GP14 Sailing Forums Forum Advice for first time buyer

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    • #3242
      Paraic
      Member

      Hi guys,

       

      Great site ye have here!

       

      I’m looking to (hopefully) buy a GP14 in the new year and doing some of the Irish circuit with a mate. I’ve been away from sailing for a few years and having raced single handers my entire life I’m looking for something a little different. The GP14 always appealed to me! Before I fork out for a boat I was hoping someone can help me with hull variations ‘cos I’m lost!

       

      Can someone explain the MKI, MKII and MKIII variations to me? Ideally I’d love an internationally competitive boat, but does this mean a MKIII? Funding dependent it’s looking like a MKII which I’ll be aiming for, are these still a competitive hull?

       

      And what kinda performance differences are there between plastic and wooden boats? My head says plastic, my heart says wood!

      • This topic was modified 10 years, 6 months ago by Paraic.
      • This topic was modified 10 years, 6 months ago by Paraic.
    • #3245
      Mike Senior
      Participant

      Hi Paraic,

      My interpretation of the difference between MKI, MKII & MKIII is mainly about the internal layouts. I am unaware of any hull shape rule changes between the different models. The rules as they exist already allow for minor tolerances in hull shape so not all GPs will be exactly the same.

      The MKI has a single floor, with floor boards attached on top. Buoyancy aft of the fore tank is provided with inflatable bags. The floor is generally a bit lower than MKII & MKIIIs and therefore a little more comfortable as your knees are less bent. I am not aware of any MKIs built solely for racing for a long time, however many are still competitive. I am actually sailing one tomorrow at the club.

      The MKII has a double skin floor. There is extra bouyancy in the floor and therefore no need for buoyancy bags. You will probably find the layout of a MKII more simple than a MKI. They also tend to take on much less water if you capsize. The MKII will have 2 central bailers, either side of the centreboard casing.

      The MKIII is as per the MKII but with no self-bailers. This is achieved by raising the floor a little more and in the case of duffin hulls adding two slots into the centreboard case (above the water line) which self bails the water. I am unsure whether the new Winders have these slots or if they have managed to design it in such a way so any water goes out of the transom.

      If your after some pointers about what is fast internationally, the top 3 results of the most recent World Championship and UK National Championships were shared between Duffin (wood), Winder (plastic) and Boon (plastic). I have sailed all three and can say they are all extremely quick and very well made.

      Hope this helps.

      Mike

    • #3247
      Paraic
      Member

      Hi Mike,

       

      That’s awesome thanks for taking the time, some awesome info there!

    • #3364
      Oliver Shaw
      Moderator

      With all due respect to Mike’s undoubted expertise,  we seem to have a confusion of nomenclature here.   <span style=”text-decoration: underline;”>Marks</span> 1, 2, 3, etc. (through to Mk IVa) are all very early (arguably vintage) GRP boats;  <span style=”text-decoration: underline;”>Series</span> 1, and 2,  are the wooden boats.  As vintage boats, although the hulls of  Mk. 1, 2, 3 <span style=”text-decoration: underline;”>should</span> theoretically be just as competitive as any others,  in practice I don’t think any of us would put any money on it!!

      My understanding is that more modern plastic boats are generally referred to by the builders/moulders,  e.g. Holt/Speed,  Speed,  Winder, Boon.

      Similarly the modern wooden boats,  almost invariably series 2, are often further identified by the builder,  and in the case of the Duffin boats some  of them are sometimes known by the strictly unofficial designation Series IIa.

       

      Oliver

    • #3365
      Oliver Shaw
      Moderator

      Sorry;  the system seems to have garbled that post with intrusive gobbledegook which I can only guess is a set of formatting commands for underlining,  which the website does not seem to recognise.     Trying again, with emphases in bold rather than by underlining:

      With all due respect to Mike’s undoubted expertise, we seem to have a confusion of nomenclature here.  Marks 1, 2, 3, etc. (through to Mk IVa) are all very early (arguably vintage) GRP boats;    Series 1, and 2, are the wooden boats.    As vintage boats, although the hulls of Mk. 1, 2, 3 should theoretically be just as competitive as any others, in practice I don’t think any of us would put any money on it!!

      My understanding is that more modern plastic boats are generally referred to by the builders/moulders, e.g. Holt/Speed, Speed, Winder, Boon.

      Similarly the modern wooden boats, almost invariably series 2, are often further identified by the builder, and in the case of the Duffin boats some of them are sometimes known by the strictly unofficial designation Series IIa.

      Oliver

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