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Are all dinghies beautiful?

Printed From: Yachts and Yachting Online
Category: Dinghy classes
Forum Name: Dinghy Yarns...
Forum Discription: Tell us your sailing stories
URL: http://www.yachtsandyachting.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=13228
Printed Date: 29 Mar 24 at 7:04am
Software Version: Web Wiz Forums 9.665y - http://www.webwizforums.com


Topic: Are all dinghies beautiful?
Posted By: Sam.Spoons
Subject: Are all dinghies beautiful?
Date Posted: 10 Dec 18 at 3:58pm
Obviously not but we were discussing this while doing safety cover yesterday and reached the conclusion that many are. Boats we particularly liked (purely from an aesthetic POV) :-

Merlin
Flying 15
RS 400/200
Enterprise
Blaze (obviously ;) )
Albacore
Solo

Not an exhaustive list and only picked from boats that were racing at the time.

It's Christmas so let's be charitable but what are your favourite looking dinghies?




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Spice 346 "Flat Broke"
Blaze 671 "supersonic soap dish"



Replies:
Posted By: Gordon 1430
Date Posted: 10 Dec 18 at 4:37pm
I have to say the FD looks just stunning going upwind in any breeze, the 505 also looks very stylish.
I really like the look of the Phantom one of the reasons I own one and have a new one arriving any minute.


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Gordon
Phantom 1430


Posted By: Jamie600
Date Posted: 10 Dec 18 at 4:46pm
D-Zero has always looked particularly elegant to me

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RS600 1001


Posted By: bicrider
Date Posted: 10 Dec 18 at 4:50pm
A Finn. I have a 1969 wooden Finn and if I am getting rigged it always gets attention more so than another boat I have own.

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Dart 18 5054 "Willy Flipit"
Finn K333
Yellow (faded) Pico "Willy Tipit"


Posted By: iGRF
Date Posted: 10 Dec 18 at 5:25pm
Ha sounds like and advert to me..

Shouldda gone to specsavers!

They (your list for the most part) are ugly as sin imv

Reasonable looking dinghies?

Hmm tough call, I quite like my little Farr but only because I gave it a carbon look, it'll be better next year with the real deal.

The MPS isn't a bad looking boat, a bit dated now but it passes muster.

The D Zero looks quite nice as did it's predecessor the Steam Punk.

Some of the International Canoes have a quirky beauty.

The only time a merlin even remotely looked acceptable was when somebody gave it the General Lee look from Dukes of Hazzard, bet that went down like a kid dressed in a nazi costume at the school fancy dress contest in the PC world of some quarters.


Then of course there was the Aura, as beautiful a boat as never to go into production, truly a travesty,

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Posted By: 423zero
Date Posted: 10 Dec 18 at 7:41pm
My "Minisprint" nothing like it.


Posted By: Do Different
Date Posted: 10 Dec 18 at 7:45pm
Beautiful, alright.

Many look good, some look like a dog's breakfast and a Contender looks beautiful.


Posted By: iGRF
Date Posted: 10 Dec 18 at 8:47pm
Contenders a nice looking boat that new black one looks the dogs doodahs..

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https://www.corekite.co.uk/snow-accessories-11-c.asp" rel="nofollow - Snow Equipment Deals      https://www.corekite.co.uk" rel="nofollow - New Core Kite website


Posted By: Rupert
Date Posted: 10 Dec 18 at 8:50pm
The Firefly is good looking, the Mirror a chirpy chappy, the Contender a classic beauty, the GP14 simply plug ugly. Not sure any of the newer boats speak to me asthetically.

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Firefly 2324, Puffin 229, Minisail 3446 Mirror 70686


Posted By: Chris 249
Date Posted: 10 Dec 18 at 8:59pm
The Europeans dominate the rankings, IMHO. Some of the German Renjolle, which are like enormous FDs, look stunning to my eye. The FD is on top when it comes to well known dinghies, with the Contender also in there. The D Zero is way on top when it comes to modern boats IMHO. The Fifteen is a keelboat, but a beautiful one.




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sailcraftblog.wordpress.com

The history and design of the racing dinghy.


Posted By: Guests
Date Posted: 10 Dec 18 at 10:19pm
OK, Hobie, B14, A Class, 505.
RS500 wins the fugly award. Closely folllowed by the Supernova.


