Dinghy for single handed river or estuary sailing

[Muddy Boat]

Although smaller than you suggest, we have had both an Adventurer (10ft) dinghy and currently a Blue Peter (8ft). We have used them as a tender and have also taught the kids to sail in them in Chichester Harbour. Both are fibreglass, light (important if you are trailering) and relatively stable (you have to try very hard to capsize them). The Adventurer has a jib, the blue peter just a main and they are both sit in. Because they are older and not class dinghys they also tend to be cheaper to buy.

 

[Pete7]

Another inexpensive dinghy by my terms might be a 12'9" Miracle, very cheap now but wooden & bermudan rig so a long mast for trailing.

Miracle Dinghy masts are Aluminium and 2 piece which bolt together so lie inside the dinghy for transport. There is one on e bay at the moment with photos. A couple of feet longer than a mirror so more stable and a simpler bermudan rig for single handed sailing.

Pete

 

[dave_gibsea]

I would suggest weight is a big factor. If you get a big heavy dinghy it will be a struggle to launch and recover and you will then think twice about going for a sail as it will be lots of hard work and hassle. We have an old Otter dinghy for this sort of sailing and its perfect, easy for one person to launch but room for 3 sailing, more if outboarding. GRP so won't rot and a bit faster than a Heron or a Mirror, it also has a proper centerboard not a dagger-plate. They come with gunter or a bermuden rigs, we rigged a Cadet spinnaker for a bit more speed down-wind.

 

[bobdoughty]

Many thanks for all the great suggestions and advice. No boat does everything and although I have a very sound Sabre 27 for cruising I'd like a little day boat for idling away the odd day going with the tide. However, in 40+ years on the water I have never sailed anything smaller than 22' weighing a couple of tons and at my age I have an aversion to being dumped in the water! I may well have a wander down to Keyhaven, which I have sailed to and know and like, and have a look at the scows

 

[ianat182]

If down at Keyhaven you will see the Lymington and Yarmouth versions of the scows; further along at Seaview they have some pretty little clinker hulled scow-types too. They are often loath to sell them to owners who do not want to race them. I had a hybrid type of scow some years ago that was a delight to sail,launch and maintain.
There is a Rosemary dinghy (only a few made) designed by a chap at Hillhead whose name I forget, but anothe contender if you see one.
All the scows mentioned are between 10 and 13 foot, stable and seaworthy and great fun to race,or take grandchildren,sons and daughters for their first forays afloat.

ianat182

 

[NUTMEG]

Well we all love the dinghy we own or used to own, so all a bit subjective. I love my Lune Pilot. No Center plate, 75kgms of removable ballast in the keel. Standing lug with small jib, Unstayed mast, rigs in minutes but weighs a ton

Sails much better than it should.

Interesting website The Lune Pilot, quick google will find it.

 

[lw395]

The good old Solo might be OK?
Probably one of the cheaper options?
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Solo-Dinghy-/132227499734?hash=item1ec95f86d6:g:7K4AAOSw1~JZPu9F

 

[alant]

Not if the wind and tide are against him !

I'd love to arrange a trial ( not exactly a race ) sail comparing a Mirror, Heron and a Drascombe, and if & when the Drascombe arrived, getting the boats up a slipway.

Not sure why you think a 3/4 decked Heron with self bailing or easily draining & righted Mirror should be less capable in estuaries than a Drascombe which is basically a slow romantic looking open bucket, with swamping or capsizes not something one could laugh off and sail away from unlike the other boats; you could put tan sails on the Heron if that's a priority.

As for the OP's lack of experience, well he should not go out of a harbour anyway without a couple of years under his belt.

Why, if "wind & tide against him"?
I had one some years ago & it made a perfect dinghy for the Solent. Could row it + fit a small outboard & sailed ok to windward. Also able to stand up whilst sailing & move safely around the boat, rather than worry about tipping over like many other dinghies. Try sailing one, you will be suprised at how good they are.

 

[alant]

Many thanks for all the great suggestions and advice. No boat does everything and although I have a very sound Sabre 27 for cruising I'd like a little day boat for idling away the odd day going with the tide. However, in 40+ years on the water I have never sailed anything smaller than 22' weighing a couple of tons and at my age I have an aversion to being dumped in the water! I may well have a wander down to Keyhaven, which I have sailed to and know and like, and have a look at the scows

Plenty of scows down there, but most sail inside the river unless escorted with club safety boat, with occasional jaunt from Hawkers outside to Keyhaven entrance. If you want to get across to Yarmouth or Totland, you will need perfect conditions. I have owned a scow, Dabber, Kestrel, etc whilst sailing from Keyhaven & the Dabber was the handiest.

 

[jwilson]

As per a few others the Mirror would seem to fit the bill. There are many more other types so it is just a case of keeping an eye on adverts, etc.

In the 1970s I had a small cruiser but also bought a Mirror as a boat I could carry around on the top of a car, load it and unload it singlehanded, and sail singlehanded in lots of different places. After a year I sold it but then missed it so much I bought another.

 

[Seajet]

Why, if "wind & tide against him"?
I had one some years ago & it made a perfect dinghy for the Solent. Could row it + fit a small outboard & sailed ok to windward. Also able to stand up whilst sailing & move safely around the boat, rather than worry about tipping over like many other dinghies. Try sailing one, you will be suprised at how good they are.

