Mirror plans

[snowleopard]

Anyone know where I can get plans for a Mirror dinghy? I know they were only ever sold as finished or kits but I'm sure there must be drawings of the basic panels out there somewhere. I'm planning to build a similar boat, scaled slightly larger, and would prefer to avoid introducing errors by borrowing one and taking plans off it.

 

[michael_w]

How much larger do you want to go?

Why not buy a Mirror. remove the transom and extend accordingly. Or, fit a sugar scoop a la French boats. Another thought; you could always put the rudder on a gantry to gain space.

 

[sarabande]

or the Miracle ?


Already a bit bigger, I believe.

http://www.miracledinghy.oxyuk.net/Newcomers.html

and these people have plans
http://www.starboard.org/

 

[snowleopard]

I want to go 6-12" longer. Changing an existing boat is not an option as I want to build it extremely lightweight for ease of use as a tender.

 

[StanFolds]

Try downloading the Hulls software from here http://home.clara.net/gmatkin/softwr.htm , you could put the mirror dimensions in and then increase the length. It will also give you the shapes of the panels. I have never tried building from it but have spent hours playing with it.
Stan

 

[Bajansailor]

Here is a very fine yacht tender which is similar in concept to the Mirror, but a much better hull form (IMHO) for rowing - have a look at http://www.duckworksmagazine.com/04/s/designs/greene/cham/index.cfm

This one is a wee bit shorter than the Mirror (which is 10' 10" I think).
Some years ago I built myself a smaller 7' 6" geosim of the Chameleon, and it rows very nicely indeed.
I put the basic shape into an excellent software programme called Plyboats ( www.plyboats.com ) and it gave me all the dimensions and the panel shapes.
The free software download mentioned above sounds interesting - will go and have a look at it now....

And here is another smaller version of Chameleon - this one has been beautifully finished! http://www.yachtvalhalla.net/gecko/gecko.html

 

[VicS]

Start with an idea, do a few drawings, make a cardboard model then get stuck into it and you should be able to come up with something like this:

......... ..........

 

[BlueSkyNick]

I've got a hull (and all the rigging) which is well past its 'Best Before' date.

I realise you want to build from scratch but if you feel the urge to pull mine apart and take measurements before it goes on a bonfire, you are welcome !

 

[Tamarisk1]

There be a practical tender. Nice work VicS.
How did you attach the rubbing strake?

 

[ThreeSummers]

Snowleopard,

Have a look at this website: BATEAU

Look under their 'Small Boats' section - I'm sure you will find plans to suit.

I'm presently building one of their designs.

 

[VicS]

[ QUOTE ]
How did you attach the rubbing strake?

[/ QUOTE ] The rope fendering i guess you mean. Its held with a light nylon cord. There are vertical holes in the outer gunwales spaced to match the lay of the rope. The cord passes through them and is then pulled tight into the rope then through the next hole. The ends are secured on the transom with some webbing and brass plates. You can just see the cord if you fully enlarge the left hand picture.

I have been asked about it before so I must take some pics with a decent camera.

The whole thing was designed so that it could be cut from 2 sheets of ply, consequenly it is 8ft long measured round the gunwales, and be light enough to load onto the car roof rack single handed (but it does seem a lot heavier now than it did 29 years ago) It's also got two wheels on twin skegs so that it can be wheeled from the "dinghy parking area" and down the slip. An extra rowlock on the transom means it can be sculled in restricted spaces and down the narrow entrance channel to the yard.

Built using the "stitch and glue" method except that it was laced together with nylon monofilament, with copper wire stitches at strategic points only.

The design was inspired by the Jack Holt "Jack Sprat" that was available as plans in the 1970s but I never saw one for real, just photos in a brochure.

 

[Bajansailor]

Snowleopard, another dinghy to consider could be the two part Classic Boat tender designed by Jim Hazel.
It is 7' long in 'one part' mode, and 10'2" in 'two part' mode as a rowing skiff.
There is a thread about it on the Classic Boat Forum, and there were a couple of articles about building it in CB a few years ago - I have scanned these articles if anybody would like me to email copies to them.

 

[AndrewB]

Take a look at B&B Yacht Designs, http://www.bandbyachtdesigns.com/. One of the Catspaw or Spindrift patterns might suit you. They are stitch-and-glue designs, and the Catspaws particularly are like a Mirror. I built one which took about a week and has been in regular use for the last two years. The construction fascinated a group of Indians in the Amazon, who wanted to trade it for a 30' dugout!