Hello Connie-

I was wondering what factors helped make your decision of buying a Tornado? I sailed one for 6 years and could not find a female crew...

thom

Well Thom I got a "bug" to get a new boat. Several factors came into play.

I started on the H20 and then went to sailing many other Hobie boats and ended up on a H18SX which was was to slow for me. It heave chop the SX would really but the brakes on and depower. I loved the Getaway but it again was a bit slow and you really can't play with the downhaul.

I was looking for a H20-IMHO a great all around boat for racing and rec. but could not find a used one that I wanted. I could have purchase new, but heck why lose so much equity the first year? I also ocean sail to Catalina usually 4x + times a year (30 miles each way). I wanted something that did well downwind, was stable, bouyout (did I spell the right?) and fast. Also, having a nice big tramp area is great as we sleep on the boat on the beach.

The Tornado happened to come up on ebay and did not sell at the reserve. I negotiated after the close of auction for a great price and thats how it happened. A bit of good timing and the right price. I thought if I did not like it a could sell if for a bit more and get something it did like. I made a 72 hour turn around trip to San Antonio and dropped off the H18SX to a good friend and came back with the Tornado.

I am still looking for a 98 to 2000 H20. The Tronado is fast. Took her out to Catalina a couple of weeks ago and did not have a mast rotator or decent downhaul and could not get great sail trim and still made great time. Those items were added to the boat last week but I have not been able to sail her since, but hope to soon. She did great in 15+ knots and swells 4+. I really noticed a big difference between the Fox when in heavy chop. The Tornado stayed very stable when you would hit a wave off center, the Fox did well also but the crossbars would sway a bit on waves. The Tornado and H20 are also much drier and less nosiy then the Fox in oceans swells, although the wave prercing hulls of the Fox cut the wave well.

All for now,

Connie

Connie

Connie,

Is there a way to look specifically for boats that didn't sell on ebay? Sounds like a great way to pick up bargains!

Jonathan

It's actually against the rules of Ebay to use Ebay to contact a seller after an auction to negotiate a price outside of Ebay.....by the book anyway. It's a great technique though!

Hey Connie-

When I sold my T in 1979 it was to a woman who bought it for herself. As far as I know she sailed it for a few years. My T sailed very well with about 315lbs crew weight. What range crew weight do you sail? Also who made your boat?
I noticed that you sailed a Panther Craft which I believe was Reg White's boat for several years.

Thom

I don't do much racing, but when I do I crew. At 145lbs I'm on the lighter end of the scale, it seems.

However, most of the time I spend sailing, I'm soloing an 18' boat.

I read this forum all the time. I perfer to be known as just a sailor, not singled out as a woman sailor (I skipper and crew). I do tend to read the old forum more often, and regularly get disgusted with how childish some of the postings are. Occasionaly I find a great link, or really interesting information. It's kind of like a treasure hunt. I am very much into all the technical developments, and tunning techniques, but there seems to be more than enough reponse to those postings. Many of the postings about women end up in the gutter, so I don't bother responding. Maybe other women feel the same.

I think "HeadItUp" says it best in her post
http://catsailor.com/forums/showthr...amp;Main=12525&Search=true#Post13015

Here is what I believe: The internet is predominntly male. Catsailors who want to talk about cat sailing on a forum are mostly male. Women are less assertive when using the internet, for very good reasons; they usually get harrased in some form eventually.

GARY

Gary,
I posted my response to HeadItUp on the other thread, "New thread about women in the sport." Still can't get the right margin to come in on this one, and, being a woman, it drives me crazy. So I am going to post my response to your post on the other thread, too. Rick says there is no way of combining the two threads. Sorry.