SeaHopper folding Dinghy Facebook group

londonpiper

londonpiper

Active Member
Joined
18 May 2011
Messages
58
Visit site
Can I appeal to the wise members of this esteemed forum for a few words of advice? I'm starting a Facebook group for fans and owners of Seahopper folding dinghies in the hope of, amongst other things, getting enough owners together to have a go at getting a Plymouth yardstick rating for them.
Has anyone any views on where I would best go to to advertise the fact?
TIA
 
It's a 'Portsmouth' yardstick you want .

Are seahoppers still made? I imagine many are getting quite long in the tooth, but in enthusiastic hands will go on and on

I had a rowing one(?8feet) that came with a boat. It wasn't for me but I was very impressed at how well it rowed and how slim it wad when stowed along the side deck...
Good luck, post piccies of em sailing!
 
I think the mob in Northampton went over to making GRP ones which looked horrible 4 years ago and they may have ceased trading, but Steve Frost in Rockwell Green (Wellington, Somerset) still makes the genuine plywood ones, with or without rigs. He will also service, repair and if you ask nicely, replace your old ones.
 
I quite agree that the GRP ones look horrible!

Steve Rea of Seahopper boats is indeed still trading. The latest idea is a lugsail for the two smaller versions with one for the Kondor (the 10 ' version, think folding Mirror) in the pipeline.

They do come up on Ebay from time to time and seem to hold their price pretty well which would seem to indicate that they last well.


Seagreen said:
I think the mob in Northampton went over to making GRP ones which looked horrible 4 years ago and they may have ceased trading, but Steve Frost in Rockwell Green (Wellington, Somerset) still makes the genuine plywood ones, with or without rigs. He will also service, repair and if you ask nicely, replace your old ones.
Click to expand...
 
Blueboatman said:
It's a 'Portsmouth' yardstick you want ...........
Good luck, post piccies of em sailing!
Click to expand...

Thank you Blueboatman, I knew it was nautical, began with a P and had a "mouth"!

Here's a pic of the smaller of the two we have, the Nifty Fifty, 8 ft long which will just (with the passenger seat back right down ) fit in the back of my ancient Golf! Taken on the 2nd of May this year on the Thames off Port Meadow at Oxford. Quite strong winds that day if I remember correctly!

Img_1375.jpg
 
I had a self build seahopper and it did sterling service as a tender. Looking at the website the saving on a selfbuild does not seem as great as I remember it. Think I'd get the kit without the sail gear and then make my own if I was doing it again.
 
Cool pic

That looks brilliant under sail.

I am delighted that they are still in business too.

The Gunter rig and wee jib should certainly - ahem- ruin any chances of a favourable ( ie rubbish) Portsmouth rating.

I can't really remember but isn't the PY rating just a matter of timing a sail around a short course? Perhaps someone can suggest whether you can effectively organise your own Seahoppers rating on this basis?

By the way I have gone full circle and now have a sailing tender too with lugsail, great fun tho I don't seem to bend quite as nimbly as I used to, but that is prob a good reason to use it more and more.
 
Blueboatman said:
That looks brilliant under sail.

Thank you, we're rather fond of her, even though I get subjected to unkind comments from members of the sailing club such as "Oi, where's the one for your other foot"

I am delighted that they are still in business too.

The Gunter rig and wee jib should certainly - ahem- ruin any chances of a favourable ( ie rubbish) Portsmouth rating.

Damn, can you suggest anything to improve the chances, pulling an anchor perhaps?

I can't really remember but isn't the PY rating just a matter of timing a sail around a short course? Perhaps someone can suggest whether you can effectively organise your own Seahoppers rating on this basis?

I'm given to understand that you need six boats of the class to race round a course at a RYA school which is then timed and complicated sums ensue but I can't now remember my source for this info so for God's sake don't quote me.

By the way I have gone full circle and now have a sailing tender too with lugsail, great fun tho I don't seem to bend quite as nimbly as I used to, but that is prob a good reason to use it more and more.
Click to expand...
:)
 
I can't comment on facetweeter as I have managed to avoid both so far.

I have the smallest one, 6'8", bought direct from Steve Rae, built but unfinished, and intended as a tender, with oars and the outboard pad. Its a great little craft. But I later bought an inflatable and now mostly keep the Seahopper on the roof of my VW camper for hopeful use during my travels. I would never sell it.

Good luck with whatever you are able to form.
 
zikzik said:
I can't comment on facetweeter as I have managed to avoid both so far.

I have the smallest one, 6'8", bought direct from Steve Rae, built but unfinished, and intended as a tender, with oars and the outboard pad. Its a great little craft. But I later bought an inflatable and now mostly keep the Seahopper on the roof of my VW camper for hopeful use during my travels. I would never sell it.

Good luck with whatever you are able to form.
Click to expand...

I fully understand your issue with "facetweeter", I have only recently been converted and that mainy by dint of pestering by young rellies!

Would you like me to keep you up to date if we manage to get a gathering together? I could PM you here or email or whatever.


:)
 
londonpiper said:
Can I appeal to the wise members of this esteemed forum for a few words of advice? I'm starting a Facebook group for fans and owners of Seahopper folding dinghies in the hope of, amongst other things, getting enough owners together to have a go at getting a Plymouth yardstick rating for them.
Has anyone any views on where I would best go to to advertise the fact?
TIA
Click to expand...

You've got your first member here. Just set up the facebook group, post a link to it in this thread and I'll join. I've got a Seahopper Kontender - great little boat.
 
A letter to YM, YW PBO Y&Y etc to start. Then I can only suggest getting a list of owners from current/past builders and contacting people directly.

Good luck with your project; the Seahopper was one of the few really successful folding dinghy concepts
 
jamesjermain said:
A letter to YM, YW PBO Y&Y etc to start. Then I can only suggest getting a list of owners from current/past builders and contacting people directly.

Good luck with your project; the Seahopper was one of the few really successful folding dinghy concepts
Click to expand...

Thanks for that advice.
Do you/have you own/ed one?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Share this page

Top