Racing Yacht

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seamanstain

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Hello!
Some friends and I are looking for a 22' + yacht to race that costs under £15000, does anyone have any suggestions. We are dinghy sailors looking to move seriously into racing yachts instead. We are on a limited budget so would appreciate any advice etc...

Many Thanks,
Ian

<hr width=100% size=1>whoever took the user name seamanstains you are about as unoriginal as me. damn you.
 
Dear Urban Myth,
You could probably haggle a Hunter 707 down to below £15K. There are good racing fleets on the Solent and elsewhere. Save the new suit of racing sails until next year after you've mastered the basics of racing the beast.

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How about a Corribee. there have been loads of suggestions recently on how to make one of those break the sound barrier.

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How about a Hunter Sonata? Good one design class racing in many parts of the country. You can pick up one in descent nick for about £6000. She is a boat that looks right and normally if that is the case sails well too...have fun!!

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How about a Trapper 30 ? Designed by Rob Humphreys as a cruiser racer, based on a full-on half-tonner. Normally quite a few in their class a Cowes Week and quite often win. I would suggest a guide price of between 10K - 17K.

Have Fun Boat Hunting.

<hr width=100% size=1>/forums/images/icons/wink.gif <font color=blue> Regards Aidy </font color=blue>
 
Snotty

A Sonata sounds ideal. You get one and have money to spare to get it in trim for £15k. Despite not having been made for a while there are still big fleets of them around which race together in big mobs.

I have always wondered why Hunter stopped making them.

<hr width=100% size=1>One day, I want to be a real sailor. In the mean time I'll just keep trying.
 
Re: J24?

They're still popular in the US - but I cant think when I last saw one over here. Perhaps the concept of a Melges that sail 2 or 3 times faster is more appealing to some people.

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I saw a very quick Fisher 25 on Saturday - it overtook me on the motorway - going south - Nr Lancaster, mid morning
Hope that helps

<hr width=100% size=1>regards
Claymore
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Re: J24?

They race as a class at the Royal Western YC in Plymouth in the 1884 Series in the summer and in other series later in the year. See the rwyc.org website. I believe the Royal Cornwall also race them in Falmouth

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Re: J24?

About 15k for a 4 to 5 year old boat..., depending on level of abuse and sails.

Trailerable, and quite possibly the closest and most competitive international fleet racing around. Last time they were in Marseielles ( for the Worlds I believe) all 80 boats arrived at the leeward mark within about 90 seconds. Mark rounding skills need to be sharp. Crew of 4 (unless you are slightly heavy - in which case you will only have space for 3, and not be competitive). Ultralights might get 5 aboard at a pinch.

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Limbo .......

<hr width=100% size=1>Nigel ...
<A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.qqbaltic.com/index.html>http://www.qqbaltic.com/index.html</A> For all those disbelievers ! /forums/images/icons/cool.gif
 
I agree that the Sonata is a good choice, lots of them about, cheapish to buy and maintain. The great thing about them is that they are a benchmark boat for handicapping which means that they have a favourable handicap now and it is unlikely to get worse. They sail equally well at sea as on a lake and you can do the odd overnight as well, go for one with a fixed keel and that has been looked after.

Others you might consider that are more modern and as such more to fun to sail;

Cork 1720 - saw one on the Yachts & Yachting website @£8k

Projection 762 - mean looking boat and quick

Bull 7000(?)

H22 - one at Dickies for £11k -

Have fun:-))


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Work out where you can afford to keep the boat and then see what is racing in that area. J24 still very active in some areas. Alternatively a sonata will give you good club racing. A good GK24 may also suit you.

Yoda

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Golden oldies

The story of the yacht Sunstone is interesting. It was (is) an old wooden race yacht built in 1965 to a Sparkman and Stevens design. Owners Tom and Vicky Jackson revived it and started RORC racing it again in the mid 80's, into the '90's and were very successful due to the boats age allowance, go faster rig and sails (and excellent driving and crew work) They are now well into a round-the-world cruise in the boat and are participating in local offshore racing as they go. Last year, for example, they won their class and were 5th overall in the West Vancouver Yacht Club's Southern Straits Race. In 2000, they won their class in the Sydney Hobart.

So, one option may be to look for a good, old, small racing yacht (perhaps a 1970 1/4 tonner?) going cheap and spend some money on hot sails so that you can go out and frighten (on handicap) the guys in the latest greatest flying machines.

<hr width=100% size=1><A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.writeforweb.com/twister1>Let's Twist Again</A>
 
Hello All,
Thank you very much for the suggestions. After hard deliberation we have decided to go for the Sonata! We were tempted by the Melges, but I think the Sonata is a slightly safer (taking my helming ability) bet. Thanks for all the posts - look out for Flaming Nora 2 or The Spirit of Nora (haven't decided on a name yet) at Cowes Week this year!

Thanks,
Ian, Nick, James

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