Which Dinghy?

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Discussion

Mave

Original Poster:

8,208 posts

214 months

Sunday 28th September 2014
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So, trying to pull together a cunning plan.

I sailed Mirrors and Enterprises as a teenager, and have only sailed 30'+ yachts since.
Wife has never sailed a dinghy, but she's done her competent crew in a yacht, and fancies doing more sailing.
Kids are still a bit young for helming or crewing (5 years!), but they're getting sensible enough to stay in a boat, and I'm happy they'd be OK floating in a bouyancy aid.

Found a nice local lake based club (felt so safe, compared to learning in the Bristol Channel!), thinking about doing a weekend course with the Mrs, then joining up in the spring with the aim to get her confident, then eventualy take the kids out. Get them learning in a few years if they show interest.

So to the question - we'll probably need to get a dinghy of our own, not sure if there's a single dinghy which fits the brief, and whilst I'll try to cadge some water time to try a few out, I'd like to narrow down the options.

I'm after something which can be sailed single handed (not neccesarily quickly / efficiently) if I'm on my own; probably with a jib so I can give a child a job when sailing with 1 or 2 boys; large enough to fit 2 adults + 2 children at a push; stable enough that I don't spend all my time fishing children out of the water or trying to uncapsize on my own; popular enough that there's good parts and maintenance support, as well as the occasional race! Budget up to £1000 with trailer, happy to need some work.

From my recollection Mirror is probably too small, Enterprise a bit tippy. Research so far suggests GP14 is worth a look, wayfarer may be too heavy (pride says I want something which isn't TOO pedestrian!). Any other ideas / recommendations?

jains15

1,013 posts

172 months

Sunday 28th September 2014
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TBH it sounds like a GP14 or 'Farer would be a good shout. A Miracle may work but may not be big enough and they are slow...

The Wayfarer may be a more flexible family boat and would be better suited to small scale trips what with having the storage and if I recollect are a tad quicker than a GP. Not a lot in it though. Have you looked at the comet family of boats? Several sizes available, a comet trio may suit your need.

Various lasers (2000 and some with weird and wacky names) and RS boats spring to mind but you'll need more budget.

I faced the similar choices and specifications but settled on a Flying15, but I don't have kids so interior space only needed to be for two. And you need specific sailing clubs for them. I know they are for those.... senior in experience but I like mine and procured for £300 off Ebay!!


Mave

Original Poster:

8,208 posts

214 months

Sunday 28th September 2014
quotequote all
Thanks, I'll take a look at the comets. Re the budget - if we ened up finding out we love it, and the boys love it, I'll be happy to expand it in the future; but at the momement I want to keep it low (AKA under the radar!)

Forgot to say, additional requirement is something that is seaworthy as well as lakeworthy; I'd love to be able to take it down to Falmouth or Salcombe for example smile

Burrow01

1,802 posts

191 months

Sunday 28th September 2014
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Dart 16 wink

Burrow01

1,802 posts

191 months

Sunday 28th September 2014
quotequote all
Wanderer?

Friend has a Laser 16 which he purchased as a boat club repo (owner had not paid 5 years membership) for a very reasonable price, this would fit the bill if you can find one available cheaply

MBBlat

1,601 posts

148 months

Sunday 28th September 2014
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There are not a lot, if any monos that can be saild well 1 or 2 up, and none of the lakes near Bristol that I know of allow cats.

It also depends on if you want to race, or are happy just cruising. If racing the best bet is to go down to the club you are interested in joining and see what is popular, as it's better to sail against others in the same class. If you can get to the club (might be difficult if it's Chew unless things have changed since I left) almost all have a for sale board. It may also be worth volunteering to crew for a while, so as to try a few boats out.

Apart from the traditional wayfarer/ent/go choice it may be worth looking at something like an RS 200, May be a bit small for 4 but lightweight and easy to maintain. Unless you like the smell of varnish and have a spare garage/workshop avoid wooden boats at this stage.

stoneshed

58 posts

258 months

Monday 29th September 2014
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There isn't anything that will suit everything you need.

What is your budget?

If you are planning to join a club the FIRST thing you should do is see what is being sailed there, if there is a big Wayfarer/ GP/ generic RS plastic fleet get one of those.

For a family boat thats not dog slow then look at the RS200, the 2000 (used to be called a laser 2000 but now re-branded after Laser 'dropped it', now made by LDC) or slightly bigger RS400, if you don't want an asymetric, then its the Mirror, Wayfarer, higher performance (and cost) Merlin rocket or and Ablacore.

