Sailing?

[gazza]

I didn't mention the lovely Mirror on account of the 14' criteria.

 

The heron at 10' is a super stable versatile boat, not the fastest thing afloat but a nice easy handling boat.

 

Dad was a member of the Ashby Canal Society and had several visits with the heron. An old seagull was the motive power.

Edited August 27, 2016 by gazza

[gazza]

I do feel lucky with Bala close by it has been a great place to learn to sail and with so many other lakes and reservoirs close by in Wales it seemed a logical thing to do to think about getting a boat for next summer.

 

I love the idea of a tour around Anglesey with a dinghy some folk I met did that a couple of years ago but at the moment I am nervous of doing that. I will get a load of more hours on the fresh water lakes before I think more seriously about that.

We have had the Heron in at Morfa Nefyn, lovely bay to play in with the Tycoch just round the corner.

There was an ace access to the beach and plenty of parking at the clif top.

 

Happy days!

Edited August 27, 2016 by gazza

[bizzard]

Mirror dinghies are brilliant boats but a bit cramped at 10' 10'' if your big or tall. All spars and equipment will store inside the boat for transportation. They can quickly turn turtle if capized but are lightweight and easy to right.

I sailed one from Pangbourne on the upper Thames right through to Barking creek camping on the banks at night in a tent. Lost my kettle and frying pan overboard which were stowed on the little foredeck during a hairy gybe in Woolwich reach.

[Guest]

No one has mentioned a Mirror Dinghy yet:

 

 

Easy to sail both with a crew and single handed. They can either be towed or carried upside down on the roof of a car. Being gaff rigged all the spars fit in the boat itself when transporting it. Very difficult to capsize unlike the Enterprise, known as "Enterflip" when I raced them.

 

I did the Mirror Nationals at Troon and Looe many, many years ago and they are good little sea boats, oodles of built in bouyancy.

 

You could also be daring and get one of these (This is in jest BTW)

 

Fire ball 11464.jpg

 

Me in my miss spent 20's

Brilliant boat them Mirrors; even I can sail one. Would have another without hesitation. I do like Wayfarers though, being a bigger and very stable boat. NEver owned one but have been for a sail on one. I liked it very much. I also liked my mate's GP14, and another mate's Enterprise. Also Bizz mentioned the Miracle, basically a bigger Mirror. A colleague raced these boats and they also seem like good boats.

[churchward]

 

We had the land boat there in July:

 

DSCF2849.JPG

 

Sailed the Fireball there at open meetings on many an occasion.

 

Also "did" The Red Wharf Bay long distance race around part of Anglesey a couple of times.

Bala Lake looked like that the last time I was there the other day. I went down the lake at a rate of knots and took me quite a while to get back!

[nebulae]

I have a G.P.14 which I rate very highly. It is a wooden boat and is stored very carefully in my workshop. If you cant mollycodle the boat,as has been said,go for GRP. I also rate the Wayfarer,but it takes a bit of handling,to launch and recover single handed. If you have several willing helpers or can launch and recover with a vehicle,then the Wayfarer is ideal. The only problem with Drascombe boats is they tend to be expensive,even second hand.

[Richard T]

Nobody has mentioned fixed keel boats - Flying Fifteens are a good sail but not easy to launch and retrieve For small dinghies I like Miracles and if you are happy to single hand a Solo. For something more exciting what about a 470.

To my mind Wayfarers are likesailing a bus. But I know people who have sailed across the North Sea in one.

[Ray T]

Nobody has mentioned fixed keel boats - Flying Fifteens are a good sail but not easy to launch and retrieve For small dinghies I like Miracles and if you are happy to single hand a Solo. For something more exciting what about a 470.

To my mind Wayfarers are likesailing a bus. But I know people who have sailed across the North Sea in one.

 

Frank & Margaret Dye?

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frank_Dye

Edited August 27, 2016 by Ray T

[gazza]

Nobody has mentioned fixed keel boats - Flying Fifteens are a good sail but not easy to launch and retrieve For small dinghies I like Miracles and if you are happy to single hand a Solo. For something more exciting what about a 470.

