Suitability for young sailor

[salop]

Hello,

I'm hoping experienced BM sailors can offer some advice.

I've a 12-year-old son of average sailing ability, who'll be taking his RYA level III in the spring.

He's saving to buy his own boat and in due course may reach £800-£1,000. His problem is that apart from knowing it will be a centre-main single-hander, there are so many different types out there that his head is spinning - the only thing he's sure about is that he doesn't want a Topper.

He's 45kgs in weight and has a season's racing experience, mainly in Toppers.

His home club is Shropshire Sailing Club, where the 65 acre mere is surrounded by trees, often producing light, shifty winds. All the club racing is handicap/pursuit for a wide range of single and double-handers.

Somebody mentioned a BM as a possibility, then I saw the review in the current edition of Y&Y.

If people can spare the time, I'd like to ask:

How suitable are Moths for a youngster?

How difficult are they to rig and then tweak?

How robust are they/how much maintenance do they need (I appreciate there's a big difference between wood and GRP)?

What sort of expenditure is needed for a decent second hand one; ie, if sailed competently would be competitive at club level?

I'm an inexperienced Mirror sailor, who plods round the Sunday racecourse, so any advice on a dinghy that is completely foreign to me (but seems good fun) would be very much appreciated.

[Pie-eyed]

Welcome to British Moths!
Would be happy to answer all of your questions though it would probably be easier to talk...
Send an email with your contact details to .. [e-mail]

Roger Witts

[BMBA Admin]

Hi Salop.

Roger's a mine of information, so I'll leave the details to him.

However, we have a few kids in their early, early teens here at Frampton, my own son included, who regularly sail moths. I would have thought that a competent 12 year old weighing in at 45kg should have fun, expecially in light, shifty conditions which is where the boat excels.

[salop]

I'd like to thank the class, and Roger in particular, for such a swift and enthusiastic response.

I had a good conversation with Roger on Friday evening, the upshot of which is that we're nipping south over the holidays for a test drive at Frampton (weather permitting).

My's son very excited and even his 10-year-old sailing sister is curious.

Good stuff.

[BMBA Admin]

Look forward to meeting you all at Frampton; and quite glad of the excuse to get the boats out ;D