Habebty
Well-Known Member
Would an old mirror dinghy make a practical tender, do they row well? Are they a bit heavy to lift/tow?
Just wondered
Just wondered
Mirror dinghy as tender?
- Thread starter Habebty
- Start date
dom
Well-Known Member
IIRC they row quite well, even better if one uses decent non-standard oars, and certainly better than the average blow-up. But I take it you'd leave it on the mooring buoy?
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Isobel
Well-Known Member
My family used to use a Mirror as a tender, we put a small engine on the back and used it up and down Salcombe estuary, never had any problems.
VicS
Well-Known Member
IMHO no but:
Yes they row well. The skeg makes them good directionally. You need to blank off the dagger board slot or you get a wet bum,.
They will take a small outboard, although you need crew weight forward or an extension to the tiller or the bow points skywards.
The bare hull weighs a minimum of 100 lbs. I have carried mine on my shoulders but its not easy unless you are built like a gorilla. Trolley needed!
As a tender the amount of inbuilt buoyancy leaves little room for carrying much gear.
You would have to beef up the normal painter attachment if you wanted to tow it.
There's just room to stow a Seagull 40 plus in the bottom.
WayneS
Well-Known Member
We used one for a couple of years as it doubled up as a bit of sailing-fun when we were away.
We towed it everywhere and found that it gave less drag than the small inflatable we switched to later, but there were downsides.
She was directionally unstable when being towed and also inclined to surf down onto us in any form of sea, smashing into us on a few occasions and causing herself some front-end damage. These issues were solved quite easily though by just putting a small drogue out the back of her.
The other oddity in our case what that the mother-ship was only 22', so the tender was half the size of us. Made for a few quizzical looks...
We towed it everywhere and found that it gave less drag than the small inflatable we switched to later, but there were downsides.
She was directionally unstable when being towed and also inclined to surf down onto us in any form of sea, smashing into us on a few occasions and causing herself some front-end damage. These issues were solved quite easily though by just putting a small drogue out the back of her.
The other oddity in our case what that the mother-ship was only 22', so the tender was half the size of us. Made for a few quizzical looks...
steve62
Well-Known Member
Best £100 I spent was getting a mirror as a tender. I can reclaim some of that back by selling the mast, sails etc 
It was well over 1/2 the price of any fibre glass 8 foot dinghy I could find, It is stable and directionally stable and rows very easily. It is lighter than some of the tenders I have to lift at the sailing club, but yes a trolley makes it easier. Stick some pipe lagging into the slot and you wont get a wet bum.
The main reason I got it for a tender is that when both my son and I get in (combined weight of about 30st) it can still be rowed and still has a fair bit of freeboard rather than looking like two blokes in a bath......
It was well over 1/2 the price of any fibre glass 8 foot dinghy I could find, It is stable and directionally stable and rows very easily. It is lighter than some of the tenders I have to lift at the sailing club, but yes a trolley makes it easier. Stick some pipe lagging into the slot and you wont get a wet bum.
The main reason I got it for a tender is that when both my son and I get in (combined weight of about 30st) it can still be rowed and still has a fair bit of freeboard rather than looking like two blokes in a bath......
nortonmotors
Well-Known Member
Another vote for a Mirror!
I had a very old one, sail number 760?, took the leaky centreboard case out, and used it for years. Light, stable, and rowed well.
Some tw@t tried to steal it from the dinghy rack, then perhaps realised it hadn't got a centre board and stove the bottom in.
The replacement grp dinghy isn't a patch on it.
I had a very old one, sail number 760?, took the leaky centreboard case out, and used it for years. Light, stable, and rowed well.
Some tw@t tried to steal it from the dinghy rack, then perhaps realised it hadn't got a centre board and stove the bottom in.
The replacement grp dinghy isn't a patch on it.
TSB240
Well-Known Member
Great as a tender......