To my mind Wayfarers are likesailing a bus. But I know people who have sailed across the North Sea in one.

Flying 15's and 470's are great boats but not really novice boats are they?

The beauty of GP14'S and Enterprise's are that they are very nearly all things to all men, I agree the wayfarer is a bit less spritely but, on balance, you'd be hard pressed to find a more forgiving boat that can still put a smile on your face.

 

I have a feeling a 15 or 470 isn't really what the OP wants tbh!

[churchward]

 

Frank & Margaret Dye?

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frank_Dye

I don't think I will get that adventurous! but I do fancy some salty water sailing in time which is one of the reasons I think I would like a steady stable boat with enough size to load some camping equipment. I have had a quick go (with an experienced sailor) just off Bangor on the Menai straight but the wind got up and we needed to get back in. I like the idea of a round Anglesey cruise someday.

 

I have come to this sailing lark quite late in life (58 this year) I suppose but hopefully there is a good few years yet to enjoy doing it. I have just been reading an article in the latest Canalboat Magazine about older sailors buying Narrow Boats as they get too creaky to sail. I guess I am doing this the wrong way round!

[Ray T]

I don't think I will get that adventurous! but I do fancy some salty water sailing in time which is one of the reasons I think I would like a steady stable boat with enough size to load some camping equipment. I have had a quick go (with an experienced sailor) just off Bangor on the Menai straight but the wind got up and we needed to get back in. I like the idea of a round Anglesey cruise someday.

 

I have come to this sailing lark quite late in life (58 this year) I suppose but hopefully there is a good few years yet to enjoy doing it. I have just been reading an article in the latest Canalboat Magazine about older sailors buying Narrow Boats as they get too creaky to sail. I guess I am doing this the wrong way round!

 

Don't know about getting too creaky, I just got fed up of my wine glass disappearing overboard when I put it on the hatch of a offshore yacht.

[nebulae]

We started in small boats and graduated to a Seamaster23 in Aberystwyth Marina. Great boat easily handled under sail and ideal base when the weather was right(Which it never was). No wind,to much wind,tide out ,not useable in winter etc. Also eye watering expensive. Hence bought a narrow boat. Still lust after something about 45ft based in Turkey or Greece. Not going to happen,so I will hang on to my G.P.14

[Richard T]

 

Frank & Margaret Dye?

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frank_Dye

I did some lumpy water sailing with John Buckingham who accompanied Frank across the North sea

[Dyertribe]

I don't think I will get that adventurous! but I do fancy some salty water sailing in time which is one of the reasons I think I would like a steady stable boat with enough size to load some camping equipment. I have had a quick go (with an experienced sailor) just off Bangor on the Menai straight but the wind got up and we needed to get back in. I like the idea of a round Anglesey cruise someday.

 

I have come to this sailing lark quite late in life (58 this year) I suppose but hopefully there is a good few years yet to enjoy doing it. I have just been reading an article in the latest Canalboat Magazine about older sailors buying Narrow Boats as they get too creaky to sail. I guess I am doing this the wrong way round!

My vote would be for the wayfarer. I never capsized one by mistake but have righted one as part of an exercise, not a problem for two puny gurls!

My daughter and I are going to Plas Menai http://www.plasmenai.co.uk/ next weekend for a catamaran sailing weekend. First time for her and first time for 24 years for me!

Plas Menai is a great place to try out different boats, excellent facilities.

[steamcompound]

Surely you mean Bill Brockbank. BB gave Liverpool Sailing Club a talk on the voyage last year, amazing and quite scary.

I did some lumpy water sailing with John Buckingham who accompanied Frank across the North sea

edit to put in the original statement

[Scholar Gypsy]

Canal boating and sailing aren't mutually exclusive. ...

 

I agree - and rather like this photo of FLORA DORA taken off Southend a few months ago. Photo credits to Andy of nb GERTRUDE

 

 

[Wanderer Vagabond]

 

I agree - and rather like this photo of FLORA DORA taken off Southend a few months ago. Photo credits to Andy of nb GERTRUDE

 

 

20160515_133422 (1).jpg

Think I'd rather be on the sailing boat off Southend rather than the narrowboat in front of it

[churchward]

My vote would be for the wayfarer. I never capsized one by mistake but have righted one as part of an exercise, not a problem for two puny gurls!

