Skipper 14 Dinghy - Any Good?

[RydalWater]

Sails should be easy enough to locate, the Skipper was a well known class, (Built by Richmond Marine now long since defunct) and any dinghy sail loft should have the sizes to hand. EDIT: If its Bermudan its a one piece mast, Gunter should have effectively 2 piece, (Mast + yard) and look something like a Mirror's spars.

 

[RydalWater]

I have a few problems, part of a lung missing, (Cancer now cured, fingers crossed) diabetes type 2, arthritis notably in the back and just can't manage my Sunspot any more.

The Gunter rigged Skipper appeals to me as being possibly the archetypal grandad boat, slow, stable and safe for both 69 year old me and the grand kids.

Any views, pro or con, welcome.Boat would be kept mainly on the Trent which is another argument in favour of Gunter.

 

[Seajet]

Rydal Water,

if you could stretch to something like a Wanderer ( or the earlier Leader ) that would be a far better boat; a Heron may also be worth a thought as it's stable for 11' & has gunter rig, but do check the structural condition.

The Skipper has low hull form buoyancy forwards, and the slightly odd forward well holds water.

The Otter is another great general purpose fun boat, bermudian rig but some had 2 piece masts, and she doesn't weigh the same as a house like the GP14 !

At this size range I would say avoid the Express dinghy like the plague, the only boat I ever found with zero redeeming features...

How about a Miracle ?

12'9" I think from memory,

designed with exactly your ideas in mind, relatively light to handle on shore and they seem to go cheap on E-Bay.

 

[VicS]

How about a Miracle ?

Not an archetypal grandad boat, slow, stable and safe as I recall.
Rather wet and a handfull in a bit of a blow

 

[RydalWater]

Thank you for your kind responses gentlemen however I should perhaps point out that apart from my physical problems I am blessed? with a wife who just plain don't like boats so my new one like my old cruiser is going to have to live outside in the weather, That to me rules out anything built of wood.

There are as it happens a few boats available at minimal cost at my club. One being a Gunter rigged Skipper 14 in more or less sound condition but wanting a fair amount of cosmetic work which does not worry me unduly as being a pensioner I could easily manage to work on her for a few days each week which would give me the added benefit of getting to know the boats structure very well indeed over two or three weeks.

The other which has caught my eye is a vessel in (Much) better condition visually which closely resembles an Enterprise except that rather than balers at the stern she has a couple of drainage holes there.

Would it be possible, even if heretical, to Gunter rig such a vessel using perhaps Mirror sails? The reason being that I face a plethora of bridges and have a minima of strength and mobility?

I don't need a fast boat you see, just a plodder and have little objection to bouncing up and down in the same hole.

 

[jonic]

I have just bought this for the kids................but I think I'm going to play with it more

 

[RydalWater]

Mine is/was a Sunspot 15, mind I would have fancied a gin palace but I can't hold my licker.

 

[Seajet]

Thank you for your kind responses gentlemen however I should perhaps point out that apart from my physical problems I am blessed? with a wife who just plain don't like boats so my new one like my old cruiser is going to have to live outside in the weather, That to me rules out anything built of wood.

There are as it happens a few boats available at minimal cost at my club. One being a Gunter rigged Skipper 14 in more or less sound condition but wanting a fair amount of cosmetic work which does not worry me unduly as being a pensioner I could easily manage to work on her for a few days each week which would give me the added benefit of getting to know the boats structure very well indeed over two or three weeks.

The other which has caught my eye is a vessel in (Much) better condition visually which closely resembles an Enterprise except that rather than balers at the stern she has a couple of drainage holes there.

Would it be possible, even if heretical, to Gunter rig such a vessel using perhaps Mirror sails? The reason being that I face a plethora of bridges and have a minima of strength and mobility?

I don't need a fast boat you see, just a plodder and have little objection to bouncing up and down in the same hole.

RydalWater,

fair enough, and gunter rigs give good performance & fun.

One thing I'd caution about though is that 14' dinghies - especially early grp examples - can be a heavyweight backbreaker for even young fit bods, on the slipway; a jockey wheel and pneumatic tyres on the trolley can be a help, though they do provide the embuggerance of making the trolley float under the boat !