Unless you have room & lots of time in the winter stick to an FRP/ GRP/ rotomoulded/ epxoy/ plastic boat.

If there is room where you are planning to sail and want to avoid the falling over getting wet bit then you could look at a K6 (formally RS K6 but dropped by RS now built by Rondar) or a small keel boat like the Squib

To be honest you would be better buying a Wayfarer for the family and a Laser/ Kirby torch (depending on lawsuit result) type single hander when you want to play on your own, but this all depends on budget and size

Edited by stoneshed on Monday 29th September 11:04


Edited by stoneshed on Monday 29th September 11:05

Hard-Drive

4,076 posts

228 months

Monday 29th September 2014
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K6 for a grand...where do I sign?

Mave

Original Poster:

8,208 posts

214 months

Monday 29th September 2014
quotequote all
Thanks guys, keep the thoughts coming :-)
The club events are based around optis, toppers, mirrors and ents, although there are other boats there. Budget is a grand, not afraid of a bit of elbow work, and I can use a friend's barn in the winter...

OneDs

1,628 posts

175 months

Monday 29th September 2014
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Currently pondering a similar question, and just learning myself (in a wayfarer), I'm likley to get cheapish wayfarer whilst I decide whether to build or save and buy a newer (RS venture or such) in the future if the family take to it.

The wayfarer we are learning in seems pretty stable, however there's barely been more than light breezes round these parts for a while so haven't had the opportunity to see what it's like in a strong wind in fact my first weekend was cancelled due to no wind at all.

sawman

4,915 posts

229 months

Monday 29th September 2014
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Miracle would be a good option, I have sailed ours with 2 kids on board - in addition to the centre thwart there is a crew seat on each side.

It's quite a forgiving boat, being easy to handle on the water and and the shore. Plus as it has a traditional symmetric spinnaker all the basic sailings are there to be learned. but much more of a boat than a mirror

Some folks say it's slow, which is probably true, but sailed well does well on handicap (we are usually mixing it with the back end of ent at laser fleets in handicap racing on the water, while scoring top end results.

personally I wouldn't go near a GP14 or wayfarer - too big and heavy.

If you want a bit more performance and size have a look at the Kestrel - much better performance than either GP or wayfarer, while being a decent bit bigger than the miracle - but possibly a bit feisty for kids

The kestrel is now made by hartley laminates - they also make Gull & Wanderer which might be worth a look, but I would look at a miracle before either of these




Edited by sawman on Monday 29th September 18:46

Mave

Original Poster:

8,208 posts

214 months

Monday 29th September 2014
quotequote all
Done a bit more digging; the club has a class limit of 15', no bowsprits, no trapeze, and no faster than 1048- so the Wayfarer is out, I guess the RS200 as well!

Burrow01

1,802 posts

191 months

Monday 29th September 2014
quotequote all
Mave said:
Done a bit more digging; the club has a class limit of 15', no bowsprits, no trapeze, and no faster than 1048- so the Wayfarer is out, I guess the RS200 as well!
Blimey, sounds like you can touch the other bank from the shore smile

Burrow01

1,802 posts

191 months

Monday 29th September 2014
quotequote all
If you search on Facebook for a group called Dinghies and Dinghy Bits for Sale there is an Enterprise there that might fit your bill:

Water tight enterprise for sale wooden hull and decks needs little work and varnishing and new rigging. Comes with sets of sails, rudder and tiller, cover on very good condition, mast and boom, flotation bags and snipe combination trailer in excellent condition with spare wheel and lockable hitch. Asking for £400 ono is located in Gloucester. Can deliver for small cost.






Mave

Original Poster:

8,208 posts

214 months

Monday 29th September 2014
quotequote all
Thanks, I'll take a look smile

jains15

1,013 posts

172 months

Wednesday 1st October 2014
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Mave said:
Thanks guys, keep the thoughts coming :-)
The club events are based around optis, toppers, mirrors and <b>ents</b>, although there are other boats there. Budget is a grand, not afraid of a bit of elbow work, and I can use a friend's barn in the winter...
From all you have said, I really don't think you could go wrong with Enterprise. They are on the tippier end of the list of choices you list but far from really tippy if honest and hell just don't go out in a gale with the kids 4 up!

Liked the merlin suggestion from above, had one of those once and family boats they are not. Fast though!

Thing with the Ent is you can get a plastic easily for a grand. Our first boat was a plastic ent and it was <£300. Simple, plentiful and they are sailed everywhere. I really don't see the downside chap smile

They can be fun in the right wind as well wink