Victoria Sponge
Well-Known Member
Anyone sail one? HWMBO says we might get one. What will I be letting myself in for?
Wayfarers
- Thread starter Victoria Sponge
- Start date
NUTMEG
Well-Known Member
had one for years, lovely little boat. Very safe and hard to capsize, unless you are into racing. Never tipped mine. She had an inflatable balloon in the top of the mainsail to prevent inversions.
I also fitted a really good slab reefing system. Massive sail area for a dinghy.
Very heavy up and down a slip way though. 3 man job in my opinion, or bit of rope tied to car!
Have fun.
Steve
I also fitted a really good slab reefing system. Massive sail area for a dinghy.
Very heavy up and down a slip way though. 3 man job in my opinion, or bit of rope tied to car!
Have fun.
Steve
DJE
Well-Known Member
I sailed one for 18 years in my younger days including some club racing a lot of cruising and camping under a boom tent.
A large stable dinghy with plenty of stowage space but also a powerful rig giving a surprising turn of speed. (We once crossed the Solent from Wootton to Hill Head at an average speed of 9 knots with four people on board) If you are intending to cruise rather than race it would be worth getting a small jib as well as the big genoa and putting a couple of slab reefs in the mainsail.
You can expect to be sitting out hard and getting wet when going to windward under full sail, but if you reef then things will be a lot more comfortable and performance will still be perfectly acceptable.
Their biggest disadvantage is their weight. It was hard work for two of us to pull the boat up the slipway when fit and in our twenties. A good launching trolley with a jockey wheel will help with handling the boat ashore but see if you can have a go at wheeling one around at a local club so that you get an idea of the weight.
A large stable dinghy with plenty of stowage space but also a powerful rig giving a surprising turn of speed. (We once crossed the Solent from Wootton to Hill Head at an average speed of 9 knots with four people on board) If you are intending to cruise rather than race it would be worth getting a small jib as well as the big genoa and putting a couple of slab reefs in the mainsail.
You can expect to be sitting out hard and getting wet when going to windward under full sail, but if you reef then things will be a lot more comfortable and performance will still be perfectly acceptable.
Their biggest disadvantage is their weight. It was hard work for two of us to pull the boat up the slipway when fit and in our twenties. A good launching trolley with a jockey wheel will help with handling the boat ashore but see if you can have a go at wheeling one around at a local club so that you get an idea of the weight.
pendlecats
Well-Known Member
There a nice boat to sail, fairly stable.
After 25yrs sailing big boats (well 25-38ft big!) I'm back on wayfarers and Gp14's for fun and everything to me now seems miniature, with less room (or I'm bigger).
If like me you just have to go faster,,, have a change of clothes handy.
After 25yrs sailing big boats (well 25-38ft big!) I'm back on wayfarers and Gp14's for fun and everything to me now seems miniature, with less room (or I'm bigger).
If like me you just have to go faster,,, have a change of clothes handy.
old_salt
Well-Known Member
They are grand little boats but be prepared to get a bit wet.
Have a look here it includes some of the exploits of Frank Dye well known for his extended sea trips:-http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QOlCTjKY8Gc
Have a look here it includes some of the exploits of Frank Dye well known for his extended sea trips:-http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QOlCTjKY8Gc
lw395
Well-Known Member
As people have said, they are fairly heavy dinghies.
The class rules have a fairly high minimum weight.
But I think many of the GRP ones are grossly over the minimum weight.
A lot were built for training or cruising.
Up until around ten years ago you had to have a wooden one to be in the top tier of racing, the latest GRP ones are a great improvement.
They have a fair turn of speed, by virtue of being longer than most dinghies.
They are raced a lot, you see a fair fleet of them at Lymington on a wednesday night.
The class rules have a fairly high minimum weight.
But I think many of the GRP ones are grossly over the minimum weight.
A lot were built for training or cruising.
Up until around ten years ago you had to have a wooden one to be in the top tier of racing, the latest GRP ones are a great improvement.
They have a fair turn of speed, by virtue of being longer than most dinghies.
They are raced a lot, you see a fair fleet of them at Lymington on a wednesday night.
