Windmill Class Association

:: They are building a beautiful little Penguin. Check out
:: their pricelist - $14,000 + just for the "racing
:: version" hull. Painted - Rigging is more money. You
:: could easily end up with $17,000 in a Penguin. I would
:: imagine that their Windmill would be $20,000.

I think that I priced it out, and with trailer, covers, sails, etc. it was more like $19K. Personally a thousand bucks and some sandpaper and paint is more my style, but it is a very good thing to have a dedicated builder. The Beetle class has proven that if you build a quality boat and the right people sail it that the price of the hull is not as restrictive as you would think. People want to know that their investment will be worth something in the future, and the way that you assure that is through class participation and growth. You would think that $25K for a Finn would be just plain crazy, and then you hear that there is a waiting list for the hulls from Europe. The kind of people who sail in any given class are what makes that class what it is. In most cases, the boat is just a platform.

If I were about 100 pounds lighter and could get one of my daughters to crew for me I'd get another Windmill in a heartbeat just because the class has always attracted really great people and it is a fun boat to sail. As it is, I am looking for a beater Penguin to singlehand in a regatta next spring (the WOOD regatta sponsored by WoodenBoat).

ml