anyone know anything about Sailing Boats ?

the civil one

the civil one

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Morning ,
This last couple of seasons ive be taking Sailing lessons , Nothing fancy , Just Topper Size Boats , 16 Ft dingies.
Now i would like to get my hands on a Wee Catamaran , I think id like a dart 16 0r 18 or similar .
The only thing id like to be able to sail it solo .
I notice UK prices are a fraction of Irish prices , but i cant get over to view....
 
Im not experienced in sailing matters, but aren't you going to have trouble finding a catamaran which is so small ?
 
stever1 said:
Im not experienced in sailing matters, but aren't you going to have trouble finding a catamaran which is so small ?
Click to expand...

No . 16 - 18 Ft boats are actually a Class of Boat.
There are bigger boats , but im not interested in those.
There are " Blade " catamarans which look like Amazing Craic , but are Very expensive .
 
I’ve sailed Toppers and Lazers and having had a few conversations with catamaran owners they’ve said they are super fast, obviously at full sail. Is speed what you’re after?
 
the civil one said:
No . 16 - 18 Ft boats are actually a Class of Boat.
There are bigger boats , but im not interested in those.
There are " Blade " catamarans which look like Amazing Craic , but are Very expensive .
Click to expand...

Didn't know you could get so small a catamaran. Ive been out on my pals sailing dinghy in Scotland which is about 18 foot and quite enjoyed it. If you can't get exactly what you want would you be interested in a normal dinghy ?
 
Im in the market for a learner boat .
I was out last week , and was called in , i really didnt want to stop.
Its Just time for my own boat

Something i can go straight into the water . Someone to View AND report Condition. Sensible money
 
I would say the Dart is not suitable for a beginner, or for single handed sailing. These are usually sailed with a crew and using a trapeze, it's a very fast boat. I guess you could fit much smaller sails and sail single handed, but it would be very slow to tack, and rather pointless. A proper single handed boat like a Laser or Solo, would be far easier to launch/retrieve, and far more fun to sail.
 
I sailed a Mirror as a kid, my dad raced a Lazer

To be honest I was always more interested in driving the rescue boat :D

As for catamarans, I think Hobie Cat were popular, the 14 was designed specifically to be sailed solo with just the main sail although you can also fit a jib if you want

To begin with one sail is more than enough to keep you busy and I think trapezing will need to come later !

As a beginner you’re probably better off with a normal dingy, as mentioned above, a Lazer or Solo are plenty quick and it would probably be easier to find a club racing them as they are both popular for single class racing

There may well also be newer models that I’m unaware of of course
 
Agree with all the above

We have a single sailing dinghy that might be of interest to you?

Especially as it is a pack away version ??

And My Folks are heading up to Dungloe next week
 
Had a lot of dinghys and was a national coach. Owning your own boat is not a cheap hobby. Never owned a dart 16 but sailed my mates many times. Great cat, very fast, but not a good solo boat and not for the inexperienced really. If you capsize, which you will, they are a bitch to right.

If set on a cat though, stay away from Hobby Cat, Dart is a better option :)

I have owned, Enterprises, one I built myself, lasers, which are a great boat, but you need to be a bit nimble as there isn't a lot of room, but for solo ideal. My last two boats were Ospreys monster fast, but again you needed an experienced crew on the trapeze and it wasn't a solo sail. But great hobby, like bikes really get sail in any boats you fancy, also sea sailing is different to pond sailing.
 
Surely most cats were developed for racing, so not really suitable for a twin hull learner. Indeed I can think of many reasons against cat sailing solo - I'm sure you will have been there.

Why not start by getting experience crewing a decent cat, with the intention of taking the helm once you have learnt the ropes.

This is a Brit built Stealth F16; older boats are getting affordable, when you can find one. Looks exciting, but I'm too long in the tooth & these things bite ............ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DSep1xvuHgE
 
In the longer term if you like the boat you will want to sail with or compete against others. SO find out is there a class anywhere. If not you'll be Billy (Civil) no mates. We had a Hobie many years ago and it was like sh*t off a shovel for speed but there was nobody to compete with. I would suggest a Laser as others have said. Parts are readily available (new and used) and there's a good class to get involved with. Like a motorbike the day you buy is the day you sell so take advice from someone involved that knows about the state of the Gel Coat on the hull and other bits and bobs fitted to the boat.
 
the civil one said:
Morning ,
This last couple of seasons ive be taking Sailing lessons , Nothing fancy , Just Topper Size Boats , 16 Ft dingies.
Now i would like to get my hands on a Wee Catamaran , I think id like a dart 16 0r 18 or similar .
The only thing id like to be able to sail it solo .
I notice UK prices are a fraction of Irish prices , but i cant get over to view....
Click to expand...

It’s so easy to buy the wrong dinghy, I would keep hiring different types of dinghies for quite some time before buying, it will save you money and maybe avoid you buying the wrong boat.
I do like the hobbies and darts but they are a lot to handle, just launching and coming back in is a task. I have only ever hired them.
Good luck, it’s a great sport.
 
stever1 said:
Didn't know you could get so small a catamaran. Ive been out on my pals sailing dinghy in Scotland which is about 18 foot and quite enjoyed it. If you can't get exactly what you want would you be interested in a normal dinghy ?
Click to expand...

I am intrigued as to why you are replying to a thread about something you are not very familiar with?
 
MikeS said:
I am intrigued as to why you are replying to a thread about something you are not very familiar with?
Click to expand...
This is ukgser. Not exactly knowing anything about the subject is no barrier to having a say and contributing. JJH
 
squibb34 said:
.
Looks exciting, but I'm too long in the tooth & these things bite ............ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DSep1xvuHgE
Click to expand...

Yeah , I have an idea of my own limitations , But seldom take heed .

Your last sentence hit home , Many Moons ago ,,,,, Suzuki released the TLR , the general consensus was , She Bits back , but rewards the brave.
I remember the Spin From Eglinton Village to the Hospital .............. But it was some bike ....
Great video , Great Music.
 
casbar said:
If set on a cat though, stay away from Hobby Cat, ......
Click to expand...

I found sailing a Hobbycat a hoot.
A few years ago I was on holiday in Mauritius, until then I'd done a bit a windsurfing, but only when on holiday so I was no expert. The hotel we were at had a few hobbycats that were free to use, the only thing I'd sailed in until then (with the exception of windsurfers and a brief sail in a single hull Laser) was Oil Tankers, so no relevant experience! The Instructor in the dive/sail shop said he'd take me out to see how I coped (he'd seen me windsurf so new I had the basics required to judge the wind, etc.), within 10 minutes he said I was fine to go solo and I spent the rest of the holiday speeding up and down the (massive) lagoon getting the best I could out of it.
Each week they had a race, they had a couple of larger Cats that required two people to sail and the instructor asked me if I'd partner him in one of them. We were doing great well ahead of the field, until the mast one of the mast stays snapped. :blast
 
trebor said:
I found sailing a Hobbycat a hoot.
Click to expand...

Most holiday resorts have them and they are fun. But in the sea around the UK they can dig in and pitch pole if you not careful and as with other cats, bloody hard to right unless you know what you are doing.
 
casbar said:
Most holiday resorts have them and they are fun. But in the sea around the UK they can dig in and pitch pole if you not careful and as with other cats, bloody hard to right unless you know what you are doing.
Click to expand...

I could well imagine.
U.K. waters too cold for me, if I can't do it in a T-shirt and swim shorts it ain't happening!:D
 
Nippy Normans supply Touratech, Wunderlich, Desert Fox and many other makes of accessories.
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