posts: 6496 |
Post Options Quote Reply Posted: 18 Jun 20 at 7:42pm |
No, it really is a girls boat, it was an Olympic girls boat so more suited to their build. I learned a lot once from following one such girly expert up a beat, so it/s not to say anything bad about it, but the boom effectively touches the deck, if you think Contender has nose rash issues, the Europe is in another league. |
|
Rupert
Really should get out more Joined: 11 Aug 04 Location: Whitefriars sc Online Status: Offline Posts: 8956 |
Post Options Quote Reply Posted: 18 Jun 20 at 9:05pm |
It has always been a mixed gender class, around a long, long time before Olympic selection, and a long time after.
I was fine ducking the boom, but would somehow always leave an elbow in the air, which was very painful. |
|
Firefly 2324, Puffin 229, Minisail 3446 Mirror 70686
|
|
Sam.Spoons
Really should get out more Joined: 07 Mar 12 Location: Manchester UK Online Status: Offline Posts: 3398 |
Post Options Quote Reply Posted: 18 Jun 20 at 11:10pm |
In a Europe the boom goes way up when you release the mainsheet in a tack. I thought I would struggle with that when I sailed one a couple of years ago but it was not a problem. The OK is better with a deep cockpit but it seems to be better suited to slightly heavier sailors, the Europe is definitely a lightweights boat.
Edited by Sam.Spoons - 18 Jun 20 at 11:11pm |
|
Spice 346 "Flat Broke"
Blaze 671 "supersonic soap dish" |
|
tink
Really should get out more Joined: 23 Jan 16 Location: North Hants Online Status: Offline Posts: 788 |
Post Options Quote Reply Posted: 19 Jun 20 at 5:46am |
We shouldn’t bite at iGRF but as the Europe was a class legal Int Moth it’s like saying Moths are girls boats.
The OP £2K budget puts D0 Aero and for a competitive boat most of the rest of the iGRF list off the list. |
|
Tink
https://tinkboats.com http://proasail.blogspot.com |
|
Post Reply | Page <123> |
Forum Jump | Forum Permissions You cannot post new topics in this forum You cannot reply to topics in this forum You cannot delete your posts in this forum You cannot edit your posts in this forum You cannot create polls in this forum You cannot vote in polls in this forum |