Posted By: Sam.Spoons
Date Posted: 10 Dec 18 at 10:36pm
I'd say the fifteen is a 'dinghy-with-a-keel' so can be included, I don't think the GP14 is 'plug ugly' but there are a few which are IMHO but even those have their own peculiar charm.....

WRT to the thread title, A Class certainly are, I agree about the 'nova but the 500 is meh at worst......



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Spice 346 "Flat Broke"
Blaze 671 "supersonic soap dish"


Posted By: NickM99
Date Posted: 10 Dec 18 at 10:38pm
+1 for Contender


Posted By: JimC
Date Posted: 10 Dec 18 at 10:41pm
It so depends on what you are used to.
I thought the Bistro design Cherub in its original form was a very pretty boat, but its probably too stark for most people.



Posted By: Rupert
Date Posted: 11 Dec 18 at 8:32am
Jim, you are right. Looks stunning.

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Firefly 2324, Puffin 229, Minisail 3446 Mirror 70686


Posted By: Gordon 1430
Date Posted: 11 Dec 18 at 9:22am
Sorry Jim spoilt by the porta potty on the foredeck. I know it was needed but we are only talking looks here.

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Gordon
Phantom 1430


Posted By: jeffers
Date Posted: 11 Dec 18 at 9:40am
Depends on what you like... some of the wooden Scorpions are absolute works of art and the lines are pleasing as well.

As for the modern breed.... well the D-Zero obviously and the Punk. Can't beat a Bonezzi Contender either...

Beauty is in the eye of the sailor though. I mean who could love a pink Solo..... 


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Paul
----------------------
D-Zero GBR 74


Posted By: Chris 249
Date Posted: 11 Dec 18 at 9:41am
If we're going to include the A Class then there's one other boat that also has to come into play, IMHO;




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sailcraftblog.wordpress.com

The history and design of the racing dinghy.


Posted By: Sam.Spoons
Date Posted: 11 Dec 18 at 12:32pm
Tornado?



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Spice 346 "Flat Broke"
Blaze 671 "supersonic soap dish"


Posted By: DiscoBall
Date Posted: 11 Dec 18 at 1:12pm
Originally posted by JimC

It so depends on what you are used to.
I thought the Bistro design Cherub in its original form was a very pretty boat, but its probably too stark for most people.



I can remember seeing my first Cherub back around 1994-5 and thinking it was the coolest boat I'd ever seen.

Certainly the classic lines of Contenders/FD etc are good, but there's something compelling about the clean, almost brutal lines of modern 14s or DCs


Posted By: Riv
Date Posted: 11 Dec 18 at 8:24pm
Laser, if you look carefully at the hull lines and understand the design intent behind it. 
Personally I always like a curved sheer line in any boat, except the 420 which I think has a reversed sheer?


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Mistral Div II prototype board, Original Windsurfer, Hornet built'74.


Posted By: sawman
Date Posted: 11 Dec 18 at 9:49pm
theres a particularly attractive looking scorpion on the duck at present (if only I had any cash to spare!). 


Posted By: The Moo
Date Posted: 12 Dec 18 at 9:07am
505. Job's jobbed. Timeless lo


Posted By: Neal_g
Date Posted: 12 Dec 18 at 1:11pm
Originally posted by sawman

theres a particularly attractive looking scorpion on the duck at present (if only I had any cash to spare!). 



Which one they both look very smart

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(Redoubt Sc)
Miracle 4040
GP14 13407

Crewsaver phase 2 range now available to buy online on at http://www.gibsonsails.com


Posted By: ttc546
Date Posted: 12 Dec 18 at 1:43pm
Originally posted by The Moo

505. Job's jobbed. Timeless looks drop dead gorgeous.

Ditto. IMHO, the most beautiful dinghy of all time. 
If I was super-rich, I would have an all-black carbon one, rigged and sitting in a glass case in my lounge - just so I could gaze on its beauty every day.


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Posted By: piglet
Date Posted: 12 Dec 18 at 2:21pm
I own a 300 so can be critical, maybe it's a Marmite thing but it just looks weird.

Contender beats 505 all day long.


Posted By: Sam.Spoons
Date Posted: 12 Dec 18 at 2:27pm
Yeah, I like 505s. OTOH the last of the low rider Moths were a shape only a mother could love, good job the 300 was not a scaled up version of one of them rather than from when Moths did actually look like boats Wink

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Spice 346 "Flat Broke"
Blaze 671 "supersonic soap dish"


Posted By: sawman
Date Posted: 12 Dec 18 at 7:51pm
Originally posted by Neal_g

Originally posted by sawman

theres a particularly attractive looking scorpion on the duck at present (if only I had any cash to spare!). 



