Help! Don't know what boat to go for?

General chat about boats
Lukey T
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Location: Rugeley, Staffordshire

Re: Help! Don't know what boat to go for?

Post by Lukey T »

Will have to get mum out in both I guess, let her try them.

Never sailed a gp.
Luke

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Bootscooter
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Re: Help! Don't know what boat to go for?

Post by Bootscooter »

How about a Skipper? Then when you've sailed it once you can chop it up and burn it, thus saving all that wasted bandwidth when it inevitably appears on eBay...

Incidentally, does anyone know how many of the abominations were built? Are there really just a few of them that keep reappearing on the auction site, or are there millions of the damned things? :lol: :twisted:
Rupert
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Re: Help! Don't know what boat to go for?

Post by Rupert »

There were well over 10,000 built, in 2 sizes. I think the 14 was by far the more popular. And burning will just leave you the problem of what do do with the glass mess left. A chainsaw and landfill appears to be the only answer once they start to return to componant parts.
Rupert
Max McCarthy
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Re: Help! Don't know what boat to go for?

Post by Max McCarthy »

Sorry to be pedantic, but weren't there three sizes? The 12, 14, and 17? Correct me if I am wrong......
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SoggyBadger
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Re: Help! Don't know what boat to go for?

Post by SoggyBadger »

In _theory_ you could fit 4 adults into a GP14 as that was part of its design brief. Really though the GP14, Wanderer and Leader will all feel very cramped with that loading.
Best wishes


SB
Lukey T
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Joined: Sun Dec 30, 2012 12:11 am
Location: Rugeley, Staffordshire

Re: Help! Don't know what boat to go for?

Post by Lukey T »

hmm i think i might just epoxy my spare mast into the bath, would have a better look and resale value than the skipper.


Max i think your right on the sizes, not sure on the biggest though.

May need to find a GP to have a go in. Its just the weight of the wayfarer that is a worry.
Luke

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Rupert
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Re: Help! Don't know what boat to go for?

Post by Rupert »

There was a small yacht called the Skipper 17, I think.
Rupert
Rupert
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Re: Help! Don't know what boat to go for?

Post by Rupert »

Google is a wonderful thing

http://myweb.tiscali.co.uk/skipper17/history.html

Though given the site says Peter Milne designed the Challenger Tri, I'd not believe all it says.

There is also a fair amount about Mariner and Mate in Dinghy Recognition, which is talking about the twin keels before 1974, so the time line may be a little out on the website.

I'd not seen a photo of the 17 as a dayboat before - there is more family resemblance than it looks when there is a cabin - good call Max!

Would make an excellent 4 person dayboat. I wonder if there are many left?
Rupert
SoggyBadger
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Re: Help! Don't know what boat to go for?

Post by SoggyBadger »

I remember the Skipper 17. Someone at Chase had one in the 70s. I remember a gang of us going out in it ice breaking on a half-frozen lake. It was certainly solidly built!
Best wishes


SB
Bill-Conner
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Re: Help! Don't know what boat to go for?

Post by Bill-Conner »

For the record the CHallenger Tri (Responsible for getting many afloat, who otherwise would not have been able.) was designed by the great Roderick McAlpine-Downie and after quite a few other builders is again being produced ny Whites at Brightlingsea
rme_01
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Re: Help! Don't know what boat to go for?

Post by rme_01 »

A skipper 17 - please no; doesn't the word classic on this site mean something other than just old?! Anyhow if you are bothered by weight:

Gp14 133kg
Wayfarer 168kg
Skipper17 353kg

As an aside someone touched on how you get rid of old fibreglass boats. Given the hundreds of plastic monstrosities abandoned in boat parks and creeks with plenty more to come this is something of an issue. Unlike god's proper boat building material you can't decently burn them and they won't rot so you are left with chainsaws and landfill .... at whose cost?

Being in the timber business I might be a bit biased.
Rupert
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Re: Help! Don't know what boat to go for?

Post by Rupert »

Classic is in the eye of the beholder, I guess... but then I sail another Richmond Marine creation.

However, it is pushing the bounds of the RD part of CVRDA isn't it?!

The extra weight would be handy for stability, but you are into the realms of reversing a trailer into the water to launch and recover.
Rupert
SoggyBadger
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Re: Help! Don't know what boat to go for?

Post by SoggyBadger »

I don't think anyone is actually recommending a Skipper 17 for Lukey (I'm certainly not!!!).

They seem to be able to launch and recover Flying Fifteens OK at Blithfield so a Wayfarer shouldn't be a problem. It's a lake I know quite well as I used to race Ospreys there. I could haul out my Osprey on my own and I'm only 10.5 stones. Two or three people will easily manage a Wayfarer there.
Best wishes


SB
Lukey T
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Re: Help! Don't know what boat to go for?

Post by Lukey T »

Its not launching at blithfield im concerned about. It would be if they take the boat anywhere.

The committee has just given the go ahead for the event at Blithfield on the 29th/30th June.
Luke

MR3296 Seventh Heaven
SoggyBadger
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Re: Help! Don't know what boat to go for?

Post by SoggyBadger »

Lukey T wrote:Its not launching at blithfield im concerned about. It would be if they take the boat anywhere.
That's going to apply to just about any boat you'd consider using as a cruising dinghy. It's really a matter of research (http://www.boatlaunch.co.uk is good for that). Most public slips have vehicular access so pulling the boat back out is usually quite easy, especially if there's a jockey wheel on the trolley.

BTW, has anyone suggested the Kestrel yet? Big, stable and lighter than the GP14 or Wayfarer, it may fit the bill.
Lukey T wrote:The committee has just given the go ahead for the event at Blithfield on the 29th/30th June.
Excellent :D
Best wishes


SB
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