Dinghy Sailing

Brett Riverboat_1 · 13-09-2020 10:38pm #1

Myself and my Partner have just started sailing and we are looking to get a starter boat. Something cheap like a mirror but a lot of people are saying that a mirror is too small for two adults?
We are not looking to race but to just cruise around.

I have seen videos online of mirrors with two adults comfortably cruising rivers and the sea.

Anyone got any thoughts on this ?

We are also going to invest in a GP 14 but at the moment there is very little on sale.

Also is there anyone who goes dinghy cruising inland?

neris · 14-09-2020 10:19am

If you can get 1 a Wayfairer is a good old school cruising dinghy. Big enough for 2 adults and can handle a bit of rough. Mirrors are kids boats and not worth it. An enterprise maybe another one to look at it your looking at the GP. The enterprise has no spinaker though. The dinghy market in Ireland is small and limited options, try the UK aswell they have massive variants across dinghy sailing

There's a British guy on YouTube called Roger Barnes who does alot of dinghy cruising in France and goes on overnights. His videos are very good and worth watching

Brett Riverboat_1 · 14-09-2020 11:21am

neris wrote: »

If you can get 1 a Wayfairer is a good old school cruising dinghy. Big enough for 2 adults and can handle a bit of rough. Mirrors are kids boats and not worth it. An enterprise maybe another one to look at it your looking at the GP. The enterprise has no spinaker though. The dinghy market in Ireland is small and limited options, try the UK aswell they have massive variants across dinghy sailing

There's a British guy on YouTube called Roger Barnes who does alot of dinghy cruising in France and goes on overnights. His videos are very good and worth watching

Thanks for the reply Roger Barnes is great , He is one of the reasons we started sailing and we bought his book as well. It is a shame there does not seem to be people doing it here.

We have looked at the wayfarer and the enterprise that's we we thought a GP 14 would be a good start. The mirror are cheap and supposed to be a pleasure to sail.thats why we thought about it.

neris · 14-09-2020 4:34pm

Probably a bit extreme if your only getting into it but a good video to kill an hour

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kuy4goz3stI

Ferris · 17-09-2020 4:42pm

Would you consider something with a trapese? 420's and Laser 2's would have a bit more performance that a GP, not much more mind. Also, they are all GRP and there are loads of them about. I like GP14's however, nice boats, have you thought of looking up the class website? Probably a for sale section and better boats.

Another option might be a trailer sailer with a centreboard. If you are not into racing something like a Drascombe Lugger would be perfect and thay can take an outboard.

Where are you thinking of sailing?

DOCARCH · 17-09-2020 5:46pm

Ferris wrote: »

If you are not into racing something like a Drascombe Lugger would be perfect and thay can take an outboard.

I used have a Drascombe Dabber.

Sold it a couple of years ago. https://www.adverts.ie/boats/drascombe-dabber/15889747

2ft shorter than the Lugger. Good general boat for all purposes, sailing (but not racing!), rowing and motoring (has outboard engine well).

17-09-2020 7:46pm

If your starting out I’d steer clear of trapeze boats like the 470/fireball/laser2.

The gp14, enterprise and wayfarer are all good suggestions.

Drascombe designs are solid design that have stood the test of time well

Might find an old lark if your happy with an older boat thats a bit rough.

If you want something a fresher and more modern a rs200 or rs400 would be worth a look. They had a good circuit pre pandemic that was well supported

Ferris · 18-09-2020 9:32am

Yeah but RS boats are just for racing imo. Nowhere to store lunch, clothes etc for day sailing. At least with a 470 or laser 2 you could cut a hatch in the deck, its not as if these boats are expensive now. Also i'm sure with a reefing point a 420 or L2 you wouldn't need to trapeze. RS's are also expensive to buy and run.

HeidiHeidi · 18-09-2020 1:10pm

Ferris wrote: »

Yeah but RS boats are just for racing imo. Nowhere to store lunch, clothes etc for day sailing. At least with a 470 or laser 2 you could cut a hatch in the deck, its not as if these boats are expensive now. Also i'm sure with a reefing point a 420 or L2 you wouldn't need to trapeze. RS's are also expensive to buy and run.

I've never actually sailed one (and am highly unlikely ever to!) but I can't imagine anything further from a "cruising" dinghy than an RS :eek:

18-09-2020 5:18pm

Laser2 def ain’t cruizy boat. A right powered up surfboard that you get proper wet on. No protection at all.

Plenty of options out there depending on what what OP wants and budget

HeidiHeidi · 18-09-2020 5:25pm

OP, have you considered a Squib? They were one of the first boats I started learning on, and I have hugely fond memories of them, great in all weathers, and good little racers if your thoughts ever turned to that side of things.

Ferris · 18-09-2020 11:18pm

49801 wrote: »

Laser2 def ain’t cruizy boat. A right powered up surfboard that you get proper wet on. No protection at all.

Says the guy recommending RS dinghies

HeidiHeidi wrote: »

OP, have you considered a Squib? They were one of the first boats I started learning on, and I have hugely fond memories of them, great in all weathers, and good little racers if your thoughts ever turned to that side of things.

Yeah but keelboats generally can’t be practically trailer sailed, certainly a squib. You need a mooring, crane etc.

Brett Riverboat_1 · 20-09-2020 8:47am

Ferris wrote: »

Would you consider something with a trapese? 420's and Laser 2's would have a bit more performance that a GP, not much more mind. Also, they are all GRP and there are loads of them about. I like GP14's however, nice boats, have you thought of looking up the class website? Probably a for sale section and better boats.

Another option might be a trailer sailer with a centreboard. If you are not into racing something like a Drascombe Lugger would be perfect and thay can take an outboard.

Where are you thinking of sailing?

Hi we are going to be sailing in blessington but I would like to be able to take the boat places as well. Blessington have a good GP 14 fleet.

Thanks to all for the replies. To me there seems to be a lack of boats for sale at the moment.

Ferris · 20-09-2020 10:11am

http://www.mourneboatsales.co.uk/pages/index.asp?title=Gp_14_sailing_dinghy

In the north.

21-09-2020 9:36pm

There was a strong following of gp14s in Sutton dinghy club. Chance Facebook and gp14 class pages etc and you might poke out someone interested in selling

JamesM · 26-09-2020 7:12pm

Brett Riverboat_1 wrote: »

Hi we are going to be sailing in blessington but I would like to be able to take the boat places as well. Blessington have a good GP 14 fleet.

Thanks to all for the replies. To me there seems to be a lack of boats for sale at the moment.

As far as I know Blessington have some Club boats that you can sail if you are a member. I would get as much sailing practise done as you can for the rest of the season and you will have a better idea of what boat is a suitable buy by next season. Maybe you could both crew on GP14s for a while and get a feeling for the boat.

Dinghy Sailing

Comments