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Robin
Have just been looking for a leaflet on the Sting but can't find one. Anyway from memory, I think it is purely a single-hander (no jib) using standard D15 hulls, but has a taller mast with a different profile Mylar sail and battens, which gives it a slightly bigger sail area than standard D15, so having a lower PY. There seems to be very few about, and I can only ever remember one attending any open meetings - in recent years anyway . Sail numbers seem to be in the 1100 - 1400 region, but were issued separately to std Dart 15 numbers, so sail no. 1300 on a Sting version for instance would be much newer than sail number 1300 on a std Dart 15 . All rather confusing really, but needless to say it did not take off, and I would not recommend anyone buying one if they intend to race competitively, since they quite simply will have no-one to compete with on equal terms. This fact means that any advertised for sale will almost certainly be much cheaper than a std D15 of the same age, so very good value providing you don't intend to race - so what's the point in that then !
Have reached the bottom of my memory bank now on that one , so hope that's been helpful to you .
P.S. I'm sure you won't win dumbest question of the year with that - a perfectly reasonable one in my opinion !
Cheers for now Paul Smith
It did have a jib, and was intended to be sailed single-handed with the trapeze. The mainsail also had a different shape from the standard 15, more like that of the Dart 18, and likely to produce better performance. You might say that Laser Centre were trying to invent a "Super Sprint", and it's lack of popularity reflects that they were doing it "on the cheap" - you'd really need to improve buoyancy in the bows. Otherwise Paul's comments are right.
Robin,if you click back to page12 of this forum there is a posting from Kristia Davis on 08.08.2000 asking the same question.what is a Sting?. There is a detailed reply from Bob on 09.08 2000 with lots of info. on this boat which, as a new D15er,I found interesting. We have a Sting at my club.It's owner also learned a bit from this.Regards,Alan.