Phantom dinghy, any good?

Lakesailor

Lakesailor

Well-Known Member
Joined
15 Feb 2005
Messages
35,236
Location
Near Here
Visit site
There's a Phantom dinghy for sale nearby, wooden, bit rough on trailer with sail and mast. I'm tempted as it's available for under £100.
It has a needle spar mast with seemingly no halyards. Does this mean you have to put the sail in the groove and then step the mast, or is something missing?
I know they are single handers for the heavier sailor. Would I be OK at 12 stone?
I was very tempted 'till I saw this video.
But it seems a shame to let it fall apart.
 
Lakey

I nominate you for Founding Commodore of the Society for the Preservation of Ancient and Unloved Dinghies.

How are you going to fit it into your garage?
 
Hope you're feeling pretty nimble. The phantom's I've sailed with have to slack off the kicker to get under the boom every tack. Big sail too, could be a laugh if you like screaming along on the edge & don't mind getting wet. At your weight you're in ideal laser territory, a phantom is a much hairier ride
 
12st is far too light for a Phantom, especially in a decent breeze. They were designed for those of us with a fuller figure. The death roll is typical to many single handers downwind. The rig is unbalanced. The secret is to sit with the windward gunwhale just kissig the water, so that the rig is canted over the hull.

To counter the death roll, you must steer the right way. However, in the heat of the moment it's not always easy to remember which is the right way to steer.

You're going fastest when it feels that it's about to go pear shaped.

Get an OK instead.
 
There was a fleet of these at our club when I was sailing as a child - I seem to remember that they were a great hoot - fast boats...
 
Great boat - had one for last five years up to last year when I bought my yacht and struggled to serve two masters.

Much better than a laser if you on the larger side - mine had sail number 774 and was 20 years old. It was great for loch sailing but wasn't really robust enough for rough sea as I kept breaking it on waves.

They fly downwind!

All phantom sailors have epoxy in their toolboxes. Breaking it and fixing it is part of the experience on older boats.

It has a big main which is great fun but hard work in a blow. with the right mast you can flatten it right off when its blowing.

The main is basically a fireball mainsail. If your tall you are down to minimum weight for inland work. If you not you probobly need to keep it for light weather use.

i bought another sail number 110 for spares and it was old and hard to sail incomparison and teh floor flexed all over the place. If its relatively rot free and loks sound i'd go for it.

How much can you lose?

The class are trying to encourage a classic class check out the website if you want.

http://www.phantomclass.org.uk /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif
 
Jimmy, you're right /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif

SB, stop coming here with your puns in both French and English yer big showoff /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
 
From memory the needlespar mast is supposed to be the best for the lighter helms. It is quite flexible so your sail controls work well on flattening the sail.

I've sailed a Phantom now for about 4 years and I think they're great boats. I'm six foot, 15 stone and not particularly agile,but I've never had a problem ducking under the boom. Unlike the laser where I was forever getting it hooked round my lifejacket.

There should be a hallyard for the mainsail, check for a pulley sheave at the yop of the mast.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Share this page

Top