Fast(ish) dinghy suggestions please

How about one of these:-

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Easy to launch and sail single handed, easy to right after a capsize (ask me how I know) and can take another 2 people as passengers.
 
hlb said:
Yep but he said he wanted some thing fast. My ospray passed enterprises like they were stopped. Not that we were experts. With the family, dog and picnic aboard, we just went a bit slower. Totally controlable with a bit of slack in the sail. Dont get me wrong, there is awsome power there, but it dont mean you have to use it all.
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He said he wants something a bit faster than a Mirror - Osprey is a lovely boat - spent many happy hours (and a few miserable ones) both helming and crewing ospreys but it's a big jump from a Mirror and isn't easy to get upright if you go over on your own. It's also a big boat to get in and out of the water single-handed, especially in a breeze. I can't see the point of getting a 2-3 man dinghy and then going slowly - it would drive me round the bend. It would be like me getting a Ferrari because I wanted something a bit faster than my Hyundai...
 
michaelchapman said:
How about one of these:-

FXone-action-05-sm.jpg


Easy to launch and sail single handed, easy to right after a capsize (ask me how I know) and can take another 2 people as passengers.
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Dart 15 might be worth a look?
Singlehanding most 2 handed boats is OK, up to a certain breeze, which depends on the size of the boat and the size of the helm.
Osprey is a big person's boat to start with.
Something like a Lark, Scorpion Ent, or Miracle would be reasonably sensible IMHO.
Alternatively, a larger singlehander such as a Solo or Phantom can carry a passenger.
Some of the modern classes with Asymmetrics are getting fairly cheap now but might still be a bit pricey? RS200's, Laser 2000's Topper Magno's are viable one-up if it's not howling, and getting the kite up adds a certain something!
I would look for something that is in good nick and look to not lose too much on resale, as your needs are likely to evolve one way or the other IMHO.
 
I'd just like to say how completely unsuitable an Osprey would be for this potential buyer...or for anyone else...

...in fact, anybody even considering an Osprey, must be entirely mad!

Awful boats! So heavy! So big and scary, and so...unnecessarily powerful and...oh my God! I want one! I want one!

Please, don't buy an Osprey. Pretty please? Leave a few for sale out there!! :o
 
dancrane said:
I'd just like to say how completely unsuitable an Osprey would be for this potential buyer...or for anyone else...

...in fact, anybody even considering an Osprey, must be entirely mad!

Awful boats! So heavy! So big and scary, and so...unnecessarily powerful and...oh my God! I want one! I want one!

Please, don't buy an Osprey. Pretty please? Leave a few for sale out there!! :o
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I rest my case.

Yep, maybe not ideal for one. But I learned to sail mine, with no training, or even knowing I'd bought a legend. I just thought it a bigger boat. Wife who was crew, 5ft 3" and hated boats, yet we managed it quite happily, even went in for races, though we were no where near competitive and I doubt if we ever sailed it to it's full potential. I did win one race though and won a cup. There was no wind, so I sailed her single handed and left every one else like they were stopped, not that I was going much faster.

Heres a funny story.

I'd never sailed her on the sea, but had learned that that was her best envirolment, so we towed her 350 miles to Looe in Cornwall.

It was blowing a good F6 or 7. So for a laugh, I said, right kids, lets get the boat out!!:eek: Just then I got a tap on the shoulder, from a guy stood behind.

I'll come out with you he said. I always wanted to sail an Ospray.

So I could not back out and off we went.

Luckily he said. I wont use the trapeze in this wind, it might break your mast.

The boat went like a train and just flew over the onshore waves, without any skill from my part, we flew passed an enterprise and some thing else.

Going so fast, we had to slow down a few times to catch a breath as we could not breath for spray.

On the sea, she became alive, not forever loosening sails, just to keep her the right way up. Just cleated them at the power we felt comfortable with, she never missed a beat, no sense of problems over mountainous waves, though the tricky bit was trying to find the right wave to tack in and come back, she handled that without issue as well.

An Ospray may not be ideal for one, but thats mainly because of flooky winds on lakes.

Me, the wife, kids and dog, sailed round Looe Island a day or two later. I could not recomend a better family boat, but you do have to respect it's awsome power, not that you have to use it all, it's quite content spilling as much wind as you like.
 
you need an osprey and an old laser turned upside down on top. Then pick your weapon for the day. If you buy older boats you'll get both for the price of a modern fancy thing.

Wayfarer can be single handed sailed with jib and reefed main. Its beam gives it form stability.

I loved my osprey but never sailed it single handed.

My last combination before i went yachting was a Wayfarer and a Phantom. I raced the latter single handed and the wayfarer with whoever. also great for pottering with kids etc.

If you can take up one space with the laser tucked upside down under the osprey's boom up cover you might get away with it!

I think you're looking for a nirvana in one boat that doesn't exist.

Note weight is important if you want to go fast in reasonable winds. Jockeys sail fast in National 12's and Second row forwards sail fast in Ospreys.
 
The Topper Buzz will do the job perfectly. Good little boats and a complete bargain at sub-£1k.

Not too powerful rig, so easy to single-hand, and two-up in a breeze it can give a good account of itself performance-wise.

Good choice.
 
Bobc said:
The Topper Buzz will do the job perfectly. Good little boats and a complete bargain at sub-£1k.

Not too powerful rig, so easy to single-hand, and two-up in a breeze it can give a good account of itself performance-wise.

Good choice.
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I had a go in a Buzz last week. Very light winds but I was left quite impressed. Very beamy which gives a good feeling of space.
But it does make my Wayfarer seem like a 'proper boat'.
 
Robwhelton said:
We've just bought a Graduate, haven't had it out sailing yet so can't offer as much advice as I'd like to.
It seems roomy enough for two (so long as you're not giants) and certainly light enough to handle on the trolley. Around half your budget for a decent one.
I'll let you know more when we get round to launching it...
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I had a Graduate,had a lot of fun with it.Some say they are a biy "tippy" but i found it very good with or without SWMBO.
 
Wasn't there a character in Casino, described as the under-boss of Kansas City?

He must have capsized one of these...

topper-boss_pics109-10915.jpg


That was a real stretch, sorry. And not nearly as funny as I'd hoped... :( :rolleyes:
 
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