hi we are beginning to sail and r looking at the above boat,r these ok for beginners and can they be sailed by one if need be (later) and is there any weight restrictions for two people? 
Great little skiff google Northbridge Senior and all your questions will be answered
Cheers Bear
How big are you?
A mate and his wife got one and they are both nearly 6ft and found it waaaayyy too small for two. they are a big and small person boat
agree, i am looking to get one to use with my two young sons and eventually they will use themselves, certainly not a +100KG dinghy as performance is severely hindered and there is just not enough space
Select to expand quoteSashaJ said..
hi we are beginning to sail and r looking at the above boat,r these ok for beginners and can they be sailed by one if need be (later) and is there any weight restrictions for two people?
They are designed as a father son type of racing boat so the weight restriction reflects that. I can not remember what it is but it's easy to find. They will carry two adults though if your not fussed about racing in class. The earlier hulls are more forgiving for beginners, it's a development class and the current boats are very narrow on the waterline and may seem unstable.
In NSW the association did have a solo division where they were raced with the main sail only. The mast was shifted forward a few inches. Not sure how long that lasted, in moderate conditions they can be sailed solo with the full rig.
Because they are a development class the resale value is poor. This means you can get a pretty good boat for very little money. I would suggest a full 'glass boat with an alloy mast though. Feel free to post a link of the boats your looking at and we can offer advice. Lot of fun for not much money.
Thank u so much for ur advice my partner maybe too big for it then I may have to ask ur opinion in the future. Is that ok?
Select to expand quoterumblefish said..
How big are you?
A mate and his wife got one and they are both nearly 6ft and found it waaaayyy too small for two. they are a big and small person boat
Hi I'm only 5 ft 3 but my partner is big so I think we could of outgrown it??
Select to expand quoteSashaJ said..rumblefish said..
How big are you?
A mate and his wife got one and they are both nearly 6ft and found it waaaayyy too small for two. they are a big and small person boat
Hi I'm only 5 ft 3 but my partner is big so I think we could of outgrown it??
Have a look at Tasars. They are simply one design NS14's with a bit extra sail. They carry two large adults easily. I have a Corsair which is a 3 handed sailing dinghy I bought for the grandkids to sail. Good cheap boats to race or cruise.
Select to expand quoteRamona said..SashaJ said..rumblefish said..
How big are you?
A mate and his wife got one and they are both nearly 6ft and found it waaaayyy too small for two. they are a big and small person boat
Hi I'm only 5 ft 3 but my partner is big so I think we could of outgrown it??
Have a look at Tasars. They are simply one design NS14's with a bit extra sail. They carry two large adults easily. I have a Corsair which is a 3 handed sailing dinghy I bought for the grandkids to sail. Good cheap boats to race or cruise.
I'm back again I came across a 470 advertised on a beach trailer for $1100 as the person wants it gone. Anyone have any opinion. He said I could put the boat with trolley on a box trailer to drive around.... I haven't seen it.
It would not be a bad boat for a starter as long as it was sailable. I had the first 470 in Australia (KA32) 42 years ago. I doubt it would fit on a box trailer though.
Thank you I was having a look at the boat trailers and pushes the sailing idea up. Can't find any YouTube of the dolly on a boxed trailer yet
Select to expand quoteSashaJ said..
Also I have a 2 litre Elantra so I hope I can tow a boat
No problems, small sailing boats weigh bugger all.
Select to expand quoteSashaJ said..
Thank you I was having a look at the boat trailers and pushes the sailing idea up. Can't find any YouTube of the dolly on a boxed trailer yet
Sasha, have alook at the way the 14' skiff guys fir their dollies. Same said formoths (albeit they are a tad smaller) and tasars do something similar
Not hard to adapt the dolly to mount on a 6x4 or 6x5 trailer as long as relevant state legislation is permissive.
We have done the same with an arrow catamaran .... not hard, just some common sense.
apologies for any typos but we are avoiding this little cyclone on west coast.
If you buy a dinghy (NS14, 470, Tasar etc) with a beach dolly, they should fit onto a standard box trailer with small modifications. The main problem is the weight balance on a short box trailer, so you will need to lift the boat and dolly onto the trailer (about 70kg), then remove the dolly wheels so it sits far enough forward for correct weight balance. An A-frame style trailer as used for tinny's and jet skis can be modified to remove the rollers and fit a timber floor with blue slides from Whitworths. Much easier to get on and off. (I have photos somewhere, PM me if interested)
Prices for a new dolly for a Tasar in aluminium are around $1000, gal steel about $600. You can probably pick one up second hand on e-bay for less, although they will probably need some work done to them.
