DN Class: Pondering the cost realities

Demographics are a concern in the DN class, with “Not enough young people” being the usual lament. There are several factors related to the problem but the cost of a competitive DN is seen as an important factor, especially in this era of people who would rather buy than build.

A ready to go DN is not cheap. A newbie could look for a competitive used boat and probably get one for $5,000 US. Or they could spring for a new turn-key Sherry or Kardas DN (as examples of commercial builders) with one set of runners and a single sail as a starting point.

This totally new DN would cost more than a new ILCA 7 but a DN is arguably better value than a 14-foot plastic boat with a mast made of aluminum tubes. A better soft water comparator for the DN would be a foiling Moth, typically at twice the cost of a new DN. The one-design Waszp foiler is comparable in price to a totally new DN. – Full report