505 Buying Advice

The most common inquiry I receive is from people looking for used 505 buying advise. More often than not, it is people who are looking at lower-priced used boats and planning to do a major re-fit project. Most people are surprised when I tell them "DON'T DO IT!".

This page has been crafted in response to these frequent and numerous inquiries and to help others not make the same mistakes I made along the way. My opinions may surprise you, but they have been forged through many hours of work and some regret.

In general, the guidance on this page is directed toward those who are looking to race 505's at some level. If you are looking for a purely recreational sailing dinghy, an older used 505 could be a great option, but I don't have a lot of perspective to offer relative to other classes or knowledge of older 505's.

Below are my top tips for perspective 505 buyers:
  1. Buy the best used boat that you can afford: Used boats are a bargain in comparison to new boats; generally 50% or less than the cost of a new boat. 505's are built very well, usually cored construction with epoxy resin and carbon fiber laminates. If well taken care of, most modern 505's will last at a long time and will not go soft like un-cored boats such as ILCA's, 420's, or 470's. If you look at your local classified listings, I suggest you start your filter by price, high to low. Try to stretch your budget a bit; you wont regret it! The nicest used boats available are generally the highest value for money.
  2. Buy a boat from someone in your local area or a boat that has a recent race record. A lot of used boats are advertised as "turn-key" or "race ready". But most are not. If a seller is in your local area, they will often be able and willing to help get you up to speed in the class. This is a high-value opportunity that can translate into big savings of time and money. Boats that are actively raced prior to sale speak for themselves. You will sometimes see boats come on the market that look cosmetically really nice, or "barn-finds" that haven't been raced for 20 years; exercise caution! If it hasn't been raced in a while, expect to do some work bringing it back up to form.
  3. Do not underestimate the cost and time it take to fix up an older 505, and don't fix up a boat that doesn't deserve it. Parts are expensive, foils are expensive, line is expensive, time is expensive. Projects take skills, tools, a workspace, and lots of time and money. I can tell you from experience that every major project I have ever done on a 505 has taken more time and more money than I originally expected. Refinishing projects can be especially draining. Not all boats are worth the effort for a major re-rig or update project. Spend your time on the water and not in the workshop!
  4. New boats are not the best option for first-time 505 sailors. New boats are awesome; what's not to like? Well, even new boats take some time to work out all the kinks. If you are new to the class, used boats provide a great opportunity to tryl the boat and confirm your rigging and fit out preferences before you make the big investment into a new boat. I have sailed 505's for over 20 years, and I still race a boat that I bought used (USA 8854, see below). Interesting example: when I bought the boat, I had a list of things I wanted to change immediately, and #1 on that list was switching from center-boom mainsheet system to an aft-bridle mainsheet system, as I had always sailed with. Shortly after I took delivery of the boat, I decided to race it "as-is" at the last event of the season. It was a very windy event and I was shocked at how much I enjoyed the center boom sheeting. I had never really tried it, and I had already made up my mind on what was the best solution. I have sailed ever since with center-boom mainsheeting and don't think I will ever go back! This is an example of the advantages of buying a used boat and keeping an open mind, you might be surprised.
  5. Manufacturers. Some basic guidelines if you are looking for a competitive 505: Pre-8800 boats: I would generally stay away from anything that is not a Waterat. Some other well-built makes (Lindsay, Hamlin, Kyrwood, Fremantle, Van Munster, Rondar) in the 8600-8800 range can still be competitive at a national/international level, but construction materials and condition is key. Avoid major projects on older boats! Post-8800 boats: Pre-preg carbon boats like Fremantle and Van Munster are extremely well built, but they are slightly non-standard on CB case geometry and launcher tube diameter (VM's have a very small tube). Ovington-built Rondars in the 8900-9117 range are all very fast, but they are not very symmetrical especially at the end of the range. All of the Ovington boats from 2015 and later are very well built and extremely symmetrical due to the brand new molds build from CNC machined plugs. The V1 hulls (9121-9228) and V2 hulls are (9229+) not much different from one another, In my opinion. The V2's have a more full bow section and less tendency to submarine. 
  6. Be mindful of weight. Refinishing and re-rigging boats needs to be done carefully to not increase the weight of a boat. Trust but verify; always weigh a boat if you can prior to sale. The minimum weight is 127.4 kg with all sailing equipment except sales. Many boats have lead corrector weights, but be sure that these match what is shown on the measurement certificate. There are not a lot of solutions for heavy boats other than a compromise on rigging or gear selection. Masts and CBs can vary significantly in weight (in the 1kG range, each) so consider these items when checking weight prior to purchase.
  7. Do your research. Use this tool to research used boats: 5o5.iworks.pl/fleet-boats/ Talk to prior owners or others in the fleet that may have recent or past knowledge of the specific boat your looking at. Try to sail a boat before buying it. Don't email me without reading this entire page!
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Boats I have Owned

The advice above I had to learn the hard way. I have invested heavily in fixing up two older 505's; one that definitely did not warrant the effort (6230) and another that was debatable (7346). Buying 8854 was generally in-line with all of the points above, and 9228 was my first brand new 505, although I had rigged two new 505's for other customers prior to rigging this one for myself.
USA 6230 - 1977 Uncored Rondar bought in 2003 sight-unseen from a recreational sailor in North Carolina. I ended up re-rigging the entire boat prior to the 2004 Worlds, which was my first 505 regatta. This boat did not deserve the time, effort, or money that I put into it. The silver lining was that buying this boat allowed me to attend my first World Championship, where it became clear I had found the class that I wanted to compete in for the rest of my life. Sold in 2008.
USA 7346 - 1981 Wood-look Waterat. The first Waterat ever built in a batch of 4 wood-look boats with white-oak veneer seat tanks and mahogany veneer decks. Originally owned by Macy Nelson. I boat the boat from a recreational sailor in Colorado, and unfortunately he had done some projects that added weight to the boat (new veneer foredeck and repainted bottom). I was told the boat was below minimum weight and unfortunately it was not, and I didn't check it prior to purchase. I sailed the boat for a partial season and then completely re-rigged and re-finished the interior of the boat. This boat was more deserving of a major project, but perhaps not the best candidate for this much effort due to the age and weight issues. I improved the weight situation but the boat was still a few kg over-minimum during my ownership. Sold in 2013.
USA 8854 - 2004 Waterat, World Championship winner in 2004. Originally rigged by Trevor Bayliss. Owned by Phillippe Kahn / Pegasus Racing from 2004-2013. Raced by Bruce Mahoney in 2009. Most people recognize this boat! During my ownership, I have tried to maintain it to the highest standard and have updated it constantly to the latest trends and my own preferences. They might have to bury me in this boat.
​USA 9228 - 2020 Ovington V1. This is the last boat built in the V1 hull mold, it actually sat in the mold for about 6 months following a larger production run on 2019. I rigged this boat during the COVID-19 pandemic while living in the UK. Perhaps 400-500 hours into this project because I had all the time in the world! The boat has not been sailed much, but it resides in the UK for my use at any European events that I can attend.