Single Hander, pref GRP, not toooo wiiiild

[jpa_wfsc]

Hi;

some advice on class to aim for, and maybe if you have or see anything suitable you could let us know?

Budget, £300.

Tom, 14, less than 11 st, 5'10" wants a single hander that is more challenging than a topper, but less tipsy than a Moth (e.g. his Brother's Skol is tooo lively). He is quite a competent sailor and needs a boat similar in performance to a Laser Radial so he can race with his peer group.

Other than the obvious (Laser Radial!!!) what would we suggest? We have got to thinking 'OK' so far - and missed out on 222 on eBay this week and on another all GRP one which has just recently been re-painted (hmmm). And we have a taste for classic wing boats.

Cheers!

[Michael Brigg]

Not really "Classic" but "lost class," I'm surprised Rupert hasn't tried to sell you a Tonic.

http://www.cvrda.org/dinghydata/Tonic.htm

They seem to make regular appearances on ebay.

Also....

Less common but one that I have always liked the look of is a "Concept 302"

http://www.cvrda.org/dinghydata/concept302.HTM

It is designed for the age you have in mind, and I recall is said to be made up to a very good quality lay up, particularly the foils and rig. They tend to have very good VFM when they come up on Ebay, and I am sure £300 will easily get you a good one

With increasing confidence there is the option to fly a spinaker also, so for a young sailor it gives them the idea that they are getting into skiff sailing.

At 11-12 and competent this I think is the time to move on from single handed sailing and learn how to cope with the commitment and team work needed in a 2man boat. Habits become ingrained and a singlehanded sailor can easily decide not to bother with racing today, whereas a crew will demand commitment, and make sailing more fun even when the conditions are dull

[jpa_wfsc]

Hm - I like the look of the tonic. And also could ask Rupert for a test sail - (but he is away just now, I think).

Concept 302 I just feel is a bit small - Tom is almost 6' now and growing fast! But I like the fact it has a Genneker. Its not very cvrda is it? - that would be a plus. And Tom has access to an RS Feva anytime he wants one, so the 302 might be seen as similar, but of course slower.

[Silverwood]

Harrier.... with original smaller rig same handicap (118) as OK in 1978. Plenty of room under the boom for 6ft and at 11 st a suitable weight for this nrig rather than the larger Phantom rig used for the Harrier +. CVRDA lost class, Merlinesque hull and 6' 3" beam to allow easy sitting out! Rig bendy in original format but not as bendy as a laser radial!
See both threads on For Sale section - pdfs of original brochure etc available if required.

[Michael Brigg]

Harrier,

Absolutely, and a name I was trying to remember.

Point out to Tom the original publicity leaflet on this with a young (and possibly even innocent?!) Laurie Smith at the helm.

http://www.bluelightning.co.uk/Harrier/Lawrie02.jpg

By my vote a perfect choice, and the option to beef up to the H+ without too much expense if he eats too many pies

[Brookesy]

I think the OK is a good choice, there was a fair number of them on the Cotswold lakes at one time so Im sure there should be some still around, and the nice thing is, it allows a seamless upgrade to Dads Finn as he gets bigger, and I speak from personal experience.
There is currently a cheap one which sounds promising in the Y&Y Classifieds

[Michael Brigg]

.... I like the fact it has a Genneker. Its not very cvrda is it? - that would be a plus.

Careful now, you'll be accused of "trolling!"

This doesn't of course matter. If it qualifies bydesign date & age (unlikeley) or by "Lost class rules" then it is CVRDA.

At the risk of being bumped into another thread...

I think as a design concept, the Concept 302 in every way has CVRDA written all over it. I am not aware of any other "junior" boat of its era that does what it does, so it is a class that could have been a development area which somehow fell on barren soil. Perhaps it doesn't sail as well as it claims, perhaps it has a poorly balanced rig, or perhaps it was overgrown by the Topper, and as a financial venture was sadly stillborn.

IMHO I think it would fill an interesting "Junior" niche in dinghy development alongside the Mini-sail sprint (with the sliding seat)

[neil]

I would recommend an OK - had one when was 14. Great boat, more technical than a laser but taught me a lot.



The old-school one piece suit and foam lifejacket would be optional.

[jpa_wfsc]

I also learnt to race in an OK - my school sailing club had one. Composite, Collar Wooden mast, winch for a kicker (that was dangerous - often jammed and you could not rely on it quickly to let the boom up before a tack or gybe - ouch!!).

Thanks for the not about the one in Emsworth on Y&Y (my mum in law lives in Ems!) and also am thinking about the Harrier that is up hereabouts.

Thanks for the suggestions and helps, folk!

j./

[jpa_wfsc]

.... I like the fact it has a Genneker. Its not very cvrda is it? - that would be a plus.

HeHe want I meant to say was that Tom's boat should be definitely a cvrda boat either classic or lost class.

[JimC]

Streaker?

[iowlen]

My friend has a nice looking fibreglass Europe , all ready to race. I think he'd take ₤300 for it ..... and I know he'd trade it for a nice Cherub if anyone has one.
Regards ,
Len

[Rupert]

Only just found this thread, John. Tom is welcome to use the Tonic as often as he likes, when he likes, as otherwise it is just sitting there. It is stable in the light stuff (unlike the Skol) but tends to throw its helm when the wind picks up to unreasonable levels. He should also have a go in the (non classic or lost) Lightning!

[jpa_wfsc]

OK - we bought one.

OK K575 'JoJo' built in 1965 I am told. No builders plate found yet so probably home built?

JoJo has a wooden mast, without a mast head lock - and its a bit bent so how that will work I don't know yet. If anyone has tips on how to striaghten this... but I will talk to Chris at Clewedog. The mast is essentially round with not much width - the only ones I saw before were decidedly wider than fore and aft to make them stiffer sideways.

Its designed for a wedge - no other kicking strap provided - but the wedge is missing. What material would that be made from? And how should it be rigged? Elastic pulling it out, and rope in???

So for day to day club use I will be on the lookout for an alloy mast, boom and kicker, and aim to keep the wooddie for cvrda meetings. But meanwhile we only have the one mast so will go on with that.

Previous owner bought it from someone who had it laid up in a barn for decades. He did it up, sailed it once and decided it was too fast for him.

[Brookesy]

The last wedge type kicker I had was a tufnol wedge on a length of alloy strip and was pulled in with a control line against the tension of some bunghy. Peter Vinton should be able to advise as he still uses a wooden rig from time to time on his Finn.
There is a Proctor alloy OK mast currently listed on Boats and Outboards for £50 under the 'Sails and spars'.