GP14 Dingy

[Bigplumbs]

We are generally Motor Boaters but thought we would have a go at sailing in a small way so have bought a little GP14 Dingy. I was hoping that someone on here could give me an idea of the year of manufacture and model of the one I have bought from the little video below

Thanks

 

[Egret]

Well done - Excellent choice - have seen the light at last- dates from about the 1970's probably. - - Still a very active class - 75th anniversary year - basic boat hasn't changed so you could still race or just get involved as they encourage - events locally or you can travel to interesting places - lots of information on the GP14 association site - There will be a number on the sail and stamped into the boat somewhere that you can check against the information on the GP14 website -

Change the wire standing rigging - also will work better if it has fresh ropes - check the centreboard for rot but easy to make a new one - needs to take a person's weight if you do capsize, but if you are careful and don't go out when it is too windy, not very likely - check the self bailers - may need new seals if you can get them - check the joints around the buoyancy tanks - blow air in and see if it holds - easy to repair.

Join one of the local clubs maybe will give you lots of help and free launching which will soon add up if you use it quite a bit.

Will take a little outboard on a bracket for the broads.

When you are ready, if you would like I can help you set it up.

Ref #2 below - very gentle air pressure will be enough to find if there are leaks - like a buoyancy test

 

[Puffin10032]

check the joints around the buoyancy tanks - blow air in and see if it holds - easy to repair.

Sorry but this is not a good idea. Buoyancy tanks, especially on these older boats, are not designed to stand a positive internal pressure. The correct, and only safe, way to test them is a proper capsize test. Often it's not the tanks but the inspection hatches that leak.

These old GP14s, made by Bossoms if memory serves, were never competitive in their day but even now make excellent cruising dinghies. I think for most people they're a better choice than a Wayfarer unless you plan to do the really hard core sleeping-onboard-for-several-nights type of dinghy cruising.

 

[ylop]

My guess is that’s 1970s, but you haven’t really given us much to go on! Hull is GRP? If so then it’s no older than late 60’s. There were some changes to the Bouyancy arrangements in the 80’s - so an expert might be able to confirm. It looks like the one I learned on which was late 70s (even the same colour of gel coat).

I wouldn’t rely on Puffin’s confidence that a capsize is unlikely. As a newbie to sailing dinghies an unplanned gybe with the centreboard down in quite moderate conditions could easily see a swim - especially if you are not, shall we say, in the spring of youth to move your weight quickly!

Personally I would GENTLY be testing Bouyancy before trying a capsize test. I speak from experience that getting on of them back out the water once a tank is flooded is seriously hard.

The sails MIGHT give more of a clue about age but on boats this old, unless they were seriously raced often the sails have been acquired from other boats over the years to may not match.

You should manage to get a good few videos out of it though - tarting it up, rigging it, sailing it, fixing the leaks, etc.

 

[Egret]

GP14 class 'measuring notes page 2 section 8' gives a method for gentle air testing with a piece of pipe set into a bung hole with blu tack - blow gently into pipe hold thumb over for 15 secs then see if there is still pressure of air blowing back out - much more satisfactory - unlikely to pass but by continuing gently blowing you will be able to feel where the air is coming out and needs repair.

Don't let them put you off - you have the best boat for the type of sailing you want to do in sheltered water - in moderate winds to start with - but they don't know that. You have to try quite hard to tip over a GP14 - never did in all the years I sailed them, although it might tip over first time - so for other locations best to do some practice - climb up onto hull - avoid falling in to water

 

[Puffin10032]

I wouldn’t rely on Puffin’s confidence that a capsize is unlikely.

I never said a capsize is either likely or unlikely. That's down to the skill of the helm and crew but having been in a club with a very large and active GP14 fleet I know first-hand that even relative novices can get a GP14 round the race course in 20+ knots of wind. They do stand up to their canvas very well.

 

[SaltIre]

Look for cracks/leaks where the front of the centreboard casing joins the hull. Might need repair - or more likely a sponge since it's a high stress area.

 

[ylop]

I never said a capsize is either likely or unlikely.

Sorry I mixed up your and egrets posts.

That's down to the skill of the helm and crew …

I recall big plums has no prior sailing experience and wasn’t planning to do any formal training…

 

[Bigplumbs]

Well done - Excellent choice - have seen the light at last- dates from about the 1970's probably. - - Still a very active class - 75th anniversary year - basic boat hasn't changed so you could still race or just get involved as they encourage - events locally or you can travel to interesting places - lots of information on the GP14 association site - There will be a number on the sail and stamped into the boat somewhere that you can check against the information on the GP14 website -

Change the wire standing rigging - also will work better if it has fresh ropes - check the centreboard for rot but easy to make a new one - needs to take a person's weight if you do capsize, but if you are careful and don't go out when it is too windy, not very likely - check the self bailers - may need new seals if you can get them - check the joints around the buoyancy tanks - blow air in and see if it holds - easy to repair.

Join one of the local clubs maybe will give you lots of help and free launching which will soon add up if you use it quite a bit.

Will take a little outboard on a bracket for the broads.

When you are ready, if you would like I can help you set it up.

Ref #2 below - very gentle air pressure will be enough to find if there are leaks - like a buoyancy test

Thanks Keith. It took a while. I have also bought a Zapcat with a 50hp Tohatsu tiller steer that is capable of 48 Knots so I have not completely changed lol

 

[Puffin10032]

I recall big plums has no prior sailing experience and wasn’t planning to do any formal training…

In which case I don't think it would be cruel to say all bets are off...

