So which boat should I be looking for?
Re: So which boat should I be looking for?
Thanks - that might explain why there seems to be a relatively high number of very cheap older Solos coming onto the market...
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Re: So which boat should I be looking for?
If you're ok with wood look for a Solo built by Richard Lovett. They are still on the pace inland and very well built.
Re: So which boat should I be looking for?
Well I was struggling.davidh wrote:Oh dear oh dear oh dear,
Sometimes our vision can be so limited and blinkered.....
There are some great boats out there that all fit Hotspur's criteria
I eliminated:
- classes that haven't had a published PY number since the 80s (difficult to find and many of them were just not very good)
- classes without a wood deck option
- classes with what I consider to be very low boom height
- classes with what I consider to be very low freeboard
- classes that are heavy for what they are
- classes that are so popular they don't need to be mentioned
- classes that are really two handers
- high performance classes requiring unusual levels of agility
reckoning that was a reasonable approximation of his criteria, except that I don't like part time two handers and have never come across one I'd want to sail every week. That left me with not a lot...
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Re: So which boat should I be looking for?
I used to sail a Miracle as a single handed quite often.
It would have to be an old N12 as well, with a steel plate perhaps and not too much 'extra' sail area. i.e. sails of an older cut.
Either that, or go find a 'crew' that you can team up.
I had the occasional 'use' of a learner crew last year. She was keen and a good learner but, unfortunately, she was far too good looking and unattached. People kept putting 2 and 2 together and making 5. The funny looks/comments got wearing in the end and I allowed her to drift away....hurumph!
Hey ho!
Steve Hawkins
It would have to be an old N12 as well, with a steel plate perhaps and not too much 'extra' sail area. i.e. sails of an older cut.
Either that, or go find a 'crew' that you can team up.
I had the occasional 'use' of a learner crew last year. She was keen and a good learner but, unfortunately, she was far too good looking and unattached. People kept putting 2 and 2 together and making 5. The funny looks/comments got wearing in the end and I allowed her to drift away....hurumph!
Hey ho!
Steve Hawkins
Steve Hawkins
1967 National 12 2383 "Sparkle"
1967 National 12 2383 "Sparkle"
Re: So which boat should I be looking for?
Not that you have one up for sale at the moment Stephen.Stephen Hawkins wrote: It would have to be an old N12 as well, with a steel plate perhaps and not too much 'extra' sail area. i.e. sails of an older cut.
Steve Hawkins
Hornet 191 Shoestring,
Hornet 595 Demon awaiting restoration
Hornet 610 Final Fling
Hornet 353
Hornet 595 Demon awaiting restoration
Hornet 610 Final Fling
Hornet 353
Re: So which boat should I be looking for?
One of our club sailors seemed to get nice lady crews but he frequently managed to capsize with them though he's a good sailor. We just joked about a liking for wet T shirts.
(Half Cut and What a Lark Removals Ltd)
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Re: So which boat should I be looking for?
Indeed, Roger.
I am hoping to do some work on it this summer. And the other one.
I thought I was being made redundant next month and was making plans to refresh Planet and finish my Merlin. And then re-deck Sparkle. I thought I was going to get the summer off!
Unfortunately, the 'company' has seen fit not to make me redundant till this time next year. Hurumph!
Another year paying into the pension, I suppose. Still go to find something to do for another 20 years though
Cheers
I am hoping to do some work on it this summer. And the other one.
I thought I was being made redundant next month and was making plans to refresh Planet and finish my Merlin. And then re-deck Sparkle. I thought I was going to get the summer off!
Unfortunately, the 'company' has seen fit not to make me redundant till this time next year. Hurumph!
Another year paying into the pension, I suppose. Still go to find something to do for another 20 years though
Cheers
Steve Hawkins
1967 National 12 2383 "Sparkle"
1967 National 12 2383 "Sparkle"
Re: So which boat should I be looking for?
Thanks all, I really appreciate the thought people have put into this. I'm on holiday now so can give it some consideration wt my leisure.
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Re: So which boat should I be looking for?
How about a splash or a comet uno, both easy to sail and quite comfy, old national a possibility but tend to be a bit heavy for single handed sailing esp if wind picks up.
Re: So which boat should I be looking for?
Every now and again a Mark comes up for sale - sort of like a 12 foot Finn, from Ireland. Look nice, but rare!
Otherwise, I'm with Jim on this - once you rule out sailing surfboards, very tippy boats like the SkolMoth vintage of Int Moth, big ones like the Finn, non cvrda qualifying ones, you aren'tleft with many. An old wood Solo would be a great choice, a GRP one from the 70's a very bad choice - I know, I owned one, briefly. The OK is well worth a sail to see how you get on with it - the boom really is higher than a Solo boom when you tack, as the hull is so deep. If I wasn't so into the twin beasts of Lightning and Minisail, I'd be tempted to sell both and replace with an OK. Maybe in a few years.
Otherwise, I'm with Jim on this - once you rule out sailing surfboards, very tippy boats like the SkolMoth vintage of Int Moth, big ones like the Finn, non cvrda qualifying ones, you aren'tleft with many. An old wood Solo would be a great choice, a GRP one from the 70's a very bad choice - I know, I owned one, briefly. The OK is well worth a sail to see how you get on with it - the boom really is higher than a Solo boom when you tack, as the hull is so deep. If I wasn't so into the twin beasts of Lightning and Minisail, I'd be tempted to sell both and replace with an OK. Maybe in a few years.
Rupert
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Re: So which boat should I be looking for?
I've got 2 CRVDA-able OKs that I need to sell.... one is all wood, s/n 1225 (built 1968), and the other is s/n 1963 (built 1981) but needs a deck revarnish.
Interested?
Cheers, Jon
Interested?
Cheers, Jon
Re: So which boat should I be looking for?
Thanks all. An OK sounds like a genuine option then, and it seems that and an older wooden Solo are probably top of the pile. I love the idea of a Finn but realistically I wonder if its size and weight would stop me sailing it as much? The Mark sounds pretty good, if only one were available.
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Re: So which boat should I be looking for?
Going a bit off piste - Firefly.
Single handing is an option and can take a crew giving you the opportunity to be sociable. If you are considering, it would be worth taking advice from someone like Rupert on which to look for or avoid.
Agree totally about the Megabyte and the Hit though . I won't part with my Megabyte but might be tempted to let go of the Hit for the right offer.
Single handing is an option and can take a crew giving you the opportunity to be sociable. If you are considering, it would be worth taking advice from someone like Rupert on which to look for or avoid.
Agree totally about the Megabyte and the Hit though . I won't part with my Megabyte but might be tempted to let go of the Hit for the right offer.
Re: So which boat should I be looking for?
Interesting... Got any pics?Nigel wrote:Going a bit off piste - Firefly.
Single handing is an option and can take a crew giving you the opportunity to be sociable. If you are considering, it would be worth taking advice from someone like Rupert on which to look for or avoid.
Agree totally about the Megabyte and the Hit though . I won't part with my Megabyte but might be tempted to let go of the Hit for the right offer.
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