Agree with the earlier comments about the K18 - I did my Silver C in one, 25 years ago, no electric varios etc, just a basic mechanical vario and feel. Lovely handling and pretty good performance for a wooden ship. I loved her. Also agree with the need to stay upwind of the airfield in a K8. I got a well deserved bollocking for drifting downwind in a weak thermal and scrapping back over the hedge instead of making a field landing (lots of good options.) Got away with it, by luck, not skill.