Quest to find the right Dingy

[Time Theory]

A what would you do question. I am a 67 year old lake sailor in average shape. The club I belong to is 2 hours away. I am looking for a boat that is easy to rig, somewhat easy to sail, and one that has the least amount of sailing controls to mess with. The boats I have come up with so far are the Laser, and the MC Scow.

I am leaning towards the Laser because it seems to be faster to rig, easy to transport, and can be used on the coast. The downside is that it is a single person boat and is ‘wetter” than an MC. On the other hand. The MC Scow is a “dryer” boat, and has room for two. The downsides with it are it is more of a lake boat and has more sail controls (two boards) with more things to go wrong.

Full discloser, I have sailed an MC but not a Laser If you were in my shoes which one would you chose?

 

[WCB]

A what would you do question. I am a 67 year old lake sailor in average shape. The club I belong to is 2 hours away. I am looking for a boat that is easy to rig, somewhat easy to sail, and one that has the least amount of sailing controls to mess with. The boats I have come up with so far are the Laser, and the MC Scow.

I am leaning towards the Laser because it seems to be faster to rig, easy to transport, and can be used on the coast. The downside is that it is a single person boat and is ‘wetter” than an MC. On the other hand. The MC Scow is a “dryer” boat, and has room for two. The downsides with it are it is more of a lake boat and has more sail controls (two boards) with more things to go wrong.

Full discloser, I have sailed an MC but not a Laser If you were in my shoes which one would you chose?

I think that I'd go with a Laser since it's about a third of the weight of an MC. Either that or I'd buy one of those new Fulcrum Rockets. Heck, there's even somebody selling one near you and it's brand new at a discount.

 

[WCB]

Here's that Rocket in Bennett, NC in case you have interest. Facebook link $5200

 

[Time Theory]

I think that I'd go with a Laser since it's about a third of the weight of an MC. Either that or I'd buy one of those new Fulcrum Rockets. Heck, there's even somebody selling one near you and it's brand new at a discount.

Thank you for your help and the link to the Rocket for sale. That is worth looking into. Thanks again.

 

[Dart96]

I have a general beef about weight. Weights great, usually goes with stability and inertia which damps things down. On the other hand it needs good extras, trolleys with good bearings and handles at the correct height, a winch for steep slopes, chocks to stop the whole thing auto launching! Oh yeah, been there done that.
Love Lasers, but at 67 go for light stable and easy like the Rocket if you can afford it, or if you feel like setting up a cheap and near you MC up with the gear to make it easy and safe to handle ashore then it maybe the best option.

Anyway once you've had it for a year you'll know a lot more and the next one will be an easier choice.

 

[sunseeker]

Get a Rocket.

 

[dogwatch]

A what would you do question. I am a 67 year old lake sailor in average shape.

If you have the money, look at the RS Aero. It is much lighter than a Laser, which you will appreciate when pulling it back up the beach after sailing and it is better-mannered to sail than a Laser. It incorporates 40 years of design and materials progress, basically. You are however unlikely to find a used one cheap.

Forget trying to find a boat that can be sailed single- and double-handed. Unless your crew is child- or teenage-girl sized, it doesn't work satisfactorily.

 

[WCB]

If you have the money, look at the RS Aero. It is much lighter than a Laser, which you will appreciate when pulling it back up the beach after sailing and it is better-mannered to sail than a Laser. It incorporates 40 years of design and materials progress, basically. You are however unlikely to find a used one cheap.

Forget trying to find a boat that can be sailed single- and double-handed. Unless your crew is child- or teenage-girl sized, it doesn't work satisfactorily.

The RS Aero is a good choice though I admit I felt bad for suggesting the Rocket since the OP seemed to want to decide between a Laser and MC. The only thing holding the Aero back is price as it's close to twice the price of that new Rocket.

 

[Alan Crawford]

So many choices. As for a boat that is a great singlehanded and also fun with two, in my experience, the Weta trimaran meets that spec! You probably can find a used Weta in good shape at a reasonable price. Weta downside is rigging speed but with two people, no problem.

However, if you want to focus on singlehanding only I totally agree on light weight - Aero or Rocket (of course very different types of boats but lightweight which = easy to handle on shore). And to make things easier for one person, get a combi dolly/trailer setup.