I am no lightweight and managed to burst the taped seams between the floor and the side and rear tanks on a relatively new boat.
Probably would have done the same to a similarly constructed all GF dinghy.
I am no lightweight and managed to burst the taped seams between the floor and the side and rear tanks on a relatively new boat.
Probably would have done the same to a similarly constructed all GF dinghy.
dunedin
Well-Known Member
I would have thought it would not be ideal construction wise
- tend to be quite fragile and easily damaged - foot through floor a quite common occurrence with wooden ones
- conversely the bow corners can cause a bit of damage of hit the mother ship
- tend to be quite fragile and easily damaged - foot through floor a quite common occurrence with wooden ones
- conversely the bow corners can cause a bit of damage of hit the mother ship
Strathglass
Well-Known Member
The floor is very thin ply and the can easily be damaged if used as a tender. On older ones the tape is only 'fixed' to the ply by polyester resin and can peal off. They are a great shape and size but not very hard wearing. I tried to use one many years ago but gave up.
Greenheart
Well-Known Member
Definitely a nice boat to row, and plenty about, particularly cheap if they're sold without the rig.
But the Mirror's main benefit must be the freedom to sail it, as well as row/motor. Nice conveniently stumpy rig, easy to stow, and the design isn't inclined to capsize in every gust.
Might be worth rubberising the corners if she'll be in regular close contact with the yacht.
But the Mirror's main benefit must be the freedom to sail it, as well as row/motor. Nice conveniently stumpy rig, easy to stow, and the design isn't inclined to capsize in every gust.
Might be worth rubberising the corners if she'll be in regular close contact with the yacht.
prv
Well-Known Member
The racing fleet at Itchenor all seem to have padding around the bow corners - presumably for regular close contact with each other
Pete
Greenheart
Well-Known Member
I'm sure that's true, though I hadn't seen them.
It's unfortunate, as was said earlier, that the cockpit recess for foot-room is rather small aboard the Mirror. Plenty for a couple of kiddies to roam around in, but more than two adults, each with a weekend's dunnage, may feel they're stacked on top of the boat rather than in it...although the gunwale rail gives some pleasant sense of security.
I reckon a Mirror would make a fine tender, assuming a slightly earlier style of yachting; at 11ft and pretty hefty, it may feel in the way in marinas, but would serve usefully and robustly if allowed to lie behind the yacht at anchor or on moorings.
Thinking from personal experience, I've found that once a sailing dinghy's use no longer requires attendance to class-rules, all sorts of useful non-sporting modification is possible.
But above all, its potential for continued use as a sailing boat makes even a rough old Mirror better than any non-sailing tender.
It's unfortunate, as was said earlier, that the cockpit recess for foot-room is rather small aboard the Mirror. Plenty for a couple of kiddies to roam around in, but more than two adults, each with a weekend's dunnage, may feel they're stacked on top of the boat rather than in it...although the gunwale rail gives some pleasant sense of security.
I reckon a Mirror would make a fine tender, assuming a slightly earlier style of yachting; at 11ft and pretty hefty, it may feel in the way in marinas, but would serve usefully and robustly if allowed to lie behind the yacht at anchor or on moorings.
Thinking from personal experience, I've found that once a sailing dinghy's use no longer requires attendance to class-rules, all sorts of useful non-sporting modification is possible.
But above all, its potential for continued use as a sailing boat makes even a rough old Mirror better than any non-sailing tender.
snowleopard
Well-Known Member
I bought an old mirror hull with a hole in it, broke it up into its constituent panels and made a new one. I widened the transom and left out the side tanks and the stowage bit between the two mast steps. It makes a great tender under oars, sculling or motor. It helps that it has a grp shell with a layer of kevlar on the outside and I replaced the skeg with a wheelbarrow wheel!
It helps that I can lift it on davits between my hulls.
It helps that I can lift it on davits between my hulls.
Habebty
Well-Known Member
Excellent replies, thanks.