Heron dinghy

MERMAID137

MERMAID137

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16 Feb 2007
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Hi,
has anyone out there got a Heron dinghy?, I have recently aquired a hull that I intend to repair but have no sails,spars etc. I can make the foils if I can get hold of a set of plans
thanks
Steve /forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif <span style="color:brown"> </span>
 
I believe I still have the Heron sails -were quite good spars now gone - didn't stand up to decades of neglect in the garden. A great little dinghy, son & I sailed ours nearly to Dungeness & back to Folkestone in a following wind that increased to 5+.
 
My sisters landlord has one which I sail at Llyn Brenig, North Wales while on holiday in the UK.
In almost perfect condition. Great little boat.
 
Brilliant boats, It's virtually a Mirror with a proper prow. I loved mine, until I loaned it to my brother & he sold it - without telling me!!!!

But he did get a GP14 which is a grown up Heron, so I have finally forgiven him.
 
I learnt to sail in a Heron, no 258, called Sixpence, and it had cotton sails that had a shape seen on no other Heron I ever saw..sort of...Shrunk with an inverted leech on the main.

We swopped it for a "Big Boat" in 1964...(well an Enterprise seemed big to me then)

I'm still learning to sail however /forums/images/graemlins/ooo.gif

Tim
 
Decades ago, when I was in school, We built two of these. As I was the only one with any sailing experience I got to take the first one out quite a lot while others gained experience. Great boats and much livlier that the old RNSA 14's I learned to sail with the Sea Cadets.
 
I also started my sailing in a Heron (6663 - Amazon) in 1966 and a few years later upgraded to an Enterprise. Both represented an excellent introduction to a life long passion...

Ed
 
Hi 137

Used to own Mermaid 286, my first proper sailing boat Loved her to bits but she got too little use so sold her on a few years ago. I was the second owner from new, her original builder was apparently a boatbuilder/cabinet maker by profession so she was beautifully put together. I have promised myself another proper wooden dinghy when I retire. Too much of my limited time was spent keeping the Mermaid shiny. Great boat in the Solent/Langston/Chi harbours.
 
Hi,
always interesting to hear of another surviving Mermaid, any idea who the new owner is?
Steve /forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif
 
Sorry, don't recall the name but ISTR he sails her in the Keyhaven area. Unless the name has been changed she is named "Lorelei" and, again subject to owner's whim has a white hull with varnished interior, foredeck and transom, the bottom of the hull has been grp sheathed and is in bright lifeboat style orange, both done deliberately by me to cope with regular beaching on Hayling at Stokes Bay together wiht my then occasional propensity for stooging aorund singlehanded in Hayling Bay and along to Gilkicker and once on a rather fine day out to the forts which look rather a long way out in an 11' dinghy.
 
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