Having just come back from the a-class mid-winters having sailed a borrowed boat. It was a Bim Javelin 2002. It was a fast, competitive boat probably capable of a top 15 finish had I been up to that. Too bad that I had not seen your post because I sold it for the money that you are looking to spend at the end of the regatta. Buy a mid-range competitive A and get to know the boat and the class. After a year upgrade it to something more competitive. Try looking on the A-Class site usaca.info and there is a for sale link as well as links to the other A-Class sites. Good Luck and Fair Winds.