hi we are beginning to sail and r looking at the above boat,r these ok for beginners and can they be sailed by one if need be (later) and is there any weight restrictions for two people?

How big are you?

A mate and his wife got one and they are both nearly 6ft and found it waaaayyy too small for two. they are a big and small person boat

SashaJ said..
hi we are beginning to sail and r looking at the above boat,r these ok for beginners and can they be sailed by one if need be (later) and is there any weight restrictions for two people?

They are designed as a father son type of racing boat so the weight restriction reflects that. I can not remember what it is but it's easy to find. They will carry two adults though if your not fussed about racing in class. The earlier hulls are more forgiving for beginners, it's a development class and the current boats are very narrow on the waterline and may seem unstable.
In NSW the association did have a solo division where they were raced with the main sail only. The mast was shifted forward a few inches. Not sure how long that lasted, in moderate conditions they can be sailed solo with the full rig.
Because they are a development class the resale value is poor. This means you can get a pretty good boat for very little money. I would suggest a full 'glass boat with an alloy mast though. Feel free to post a link of the boats your looking at and we can offer advice. Lot of fun for not much money.

rumblefish said..
How big are you?

A mate and his wife got one and they are both nearly 6ft and found it waaaayyy too small for two. they are a big and small person boat

Hi I'm only 5 ft 3 but my partner is big so I think we could of outgrown it??

Ramona said..

SashaJ said..

rumblefish said..
How big are you?

A mate and his wife got one and they are both nearly 6ft and found it waaaayyy too small for two. they are a big and small person boat

Hi I'm only 5 ft 3 but my partner is big so I think we could of outgrown it??

Have a look at Tasars. They are simply one design NS14's with a bit extra sail. They carry two large adults easily. I have a Corsair which is a 3 handed sailing dinghy I bought for the grandkids to sail. Good cheap boats to race or cruise.

I'm back again I came across a 470 advertised on a beach trailer for $1100 as the person wants it gone. Anyone have any opinion. He said I could put the boat with trolley on a box trailer to drive around.... I haven't seen it.

Thank you I was having a look at the boat trailers and pushes the sailing idea up. Can't find any YouTube of the dolly on a boxed trailer yet

SashaJ said..
Also I have a 2 litre Elantra so I hope I can tow a boat

No problems, small sailing boats weigh bugger all.

If you buy a dinghy (NS14, 470, Tasar etc) with a beach dolly, they should fit onto a standard box trailer with small modifications. The main problem is the weight balance on a short box trailer, so you will need to lift the boat and dolly onto the trailer (about 70kg), then remove the dolly wheels so it sits far enough forward for correct weight balance. An A-frame style trailer as used for tinny's and jet skis can be modified to remove the rollers and fit a timber floor with blue slides from Whitworths. Much easier to get on and off. (I have photos somewhere, PM me if interested)

Prices for a new dolly for a Tasar in aluminium are around $1000, gal steel about $600. You can probably pick one up second hand on e-bay for less, although they will probably need some work done to them.

As mentioned, NS14 are suited to an adult/child combination and as a development class the hulls are always changing. The Tasar is designed as a one design husband/wife boat and actually has a minimum weight limit for racing to encourage women to sail. 470's are a serious race boat with trapeze and spinnaker (entirely optional though), but the hulls do tend to soften up after a few years hard racing.

I have towed a Tasar interstate behind a 1.6l Corolla. Just don't expect the fuel economy to be as good and overtaking can take a very very long time.

In light winds you could sail it solo, either with main only or jib only. As you get more experience, you could rig up a self tacking jib.
Putting the mast up by yourself may be a problem though, you may need to use a strop on the forestay to help hold the mast in place after attaching the side stays.
Perhaps you could visit a local sailing club that sails the NS14 and have a chat to the members. They tend to be very helpful to newcomers and you may get some information on the boat you are looking at. www.ns14.org is also a great place to look for information.

EC31 said..

If you buy a dinghy (NS14, 470, Tasar etc) with a beach dolly, they should fit onto a standard box trailer with small modifications. The main problem is the weight balance on a short box trailer, so you will need to lift the boat and dolly onto the trailer (about 70kg), then remove the dolly wheels so it sits far enough forward for correct weight balance. An A-frame style trailer as used for tinny's and jet skis can be modified to remove the rollers and fit a timber floor with blue slides from Whitworths. Much easier to get on and off. (I have photos somewhere, PM me if interested)

Prices for a new dolly for a Tasar in aluminium are around $1000, gal steel about $600. You can probably pick one up second hand on e-bay for less, although they will probably need some work done to them.

As mentioned, NS14 are suited to an adult/child combination and as a development class the hulls are always changing. The Tasar is designed as a one design husband/wife boat and actually has a minimum weight limit for racing to encourage women to sail. 470's are a serious race boat with trapeze and spinnaker (entirely optional though), but the hulls do tend to soften up after a few years hard racing.

I have towed a Tasar interstate behind a 1.6l Corolla. Just don't expect the fuel economy to be as good and overtaking can take a very very long time.

Out of interest I am making a new dolly for my Sabre with wheels far enough aft so that will sit off the back of my 8x5 box trailer.
It will mean the wheels are only 500mm from the back of the boat but with the boat only weighing 40kg I should still be able to move it around ok. Was just a pain to take wheels off each time.