Fast(ish) dinghy suggestions please

Fleets of Enterprises, Mirrors, Solos and Lasers raced at a club near you! Any combination worth a thought. I enjoy Enterprise and Laser. At least one other retiree in the valley has a Laser.

Hope we'll see you again soon.

Ian
 
Most old 420s are shagged. Technical term that. They start life being raced very competitively and under lots of tension. Doubt any will be very solid

Enterprise is your best bet with a set of reefing points. A down to weight boat can be launched singlehandedly on an inland slipway ie no tide and hence short.

I could launch my wayfarer single handed on our club slipway it was very gentle sloped into a loch

My old kestral was a heavy as a wayfarer
 
Last edited:
Agreed, neither 420s nor 470s are very durable if you are looking for the ultimate racing performance. On the other hand that should result in plenty of decent boats on the market that are just not quite competitive enough for racing. (I had a 470 that fitted the above description, and had a lot of fun with it.)

I can see a 420 fitting the bill quite well. For single-handing you could fit a long tiller extension and helm it from the trapeze. That way, total weight and righting moment would not be that far away from the design intent.
 
Rocket is good or there is a fireball on the forsale forum but might be too tippy.Quick though.
Also seem to remember my mates rocket going the same speed as my 14ft 60hp speedboat.
 
Last edited:
From what I can remember the Enterprise sails pretty well under main alone - I think some even had a separate foot for the mast for mainsail only. I also seem to remember them floating a little high in the water when capsized - can't remember that many ending up upside down though. Don't forget you can reef dinghy sails too...
 
grumpy_o_g said:
From what I can remember the Enterprise sails pretty well under main alone - I think some even had a separate foot for the mast for mainsail only. I also seem to remember them floating a little high in the water when capsized - can't remember that many ending up upside down though. Don't forget you can reef dinghy sails too...
Click to expand...

Yep but he said he wanted some thing fast. My ospray passed enterprises like they were stopped. Not that we were experts. With the family, dog and picnic aboard, we just went a bit slower. Totally controlable with a bit of slack in the sail. Dont get me wrong, there is awsome power there, but it dont mean you have to use it all.
 
I second the choice of Osprey. It is pretty quick, well behaved, relatively easy to sail (as in not fall in, and to get back home), a reasonable size (no way will you want to sail a National 12 if both of your are over 6ft 3in) and not too heavy to man handle on the slipway.
 
Seajet said:
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.
Click to expand...

Didn't you read the title - the op wants a fastish dinghy.
he otter dinghy no longer appears in the official Portsmouth Yardstick List.[4], however, during production it had a PY of 134, placing it similar to but slightly fast than the Topper with a PY of 136[1].
Click to expand...

Looks a little slow to me!!
 
If you're going for mostly single handed then you'll want something a little slower - 420 can be single handed and can be bought cheaply - I used to own a 20yo one that with new sails was still competitive but didn't cost a bomb. 420s don't capsize easily either!

Enterprise and gp14s are similar speeds but don't have the trapeze - so you'll need to think if that is n option you want.
Osprey, 505, fireballs - great boats but not singlehanders - unless you know what you're doing - or significantly change the sail plan!!
 
The OP requested a reasonably fast ' step - up ' dinghy suitable for singlehanding or sometimes with kids etc, an Otter would be great for that; we had a couple at the sailing school I used to instruct at when a boy, and a chum had a very nice one.

I'm surprised people are suggesting the Osprey for this; I loved mine, by far the best dinghy I've ever sailed let alone owned, but it's a powerful boat only suitable for singlehanding in relatively light winds by someone fairly switched on; capsize recovery solo may be an issue too, and they're certainly heavy to pull up the slipway even with a jockey wheel on the trolley.

A Scorpion might well suit the OP, great boats but again a handful singlehanding if only used to slower boats.
 
Seajet said:
The OP requested a reasonably fast ' step - up ' dinghy suitable for singlehanding or sometimes with kids etc,
I'm surprised people are suggesting the Osprey for this; I loved mine, by far the best dinghy I've ever sailed let alone owned, but it's a powerful boat only suitable for singlehanding in relatively light winds by someone fairly switched on; capsize recovery solo may be an issue too, and they're certainly heavy to pull up the slipway even with a jockey wheel on the trolley.

.
Click to expand...

Granted an Ospray is a bit heavy, though I used to manage it some how, or maybe it was the help of the ten year olds that did it.

As I said, I learned with one and had not got a clue, the wife and kids had even less. Mind it did frighten me to death the first time. Not being an expert, I thought it just looked big enough to get every one in.

The only times it ever capsized was when racing and the course picked by folk in Lazers, who knew that the only way they were going to win, was to make a course with umpteen U bends in it.

When it did capsize, the wife would be in the water. I was on the center board, because I could not swim.:eek: I never got wet. I got it up quite easily, except one time when the mast stuck in the mud.:mad:

Lets face it, nothing is going to be perfect for the OP, but I knew little about sailing, the Exwife knew nothing, except what I told her to do.