Which one they both look very smart


you are right, Neal. but 2018 is stunning - in fairness they are both JJ's so lovely woodwork is mandatory


Posted By: drifter
Date Posted: 13 Dec 18 at 7:45pm
Agreed. Wooden Contender and 505 most beautiful boats. I'd throw A Rater in too. Modern semi-mass market, the new Lightning looks the part; they like bright colours too. I also like the old-school chined boats, Graduate/Scorpion/Hornet, size variations on a theme

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Stewart


Posted By: sargesail
Date Posted: 13 Dec 18 at 7:54pm
I love the looks of my 300. Bought my first off plan at the Boat Show!


Posted By: iGRF
Date Posted: 14 Dec 18 at 10:37am
I always had a hankering for one of these..



Broads One design, always thought, one day when I'm older, not quite ready for it yet, maybe when I'm 80.

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Posted By: Sam.Spoons
Date Posted: 14 Dec 18 at 11:32am
Shocked but it's all sort of.... er..... wooden!!!!!!

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Spice 346 "Flat Broke"
Blaze 671 "supersonic soap dish"


Posted By: 423zero
Date Posted: 14 Dec 18 at 12:23pm
To powerful for him anyway and those cotton sails would break him physically and mentally   


Posted By: iGRF
Date Posted: 14 Dec 18 at 12:45pm
Originally posted by Sam.Spoons

Shocked but it's all sort of.... er..... wooden!!!!!!


Dunno if you've noticed but I'm currently riding a wooden boat, well, wood core at least. Wood is good if designed well, what's not good is when it's used in butt ugly mud pluggers, like Solo's, GP14s, Enterprises, Merlins, Mirrors, Miracles et al.

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Posted By: Sam.Spoons
Date Posted: 14 Dec 18 at 12:56pm
I can see where you are coming from WRT most of those (though I disagree about the Ent) but the Merlin? PN of 980 makes it a good bit faster than the Farr, recent ones are a much more up to date design too (ducks and runs for cover.....) and ugly? Well, that's in the eye of the beholder I guess, I think they are stunning looking boats.

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Spice 346 "Flat Broke"
Blaze 671 "supersonic soap dish"


Posted By: 423zero
Date Posted: 14 Dec 18 at 1:21pm
Only one I agree is GP14 others beautiful


Posted By: Dangerousday
Date Posted: 14 Dec 18 at 3:17pm
No class in particular for me, but to qualify has to be varnished wood.
Not look like its not just made from sheets of plywood - Mirror alike. Cold moulded, clinker, strip all acceptable. Probable eliminates pronounced hard chine boats too. Two sails as a minimum - just looks better balanced than a Una rig.
Must look as quick on land as it does on a reach.
So few already suggested qualify.
I'll cheat a bit and add N12 too, without picking any one in particular.


Posted By: Rupert
Date Posted: 14 Dec 18 at 8:01pm
Generally agree about 2 sails, apart from Finn and Europe.

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Firefly 2324, Puffin 229, Minisail 3446 Mirror 70686


Posted By: 423zero
Date Posted: 14 Dec 18 at 8:04pm
and Minisail


Posted By: Sam.Spoons
Date Posted: 14 Dec 18 at 10:03pm
Well, it appears that with few (and possibly no) exceptions, all sailing dinghies are beautiful in somebody eyes. Thumbs Up Merry Christmas everybody.....

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Spice 346 "Flat Broke"
Blaze 671 "supersonic soap dish"


Posted By: Rupert
Date Posted: 14 Dec 18 at 10:09pm
Originally posted by 423zero

and Minisail


I own them, I even own jumpers with pictures on. I think they are interesting, striking, even. But I struggle with beautiful when it comes to Minisails.

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Firefly 2324, Puffin 229, Minisail 3446 Mirror 70686


Posted By: zeon
Date Posted: 15 Dec 18 at 3:38pm
Originally posted by Rupert

Originally posted by 423zero

and Minisail


I own them, I even own jumpers with pictures on. I think they are interesting, striking, even. But I struggle with beautiful when it comes to Minisails.

