Choosing a new dinghy

   The firefly was USED as the Olympic singlehander, not designed for it. 

But it is pretty easy to sail singlehanded. I prefer aft main to do so (easier to hold main and tiller in one hand) and jib cleats are important, but once you learn the tacking technique, it is a doddle, especially on a river.

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Rupert Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Really should get out more Joined: 11 Aug 04 Location: Whitefriars sc Online Status: Offline Posts: 8956	Post Options Post Reply Quote Rupert Report Post Quote Reply Topic: Choosing a new dinghy Posted: 29 Mar 14 at 10:23am
	The firefly was USED as the Olympic singlehander, not designed for it. But it is pretty easy to sail singlehanded. I prefer aft main to do so (easier to hold main and tiller in one hand) and jib cleats are important, but once you learn the tacking technique, it is a doddle, especially on a river.
	Firefly 2324, Puffin 229, Minisail 3446 Mirror 70686

Time Lord Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Far too distracted from work Joined: 03 Dec 13 Location: Warwickshire Online Status: Offline Posts: 301	Post Options Post Reply Quote Time Lord Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 29 Mar 14 at 8:35am
	Generally two sailed boats sailed without the jib are dogs unless you can move the made forward (as on the Mirror). Suggest that you learn to sail the boat singlehanded but with both sails. Remember that the Firefly was designed as the Olympic singlehander and is easily sailed by just one.
	Merlin Rocket 3609

O_Long Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Newbie Joined: 22 Mar 14 Location: United Kingdom Online Status: Offline Posts: 8	Post Options Post Reply Quote O_Long Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 29 Mar 14 at 12:16am
	Okay, seems the situation has changed.. My crew is only going to be there half the time, so it might be an idea to look at single handers instead. I think I may still go for the Grad and sail it without a jib when the crew's not there.

sawman Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Far too distracted from work Joined: 04 May 11 Online Status: Offline Posts: 205	Post Options Post Reply Quote sawman Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 24 Mar 14 at 10:53pm
	You will be absolutely fine with a miracle on a river. I used to sail on the norfolk broads, which has many treelined sections, mirrors and Gulls went well enough, I dont recall any miracles sailing there at the time, but if mirrors and gulls went ok, then I cant see a problem with a miracle. Not only that the miracle is a nice little boat, and should provide a good grounding in dinghy sailing skills. I bought one accidentally a few years ago (it was cheap and local on ebay) to teach my kids to sail, and have just upgraded it to a brand new one. Edited by sawman - 24 Mar 14 at 10:57pm

Stu B Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Visit Member's Homepage Newbie Joined: 06 May 08 Location: Rochester, England Online Status: Offline Posts: 1	Post Options Post Reply Quote Stu B Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 24 Mar 14 at 4:05pm
	I'd go along with most of the suggestions above, but just to throw another option in, how about a Tasar? I don't know the river you sail on, but you mentioned that you would like to be at the front of the fleet, a Tasar is quite quick without the hassle of a spinnaker. I think they also cope with tides ok, the only problem i can think of is that they have a daggerboard, a centreboard may be better on the river. Edited by Stu B - 24 Mar 14 at 5:14pm

Alexv Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Newbie Joined: 22 Mar 14 Online Status: Offline Posts: 8	Post Options Post Reply Quote Alexv Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 24 Mar 14 at 11:42am
	Graduate and Miracles are both nice boats. I've seen a few Miracles doing pretty well on a river.

Rupert Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Really should get out more Joined: 11 Aug 04 Location: Whitefriars sc Online Status: Offline Posts: 8956	Post Options Post Reply Quote Rupert Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 24 Mar 14 at 9:02am
	Far too small for an X0... I grew up in Fireflies, so I'm biased, but as far as I'm concerned, for confined water the boat is perfect. Plenty of rocker for quick turns, round bottomed for great roll tacks, rig easy to read for all the wind shifts. If you don't want an old wood boat, there are loads of Rondar boat around now. Just watch out if buying an ex-uni boat that is hasn't been trashed. In fact, assume it has unless you can prove otherwise. New designs are all very well, but most are designed for a different purpose than you are looking for.
	Firefly 2324, Puffin 229, Minisail 3446 Mirror 70686

iGRF Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Visit Member's Homepage Really should get out more Joined: 07 Mar 11 Location: Hythe Online Status: Offline Posts: 6499	Post Options Post Reply Quote iGRF Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 24 Mar 14 at 8:42am
	My first reaction is to suggest you ring child line and tell them you've been abused on the internet by 'old boat groomers' and then tell your parents unless they buy you a nice X0 river boat you're likely to become drug addicts or take to robbing post offices or pensioners of their savings until you can afford one. Then again there are a couple of young(ish) chaps that absolutely kill it in a Miracle on our lake, including leading the entire fleet for the first triangle this week just gone, this in the face of my sailing genius which takes some doing these days. Then I believe it's one of those all carbon Miracles they make cunningly disguised as varnished wood, very clever. He posts in here occasionally goes by the name of NealG, is a sailmaker and will probably give you as good advice about Miracles and how fast you can make them go as most and of course they have the most ludicrously favourable handicap known to bandit world, so you can't actually lose in one ever . Personally though I'd follow the childline plan and blackmail the parentals into an X0, sailing old boats makes you sterile and unattractive to the opposite sex, it's written. Edited by iGRF - 24 Mar 14 at 8:46am
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craiggo Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Really should get out more Joined: 01 Apr 04 Location: United Kingdom Online Status: Offline Posts: 1810	Post Options Post Reply Quote craiggo Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 23 Mar 14 at 9:12pm
	Miracles are good little boats and I am sure they would sail ok on small confined rivers but they will suffer a bit given the rig is quite short. If you look at Grads, then a wooden Alpha Grad sail no. 2900+ would be good. The early plastic grads are ok but tend to get heavy and soft. Later GRP boats (Sprinters) are not bad, and the latest Roosters are very nice but probably out of your price range. Dont be put off by the maintenance on a wooden boat. A well made one should require 1 or 2 coats of varnish a year and it only takes 20mins to brush on a coat.

O_Long Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Newbie Joined: 22 Mar 14 Location: United Kingdom Online Status: Offline Posts: 8	Post Options Post Reply Quote O_Long Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 23 Mar 14 at 6:57pm
	Thanks for the feedback guys, much appreciated. Keep it coming! What should I be looking for in a Grad? Any notable differences between the wooden and fibreglass boats besides more work on a wooden one? There's also a cheap Miracle nearby, how well do they sail on rivers?