 

[Cod]

Cannot get any simplier than Rocket, Recreational Sunfish, Aqua Finn, or SOL. All Lateen rigged, no control lines other than mainsheet. Although, to my understanding, as you're considering Laser or Mc Scow, you mustn't be worried about having to mess with mainsheet traveller, cunningham, boom vang, outhaul and such anyhow - but still, hear me out...

Here's my recommendation. Mc Scow and Sunfish Race. Yes, both! When you don't have crew, take the Sunfish for a ride. If you have crew, then the Mc Scow is the boat to pick. I say this, because an extra Sunfish shouldn't break the bank if bought used. However, I don't know if a used Laser can be bought as cheap as a used Sunfish. That being said, if storage space or money is no issue, then why not having both Mc Scow and Laser in your garage?

I don't think twin bilgeboards will cause many issues. There is no keel to maintain; the complications shall be at minimum. The only issue I can think of is righting the Mc Scow singlehanded in case of a capsize when water is choppy. I, personally, wouldn't sail it without crew unless expecting a 'milk run.'

 

[Dillon Waltner]

I think a Rocket and a Trailex trailer (which is light enough to use as a dolly) would check most of your boxes.

 

[John D]

Full discloser, I have sailed an MC but not a Laser If you were in my shoes which one would you chose?
See if you can find a Laser to sail first.
The MC and the Laser are not even close to being similar. There are lots of choices in between,
especially if room for two has any importance in the decision. One advantage of the laser is that it will be easier to get rid of if its the wrong choice.

 

[Time Theory]

Thanks everyone for the valuable advice and feedback. I appreciate all of the help.

Finding that Mermaid / Unicorn Boat is an adventure in of it's self.

I have another question that I forgot to mention before. Most of the boats at the club are on the hard and left / stored with their masts and rigging up. I read somewhere that this was bad for the boat while it is on the hard. If so, do you know what dinghies suffer the most from being stored this way? Thanks again.

 

[dogwatch]

It is bad for carbon-fibre masts to be left in the sunlight and it is bad for boats to be blown over in a storm, tie them down. Other than that, it is normal to leave boats rigged. Sails don't like to be left in UV too long e.g. you can furl a jib during a regatta to save time but don't leave it like that all summer.

 

[Cod]

...As for a boat that is a great singlehanded and also fun with two, in my experience, the Weta trimaran meets that spec! ...

... Most of the boats at the club are on the hard and left / stored with their masts and rigging up. I read somewhere that this was bad for the boat while it is on the hard. If so, do you know what dinghies suffer the most from being stored this way?...

If you have accommodation to store your boat with its mast and rigging up, then I second the Weta Trimaran suggestion. Great sailboat!

 

[WCB]

Plenty of Sunfish and by extension Rockets leave the mast up and the booms can store underneath the deck cover. That's pretty handy. A Laser doesn't store well that way because of the sleeve in the sail for the mast. The best way to handle a Laser is to lay it down on the deck, take the battens out, put those in the cockpit, wrap the sail around the mast, and lay the mast down on the dec, throwing a deck cover over it. The mast stays with the boat and the sail is mostly out of the sun.

 

[Time Theory]

Full discloser, I have sailed an MC but not a Laser If you were in my shoes which one would you chose?
See if you can find a Laser to sail first.
The MC and the Laser are not even close to being similar. There are lots of choices in between,
especially if room for two has any importance in the decision. One advantage of the laser is that it will be easier to get rid of if its the wrong choice.

Hey John. do you still sail the MC?

 

[Time Theory]

Plenty of Sunfish and by extension Rockets leave the mast up and the booms can store underneath the deck cover. That's pretty handy. A Laser doesn't store well that way because of the sleeve in the sail for the mast. The best way to handle a Laser is to lay it down on the deck, take the battens out, put those in the cockpit, wrap the sail around the mast, and lay the mast down on the dec, throwing a deck cover over it. The mast stays with the boat and the sail is mostly out of the sun.

The Rocket seems to be the way to go. However, that price seems kinda steep. I know that the Sunfish is not that fast. Does it accommodate two people.

 

[Time Theory]

If you have accommodation to store your boat with its mast and rigging up, then I second the Weta Trimaran suggestion. Great sailboat!

That Weta is a new one on me. It looks like loads of fun.

 

[Cod]

....I know that the Sunfish is not that fast. Does it accommodate two people.