Lark dingy with wood topsides... how heavy?

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WilliamUK

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As the title asks...

Does anyone have a rough idea of the weight of a Lark dinghy with wooden topsides? I've thinking of buying one but being trailerless I'm trying to figure out if it's light enough to stick it on the roof rack for the drive home.

I've seen the "hull weight" listed as 95kg but no indication as to whether that applies to all Larks or just one particular flavour.

It comes with a mast, boom, main, jib, cover and has a launching trailer. Most of that could come in the car, but I imagine the mast, boat and trailer would need to go up top... so any indication of the likely weights of those bits would be much appreciated.

Now don't worry, I'm not a complete numpty and if I was roof-racking it I'd be sure it was VERY well tied on... I just need to figure out if it's even possible weight-wise before I get carried away.
 
That figure applies to all Larks, regardless of the construction, but bear in mind it is a minimum weight, so the boat may weigh more. It's easy to check, with a set of bathroom scales at each end of the boat. But few cars are rated to carry that total weight on the roof, and the mast may overhang a long way.
 
Actually - I've just managed to dig out the load limits for the car it'd be going on, and even if I left the launching trolley and mast behind it's still over the maximum load limit for the car's roof.

I'm in no real doubt there's a pretty hefty safety margin built into the numbers and it may well be able to take it, but I'm not going to risk getting pulled over with a load that far outside the specifications of the vehicle.

I'd still like an idea of how heavy it's likely to be though... as I might be able to find someone else who's got a more substantial vehicle (maybe even a trailer) to put under it.
 
Look here for the class rules, which apply to all boats:

http://www.larkclass.org/images/media/159/Lark_Rules_2011_revised_2.pdf

Weight
a) The weight of the boat, with spars, sails, rudder, tiller, sheets and all other loose gear removed, but with control lines, centreboard and its tackle, and any necessary correctors in place, shall not be less than 95kg. When weighing, the boat including all control lines and the interior of the tanks must be dry.

Hulls might weigh a little more, but I would not think by much.

13 ft is a big boat to roof rack, a trailer might be better?
 
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r_h said:
That figure applies to all Larks, regardless of the construction, but bear in mind it is a minimum weight, so the boat may weigh more. It's easy to check, with a set of bathroom scales at each end of the boat. But few cars are rated to carry that total weight on the roof, and the mast may overhang a long way.
Click to expand...

A bit of cross-posting there, cheers r_h.
I had a sneaking feeling that might be a minimum class weight, what with it being a one-design.

You're right about the car's rating. I wouldn't be worried too much about the mast overhang, from what I can tell it'd be within reasonable limits but it's all academic anyway.

Time to look into other options, I think.
Plan F might be a 45 mile walk pulling it on the launching trolley (I might) but I've still to eliminate Plans B to E before it comes down to something quite that daft.
In fact, Plan G... plan F just became coupling the trolley to my bike and pedalling it back (and again, I might).

We'll see, anyway.

Thanks again for the reply. :)
 
Skysail said:
Look here for the class rules, which apply to all boats:

http://www.larkclass.org/images/media/159/Lark_Rules_2011_revised_2.pdf

Weight
a) The weight of the boat, with spars, sails, rudder, tiller, sheets and all other loose gear removed, but with control lines, centreboard and its tackle, and any necessary correctors in place, shall not be less than 95kg. When weighing, the boat including all control lines and the interior of the tanks must be dry.

Hulls might weigh a little more, but I would not think by much.

13 ft is a big boat to roof rack, a trailer might be better?
Click to expand...
Thanks for taking the time to reply. I've been on the class website but didn't even think to look for the actual class specifications. No idea why - I'm not usually so dense.

You're right about the roof rack too. As in my previous post, on weight alone it's too heavy for the car I had in mind. We'll see about the other options I'm considering.
 
Just as important is YOUR WEIGHT!!.

I remember sailing a Lark in strong conditions with two of us at 13stone each leaning out but nevertheless seeing the leeward gunwale slowly sink until we were swamped.
They were very popular as University sailing boats and are better with light crew.
Enjoy
 
Peter - I'm not, but it's something I'm looking into. I actually know someone who tows cars so have access to a plenty-strong trailer if I need it, that's Plan D at the moment 'cos he's not cheap and as I'd probably be taking him away from other work I can't ask for too much of a mate's rate.

Shug - I'm all skin and bone. The combined crew weight (when I'm not single handing - which will almost certainly happen) will be somewhere between 20 and 22 stone.
When you say lighter crew, what sort of total crew weight is it best suited for?
 
I race dinghies, I would think a Lark fine for anything between about 18 stone and 25 stone, you could get away with being outside these limits but you might struggle to win the nationals.
Frankly, I would ask around the sailing club someone with a towbar would probably do this for the cost of the fuel and a couple of pints. Dinghy sailors help each other out a lot, it's self interest really as we all want to see more boats on the water.
I'm in Portsmouth so a bit distant to help, but I've done this for other people.
If you are in a club, get someone on the committee to send an email around asking for a hand.

In my student days, we used to put a Lark on the roof of a transit minibus, as well as two on
trailer behind, for the annual trek to Plymouth.

Alternatively, hire a van with a towbar if your lark has a road trailer.
 
I had a similar problem a couple of years ago when i bought my Lark - grp mine but same problem

I posted a request for help on the lark class association site - was told in no uncertain terms that putting it on the roof will not be a good idea on a car, they put photos up of someone who tried it and it did not look good for the car

I had a road trailer but solved the issue by hiring one of those "man with a van" - cost about 90 to get the boat taken 100 miles away, not sure he made much money out of it but the boat is at least now where i want it

she is a great boat to sail, rather lively single handed in even lightish winds but that makes it great fun in a F2 or low end of a F3. I am 14 stone or thereabouts. Definitely take crew for anything stronger I would say.
 
