Sorry to have dropped off the face of the earth. Not one, but two people e-mailed me to make sure that I jumped into this discussion. Let me preface my post with the understanding that I am not the typical performance driven racer. I highly respect folks that choose the ultra high performance boats - I'm just not one of them.

We have a strong and growing A-class fleet here in Texas and I have been strongly encouraged to get an A. I originally decided against the A-class because I wanted a boat that I could sail with my 6 year old son and I felt (after taking a closer look thanks to Mary) that the A was too "tippy" in heavy air. In retrospect, I am very happy that I did not get an A-class. Why? Well, Bob Hodges gave a good summary of the pros and cons - and as the long list of replies have shown, almost all of the drawbacks of the A can be remedied with changes in the sail profile or in sailing technique. But the long and the short of it is that the boat is a beast in heavy air, the acceleration in puffs can literally scoot the boat right out from under you.

I have been following the trials and tribulations of one of our male fleet members who is about my size and weight and I feel the A is just too unforgiving. Dennis' boat starts to fly a hull at 6 knots! Any momentary lapse of concentration will result in a bath. I personally sail for the fun of it - and the thought of sailing a boat that requires that much concentration and is as unforgiving as the A gives me a headache.

The other problem that I have with the A-class is the level of competition. Almost all of the A-class skippers in my area are extremely talented and aggressive sailors. Around here the A is the boat that you graduate to once you are at the top of your game. Call me a spoiled sport, but I prefer to compete at my level - I have a serious problem with being lapped by the lead boat. I am rarely the the lead dog in the pack, but I prefer to finish a race before everyone else has fallen asleep from boredom.

So, what did I get? Well, if you subscribe to the magazine - her name is Monster Kitty. If you don't subscribe, shame on you. The subscription rate is a steal and you are missing out on great articles and wonderful photographs. It's late and my natives are getting restless, if I don't feed them soon they may start chewing on my ankles. I'll post again soon about what boat I think is best suited for women sailors.