International 14 - buyer's guide

Andy Loukes looks at what your money can get you in the leading skiff development class

B3 with dished foredeck (GBR1464)

£7,500<

You are getting pretty serious in this price range. It should be noted that beginners to the class are not going to win a World Championships in their first year. 14s are tricky to sail and it will probably take 4 months to be able to get round the course in most conditions and another 4 months to be where you were in previous classes. Don't let this put you off, it is very satisfying to have close racing in difficult boats and you do get some wild rides!

The class is a great leveller, you often see people coming to 14s after being very successful in other classes and their first few sails will involve more swimming than they are used to! Also note that if you are capsizing a lot, you are more likely to break things.

Most boats in this price range go to people upgrading when they start to feel the kit is slowing them down. So all that said, what is available?

The Bieker 3 (GBR1437 onwards) was designed for the 1999 World championships, it is slightly narrower, the topsides are more vertical and the rocker is further back. The 2 could be quite 'exciting' in big breeze and big waves and the rocker on the 3 makes it a little safer.

The Ovi 3 and Morrison 10 were designed with racks and slab sides. There really isn't much difference with the performance of these boats. More people have Bieker 3s and that could account for them being at the top of most of the recent results.

The Morrison 10 is meant to be very forgiving in waves downwind. Although rudder hydrofoils help all the boats to keep the bow up downwind. You should expect to see CST and Bieker masts on any boat in this price range.

Self tacking jibs started appearing in 2001 and the B3s was modified to have dished foredecks (GBR1460 onwards) to accommodate the track and bow prodders to get the jib tack further forward. Most of the Morrison 10s built for and since the 2001 worlds have self-tackers.

You can expect to pay up to £12,000 for a 6 month old boat with covers and road trailer, it should have had all the new boat teething troubles ironed out.

You don't need a rudder hydrofoil to win events and there are very few around at the moment although that will change and at the top of the price range you should start to look out for them.

Below: Ovington 3 (GBR1451)



Below: Morrison 10 (GBR1466)