Jay
Good choice on the Victoria! Had one for years. Had a good time with it. Sold it for what I had in it too! Can't beat that!
Lots of good information out there for you on the Victoria. I kept mine in the "stock" configuration and would say it sailed particularly well in lighter conditions. Found whatever breezes were present and did the best with them. Modified, they can be significantly faster and more capable - some of the guys that race them here go crazy with upgrades. The AMYA class rules permit lots of modifications - I think that fact attracted a lot of guys that like tweaking and upgrading.
In another post I mentioned the CR 914 which has a bit of a resemblance to the Victoria - it's longer and from all I have read is one of the best sailing boats around. At only 36" long it is sailed and raced in 20 knot winds!
That is impressive. Micro Magic's are another amazing boat that can sail in very difficult conditions - well beyond what their small size would suggest.
Once I get my 914 completed I will know more 1st hand information. These boats were originally made in Japan now produced here in the U.S. Included a picture of very nice 914
Oh, last thought - I wouldn't wait very long on the FW lll - Kysoho has stopped making them-there are no more in the U.S. not sure about on your side of the pond. My suggestion is if you want one, and get at the price you mentioned - at the very least you'd have a good investment there! These bring $600 USD or more if you can get one here! I suspect they will go for more the longer they are in short supply. The same thing has happened to the Seawinds, now on Kysoho's "out of stock" list with know known date for production runs. Depending on the condition a Seawind can bring crazy $$$ here.
Glad I have mine! Another one is the Yamaha Round the World - my personal favorite - rare as hen's teeth - maybe more so? They bring big bucks too! All three are Japanese made models - interesting fact not sure what it means but still...............
Good luck with your Victoria. Post some pictures as you move forward.
Boomer