Just bought Mirror Dinghy. What to wear whilst sailing it etc...

By the sound of the sort of sailing you intend to do I reckon you'll be fine in shorts and a t-shirt. If your not pushing a boat then you're probably not going to tip it over and if you always keep hold of the main sheet it's very easy to dump it if you get hit by a gust. Naturally the potential for capsize is there, but I would reckon on being able to sail a dinghy without turning it over on any day I'd choose to sail it.

A buoyancy aid might be a good idea, but if you're a competent swimmer I wouldn't think you reckless for sailing without one.

As for launching and recovery, barefoot and rolled up trouser legs.
 
Where what you are comfortable with, even though a Mirror is a relatively simple safe boat it can always go wrong.

For me buoyancy aid is better as you can move in water to self rescue, then if you can rely on outside safety Gas L/J is more comfortable on hot days.

Then that brings in weather, mid summer shorts T shirt if you can swim to the shore do you need to wear anything?
Mid winter in cloths unless you can stand you probably should wear something...

As for clothing depends on how long you are out for and how long it will take you to get to shore if you do get wet. Do you need a wet/ dry suit if as soon as you get wet you are going home anyway? Unless you plan on sailing an Int Moth where a swim is almost guaranteed wet/dry suit would be very sensible or it will take hours to get back.

In the middle there is huge amount of grey that only you can answer...
 
Cheers for the answers guys.
I will definately buy a bouyancy aid. Thats now certain. Shorts and T-shirt sound good for the 3 days of summer we get. Thin waterproofs only for the days when its normal in the summer here (12-14 degC). Swimming aint a problem, and I wont be going far at all. Thanks very much for the advice. Any other info I may need to know is very welcome!
 
Thistle said:
That ought to be worth watching! Let us know when the tickets go on sale. ;)
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No worries. Ive carried heavier boats down the ramp for folks. Two blokes are required tho, one at either end. Hold it on its side and walk. Simples!
The wee dinghy in my photo has a set of removable wheels at the transom that allows me to walk her down the ramp to the marina by myself. It is 4" narrower than the gate at the top., so it doesnt even have to be on its side. launching it is therefore a one man operation.
 
Lakesailor, thanks for the pics. It looks nice and warm there, and your boats are lovely.

Ive looked at bouyancy aids on the Gael Force website, and the cheapest is only £20 for my 15 stone/100 kilo lump. It looks like I will have to fork out for one at least.:eek:
 
Well worth stumping up for a buoyancy aid. You'll know it was, one day when the boat is on her side with her gaff stuck in rocks and the force three has developed into a nasty force five-plus. :eek:

Worth taking a look at how 'buoyancy' is spelt, too. There's been a noticeable slip into the cold waters of illiteracy on the forum in recent months...:rolleyes:
 
Yep, yer right there. My English is keich, but my Scottish is bang on mannie! lol

I'll hev til start writin in ma dialect choost so ye ken fit ahm sayin til ye wid ye no say?
Now thats a slip!:)
 
Just saw an early Gull dinghy for sale, similar in size to the Mirror...it has no buoyancy chambers, but the owner says...I have fitted four Holt air bags and ten 100 Newton life jackets...this gives around 1000 Kilos of lift, more than enough...

Ten life-jackets, stuffed in hull cavities? Kind of an expensive way to prevent sinking! It may account for how much he wants for her: http://sailingdinghies.apolloduck.co.uk/display.phtml?aid=287107
 
He is fooling himself. 1000kgs of lift? 1 ton? He thinks 4 Saftibags and 10 buoyancy aids will support a small car?

With a wooden boat there is negative buyacy anyway, apart from very dense hardwoods and metal fittings. It's just a question of keeping it floating high enough to right it.

He's also fooling himself on the price.
 
... and you don't want too much buoyancy or it floats too high to recover. The early Wanderers suffered from that, leading to the 'MD' (Margaret Dye) modification - cutting holes in the side buoyancy tanks.
 
Niander said:
Even chance come across anymore £50 dinghys give us a shout only down Tain way "wye aye man"
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Aye will do!
I just chanced upon it on the org for sale forum, and sent the guy a PM. Didnt expect to get it as it was advertised in November, and a guy from the local sailing club replied saying he wanted it. I was shocked to hear that he still had it, and it was mine if I wanted it. He wants another £100 for the trailer, but I can make my own if needed. I have loads of old Mini hubs lying around.
Will keep the eyes peeled for bargains!
 
Shirt and shorts is spot on for a mirror. I also use something like a Musto snug, showerproof fleecy for when the
Weather is less than balmy.

I hope you leave some room on board for the battery for the underwater lights :D
 
rafiki_ said:
Shirt and shorts is spot on for a mirror. I also use something like a Musto snug, showerproof fleecy for when the
Weather is less than balmy.

I hope you leave some room on board for the battery for the underwater lights :D
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I'll try, but the bathroom spotlights I'd fitted previously leaked when it was sailed!


I picked her up on Saturday, and its a cracker. The sails have only been used a handfull of times. Theyre like brand new!
Theres also a kite that has never been used at all, as the guy has had the mirror since new, and all the new rigging and boom that goes with it. Cant see me using it, but its there.
The hull has been outside for the last two years lying upside down on its trailer. The ply in the floor had a few dark areas, indicating rot, but when I stripped back the varnish and paint from both sides, the wood was OK, but needing dried. Once dry it was in good condition. The bottom grp tape was stripped off also (inside and out), and the wood under it also dried with a blowtorch. Its now ready for new taped seams, but Im going to heat-gun the paint off the rest of the hull first. Hope to have it all done in the next 4 weeks or so. I have all the materials needed already.
 
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