Searush
Well-Known Member
I got a GP14 for family use - the Wayfarer (at 16') is just too big & heavy for us. The GP14 is quite similar & much more manageable on land without being too small at sea. My pal has a Wayfarer & finds it to much to handle on his own, but a GP14 can be sailed solo.
Fantasie 19
Well-Known Member
Learnt to sail on one, and sailed club ones for a few years before I bought my cruiser... Steve has it spot on... built like a brick outhouse, surprisingly big when you're in it, heavy, nice sail'er.....
Skylark
Well-Known Member
I suspect that many of us have had fun sailing a Wayarer at one time or another but they're not too much fun to launch and no fun at all to retrieve because of their weight.
I've just had a week at Sunsail Vounaki and they have a fleet of new ones. Right up to date, complete with retractable jousting stick and gennaker. They tended to be the boat of choice for couples and families and could be taken out for longer cruises.
Not a boat of choice for the nutters who preferred gymnastics in the RS / skiff type vessels.
I've just had a week at Sunsail Vounaki and they have a fleet of new ones. Right up to date, complete with retractable jousting stick and gennaker. They tended to be the boat of choice for couples and families and could be taken out for longer cruises.
Not a boat of choice for the nutters who preferred gymnastics in the RS / skiff type vessels.
Victoria Sponge
Well-Known Member
Thanks for all the great replies guys. I'll suggest we look at the GP14.
Sans Bateau
Well-Known Member
Learned to sail on a Wayfarer, look at the trouble that got me into, so no! Dont do it!
Seajet
...
The Wayfarer is heavy, very heavy, requires a small army to get up our slipways and they're not that steep; as mentioned a jockey wheel on the trolley does help a lot, but it's still a very heavy boat.
On the other hand, at least the Wayfarer goes reasonably well; I was very unimpressed by the GP14, also very heavy, and takes a great deal of hiking effort for little or no progress; instead of transforming power into forward drive, it just sits there and heels over !
A good compromise would be a Wanderer - or the earlier very similar boat, the Leader.
Basically a 14' Wayfarer, there was one out at my club yetserday, 2 fairly old boys lowered the mast under the bridge, re-rigged at the slip and then shot past at a fair clip in the strong breeze, under perfect control & grinning ear to ear.
Lady Celestial, I'd strongly recommend a Wanderer in your position.
If you fancy a good looking very seaworthy fairly fast 14' boat, I'd suggest a Scorpion; compare it to the lump of a GP14 behind ! Still just 2 crew hiking, no trapeze ( though I think trapezing is easy, fun & more comfortable than hiking ).
Scorpion, GP14 in background ( ! ).
On the other hand, at least the Wayfarer goes reasonably well; I was very unimpressed by the GP14, also very heavy, and takes a great deal of hiking effort for little or no progress; instead of transforming power into forward drive, it just sits there and heels over !
A good compromise would be a Wanderer - or the earlier very similar boat, the Leader.
Basically a 14' Wayfarer, there was one out at my club yetserday, 2 fairly old boys lowered the mast under the bridge, re-rigged at the slip and then shot past at a fair clip in the strong breeze, under perfect control & grinning ear to ear.
Lady Celestial, I'd strongly recommend a Wanderer in your position.
If you fancy a good looking very seaworthy fairly fast 14' boat, I'd suggest a Scorpion; compare it to the lump of a GP14 behind ! Still just 2 crew hiking, no trapeze ( though I think trapezing is easy, fun & more comfortable than hiking ).
Scorpion, GP14 in background ( ! ).
Last edited:
D
Deleted member 36384
Guest
Just bought one for the boy and I. Its old and tired but came with a brand new combination trolly.
I sailed one as a kid, taught dinghy sailing in them and cruised a lot on the Firth of Clyde. Great boats, tuff as old boots. They are not as heavy as perhaps you may think. Three lightweight 14 year olds, 2 at a push, can handle them up slipways. The secret is in the balance. Being a heavy dinghy if they are right forward on the trolly they are front heavy (for towing purposes I believe) to lift and pull along. Get them on the trolly so that the bow is about 6" from the stem chock and she can be picked up easily and pulled forward, relatively easily.
You can buy hulls that are designated Mk II SD. They have a double hull bottom designed to be left on a mooring. The SD stands for self draining, the hull has a lot more reserve buoyancy because of the double floor. I have one because it was low cost but I would not buy one again, preferring a standard hull.
