Can any one remember the T.V. 50 times dinghy.

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mikewillis

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Can any one remember the T.V. 50 times dinghy.

I think this was sponsored by the T.V. times magazine about the same time as the Mirror/Express.
Also the SigneT by the Sunday Times

If you have any information on this dinghy it would be most helpful in identifying the dinghy I own.

I have some info. but not a lot as follows:-

L.O.A = 3.43m ( about 11ft 3 to 11ft.4 )

Beam = !

Draft =!

Year = !

Who made the dinghy =!

Weight. =!

or any information this would be most helpful
also see my other post can you name this dinghy
 
I have a book called 'Boat of the future' by Bruce Fraser (one of the downsides of being involved with the Classic and Vintage Racing Dinghy Association (http://www.cvrda.org) is the inability to resist any dinghy book). this book has some details on the TV dinghy

The TV Dinghy was made from Expanded Polystyrene so should be easy to identify.

length = 11'3"
Beam = 5'
sail area = 50,55 or 75 sq ft as there were 3 versions
Hull weight = 64lbs (coated)
 
can any one remember the T.V. 50 times dinghy

Just to say thanks for your information most helpful if only in elimination of various dinghy's I am checking in the 11ft to 12ft range.
I am trying to find the make of my dinghy.
I have been checking various book from the library
one book is Rhonda Budd 1974 sailing boats of the world.
I will check your book out thanks:
regards mike::(
 
A photograph of her would be helpful for insignia etc.
Was she another of the polystyrene dinghies,i.e. Puffin Pioneer,Mailboat ,and one similar to a Proctor Minisail-surfboard/scow shaped ?

ianat182
 
I remember my local sea scout troop had one given to them. Since it was a bit battered they thought it would be a good idea to sheath it in GRP. As some of th eother posters have said it was indeed made of expanded polystyrene. It was amazing to watch the boat disappear before their eyes as they applied the first layer of resin.
 
smth448 said:
I remember my local sea scout troop had one given to them. Since it was a bit battered they thought it would be a good idea to sheath it in GRP. As some of th eother posters have said it was indeed made of expanded polystyrene.
Click to expand...

I remember some family friends had a dinghy made from polystyrene sometime back around 1969. I had one sail in it and got to pull up the centreboard :-)

smth448 said:
It was amazing to watch the boat disappear before their eyes as they applied the first layer of resin.
Click to expand...

Bet they wished they'd use epoxy resin not polyester :D

Boo2
 
Yes ,when an outboard motor was used you had to be careful(Seagull !)not to spill any petrol. There was a firm called Polybond that produced a waterbased epoxy,which ,used with glass cloth made a nice little reservoir to retain any drips or spillage; must have been one of the first generation epoxies then,around 1970,but can't remember its name,but possibly SP Systems people make it now. Would be useful to find out ,to make gas-bottle enclosures,without the heat and pong !

ianat1822
 
smth448 said:
I remember my local sea scout troop had one given to them. Since it was a bit battered they thought it would be a good idea to sheath it in GRP. As some of th eother posters have said it was indeed made of expanded polystyrene. It was amazing to watch the boat disappear before their eyes as they applied the first layer of resin.
Click to expand...


Yes, when I first started sailing I bought one via the 'For sale and wanted' column in the local rag. It was one that had been covered with some sort of rubberised fabric (you could buy them either bare or covered). Mine had been left out in a garden for yonks, and looked as if someone had attacked it with an axe. But they were made from thick (4") high density expanded polystyrene, so the axe hadn't gone right through. I got the hull, two booms, two centreboards, two rudders, two lifejackets, a mast (in two sections which sleeved together), two sails and a roof-rack for £25 (this in 1976).

I also decided to sheath the hull in GRP, but I knew about the effects of the styrene. I started with about 10 coats of emulsion paint, followed by two coats of yacht varnish, then a layer of GRP over the exterior. Ended up with a good knockabout dinghy in which I learnt to sail. As made, the luff of the main sail had a sleeve which fitted over the mast, and which couldn't be reefed. As mine was the 75 ft2 version I converted it to conventional luff slides

There were three or four types of boat made from EPS, but the TV Times dinghy was the only one with a shape like a conventional dinghy. It sailed surprisingly well (unlike most of the others) but I'm not surprised that it didn't become the "Boat of the Future"!
 
can any one remember the T.V. 50 times dinghy

Just to say thanks to all the experts information on the TV Dinghy.


But what I need is for the experts to take a look at my previous post dated 20-03-2010
Title :- CAN YOU NAME THIS DINGHY

Lots of HITS 59+

But no THREADS !

Have a look at the photos they may help.

Some one most have made a mould for this dinghy.

But it could be a ghost boat pirates and all on board.

If you can name the dinghy by Easter Sunday I will send you an Easter egg

Other wise I will have to ask you about more boats soon,watch this space
Regards Mike ( not micky )
 
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I name this dinghy "Whelk of Frinton". May God Bless her and all who sail in her.

Now, where's my easter egg...;)

Tim
 
can any one remember the T.V. 50 times dinghy

Hello Tim good try
You may be right about Frinton boat builder' can you go around and check this out and report back!
What I need is as following:-

1. THE DESIGNER'S / BUILDER'S NAME

2. THE MAKE or CLASS of dinghy

THE BOAT ALREADY has a name HOPCH-POTCH and is happy with this.

This would be a good starter for 10 or any info. you have.

There is a poached egg in the post too you for first try.:p

All the best mike ( not micky)
 
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Bet they wished they'd use epoxy resin not polyester :D

Boo2[/QUOTE]


I filled the dents in my Puffin pioneer's Expanded Polystyrene hull with P38 and P40 which according to the spec are Polyester based but there was no melting or damage. I did try it out first on a lump of transom which had fallen off.
 
SigneT dinghy

Could it be a SigneT dinghy? But it would have to be of the order of 12 foot plus.

There is an active class association for the SigneT, with plenty of pictures, so if nothing else you could rule out it being that.

The (non-commercial!) class association is at www.sailsignet.org.uk

Otherwise cannot help without seeing the dinghy concerned or its sail insignia - though it's not unkown for one class of dinghy to be found sporting a sail from another!

Cheers

Paul
 
name my dinghy

Thanks for the information but I do not think It is a signet as my boat is 11ft 5 LOA and the beam is 4ft 6
regards mike

by the way the insignia just ment ghost boat may be
 
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dallison

Certainly do remember this boat, in fact I still have mine, had many hours of fun sailing her, virtually unsinkable. A great safe boat to learn how to sail. Remember the only major flaw to be a weakness in the rudder mounting. They were made from plastic and would snap if the wind got up.
 
The Tv dinghy was designed by Barry Bucknell for the tv times it was made by polycell prout at welwyn garden city i remember going to collect ours the sme day as maiden flight for concorde as it went over our heads on m1 fantastic boat unfortunately my sisters chickens pecked it to death on her farm
 
TV Dinghy info

Came across this thread from an internet search as I was about to throw out a set of original instructions and other bits of paperwork about the TV dinghy that we used to own. These instructions record that it was designed by Barry Bucknell (the former television DIY guru) and made by Polycell-Prout Ltd. Date would have been around 1970. Sadly our polystyrene hull was vandalised several years ago but I think we still have a few bits of the original rigging and maybe even the sails.

The instruction booklet has an optimistic picture of a boat being loaded apparently single-handed on top of a Jag (using a specially designed roof rack which we also still have), but in practice it was immensely heavy and more suited to carriage on an HGV. The booklet also recommends filling any holes in the hull with Polyfiller!

If anyone would like any of this stuff then please send me a message.

Simon
 
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