Fast(ish) dinghy suggestions please

Cloven

Cloven

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I am looking to buy a dinghy for inland sailing - mostly single handed but big enough for occasional sailing with SWMBO & also grandchildren. I currently have a small gaff rigged boat similar to a Mirror but I want something a bit faster.

Price less than £1000 complete with good combi trailer. I should say I am an experienced dinghy sailer (not racing) and am used to handling such as a Wayfarer but I need something I can launch & land myself.

I have been considering a Laser 2 but at the moment, I've got my eye on a Topper Buzz and 420. Former priced at £900 & latter at £795 although both possibly with a deal to be done.

Any advice from those with more knowledge of these boats or any others I should be considering would be greatly received.
 
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You can get older dinghies much cheaper, most singlehanders are not good for taking a second person, especially inexperienced children, That is why I sold my Solo to buy a GP14. I reckon I can manage it single-handed but it will still carry 2 adults & two kids (& a small dog) for a pic-nic.

Anything fast & light is less suitable for pottering. I still have a Laser for when I want a bit of single-handed fun. You should be able to get both a Laser with full & Radial or 4.7 rig for singlehanding AND a GP14 or Enterprise or similar for family use for under a grand with combi trailers. In fact I have car-topped a Laser & towed the Solo with just a Mondeo (see pic below) & plan to do the same with the Laser & GP14 at the end of the month.

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for kids/wife Gp14 wayfera more stable seats inside the boat. good alround dinghys loads of cheap exsamples. Both big classes so you get cheaper covers etc of the net. for you kestral bit faster tipy when stationary but I use it for solo crousing.
 
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BlackPig said:
for kids/wife Gp14 wayfera more stable seats inside the boat. good alround dinghys loads of cheap exsamples. Both big classes so you get cheaper covers etc of the net. for you kestral bit faster tipy when stationary but I use it for solo crousing.
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It should be noted that the Kestral is a heavy dinghy with a galvanised metal centreboard. So of you are planning on launching and recovering solo this should be taken into consideration.
 
We've just bought a Graduate, haven't had it out sailing yet so can't offer as much advice as I'd like to.
It seems roomy enough for two (so long as you're not giants) and certainly light enough to handle on the trolley. Around half your budget for a decent one.
I'll let you know more when we get round to launching it...
 
One way to get a fastish boat at a reasonable price is to go for a Restricted class and pick a boat that is no longer competitive. Some of the classes are a bit outlandish e.g. National 12 but for example a pre-asymmetric International 14 (no bowsprit, single trapeze) is going to be pretty cheap and will certainly give you an exciting ride. For solo sailing you could get a suit of sails cut down or use sails from a less powerful class. The weight would be much more manageable than e.g. a GP14 or Enterprise.
 
Considering the use I would As an ex Ent sailor say they are good boats and can be sailed singlehanded especially with cut down sails. If you have access to a local sailmaker getting an old set of sails cut down for almost any class is a good way of getting sails suitable for either singlehanding or cruising sailing in a racing boat.
 
maxi77 said:
Considering the use I would As an ex Ent sailor say they are good boats and can be sailed singlehanded especially with cut down sails. If you have access to a local sailmaker getting an old set of sails cut down for almost any class is a good way of getting sails suitable for either singlehanding or cruising sailing in a racing boat.
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Don't cut them down put reefing points in them. Best of both worlds.
 
You could do worse than purchase one of the 'classic 'Merlin Rockets; the MK9 and 9B Proctor designs sail extremely well. I owned mine for 25 years and taught sailing in it .
They are not as wide as the newer generation MR's, and a sail number of around 2000 -2500 should get you a well cared for one. They are an exciting sail when racing and a forgiving and satisfying sail for a graduate from any othe dinghy class;surprisingly stable and dry but also light to handle ashore, or trail at around 216lbs.
If you're really keen there is a Classic division of the Merlin Rocket Association for these older dinghies.
Being a development class they are often innovative in rig, design, and handling, though as yet they don't have a trapeze like their International 14 sisters; smaller still ,but no spinnaker,are the national 12ft class ,and the Cherub12 footers with enormous spinnakers!
I sailed all of these regularly in my younger days, but preferred the Merlin Rocket.

ianat182
 
ianat182 said:
Being a development class they are often innovative in rig, design, and handling, though as yet they don't have a trapeze like their International 14 sisters; smaller still ,but no spinnaker,are the national 12ft class ,and the Cherub12 footers with enormous spinnakers!
I sailed all of these regularly in my younger days, but preferred the Merlin Rocket.
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Although a Cherub is a brilliant boat, I really feel it might be a bit of a handful when sailed single-handed or with a novice crew. For the same reason, I had resisted suggesting the OP opts for the best dinghy that ever was. (Fireball, for anyone who has been locked in a cupboard since 1962.)
 
trapezeartist said:
Although a Cherub is a brilliant boat, I really feel it might be a bit of a handful when sailed single-handed or with a novice crew. For the same reason, I had resisted suggesting the OP opts for the best dinghy that ever was. (Fireball, for anyone who has been locked in a cupboard since 1962.)
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Those two are definitely not easy to single hand in anything other than a force 1 or 2. :)
I used to race a fireball and although it was great when the water was flat it came unstuck in any kind of sea. Now... the 505 that was a different matter altogether! :cool:

For the OP his best bet would be a Pacer if he can find one. They weren't that common, which is surprising for such a versatile little Jack Holt designed dinghy. It can take two adults and a couple of small children easily and it can be singlehanded in any kind of wind/sea.
 
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Just get a National Ospray, if there are still any around. I bought mine because it looked like I could get four of us in, plus the labrador. It was what I leaned to sail on, with no idea of it's pedigree. Frightened me to death first time, but soon found that it would race (and win) cruise all day, or even single handed, just meant that some times you went a bit slower.

A very powerfull boat, yet my 10 and 12 year old, used to sail it on quiet days.
 
An Otter would be ideal; 12', easily singlehanded or 2 adults as long as they're not giants, a good versatile boat, grp.

I think getting any half decent boat along with a reasonable combi trailer for under £1000 is pushing it even in todays' market.

Remember the price of sails, it's important to get a boat with a half decent suit.
 
Twister_Ken said:
I'm out of touch with modern dinghies, but I seem to recall the 420 is quite sporty as a lightweight double hander AND has a singlehanded position for the rig???

Ex-competition one not too pricey?
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Same size and sailing characteristics as an enterprise - more or less.
 
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