Thanks Andinista,
I think you are on to me... The problem seems to be that I want to do both. The truth is that, even though I hate to admit it to myself: I won't be racing anything anytime soon due to other priorities. Maybe I am trying to leave "doors open just in case" as you put it... Leading to an unhealthy compromise. I'll bear that in mind...

My biggest fear is that I will get bored and frustrated quickly if a boat does not offer all the modern bells and whistles. I guess this is my monohull trauma (aka complete and utter boredom) playing up! OTOH, too big a boat and it all starts to become intimidating. I need to be in command at all times, I consider that a matter of safety.

A real world example is the rental Topcat K1 that I sailed with my brother. There was no mast rotation limiter or another control I could find to do the job. Under te circumstances we encountered there was almost always WAY too much rotation (like hard-over 100%..). Things like this really P1$$ me off bigtime! I'm getting mad now just thinking back...Of course, it could well have been due to my own ignorance, which is at least relatively cheap to remedy!

Put another way: I want to be the limiting factor on any boat I sail. Not the other way around.


A 16' (5m) boat sounds best, given that I do want to take others out every now and then. I have sailed a Hobie 16, with my brother in law, and the boat felt "about right" for one or two people. The 18' Topcat was too much, I would not even consider taking that boat out solo.

"performance versus simplicity" that is indeed the basic question and it is still bugging me beyond belief!

Wouter,
hardy any outside glass, that amazes me! No wonder that boat is so light. Though I used to own a monohull with almost no outer skin I hardly ever sailed (moored!) her solo. A designer once told me it was hard to beat marine ply for strength to weight ratio in small boats, but this is taking it to extremes!

Genealex,
You are absolutely right! Dart 18 and the strong class org. make te boat very interesting. OTOH, Does one invalidate one's measurement certificate by adding a couple of blocks for a spin halyard? I really NEED a spin or light winds will really bore me to death.

Dermot,
thanks for the suggestion. I'm a little wary of roto-moulded boats because I don't know how to repair them myself or if this is even possible! I know and trust epoxy, fibreglass and foam quite well. Lets say I'm biased against anything else (Ahum... except marine ply of course, Wouter).

Thanks again everyone helping me out with this infernal decision (maybe a good boat name in there...) Or should that be my infernal INdecision...