 

[Puffin10032]

GP14 class 'measuring notes page 2 section 8' gives a method for gentle air testing with a piece of pipe set into a bung hole with blu tack - blow gently into pipe hold thumb over for 15 secs then see if there is still pressure of air blowing back out - much more satisfactory - unlikely to pass but by continuing gently blowing you will be able to feel where the air is coming out and needs repair.

Don't let them put you off - you have the best boat for the type of sailing you want to do in sheltered water - in moderate winds to start with - but they don't know that. You have to try quite hard to tip over a GP14 - never did in all the years I sailed them, although it might tip over first time - so for other locations best to do some practice - climb up onto hull - avoid falling in to water

The only document I find online with that in it dates fro 2022 so has almost certainly been written with new boats in mind. I have no doubt that a modern FRP or gorgeous wood/epoxy Duffin would tolerate a positive pressure in the buoyancy tank but a boat from the 1970s is a different issue.

My one and only GP14 capsize was when I was crewing for a friend. We were port boat on an up and coming port and starboard and I was waiting for the helm to say whether we were going to tack or duck the other boat's stern. What I heard coming from the back instead was something like "I'm in trouble" then out of the corner of my seeing a pair of legs flying up and backwards out of the boat, which promptly capsized. A leisurely swing of the leg over side onto the board followed. I helped the helm onto the board and we righted the boat. I found the whole episode hilarious but for some reason he didn't quite it that way

 

[Egret]

Interesting - often saw pressure testing in some classes in the 1970's at open meetings and for measurement certificates - I wouldn't be happy if the bonding of the buoyancy tanks was so weak that it wouldn't take a bit of positive pressure - would want to detach and re-bond in that case - as I did when the deck detached from one of our Lasers - or find a way of fitting buoyancy bags within the tanks - as have been fitted in the void spaces of our 26 footer to give positive buoyancy hopefully - and in lasers. Surprised in the video how much water a new GP14 takes in on a capsize to keep the centreboard floating low - recall with wooden boat and buoyancy bags there was only a couple of inches of water over the floor boards which soon discharged out through the stern flaps and self bailers, not that I ever did capsize myself.

I'm sure bigplumbs will take up your challenge not to capsize in his first outing and he will win.

 

[ylop]

I'm sure bigplumbs will take up your challenge not to capsize in his first outing and he will win.

I’m sure he’ll be fine on his first trip out!

Like you I would be concerned if the tanks couldn’t hold a little positive pressure.

 

[SaltIre]

My one and only GP14 capsize was when I was crewing for a friend. We were port boat on an up and coming port and starboard and I was waiting for the helm to say whether we were going to tack or duck the other boat's stern. What I heard coming from the back instead was something like "I'm in trouble" then out of the corner of my seeing a pair of legs flying up and backwards out of the boat, which promptly capsized. A leisurely swing of the leg over side onto the board followed. I helped the helm onto the board and we righted the boat. I found the whole episode hilarious but for some reason he didn't quite it that way

Happened to me crewing in a University GP 14. Helm decided to exit the boat at the leeward mark, leaving me high and dry!
Only other GP14 capsize was during a particularly windy Southport 24hr race; 1979 or 1980? It was so shallow the end of the alloy tiller got stuck in the mud and bent below the transom! It was a long walk round the lake for a replacement after it broke trying to free it....

 

[Bigplumbs]

Thanks for all the reply’s I am sure I will need more help. My simple restoration is over on my YouTube channel. I won’t post any videos here because it seem to upset the mods

 

[SaltIre]

Hopefully you'll turn your dingy project into a nice dinghy.

 

[Chiara’s slave]

Thanks for all the reply’s I am sure I will need more help. My simple restoration is over on my YouTube channel. I won’t post any videos here because it seem to upset the mods

I’m pleased you’ve seen the light too, and yes, for gents like us, of a certain age as they say, a great choice for a first dinghy. I have nothing else to add, I have never stepped into one, though have seen literally thousands over the last 60 years of club sailing. I hope you and Mrs Plums have lots of fun.

 

[Bigplumbs]

I’m pleased you’ve seen the light too, and yes, for gents like us, of a certain age as they say, a great choice for a first dinghy. I have nothing else to add, I have never stepped into one, though have seen literally thousands over the last 60 years of club sailing. I hope you and Mrs Plums have lots of fun.

Many thanks

 

[Bigplumbs]

I am now setting about the task of fitting an outboard mount to the back to take my little 2 hp 2 stroke Suzuki

 

[ducked]

These old GP14s, made by Bossoms if memory serves, were never competitive in their day but even now make excellent cruising dinghies. I think for most people they're a better choice than a Wayfarer unless you plan to do the really hard core sleeping-onboard-for-several-nights type of dinghy cruising.

Presumably theyd be competitive with other old GP14's made by Bossoms if memory serves?

But perhaps you mean these old GRP GP14's wern't competitive with even older wooden GP14;s?

I've only sailed the wooden ones a bit, but I imagine the GRP ones might be a bit heavier, though perhaps less rotten. I remember them as a bit slab-sided, (in the nicest possible way) so not intrinsically very suited to GRP construction