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
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