Manta 19

[reeac]

I'm helping a friend to find a suitable day sailer/trailer sailer or sim. and we've found a Manta 19 which seems to be in very good nick. Unfortunately I can't find out much about this model via Google. Anyone had experience of it?

 

[[32511]]

try www.manta19.miwd.co.uk

 

[bazobeleza]

years ago I used to race against one on the Dee, it allways seemed to be a nippy little sod and mine, a Hunter Europa was no slouch either.

 

[Nigel_Ward]

I owned one a few years ago and thought it a very good trailer sailer. It sailed very well and had a good sized cabin.

The build quality is good and they are very light to trail. Being only 6.5ft in the beam they are easy to manoeuvre on slipways as you can see down both sides. Another good thing is the mast is small and light which makes rigging easy.

 

[PBooth]

I had one a few years ago and thoroughly enjoyed it, it sailed well, was easily launched and recovered and had a good sized cabin for a 19 footer. The centreplate is well designed and only weighs about 30 Kg so it is just lifted by a handle in the cockpit, the ballast is a cast iron stub that holds the centreplate. A great boat for shallow waters, because of the ballast stub, you can sail with the plate up, or leave it down and it will kick up, like a dinghy's will, if it touches the bottom. The centreplates are galvanised steel and can corrode, so that is worth checking. There is a website, www.manta19.miwd.co.uk that has some good info.

I would have kept mine if I had had enough time for three boats....

 

[reeac]

Thanks for the responses, chaps. It sounds as if the boat merits further investigation.

 

[Searush]

They were designed as a fast dinghy with a lid for weekending - and exactly fulfill that brief.