Any feedback on robin for first boat?

[PaulfromPA]

Hello,
I am new to this forum and was bitten by the sailing bug over last summer in Colorado. My father turned 50 years old recently and he wished (although jokingly to me and my mother) for a sailboat for his birthday.

I found a beautiful 10' robin modified dinghy locally Sailboat 10'10" Wood, Sails & Trailer and it was in my price-range so I put a downpayment. We are going to check it out together, but I was hoping to get some feedback on the design of the boat and if this would be a good first sailboat.

The problems with the boat is mainly two-fold. It has a slow leak (sponge worthy supposedly) probably from the modified keel (swing keel to fixed daggerboard) but I think I see a spot to seal. The second is the boat has not been used for 5 years but mainly stored in the owner's garage. Here is a website for a similar boat: robin

Any feedback is greatly appreciated thanks!

[Connemara]

A quick thought or two...

I don't know the boat although the pix and the drawings make it look quite nice. But the first thought I had is -- how easy is it going to be to get upright after a dump?

You don't say if your father is either active or has any sailing experience.

Now, 50 is the new 35, so the first may not be an issue.

But does he know that dinghy sailing can be like swimming, but with a big heavy piece of equipment tagging along?

On the other hand, this beast may be more stable than a LaserII, which is what I was used to sailing. They go over in a flash if you're not careful, but they're pretty easy to get back up (and if you're quick and good, you can recover without ever going in the water and keep on sailing.)

But a few years back, I took my brother-in-law's Laser out for a sail and it dumped me (or I dumped it). I had the job sheet cleated (as I do when singlehanding a Laser) and it kept going over until I managed to get it uncleated.

Upshot was I was then too tired to get back in the boat and had to hang there for a while. Next day I was bruised head to toe.

That's why I now sail a keelboat.

Dinghy sailing is a lot of fun, but it's an athletic pursuit. You're always ducking back and forth under the boom, hiking out, and (yes) falling in the water.

That said, the boat looks nice. I'd check the conditions of the sails and rigging and track down that leak. What about bailing ... does it have self-bailers or are you looking at tying a plastic bottle to the mast?


Connemara

[PaulfromPA]

Hello Connemara,
Thankyou for your input and important thoughts to consider. He has some experience sailing and is in decent physical shape. However, after checking out the boat all together, my mom and he had a long discussion about his hobbies and they realized that he doesn't have the time to take on one more.

So instead I will join him in diving classes as he has slightly more passion for underwater-exploring than sailing.

Have you got back on the Laser horse since the dumping?

Take care,
Paul

[bstreep]

Hey, Paul, probably the right decision.

I'm familiar with Robins, and MAYBE that one in particular - I think it was previously owned by the Bauers, in PA, and they sailed on LBI. I was the class champion at the ripe old age of 12, many, many moons ago!

They are good second boats for KIDS. They are agonizingly slow, very easy to dump, and not self bailing. The reason why the class didn't make it, is those three things...

[Joli]

You didn't happen to race any Levels in New York on your Mac did you?

Originally Posted by bstreep

Hey, Paul, probably the right decision.

I'm familiar with Robins, and MAYBE that one in particular - I think it was previously owned by the Bauers, in PA, and they sailed on LBI. I was the class champion at the ripe old age of 12, many, many moons ago!

They are good second boats for KIDS. They are agonizingly slow, very easy to dump, and not self bailing. The reason why the class didn't make it, is those three things...

[bstreep]

No, we just bought the boat last summer. Grew up on LBI, but I've been in Texas since the late 70s. Still go up every summer, Mom & Dad still live there, my brother is the Commodore of Brant Beach Yacht Club this summer.