As mentioned, NS14 are suited to an adult/child combination and as a development class the hulls are always changing. The Tasar is designed as a one design husband/wife boat and actually has a minimum weight limit for racing to encourage women to sail. 470's are a serious race boat with trapeze and spinnaker (entirely optional though), but the hulls do tend to soften up after a few years hard racing.
I have towed a Tasar interstate behind a 1.6l Corolla. Just don't expect the fuel economy to be as good and overtaking can take a very very long time.
Hello, I was thinking my son and I are under 145k so I think we should be able to sail the Ns14 but do u think I could sail it solo in light wind? It appears to be a good buy with trailer for $1000. Any thoughts... an interested as I can afford that much. Thanks everyone for your help too ????????
In light winds you could sail it solo, either with main only or jib only. As you get more experience, you could rig up a self tacking jib.
Putting the mast up by yourself may be a problem though, you may need to use a strop on the forestay to help hold the mast in place after attaching the side stays.
Perhaps you could visit a local sailing club that sails the NS14 and have a chat to the members. They tend to be very helpful to newcomers and you may get some information on the boat you are looking at. www.ns14.org is also a great place to look for information.
Select to expand quoteSashaJ said..
Hello, I was thinking my son and I are under 145k so I think we should be able to sail the Ns14 but do u think I could sail it solo in light wind? It appears to be a good buy with trailer for $1000. Any thoughts... an interested as I can afford that much. Thanks everyone for your help too ????????
$1000 will depend on what hull this NS14 is and what state you are in. NS14's are mainly sailed in NSW, if your in some other state they are worth less money generally. Try for a foam glass hull and fibreglass deck. Timber decks are fine if they are in good nick.
This is not a good time of the year to be buying boats really. This is the time when all those lemons are dragged out from the back of the garden!
Select to expand quoteEC31 said..
If you buy a dinghy (NS14, 470, Tasar etc) with a beach dolly, they should fit onto a standard box trailer with small modifications. The main problem is the weight balance on a short box trailer, so you will need to lift the boat and dolly onto the trailer (about 70kg), then remove the dolly wheels so it sits far enough forward for correct weight balance. An A-frame style trailer as used for tinny's and jet skis can be modified to remove the rollers and fit a timber floor with blue slides from Whitworths. Much easier to get on and off. (I have photos somewhere, PM me if interested)
Prices for a new dolly for a Tasar in aluminium are around $1000, gal steel about $600. You can probably pick one up second hand on e-bay for less, although they will probably need some work done to them.
As mentioned, NS14 are suited to an adult/child combination and as a development class the hulls are always changing. The Tasar is designed as a one design husband/wife boat and actually has a minimum weight limit for racing to encourage women to sail. 470's are a serious race boat with trapeze and spinnaker (entirely optional though), but the hulls do tend to soften up after a few years hard racing.
I have towed a Tasar interstate behind a 1.6l Corolla. Just don't expect the fuel economy to be as good and overtaking can take a very very long time.
Out of interest I am making a new dolly for my Sabre with wheels far enough aft so that will sit off the back of my 8x5 box trailer.
It will mean the wheels are only 500mm from the back of the boat but with the boat only weighing 40kg I should still be able to move it around ok. Was just a pain to take wheels off each time.
Select to expand quoteSashaJ said..
hi we are beginning to sail and r looking at the above boat,r these ok for beginners and can they be sailed by one if need be (later) and is there any weight restrictions for two people?
Sasha - Have you considered a Heron? Great to start out with but endlessly challenging to sail at the top of the fleet. Limited hull variation (better than NS14) but not strict one design (better than Tasar). Skipper/crew combos weighing more than 135 kgs (or more than 125kg with lead correctors to make up to 135kg) can sail with a larger headsail that maintains competitiveness (my partner and I were 4th at the most recent Nationals with 135kg in the boat). Now with one piece aluminium mast as an option to the traditional mast/gaff rig. Competitive glass boats pretty readily available at reasonable cost. Close racing and friendly family environment. I think that a 470 would be a huge handful if you are starting out.....
