The keelboat: evolution or disaster, for my dinghy-cruising ambitions?

Ask yourself what do you really want. If it's spinning around for a few hours, then Dutchman or Osprey. If it's spending the night somewhere different from where you launched / started, then small cruiser. They'll all be Ok on the right mooring - that's a distraction.

I was persuaded into a 14' trapezing dinghy by my mother, who said the mirror 16 (camping dinghy) I actually fancied was an old man's boat. What I actually wanted to do was make trips, which the mirror 16 was better suited for.
 
Further interesting remarks and suggestions, much appreciated. The Woods Strider! Love it. Not cheap, I'd think?

maxcampbell said:
I was persuaded into a 14' trapezing dinghy by my mother, who said the mirror 16 (camping dinghy) I actually fancied was an old man's boat. What I actually wanted to do was make trips, which the mirror 16 was better suited for.
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Jeez, I know the feeling! My mum made me take biology 'O' level, when I wanted to take physics. I failed bio, dismally. :rolleyes: Mothers don't often know best. Thank God she never pretended to know about boats...I'd still be in an Optimist. :D

I do think the Nimrod looks reasonably rewarding to sail - small enough to be dinghy-like. Whereas lots of mini-cruisers seem to have destroyed their lines by trying to fit headroom and long coachroofs within five or six metres...

...is there any way of finding out how many Nimrods are still around?
 
dancrane said:
Further interesting remarks and suggestions, much appreciated. The Woods Strider! Love it. Not cheap, I'd think?



Jeez, I know the feeling! My mum made me take biology 'O' level, when I wanted to take physics. I failed bio, dismally. :rolleyes: Mothers don't often know best. Thank God she never pretended to know about boats...I'd still be in an Optimist. :D

I do think the Nimrod looks reasonably rewarding to sail - small enough to be dinghy-like. Whereas lots of mini-cruisers seem to have destroyed their lines by trying to fit headroom and long coachroofs within five or six metres...

...is there any way of finding out how many Nimrods are still around?
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168 built new. I'd guess probably 100-150 still around. It doesn't sound like that many compared to 10's of thousands of the popular dinghy classes, but it's a good production run for a small cruise over just a few years.

I haven't checked the PY no but they are said to be pretty lively.
 
dancrane said:
I like the sportiness & handiness of dinghies...but the bigger & more capable their design, the less handy they tend to be...

...and I've been hide-bound by concerns about staying upright in a boat not designed for my modest personal ballast.

As is my habit, I looked at a Flying Dutchman for sale on Apollo Duck, but mistakenly clicked on 'Flying Fifteen' instead.

The Flying Fifteen has plenty of fans, and, I've noticed, quite a few decided critics. I can see it's not a very practical design - unable to dry out, very heavy to haul out, vulnerable rudder, not specially roomy, not even specially quick...

...but, it's certainly going to stay upright when unattended on a mooring...and at only 20 ft, the mooring shouldn't cost a lot...although it'd have to be an 'A' class deep-water location.

Contributors here have suggested the F15 to me before, but I've tended to overlook it as too much hassle, too much weight for my sort of use. Plus, how much bother is 'dry-sailing'? :eek:

But on second thoughts...if I was to apply a thick layer of anti-fouling to an oldie, and find a cheap deep mooring in a sheltered spot...mightn't I leapfrog dinghies altogether, and move into sporty boom-tent cruising without the hindrance of a centreboard case? :)

Half my notion of dinghy-cruising fun has been creek-crawling and beaching. That'll be largely off the menu for a F15...but I'd enjoy going further offshore with fixed ballast. Plus I love how the well-preserved (or restored) 'classic' F15s look...

...so, I'm all ears for advice...whether you like 'em or loathe 'em, I'd like to know. Please remember I DO NOT RACE.
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Corribee 21? http://corribee.org/for-sale-and-wanted/
 
CatapultIsland-2.jpg


The Small Isles, Lofotens, Eastern Sweden, Around Corsica.... even across the Solent and up to the Folly Inn.

Questions?
 
That Harlequin 21 is a real beauty. Not the most practical vessel, but I guess her performance makes up for inconvenience.
 
If you're going back to the idea of a keel boat then the H Boat may suit. It was my first boat with a lid, fast and sails like a dinghy. Took mine across the channel.
 
How d'you know pensioner-status isn't already the reason I'm financially restricted in my choice of craft? :rolleyes:

I admit, I'm not particularly firm on what I want most of all from a boat. And differing characteristics each appeal a great deal, when described by contributors who are acutely alive to their own boat's benefits. I'm very glad if you enjoy the enduring topic.

I'd like a quicker dinghy than I could probably handle, most of the time...meanwhile I'd like a ballasted keel for offshore security...I'd like a centreboarder for creek-crawling, I'd like a cabin to obviate using a boom-tent, and I'd like it in GRP to reduce maintenance.

Oh, and I'll need to find it for pennies, otherwise you gents'll have to listen to my dreaming until I can make the cash!

Actually I think the Westerly Nimrod is high up there amongst the front-runners...except it's at least double my ££££.

I'll stop moaning on speculatively, once I have the cash. I'll acquire the boat - yet unknown - and my output on here will switch instantly to "can I tow a launching trolley with a bicycle?", or "can I turn the prop using compressed carbon dioxide?" or such other nonsense.

I do like the Nimrod. Looks like a dinghy with a lid, rather than a heavy, slow, complex yacht-in-miniature. It'd be nice to get a boat from a trusted manufacturer, too.

Cheers. ;)
 
dancrane said:
......

I'd like a quicker dinghy than I could probably handle, most of the time...meanwhile I'd like a ballasted keel for offshore security...I'd like a centreboarder for creek-crawling, I'd like a cabin to obviate using a boom-tent, and I'd like it in GRP to reduce maintenance.
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Apart from the "quicker than a dinghy" bit, the rest of it describes many of the small lifting keel micro cruisers.

Like my Frolic 18, which has most if it's ballast in the encapsulated lifting keel.
 
dancrane said:
...except it's at least double my ££££.
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Keep looking it took us 2.5 years to find the boat we wanted.. Although do not knock off the dragon. Look at the last boat on this list looks like a plastic one too...

Do not knock keels for good sailing maybe you should consider the old 1/4 tonners if you are thinking of sporting sailing on a mooring... Great sailing on a budjet..
 
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