Lightweight kids can right a Wayfarer quite easily as its all about technique. The hardest part is getting up on the centre board, or onto the inverted hull. You can buy devices for the top of the mast that will inflate when inverted and prevent inversion.
It is vital that you know how to right the dinghy from being in the water i.e. not nimbly stepping over the edge onto the centre plate.
Lots of low cost spares available. A very affordable way to sail.
http://www.tridentuk.com/sailing/Wayfarer_Parts_Catalogue.html
http://www.wayfarer.org.uk/uploads/Wayfarer_Versions_2009_v7.pdf
I sailed one as a kid, taught dinghy sailing in them and cruised a lot on the Firth of Clyde. Great boats, tuff as old boots. They are not as heavy as perhaps you may think. Three lightweight 14 year olds, 2 at a push, can handle them up slipways. The secret is in the balance. Being a heavy dinghy if they are right forward on the trolly they are front heavy (for towing purposes I believe) to lift and pull along. Get them on the trolly so that the bow is about 6" from the stem chock and she can be picked up easily and pulled forward, relatively easily.
You can buy hulls that are designated Mk II SD. They have a double hull bottom designed to be left on a mooring. The SD stands for self draining, the hull has a lot more reserve buoyancy because of the double floor. I have one because it was low cost but I would not buy one again, preferring a standard hull.
Lightweight kids can right a Wayfarer quite easily as its all about technique. The hardest part is getting up on the centre board, or onto the inverted hull. You can buy devices for the top of the mast that will inflate when inverted and prevent inversion.
It is vital that you know how to right the dinghy from being in the water i.e. not nimbly stepping over the edge onto the centre plate.
Lots of low cost spares available. A very affordable way to sail.
http://www.tridentuk.com/sailing/Wayfarer_Parts_Catalogue.html
http://www.wayfarer.org.uk/uploads/Wayfarer_Versions_2009_v7.pdf
EuanMcKenzie
Well-Known Member
my previous yacht was a wayfarer - a mark 1 woody the same age as me. We raced and sailed for fun with the kids
It was heavy but perfectly ok to handle as long as the slip way isn't too steep
great boats
It was heavy but perfectly ok to handle as long as the slip way isn't too steep
great boats
Searush
Well-Known Member
The Wayfarer is heavy, very heavy, requires a small army to get up our slipways and they're not that steep; as mentioned a jockey wheel on the trolley does help a lot, but it's still a very heavy boat.
On the other hand, at least the Wayfarer goes reasonably well; I was very unimpressed by the GP14, also very heavy, and takes a great deal of hiking effort for little or no progress; instead of transforming power into forward drive, it just sits there and heels over !
A good compromise would be a Wanderer - or the earlier very similar boat, the Leader.
Basically a 14' Wayfarer, there was one out at my club yetserday, 2 fairly old boys lowered the mast under the bridge, re-rigged at the slip and then shot past at a fair clip in the strong breeze, under perfect control & grinning ear to ear.
Lady Celestial, I'd strongly recommend a Wanderer in your position.
If you fancy a good looking very seaworthy fairly fast 14' boat, I'd suggest a Scorpion; compare it to the lump of a GP14 behind ! Still just 2 crew hiking, no trapeze ( though I think trapezing is easy, fun & more comfortable than hiking ).
Scorpion, GP14 in background ( ! ).
The freeboard on the GP14 is what makes it so good for family sailing as opposed to loony racing. If I want to get wet, I sail the Laser.
Seajet
...
The Scorpion is no loony racer, and is very seaworthy, I took mine into surf deliberately a few times; I'm afraid my experiences with a GP - supposedly a good one, certainly the home woodwork looked nice - were rather unhappy, a great deal of effort holding it up, and it is a truly heavy boat !
yachtorion
Well-Known Member
Do take a look at the Wanderer. I race one most weekends and spent a lot of weekends mucking about with it as a kid.
They were apparently originally designed by the Wayfarer's designer Ian Proctor for Margaret Dye, wife of Frank Dye of Ocean Crossing Wayfarer. The idea was a smaller version of the Wayfarer that she could handle on her own.
In fact the most common version, the Wanderer MD, is named after her and the modifications she requested.
