I am interested in finding a good boat that will suit me and my wife. I have a fair bit of sailing experience (raced Minnows and then a laser and have also sailed a windrush 14 a fair bit) and I have also spent a few seasons crewing on an S80. My wife is not very experienced at all though.
I want a fairly cheap boat that will be fun to take out on the river or inshore type racing around the place. Probably prefer a centreboard type boat rather then a keel boat but only because of the cost.
I like the look of boats like the 420 etc but worry my wife won't ever want to get on a trepeeze. It also needs to be able to handle weight as I am 6'4" and weigh 120kgs.
Any ideas appreciated.
There are a few in inexpensive vessels around that won't destroy too many household budgets. I offer this as only a starting point of conversation and of course don't know your budget.
I once owned a 16' CHERRY trailer boat & sailed it on trips of up 40 miles along the north coast of oz. I got it for a very low price ($500) & upgraded it. I also owned a boat called an E22,which, dollar for dollar was by far the best boat I have seen & my children all pester me to get another - flush deck, over 9' beam- more useable deck space than my curent 9.3m boat.
Good luck in your search, I know there are a lot more options.
A TS is a possibility but will need a lot more research.
Does anyone know of any clubs that hire any types of boats out for seasons at a time at all?
Have you concidered a cat???? My wifey had not sailed before and was quite hesitant about it . I took her out on the old mans Nacra 5.8 . SHe loved the speed and commented on how stable it was - saying that it's all in the skipper.
After the first hour I even had her out on the wire . great fun 
You don't really comment on what kind of sailing you want to do, apart from "I want a fairly cheap boat that will be fun to take out on the river or inshore type racing around the place".
There are good solid keelboats around at very reasonable prices (I paid $11k). Have a look over at www.tophatyachts.org and you'll see that the Top Hat is a very capable cruising yacht, with full head room, full keel and has a vivid history. Originally designed in the 60s by Primrose and Illingworth for the Port Philip Bay JOG racing, but eventually used as pocket circumnavigators.
Not all that fast, but have good handicaps if you're really going to go racing.
Michael
I introduced my wife to sailing on an 18ft Stingray Catamaran. Is an awesome fast boat but also very stable. We were only 18 -19 at the time and weren't particularity muscley. But there were also guys a lot bigger and heavier sailing them and beating us. Even in the light stuff. Like KEARNSY said you cant beat the stability of a Cat or speed. If its more sitting in the boat cruising stuff you are after, My parents have moved onto a Hartly TS 16 and think its great. (Mono hull) for racing they pretty strip everything out of it, but when the take it up the river for over night cruises, in goes the porta Potty, Motor, swags and load that sucker down. They LOVE IT.
420's arn't hard to get out on the wire. i race one at the moment. they are great boats to learn on to and are fairly forgiving, they don't nose dive.
The Tasar is promoted as an ideal design for two and has a strong fleet of boats around Oz.
MG .. 2 ppl boat no kite or trap hull design more like a 16fter than the 420 style shape .. slef taking headi i think . with a small pole to hold out jib for square running
NORTHIES.. very very similare hull share to a mg but with a kite and 1 trap line .. still fast with out the kite thou