I tried, and you clearly haven't sailed a properly performing dinghy in your life if you think going backwards is spiffing !

Lets see if we can somehow get a Heron / Pacer /Mirror/ Miracle or I think ideally Otter for me, and you take your pick of Drascombes, say from Chichester to Portsmouth; I'm afraid your pastie will be cold if and when you arrive.

 

[alant]

I tried, and you clearly haven't sailed a properly performing dinghy in your life if you think going backwards is spiffing !

Lets see if we can somehow get a Heron / Pacer /Mirror/ Miracle or I think ideally Otter for me, and you take your pick of Drascombes, say from Chichester to Portsmouth; I'm afraid your pastie will be cold if and when you arrive.

Ah, there speaks the A22 fanticist on matters of speed & going backward.

 

[H35]

By golly, you live in Britain! You should get a Wayfarer or Mirror for sure! I love these simple boats. If they were readily available here in Norway, I would certainly get one. And I'm thinking about once I find one I will buy it and fix it up for my two sailing sons!
There were one of each in my old sailing club. They were quick in our unformal club regattas, and mostly finished among the first across the line. Both had great crews though. -And they were even going on longer trips with them down the coast. Either with a tent on shore, or just sleeping onboard under a boom tent.

 

[lw395]

By golly, you live in Britain! You should get a Wayfarer or Mirror for sure! I love these simple boats. If they were readily available here in Norway, I would certainly get one. And I'm thinking about once I find one I will buy it and fix it up for my two sailing sons!
There were one of each in my old sailing club. They were quick in our unformal club regattas, and mostly finished among the first across the line. Both had great crews though. -And they were even going on longer trips with them down the coast. Either with a tent on shore, or just sleeping onboard under a boom tent.

View attachment 64776

The Heron is a slow boat. It rates over 1300 in the PY scheme, compared to the Wayfarer's 1100 or so. Very different boats!
The Mirror is slower still at 1385.
Personally I think anything slower than about 1000 is not a quick boat.
It doesn't matter when you are racing other boats, the handicap compensates. It matters a lot if you're on a river against the current.
Also small boats like 11ft Herons handle OK and respond reasonably with a couple of light kids in them, but become sullen unresponsive draggy abominations with a large bloke sat at the back. If you are new to dinghies, something that fits you will be easier to learn in, IMHO.

Mirrors and Wayfarers are still very popular in the UK, keenly raced with class racing and championships etc etc. I've not seen a Heron actually sailing for years, but I dare say there are lots tucked away.

 

[H35]

https://www.hartleyboats.com/index.php?id=39

Oh come on! For a dinghy cruiser, there's no beating a Wayfarer fitted with a gennaker!!

 

[Major_Clanger]

I have a 1955 GP14 with road and launching trailer. You can have her for £50 plus a tenner in the lifeboat tin. PM me if interested.

 

[Jungle Jim]

As a large bloke, not that bendy also with an aversion to getting wet this is the most comfortable boat I've sailed
www.laserstratos.org

It is bone dry and most importantly it is comfortable to perch my rather broad-in-the-beam bottom on it. I find wayfarers very tippy after sailing these.
The only downside is it will be a struggle launching single handed.

 

[Seajet]

There was a cruising Gull - singlehanded with an outboard, even though it was a stiff F5 - stopped for a breather on our slip last weekend, and we often get Dinghy Cruising Association Herons, Gulls etc stopping for a pee, pasty and pint in whatever order they prefer.

Our club, being enlightened, has long since promoted dinghy cruising, not just racing as in the old days - there are ' cruises in company ' for the Junior Section within Chichester Harbour with a safety boat and a van bringing along the tents and grub.

 

[H35]

As a large bloke, not that bendy also with an aversion to getting wet this is the most comfortable boat I've sailed
www.laserstratos.org

It is bone dry and most importantly it is comfortable to perch my rather broad-in-the-beam bottom on it. I find wayfarers very tippy after sailing these.
The only downside is it will be a struggle launching single handed.

Oh yes.... Very dry, indeed....

https://youtu.be/f3P01C0z7gM

 

[AntarcticPilot]

The Heron is a slow boat. It rates over 1300 in the PY scheme, compared to the Wayfarer's 1100 or so. Very different boats!
The Mirror is slower still at 1385.
Personally I think anything slower than about 1000 is not a quick boat.
It doesn't matter when you are racing other boats, the handicap compensates. It matters a lot if you're on a river against the current.
Also small boats like 11ft Herons handle OK and respond reasonably with a couple of light kids in them, but become sullen unresponsive draggy abominations with a large bloke sat at the back. If you are new to dinghies, something that fits you will be easier to learn in, IMHO.

Mirrors and Wayfarers are still very popular in the UK, keenly raced with class racing and championships etc etc. I've not seen a Heron actually sailing for years, but I dare say there are lots tucked away.

The heron isn't a fast boat, but if your're sitting in the back you're sailing it wrong! To sail a Heron single-handed requires a tiller extension and you sit midships to get the fore-aft balance right. When a teenager I sailed for many hours in a Heron, and single-handed it quite efficiently. For the OP's purposes I'd have said it was a great boat - extremely difficult to capsize (we only managed it once, and that was when the boom came off the mast fitting!), simple to sail and very strongly constructed. It can take an outboard quite happily, and rows surprisingly well. It's a great all-round boat - not as tough as a Wayfarere, but then, nothing is!