No.1 Son Turns 17 Today.

DJE

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Two years ago he was sailing an RS Feva with his sister. The latest project is this:
PICT0072A.JPG

An old international 14 that he and two mates bought off ebay for £360 with no sails and no foils. They've been cadging bits from all over the place since December and the last bit (the dagger board) arrived about ten days ago. I keep telling him they have to call the boat "Bits and Pieces".
Happy Birthday Mike. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif
 
I did something similar at 18 - I bought Int 14 Number 1233 - covered with Harken gear and loads of sails for £500 - there is some benefit of development classes after-all!!

Obviously, not competitive, but a great toy and certainly gets you used to trapezing and high performance sailing before you get your hands on a 49er! /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

He'll have great fun - learn a lot, and prob make a few quid when he sells it! I recall sailing ours in a Force 6 gusting 7 on Windermere one day - got asked by the lake warden to take the kite down in the restricted zone as we were "well over the 5 knot limit" - I recall replying "if you wanted to come and take the kite down you would have been welcome - we didn't dare come off the wire!" - it was worth £500 for that day alone (ended up ripping a halyard sheave out of the mast - I suspect it was a close run thing whether the sheave went or the sail - suppose the sheave was cheaper!)

Jonny
 
Happy Birthday to Mike!

My boy Charlie is 17 next week; but he's not fond of sailing, would rather be doing something macho/flying with the Air Cadets.
 
[ QUOTE ]
doing something macho

[/ QUOTE ] I'll let you tell him that the 14 isn't macho! He's a lot bigger than he was when you met him! /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif
 
Whoops- didn't mean that! only meant Charlie prefers muddy soldier games to water- actually he gets seasick... I'd love to see him on the water like Mike.

What IS great , is that 'the yoof of today' aren't all dossing about doing bugger all in front of the telly/in the shopping malls.
 
No worries.

I should have added, Anybody know where they can get a cheap International 14 spinaker? It's about the same size as the No.1 genoa for a Sadler 29. /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif
 
As they are development boats the sizes vary - I got rid of my spare one not too long ago - typical!

Keep an eye out for 49er / B14 kites as they are not much different in size.

The class association forum is usually good (from memory) and the top guys go through 3 or 4 kites a season so lots of old ones usually knocking around.

Maybe worth a phone call to Ovington in Newcastle (they make new 14's and there is a reasonable fleet up here) - they may have one or know of one?

Jonny
 
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