Hello, everyone. I'm posting here to find out a little bit more about the Capri 14.2. You see, my family has had a Thistle for a long time, but since we're all spread across the country, it's getting hard to get together a decent sailing crew, and we're looking for something that one person could take out by themselves. None of us intend to race. This is just for recreation.
My mother is probably the most experienced sailor in the family. She used to race in a Windmill when she was twenty or so. She's sixty now, though, so although she knows what she's doing, she's not all that strong. She's looking for a boat that she could sail by herself in a light or moderate wind. I'm less experienced than she is and my husband is less experienced than I am. We're looking for a boat that's fairly easy for one or two people to get right-side up if—maybe I should say when—we capsize it. It's true that I've never managed to capsize the Thistle, but I've also never taken it out alone.
We'd be sailing on Watt's Bar Lake in Tennessee. I suspect it's much smoother than sailing on the ocean or in the Great Lakes, as some of you do. There are gusts and boat wakes, though.
It looks like we might have a good deal on a used Capri 14.2, and I'm trying to figure out if we should take it. So I guess I need to know (a) if the Capri can be sailed alone by one woman who isn't young and athletic, (b) how many people—and how much effort—does it take to flip it right-side up when it's gone over, and (c) is it a totally unforgiving boat for not-quite-beginners, or will my husband and I be able to sail it with some practice?
I appreciate any advice or anecdotes you might have. Thank you.
My mother is probably the most experienced sailor in the family. She used to race in a Windmill when she was twenty or so. She's sixty now, though, so although she knows what she's doing, she's not all that strong. She's looking for a boat that she could sail by herself in a light or moderate wind. I'm less experienced than she is and my husband is less experienced than I am. We're looking for a boat that's fairly easy for one or two people to get right-side up if—maybe I should say when—we capsize it. It's true that I've never managed to capsize the Thistle, but I've also never taken it out alone.
We'd be sailing on Watt's Bar Lake in Tennessee. I suspect it's much smoother than sailing on the ocean or in the Great Lakes, as some of you do. There are gusts and boat wakes, though.
It looks like we might have a good deal on a used Capri 14.2, and I'm trying to figure out if we should take it. So I guess I need to know (a) if the Capri can be sailed alone by one woman who isn't young and athletic, (b) how many people—and how much effort—does it take to flip it right-side up when it's gone over, and (c) is it a totally unforgiving boat for not-quite-beginners, or will my husband and I be able to sail it with some practice?
I appreciate any advice or anecdotes you might have. Thank you.