Thank you Gavin and Brad for your advice, iOS much appreciated. I understand the comments on how you learn the ropes and it takes time and possible damage to your yachting the meantime. I also appreciate that IOM racing is the class racing to have for size of fleets,clubs racing them and top sailors taking part but it was the initial cost of say a good secondhand IOM being equal or exceeding the cost of a new DF95. Whilst learning I thought that to eliminate variations in hull shape would take one less variable away when judging my own progress. Perhaps the way is to learn on a DF95 and when the time is right to move up to Iom. I am sure you are all aware of the growth in DF65/95 racing fleets in the UK and worldwide so finding a club should not pose a problem. Thanks again for the advice and those of BG also. I am off to the world's in France in May so hope to pick a few more brains there!