My daughter and I are going to Plas Menai http://www.plasmenai.co.uk/ next weekend for a catamaran sailing weekend. First time for her and first time for 24 years for me!

Plas Menai is a great place to try out different boats, excellent facilities.

Plas Menai looks great and not far for me to get too being an hour or so away by car, thanks.

 

Thanks for all the suggestions folks I have a lot to think about. I think the almost default position will be a Wayfarer but I do like the look of the Drascombe Lugger and Dabber they seem to command more money and fewer about but I will see if I can find one somewhere to have a go in one.

Edited August 29, 2016 by churchward

[Dyertribe]

My vote would be for the wayfarer. I never capsized one by mistake but have righted one as part of an exercise, not a problem for two puny gurls!

My daughter and I are going to Plas Menai http://www.plasmenai.co.uk/ next weekend for a catamaran sailing weekend. First time for her and first time for 24 years for me!

Plas Menai is a great place to try out different boats, excellent facilities.

Well we had a blast!

Saturday afternoon saw us on the Menai Straits in 45 mph winds, me, daughter, and instructor (we were the only two on the Catamaran course, lucky us) crossing and recrossing the straits at speeds of 10 mph+ enjoying every minute we were soaked, salty and euphoric!

Sunday was a chance for learning better technique and a lesson in the use of an asymmetric spinnaker, yet another blast!

The most fun I've had with my clothes on........ again!

Daughter said she enjoyed it enough to do it again. result!

[Dharl]

Always loved Wayfarers, they are great little sea boats and you can get a good turn out of speed out of them on a broad reach!

 

Mrs Dharl didn't like boats with cloths as they Bob around too much for her so I had to sell mine after we got married( GRP hull with wooden decks) Luckily Mrs Dharl loves pottering about on the canals and as we found out last week the Thames too!!

 

If you want speed you could go for a J24 ( though a little bit bigger than 14) or as Ray T showed a nice little Fireball!

[rasputin]

Also have a look at the Dinghy Cruising Association,

 

Have a look at some catamarans too, I have an inflatable Catapult. I take it on lakes and the sea, goes on the top of the car, v fast and fun.

[PaulG]

cassette or pump-out?

I've been informed by the mods that you are not allowed to post old jokes.

[Lizzy]

Bit late to this, but I'd also throw an RS Vision into it for consideration. At my sailing club they teach beginners on them and they hardly ever manage to capsize them even in challenging conditions on the tidal Thames. They are very forgiving and spacious modern boats. Unlike the Enterprises, which are on their side all the time.

 

If you want to cruise on it as well, are you sure you want a dinghy and not a small keelboat? Any dinghy can capsize. A keelboat just makes you less anxious if you have stuff on board that you don't want to go in the water.

[churchward]

It has been a while since I started this topic but I have finally bought myself a sailing dinghy.  I have tried a few from Wayfairers, GP14s and Albacores to more modern designs including Laser Stratos. But the one I have settled on is a Laser 2000.  It is similar to the Stratos but smaller and lighter.  It suits me as I can sail on my own, reef the main and furl the jib but can sail with 2 or 3 on board. if I want to get a bit racey I can use an asymmetric genicker with a crew.  It has been fun so far.

[rusty69]

5 minutes ago, churchward said:

It has been a while since I started this topic but I have finally bought myself a sailing dinghy.  I have tried a few from Wayfairers, GP14s and Albacores to more modern designs including Laser Stratos. But the one I have settled on is a Laser 2000.  It is similar to the Stratos but smaller and lighter.  It suits me as I can sail on my own, reef the main and furl the jib but can sail with 2 or 3 on board. if I want to get a bit racey I can use an asymmetric genicker with a crew.  It has been fun so far.

They look quite nippy.

I got back into dinghy sailing last year. Decided I didn't want a Laser and couldn't get a Solo on the roof rack.Decided to get a Europe in the end. Great little boat,but think I may be a bit old for it.