Lakesailor
Well-Known Member
Yes. I wish I'd bought my trimaran back. A ten foot boat with a full Laser rig had plenty of potential to excite.
Perhaps I may start the project again.
Lark Dinghy - Single-handing?
- Thread starter Lakesailor
- Start date
Perhaps I may start the project again.
Skylark
Well-Known Member
Another vote for Solo
The Solo is well worthy of merit. Plenty around, available in high maintenance wood or low maintenance plastic. Fair turn of speed, reasonable boom height, lots of bits of string to play with and looks of a gentlemans craft.
I don't support the wetsuit approach, though, especially if sailing in notoriously changeable conditions. Dry suit for me, I don't like getting wet and it's a cert that I'd be swimming at least once an hour
The Solo is well worthy of merit. Plenty around, available in high maintenance wood or low maintenance plastic. Fair turn of speed, reasonable boom height, lots of bits of string to play with and looks of a gentlemans craft.
I don't support the wetsuit approach, though, especially if sailing in notoriously changeable conditions. Dry suit for me, I don't like getting wet and it's a cert that I'd be swimming at least once an hour
Iain C
Well-Known Member
But not as much fun as a twelve foot boat with a yacht rig. I did once singlehand this...my crew's trapeze ring broke. I went quite a long way before I decided the best thing to do was crash it!
Lakesailor
Well-Known Member
Well, that's just silly.
Iain C
Well-Known Member
It's actually very sensible. It's got four rigs so you can race flat out all the time. The dinghy equivalent of reefing and putting a smaller kite up! It's most fun on the No4 rig, which you use when it's REALLY windy. Then this happens! (taken at Weston sailing club a few couple of years ago).
Being a 12 foot boat I'm sure a Skipper 12 rig could be made to fit too...
Being a 12 foot boat I'm sure a Skipper 12 rig could be made to fit too...
Lakesailor
Well-Known Member
I still think it's very silly
Seajet
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Well it beats flying all the way to Switzerland and paying them to do it.
Daedelus
Well-Known Member
I had a Solo and it really shifted in strong winds and the leeward broach ripped out the kicker - I wasn't agile enough.
However, I won my only ever sailing prize single handing in a 420 so have very fond memories of it. Much more comfortable than a Solo which IIRC had more jamming cleats & bits of string to adjust than you could shake a stick at.
However, I won my only ever sailing prize single handing in a 420 so have very fond memories of it. Much more comfortable than a Solo which IIRC had more jamming cleats & bits of string to adjust than you could shake a stick at.
Lakesailor
Well-Known Member
Oh, I'm not into lots of string. Before I sorted the clinker it was two sheets and a tiller in one hand and the other to bale. Much too busy.
[23929]
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I raced Larks for years. They are a bit heavy and will, in the blink of an eye, flick in to windward when bombing downwind.
The older ones fill up to the centre board case but you can drain them through the transom flaps if you can get going fast enough.
The new ones, like in the picture, don't really fill up to much but the centre board is quite high above the water when on the boat is capsized on it's side. This is also a problem with a lot of newer, double bottom, self draining dinghies. Getting from the water to the centre board can be very hard.
There is a tri called a Weta that might be of interest. Quite a new boat, so, not cheap.
Edit: To answer your original question... no, a Lark isn't much use as a single hander in a force 3 and above
The older ones fill up to the centre board case but you can drain them through the transom flaps if you can get going fast enough.
The new ones, like in the picture, don't really fill up to much but the centre board is quite high above the water when on the boat is capsized on it's side. This is also a problem with a lot of newer, double bottom, self draining dinghies. Getting from the water to the centre board can be very hard.
There is a tri called a Weta that might be of interest. Quite a new boat, so, not cheap.
Edit: To answer your original question... no, a Lark isn't much use as a single hander in a force 3 and above
[23929]
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Yes. I wish I'd bought my trimaran back. A ten foot boat with a full Laser rig had plenty of potential to excite.
Perhaps I may start the project again.
That tri is pretty good ! I saw an elderly guy on the Scilly Isles sail a similar thing. But it was an old wooden Enterprise with some outrigger hulls fitted, just as in your photo. He single handed sailed it from St Agnes to St Marys and back on a regular basis.
It was very stable and had nice an roomy cockpit. He would helm from the windward side deck on the internal bench seat. It was quite nicely made and maintained and wouldn't have cost a lot. When the breeze got up he just reefed the main. It sailed very well, just like and Enterprise but had all the benefits of a tri.
Lakesailor
Well-Known Member
I made it based on a ply/epoxy skiff. Broke the ring beam supporting the mast step first time out. Wish I hadn't sold it really.
rwoofer
Well-Known Member
Surprised to hear Solo and fast in the same sentence. On the dinghy forums it ain't called a Soslow for no reason. On PY a Laser rates about 70 points faster, which is a good reference.
Having said that they are nice comfortable boats to sail (with the exception of the relatively low boom). The sail area is relatively big (bigger than a laser and fully battened) and what makes the hull slow in wind is also what makes it relatively fast in very light/ drifty conditions, which is where it can beat a Laser. This is why they are favoured in inland locations. I own one BTW, but much prefer my Phantom due to my size.
Back to the Lark, they can be notoriously difficult downwind, so I wouldn't recommend. An Enterprise would be a better bet.
Having said that they are nice comfortable boats to sail (with the exception of the relatively low boom). The sail area is relatively big (bigger than a laser and fully battened) and what makes the hull slow in wind is also what makes it relatively fast in very light/ drifty conditions, which is where it can beat a Laser. This is why they are favoured in inland locations. I own one BTW, but much prefer my Phantom due to my size.
Back to the Lark, they can be notoriously difficult downwind, so I wouldn't recommend. An Enterprise would be a better bet.
Lakesailor
Well-Known Member
Problem solved. He's keeping it.
(It was advertised for £95)
(It was advertised for £95)
