Suggestions for a family dinghy

[JonnieFlamingo]

I agree with loots of the comments here and would only like to add that my fondest memories of sailing are learning with my father in an old wooden Wayfarer. My kids would say their best memories are being allowed out on Bewl Water in Kent, in anything that floats, to play Pirates with their friends, Laser Pico, Feva, Oppie, Dart, Topper, Topaz, they don't care. For more sedate family days out with a picnic we all pile in my Wayfarer, great load carrying, stable, and surprising fast with a good wind. I would shamelessly add that she is for sale but she's a Wayfarer World set up for racing and I think you'd be better off with one set up for cruising.

 

[ceproof87]

I suggest you Laser 2000. Its a very good boat with a big class and easy to handle. Its becoming a GP14.

 

[nickd]

Have owned lasers, toppers, optimists, fevas, Rs5000, Enterprise, Solo, Dart 16.
You talk about launching from beach, so dont get an Enterprise (my favourite) as they are very tippy and that could make your kids nervous in waves.
Dont get a cat, whilst great fun they are a pain to trail.
Fevas are way too small for adults. Like wise toppers and oppies
RS500 and similar are very light for their size - so easy to launch and recover but also easy to capsize which is a pain with the family.
I would go for either a GP14 GRP not wood (versatile; Outboard, Oars, Sail, Spinnaker option, reefable)
or better still a Laser Stratos Centreboard version bigger and comfortable can get 5 people in comfortably more versatile; Outboard, Oars, Sail, Spinnaker option, reefable and trapeze

http://www.laserstratos.org.uk/

Good luck

 

[jwilson]

I suggest you Laser 2000. Its a very good boat with a big class and easy to handle. Its becoming a GP14.

In my experience (and I've sailed them a lot in the past) Laser 2000s like to turtle if (when) you capsize. It's also ridiculously small-cockpitted and low-boomed for a family pottering dinghy.

 

[dancrane]

I wonder if the OP will return with a decision, or perhaps some review on his thinking?

Mr Wilson has a good point about the ease of taming a fast dinghy, relative to speeding up something which is stolidly safe and stable. The prospect of a boat being 'tippy' has frightened some newcomers into staying with very heavy designs instead...but kids are very good at recovering from slight scares, especially if tempted by thrilling performance.

I probably should have bought a Wayfarer for my uncompetitive purposes...but for far less money, I found a nice old Osprey which I've modified quite neatly for cruising...

...deep-reefing main with lazyjacks, roller furling genoa, oars, dry-lockers...I'm still working on draining floor-boards and boom-tent, but I'm always glad the boat was primarily designed to perform rather than just feel stable. It's no great task to make a light, speedy boat feel more relaxing, once you have the large racing sail-area under control.

 

[AntarcticPilot]

My brother and I learned to sail in a Heron dinghy and I think that they are still being made. They are very hard to capsize but only 11' 3" long so easy to launch and recover. If you go for the gunter rig then all of the spars fit inside the boat for easy transport and storage. They will also take a small outboard quite happily.

Definitely +1. My brother and I learnt to sail in a Heron; it has several advantages besides those above. Primarily, you sit IN a Heron, not ON it! The thwarts and seats are well below the level of the side-decks, remaining nice and dry. It is difficult to capsize - our family capsized ours once in about ten years - and it was my Mum and Dad who did it when the boom came off the mast fitting! It can easily be sailed single-handed, provided you go slightly out of class by fitting jamming cleats for the jib-sheets.

Originally it was built with plywood on a hardwood frame; I think there are now "stick and stitch" and GRP versions.

 

[ffiill]

Take a look at some of the Selway Fisher stitch and glue designs which are buildable from scratch or from precut kits.

 

[dancrane]

I reckon the OP has changed his mind entirely, and dropped the idea.

I want to put in a word for the Gull. Nice little boat, totally manageable afloat and ashore by one adult or two kids or all three if they're slender and happy to share small spaces.

 

[rwoofer]

Given this is the wooden boat forum, I would suggest an old Albacore. Given it's size it is comparatively light, it has internal bench seats, high freeboard for seaworthiness and usually a lot of space under the foredeck to store things. It is more tender than something like a Wayfarer, but given it size it will be more stable than smaller boats mentioned.

 

[burgundyben]

Given this is the wooden boat forum, I would suggest an old Albacore. Given it's size it is comparatively light, it has internal bench seats, high freeboard for seaworthiness and usually a lot of space under the foredeck to store things. It is more tender than something like a Wayfarer, but given it size it will be more stable than smaller boats mentioned.

Another Fairey option might be a Falcon.

http://www.faireyownersclub.co.uk/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=3321

 

[eddystone]

Cornish Crabber 12 or Cormorant might be suitable