InstantForum.NET v4.1.4National C Scow Sailing Associationhttp://www.cscow.org/forum/forums@cscow.orgSat, 31 Jul 2010 21:10:00 GMT20http://www.cscow.org/forum/Topic218-4-1.aspxI have a 1998 C which is plenty fast. That was the year the new mast extrusion became available. The 1998 hull is the same as the newer ones. There is just a different deck. 1996-1998 are good boats if they are in good shape. Just make sure you have a 1998 or newer mast. Good sails will help a lot too. If anyone is looking for a good used boat there is a 1998 very lightly used one here on Lake Maxinkuckee that can go cheap. Hardly used. Email me if interested.<br><br>Later,<br><br>Ed Furry<br>FOLLY seven<br>T-22<br>info@sail22.comMon, 17 May 2010 16:14:43 GMTSail22http://www.cscow.org/forum/Topic218-4-1.aspxI just sold my '84 Johnson (with its original mast) a year and a half ago after racing it for nearly 10 years. Now I have a 2005. The Johnson is fast in the right conditions - like when it is blowing like hell. I also had some good luck in super light air with the old '84. But in most wind conditions, the newer boats have an advantage. After coming about, they accelerate more quickly. In the old boat I had to avoid tacking duels with any newer boat as they would smoke me by the fourth tack. The new boats have quite a different feel as well. With the old Johnson, if I could find the right groove and combination of trim - the boat would accelerate, sort of like a freight train. So far I haven't found the same groove with the new boats. They seem more finicky - they seem to require more steering to keep up the speed.Tue, 16 Mar 2010 21:58:47 GMTscraighttp://www.cscow.org/forum/Topic218-4-1.aspxOkay, here's some valuable info for you...I think that if you could go out and find a 1983 through 1990 Johnson Blue Chip, the older the better, assuming that it is good shape, and put a new style mast on that boat, you would have a very competitive boat. That way you could buy a new sail to go with your new mast and you would be fast, particularly down wind and in a blow.</P><P>Or...you could buy the 1984 Blue Chip and keep that mast and see if you could find a sail made for the older mast that is still in good shape and you would be in pretty good shape that way, too. The masts that were made for the 1984 were all very fast. Gordy Bowers once referred to them as Rockets. They were good that year. Anyhow, that would make you fast, as well, assuming you can find a 1984 in good condition. The oldere Blue Chip tended to seperate at the seams between the deck and hull so look out for that.</P><P>If you are just getting into the sport and are not quite ready to mortgage the farm for a new yacht, you will definately want to go this way. But Wagon is right, the older group of Melges boats--circa 1999, 2000--are all very good, provided they have been treated well. Mine is a 2000 and I am very happy with it. You could shop around and land one very affordably, I think. Throw up a new I1 and you will be good to go.Fri, 15 Jan 2010 18:38:45 GMTgmcbridehttp://www.cscow.org/forum/Topic218-4-1.aspxThe Wagon is a 1999 and still going strong. The major mold change was in 99 and some say that 1999 is still the fastest year to date for the C scow... I am just saying that some are saying...Thu, 09 Jul 2009 15:58:33 GMTabarkowhttp://www.cscow.org/forum/Topic218-4-1.aspxCan old C Scow hulls with newer rigs and sails still be competitive? Is there an big advantage in having a 2000 versus an 1984 or a 2008 versus a 1998? Fri, 26 Jun 2009 11:24:05 GMTEd