A new class of dinghy?

Since I'm not likely ever to get the chance to sail one I will refrain from commenting except to say it does look better than PDR

Sam Spoons, Jim C, thank you for taking the time to respond. Yes, Storer also designed the Goat Island Skiff. I applaud his desire to keep the cost of sailing down. I believe he now spends a lot of time in the Phillipines where he has established a racing fleet of the 12 foot PdGoose. I think he also sources his sails from that country.

Spencer was one of the first light weight specialists from NZ. The Cherub was one of his that made it to the UK. Mostly, he sold plans. The Bug was his response to declining sales of plans.

The Laser Bug looks interesting on YouTube, Riv. But will another SMOD "Single Manufacturer One Design" encourage people to stay in the sport? Clearly SMODs are important, my point was that dinghy sailing has declined here in Australia and, from reading the reports, in the UK. This decline has coincided with the era of SMODs. The original Laser is almost 50 years old!

My point about the Firebug was that the building skills would help launch young people into careers and help retain them in the sport. Apart from the Olympics, sailing barely makes the consciousness of most people today. Building boats, with correct publicity can raise awareness. By the way, we were able to get tax deductability for donations to the project.   

Originally posted by Sam.Spoons Yes, I think you make a very good point Ross. The DIY aspect is certainly what facilitated the dinghy sailing boom in the UK back in the late '50s and '60s. Hands on skills were probably a little more common and the boats that did it were boats like the Ent and GP14 along with a raft of other designs. The most successful probably being the Mirror, allegedly co-designed by a DIY TV presenter Barry Bucknall (along with Jack Holt). The Firebug and the PD racer would both allow novice builders to build a boat and sail it in a matter of a few weekends. The beauty of the PDR is that the plans are free, the materials cheap and the skills required fairly minimal where the Firebug looks to be a fair bit more sophisticated. That the PDR sails at all is an achievement (but you'd probably say the same about the Oppy at first glance).......

Thank you for that, Sam. The building project has already generated articles in two Australian sailing magazines. In addition local councilors, state and federal members have asked to be updated (for what that might be worth.)

I would make the analogy with Squash. A great game and very popular when I came to Australia nearly 40 years ago. In every shopping centre there would be a discrete sign pointing to the Squash Courts. The game lost critical mass and I haven't seen one of those signs for likely 20 years. Have you? Squash uses valuable space, while sailing needs valuable waterfront space. Lose it, even for a season, and you lose it forever. Thus the grassroots of the sport dies...

What we need is a new self assembly boat, easier to do than the Mirror, no stitch and tape, similar to the Dinosaur wooden model kits, national advertising campaign, get schools and sailing clubs involved, 'Mirror group' type thing.