Transport dilemma: Solved.
I only had to get as far as Plan D too... F (towing it behind a bike - and yes it's legal if the bike can still stop properly) and G (walking the 45 miles and pulling it on its launching trolley - probably with a harness cobbled together for the job) no longer need contemplating. :)


lw395 - I have some serious delusions of grandeur - but I'm not quite sure they are bad enough for me to consider trying for the national title - yet. Having spoken to the guy I'd be buying from it sounds like she's a quick one, I just need to see if I'm up to the job.
I'm not in a club at the moment, and as I've yet to decide between something local (small waters and no fleet) something slightly less local (about an hour away and has an active fleet) or up in the lake district where I'd love to sail but there's no fleet that I'm aware of.

I'm not even entirely sure I want to race it - I'm already pretty busy with my main sport (archery) and all the hobbies I indulge in - but the option would be nice.


Tom - I'll have a nosey on the forum and see if I can find that picture - it sounds like it could be a giggle if nothing else. Don't worry though, I wrote off the idea of transporting it by roof-rack as soon as I found the weight specification for the car it'd be going on.

You make her sound like a fun sail. I used to have a blast sailing a local council run centre's wayfarers in a 4-ish when I could get crew but since most wind I've seen seems to be in the 2-3 range that sounds ideal. I should have willing (and regular - no toilet jokes please) crew now too so windier conditions are still an option.

Have you done much/any cruising in your lark?
I was originally looking at a wayfarer partly due to familiarity and partly to its cruising ability - I really fancy the idea of doing a few multi-day trips when I can... camping aboard or ashore.
Any thoughts on that kind of work for a lark?
 
Have not cruised it much, I use it for blasting on the sea loch where we keep it

Have looked on the web though and seen that others do it, mine can be a wet boat but that could be how i sail it (and also my transom flaps are a bit loose, a fix to be sorted this year hopefully) - no reason at all not to take it for a cruise though

Mine does not have a spinnaker despite being an ex university boat, this was something i thought about sorting. The only thing i have had to sort was that if the boat turtled (only capsized it twice and both times going out on my own in a good F4) the centreboard would go back in to the hull so have set it up so that it is tied down - might be worth considering.

I do love it as a dinghy - an extra bonus is that we had a small regatta where we keep her last year (very very informal, no handicaps or anything similar) and she beat some very fast Lasers and RSs. Definitely not down to my sailing either!

Enjoy!
 
Sounds good. No doubt I'll cruise whatever I get, though a drier boat would be nicer I can still remember being in fits of laughter while crashing a wayfarer through some chop, leaning out and getting soaked. Much fun to be had in wet boats.

If there's even a hint the transom flaps need tightening on the one I'm looking at it'll be one of the first jobs I do. I'm not 100% on it yet, but I have a feeling the centreboard on this one already has shock cord on it so that shouldn't be a worry. Unless you mean tying with rope and not trusting shock cord to do the job.

Nice to hear she can carry some speed in it too. I'm told this particular boat is a fairly quick one too. As I said earlier, I'm not quite deluded enough to imagine I'll be getting any titles under my belt in her (or any other) but who knows what may come?
 
Back in the 80s I sailed several Larks, great boats until they capsized on a lee shore. The stern would sink and the only way to bale out was to sail down wind...
 
Hi Richard,

Why only downwind? Why would sailing on (insert other point of sail here) not have done the job?

Is that a "don't get a lark" comment or a "be really careful not to capsize off a lee shore" one?
Any solution you could envisage to bailing after it's gone rear-down without having to run off?
 
William, it is a dont capsize on a lee shore. I have sailed as crew in 4 different Larks (on rivers and reservoirs) and they were great fun a good lively boat. I capsized in at least 2 of them and when on the lee shore it was game over as the stern would sink and it was impossible to get enough speed up in the confined water to pull the water out. As I said this was in the early 80's and all boats were probably at least 10 years old at that time.
 
So I take it there would have been no chance of bailing the old fashioned way?
When you say the stern would sink do you mean actually submerged - gunwales below the water - so no matter how hard you bailed it stayed under.
Might it have been possible to get onto a beam or broad reach and use a bucket/scoop to bail?
I dunno if most people carry bailers when they have a flaps in the transom so forgive me if this is a stupid question.

Never sailed something that could bail itself (unless you count being crew on a 30-ish foot yacht with bilge pumps in the odd race here and there) so I'm not all that familiar with what's what regarding kit and the likes.
 
WilliamUK said:
......G (walking the 45 miles and pulling it on its launching trolley - probably with a harness cobbled together for the job)......
Click to expand...

Shame you didn't go for that - it would have made a nice centenary memorial of Scott's journey to the South Pole - they man-hauled a lot more than 100kg for a lot further than 45 miles!

Of course, to do it properly, you'd have to die of cold, malnutrition and so on on the way home :D
 
AntarcticPilot said:
Shame you didn't go for that - it would have made a nice centenary memorial of Scott's journey to the South Pole - they man-hauled a lot more than 100kg for a lot further than 45 miles!

Of course, to do it properly, you'd have to die of cold, malnutrition and so on on the way home :D
Click to expand...

What can I say? It's grim up north. :p

Better still, I could have left the house with the immortal words "...I may be some time."
The difference being I probably would have come back a few days later... with a boat... and hopefully not dead from the above reasons.
 
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