The only down side I'd say, is an ospray is bult for the sea and on the sea, you could just put the ropes in cleats and sail along at whatever speed you were happy with.

On lakes, where we normally sailed, it could be a bit flooky with changing winds. But apart from the extra wieght, I was more or less sailing single handed.

The kids used to play on the trappeze, not that they knew what they were doing.

We never used the trappeze at all, maybe just went a bit slower.

The ten/twelve year olds sailed it a mile or so across Ulswater in a light wind, then came back in much stonger, frightening me to death. But they made it.

So yes, I think an Osprey will do whats asked for, even with a dumb crew, with a good one and on the sea, it's awsome.
 
Just a fun post. On holiday on the N Broads, with a cruiser and the Ospray towed behind. I was asked for a race. I said OK, but i'll go backwards then.

I still won.:D Yep, that was single handed as well.
 
Welcome

The Osprey has stood the test of time, sailable in all but the most extreme weather conditions, whether inland reservoir, tidal rivers or mountainous seas. She is a credit to her designer Ian Proctor!

A well behaved and balanced boat, capable of sailing or racing with a crew of two or three, with one trapeze. She is provided with a spacious interior, with a choice of fittings and layout, rig and sails allowing competitive pricing.

One Design Class rules were until October 2005 administered by the RYA, who at this time transferred the copyright, since then the new copyright holder and the Class Association have administered the Class Measurement Rules. Although cosmetic improvements have occurred over the years, it is the ethos of the class that the hull shape and sail plan remain true to the designers original. Old boats can still (and often do) compete at the top end of the fleet. Boats built in the 1960's competing with boats of the 21st century... you may have guessed

Osprey's do not become obsolete
 
Twister_Ken said:
I can understand the defence of the Osprey as a damnfine boat, but as a singlehander? Get real.
Click to expand...

You are right.
A proper single hander would be much easier to manage. ;)

How about this one:-

IC_GBR303_7.jpeg


And yes that is a ruddy great asymetric it is flying in addition to main and jib. :D
Not much space for the kids and the labrador though.

http://www.intcanoe.org/
 
Twister_Ken said:
I can understand the defence of the Osprey as a damnfine boat, but as a singlehander? Get real.
Click to expand...

Twister Ken,

you're talking sense at least. I've sailed fast dinghies since 1970, and have already stated I loved my Osprey; I once sailed her from Chichester to Cowes, stayed overnight ashore with friends using our buoyancy aids as fenders, then back next day - it was the first time my crew had ever sailed, but as he was a fit surfing type with a lot of common sense, and I picked my weather, it was fine.

I singlehanded my Osprey, but this was only possible in light winds.

I'm also part of a long distance charity project using an Osprey, but I can't say too much yet.

People who think a standard Osprey is a fine singlehander must be looking back with rose tinted glasses to holidays in light winds...
 
I sail an Osprey and I don't think it is a suitable option for the OP. Yes you can carry loads on it, yes its quick, but for single handed sailing?? I can sail mine on my own but I have to be careful about the weather and careful how I handle it. With my limited body weight, 11 stone, I know that if it goes over I could have big problems recovering it. This means then that all my activities would be relegated to very light winds and sheltered areas. Quite restricting to when and where I may wish to go.

There are plenty of dinghies on the market much more suitable for the OP needs and nearly as quick in light airs as an Osprey. How about an Albacore, Firefly, GP14, Kestrel, or Scorpion.

Just suggestions:)
 
Oh well, that's my Ospray idea knackered. To be honest the only other thing I ever sailed was a blue peter type thingy, which was positively dangerous. Thats how I finished up with the Ospray.

Yep I'll admit, maybe for regular single handed, it is a bit much. Though I'm not sure why it became ok with the two kids, wife and dog. Maybe if he put a few bricks in it whilst single handed, it would be OK.
 
I do think there's a lot to be said for a Scorpion; pretty fast, very seaworthy, still a handful for singlehanding in a breeze but a lot more suitable than an Osprey; a less trendy model should be within budget with good sails etc.

I also happen to think they look lovely too, try to get a look at one close up, they usually have beautiful woodwork.

FreebirdCYC-1.jpg
 
Last edited:
To be honest I don't think any dinghy designed to be raced with a crew of two is suitable for singlehanding in any but the lightest conditions without cut down sails. Trying reefing is not really a good idea partly because of the rig tension needed in the jib to control rig shape and thus sail shape and the reality that getting proper sail shape in a reefed sail is difficult at best and nigh on impossible if the sail was not designed to be reefed in the first place. Old sails can be cut down easily and using a carefully made halyard extender (in wire) can be set up and tensioned just like the full size sails without modifying the halyards, allowing easy changing from full to cut down/cruising sails
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Share this page

Top