It's actually slightly beamier than a Wayfarer but as has been mentioned, 2 feet shorter.
Very good boat!
They were apparently originally designed by the Wayfarer's designer Ian Proctor for Margaret Dye, wife of Frank Dye of Ocean Crossing Wayfarer. The idea was a smaller version of the Wayfarer that she could handle on her own.
In fact the most common version, the Wanderer MD, is named after her and the modifications she requested.
It's actually slightly beamier than a Wayfarer but as has been mentioned, 2 feet shorter.
Very good boat!
ianat182
Well-Known Member
Another very good alternative if you see one is the Victoria 16, all GRP moulded and a gennaker too have not sailed one but raced against and struggled to match downwind speed when racing, particularly the gybes. They were made at Warsash, Victoria Yachts, alas no more, and were good quality boats. I do not know their price but would be comparable to a newish Wayfarer.
As Seajet mentioned, the Wanderer is a 14 ft version of the Wayfarer and correspondingly lighter to manage, still a jockey wheel always helps. I've sailed both the Wanderer and the Leader, also 14ft, and they handle well up and down wind. The Leader isn't seen so frequently these days, and there were both wooden and GRP models of the class, not so the Wanderer which is GRP.
There are Class associations for both these and the Wayfarers and their Associations also have used models for sale, together with sails and spare equipment,and drawings of component parts for the wooden and composite types.
Wayfarers are always in demand and keep their price well even the early one of wooden construction, so easy to sell on if you go bigger later, ideal for crew training.
ianat182
As Seajet mentioned, the Wanderer is a 14 ft version of the Wayfarer and correspondingly lighter to manage, still a jockey wheel always helps. I've sailed both the Wanderer and the Leader, also 14ft, and they handle well up and down wind. The Leader isn't seen so frequently these days, and there were both wooden and GRP models of the class, not so the Wanderer which is GRP.
There are Class associations for both these and the Wayfarers and their Associations also have used models for sale, together with sails and spare equipment,and drawings of component parts for the wooden and composite types.
Wayfarers are always in demand and keep their price well even the early one of wooden construction, so easy to sell on if you go bigger later, ideal for crew training.
ianat182
Sailfree
Well-Known Member
We learnt to sail in a Wayfarer.
They are one of the biggest dinghys, are one of the most seaworthy, will cross oceans and seas (as proved by Frank Dye but I would not do it!).
They are not as heavy as some suggest, my wife and myself have campaigned a wayfarer in various racing events on and off for the last 19yrs and she only weighs 8.5 stone & me 13stone. Wife helms it when we race.
There are many good cheaper ones now as the new Mk4 GRP is the boat every keen racer is buying. We learnt on a Mk2 and raced it, then got a Mk2 sandwich fitted out for racing, then a Mk 1 Woodie and now a Mk4 GRP.
At the 2010? international at Weymouth there were 119 entries IIRC.
Our club Parkstone has many declining dinghy fleets but the Wayfarer (mainly through the new Mk4 which we now have 16 new boats) is thriving.
They are one of the biggest dinghys, are one of the most seaworthy, will cross oceans and seas (as proved by Frank Dye but I would not do it!).
They are not as heavy as some suggest, my wife and myself have campaigned a wayfarer in various racing events on and off for the last 19yrs and she only weighs 8.5 stone & me 13stone. Wife helms it when we race.
There are many good cheaper ones now as the new Mk4 GRP is the boat every keen racer is buying. We learnt on a Mk2 and raced it, then got a Mk2 sandwich fitted out for racing, then a Mk 1 Woodie and now a Mk4 GRP.
At the 2010? international at Weymouth there were 119 entries IIRC.
Our club Parkstone has many declining dinghy fleets but the Wayfarer (mainly through the new Mk4 which we now have 16 new boats) is thriving.
ianat182
Well-Known Member
Just to add however, the price of a new Mk4 or Mk3 Wayfarer is a bit mind-numbing and would buy your first daysailer with trailer and outboard, and still leave some change from the £10K for the kit of a Wayfarer.
You are unlikely get this sum back on resale I'd guess unless a particularly successful racing pedigree attached.
ianat182
You are unlikely get this sum back on resale I'd guess unless a particularly successful racing pedigree attached.
ianat182
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