Which dinghy

[joeirish]

We want to get a sailing dinghy about 12 ft long. We want to use is as a tender but mainly to mess about with sails when we have done our day's cruising in our Rampart motor cruiser on the rivers and lakes in Ireland. We have seen two types that look like what we want, the Walker Tideway 12 and the Mallard (a type of Swallows and Amazons dinghy, also 12 foot long We want something that is reasonable stable as we are new to sailing but that has some abililty to get a move on. We also want something that would give two people something to do when sailing. Preferably woode construction but we'd be happy with a sheathed fibreglass plywood clinker type of dinghy.

So, what wouild you recommend? And do you have one for sale?

<hr width=100% size=1>Joe Griffin

 

[windandwave]

Mirror? Cheap as chips. Readily available. Wooden. Reasonable performance. Don't know whether it would be suitable as a tender though... has anyone used one for that?

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[AndrewB]

I've towed a Mirror - being light and with little keel shape they don't track very well so wouldn't be good in open sea. Fine in sheltered waters. Very cramped sailing for two adults, OK for rowing.

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[anubis]

We own a Tideway (original wood) it is heavy and requires a trailer to launch and move around...2 adults to lift/drag...not suitable for easy recover to another boat. I wouldn't use as a tender. The circumstances you describe... I would go for a Tinker Tramp, very versatile, easily managed and sails well.


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