Unless you have fairly gentle slipways and / or gangs of friends handy including a Chiropractor, I think a 14' grp boat may be pushing ones' luck; it's probably too much hassle, but how about a grp Solo or Enterprise with a reduced gunter rig ?

I happen to have a gunter rig & sails for a Mirror ( boat has sadly gone, rig - alloy mast, the rest wood, I might need to check the sails in case the mice have been at them ) - doing nothing in the garage attic, feel free to PM me if of any interest.

You've hit on a niche market here, snag is any new boat to spec' or a classic like a Tideway will weigh as much as a house and cost a fortune !

Whatever you go for, Have Fun,

Andy

P.S, my soon to be ex- Seajet SWMBO exhibits the same traits; I'm seriously considering a refit and upgrade to a more seaworthy type, but am very happy with the boat.

 

[Millo]

Owners Manual

I have one of these and I have what may be the "owners manual" - more of a slim booklet with pictures and diagrams that looks like it came with the boat originally. A delightfully dated writing style!

I can scan it and send it in PDF to anyone who wants a copy but I am not sure hw to do that through this forum. So if someone can tell me how to I will see what I can do.

I rigged mine for the first time today and it seemed fairly straightforward.

Writing to you from Cootamundra New South Wales Australia, I have just purchased an old Skipper 14 and I would very much like a copy of the handbook, would you be kind enough to send me a copy at millo.jm13@gmail.com. Thanks. I also need to do a fair bit of work on this one.

 

[Countrysailor]

Hi Millo,
I have just discovered this site and hence your appeal for info. Do you still have the boat and want the info?. I have and can copy and email the original
owners manual and the original sales lit. Myself I have a skipper 14, one of the last built , sail no 10010. It had the Bermudan rig but I didn’t like it. You could only use the jib ( very small ) if you fitted it when raising the mast. The mainsail could be rolled around the mast to reef or furl it but it wasn’t really a great system and you couldn’t do that if you had the jib up. I sold the whole rig to a guy that had the dinghy but no mast or sails and have fitted an Enterprise mast with stays and got a set of sales from a GP14 main and genoa as well as a smaller jib from a mirror dinghy. I am very happy with the result.

 

[Maschette]

Hey Guys,
I have just got a skipper 14 with gunter rig but it needs new sails. Does anyone happen to have a diagram with dimensions for one that i could look at?

Thanks.

 

[Lakesailor]

Best to start a new thread. Old threads from 5 years ago don't get a lot lot of response.

 

[A1Sailor]

Best to start a new thread. Old threads from 5 years ago don't get a lot lot of response.

OK - I'll respond then! Did you buy it in the end, Lakey? From the pics, I don't think you would have any problems draining water out of the double skin! Stopping it getting in might be more of a problem...

 

[Lakesailor]

Nip back to post #13.

 

[skipperfisher]

Hi, I have just bought an old skipper 14 with little rigging intact. it has what I think is called a gaff set up - a mast connects to the main mast. Does anyone have an pictures from the handbook they could let me have or ideas where I might get hold of a handbook to see how to rig this dinghy. especially the main sheet. many thanks

 

[Searush]

Lakey's advice to start a new thread still makes sense. Google & e-bay are your best bet.

 

[Pye_End]

especially the main sheet. many thanks

If you look at the photos in post 10 you will see two attachment points on the stern. These are both for the mainsheet, which from memory goes on to the end of the boom. Over 30 years ago so might be wrong...

 

[skipperfisher]

if you are still listening in steve , is there a chance of emailing a copyto me at jkp@jkpartnership.com many thanks, julian

 

[mickywillis]

PM me, somewhere I have a CD copy of Skippering Skipper by Sir Alec Rose ( I think) Gives loads of info on set up, dimensions, etc.

 

[A1Sailor]

if you are still listening in steve , is there a chance of emailing a copyto me at ....... many thanks, julian

Julian,
It might be best to edit out your e-mail address, to reduce spam, and PM it to steve.