Rupert, you do seem to a little history with ‘ interesting ‘ boats re minisails, lightings, comets and British moths lol . None of these can be called beautiful.
Not that I am speaking from any high moral ground as my own boat owning history has been, lightning, supernova and British moth x3 lol. And I own a share in a comet too LOLLOL



Posted By: Rupert
Date Posted: 15 Dec 18 at 8:05pm
Ah, but I've owned a Firefly all through to make up for it!

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Firefly 2324, Puffin 229, Minisail 3446 Mirror 70686


Posted By: zeon
Date Posted: 15 Dec 18 at 11:27pm
Very true 😀


Posted By: Pierre
Date Posted: 16 Dec 18 at 8:56am
wooden ospreys are rather lovely
https://www.yachtsandyachting.com/photo/198278



Posted By: AlanH
Date Posted: 16 Dec 18 at 6:38pm
This Osprey won the Concours D'Elegance at Bosham Classic Festival this year, against stiff competition from many other examples of vintage classes. Pic courtesy Greg Grant.
If you'd like to check out the looks of a modern plastic Osprey too, come and see us on stand A4 at the Dinghy Show, or the Hartley Boats stand C50.


Posted By: Sam.Spoons
Date Posted: 16 Dec 18 at 7:11pm
Lovely, but it seems to be having a bit of an identity crisis Wink

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Spice 346 "Flat Broke"
Blaze 671 "supersonic soap dish"


Posted By: Rupert
Date Posted: 16 Dec 18 at 11:10pm
Just pretending to be ugly!

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Firefly 2324, Puffin 229, Minisail 3446 Mirror 70686


Posted By: Sam.Spoons
Date Posted: 16 Dec 18 at 11:20pm
It's not doing a very good job then Big smile



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Spice 346 "Flat Broke"
Blaze 671 "supersonic soap dish"


Posted By: iGRF
Date Posted: 17 Dec 18 at 6:25pm
Originally posted by Sam.Spoons

It's not doing a very good job then Big smile
Er.... I thought it was making a very good effort.. Cruella de Boat

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Posted By: Bootscooter
Date Posted: 17 Dec 18 at 7:30pm
In no particular order;

Flying Dutchman
Finn
505
Tornado
D-Zero
RS300
Europe
Magnum-era Moths
SSD Rocket Moth
B14
Cornish Shrimper


Should have been drowned at birth (for crimes against aesthetics;
Skipper (all of them)
RS Aero
Hobie 16
Superfoilers
Super-narrow Moths (lowriders)
British Moth



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Posted By: Cirrus
Date Posted: 17 Dec 18 at 7:44pm
I love my Shrimper (the 'other' boat) dearly and think they are an all time design classic ...    But I do struggle to see it as a 'dinghy' really at 1,065kg and with that more 'relaxed' approach to speed !  Wink


Posted By: ttc546
Date Posted: 17 Dec 18 at 8:09pm
Originally posted by Cirrus

I love my Shrimper (the 'other' boat) dearly and think they are an all time design classic ...   !   

Have been looking at buying a Shrimper myself for next year when we move to Mersea Island. Agree they are an all time classic and perfect for the Blackwater area.
My Aero for racing/blasting, Shrimper for relaxing fun with the other half.


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Posted By: Sam.Spoons
Date Posted: 17 Dec 18 at 9:24pm
The Shrimper is a lovely looking boat, definitely not a dinghy, but I do fancy one when I'm too old for the Spice (it'll be that or a Sadler 25, another gorgeous non-dinghy).

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Spice 346 "Flat Broke"
Blaze 671 "supersonic soap dish"


Posted By: Bootscooter
Date Posted: 18 Dec 18 at 11:27pm
Centreboard - tick. Why not a big Dinghy?😜

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Posted By: Sam.Spoons
Date Posted: 19 Dec 18 at 9:10am
'Cos it has a lid on it Wink

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Spice 346 "Flat Broke"
Blaze 671 "supersonic soap dish"


Posted By: Cirrus
Date Posted: 19 Dec 18 at 10:07am
... So a 'Sportsboat' then I suppose....  No not really  LOL


Posted By: Sam.Spoons
Date Posted: 19 Dec 18 at 10:37am
ClapClapClap

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Spice 346 "Flat Broke"
Blaze 671 "supersonic soap dish"


Posted By: getafix
Date Posted: 21 Dec 18 at 10:35am
Dragon for me, absolutely the most beautiful keelboat IMO.  Etchells look good under sail, as do Solings, Swallows and Redwings.  I suppose the Shrimper has some oldy-worldy charm.

Beautiful dinghies is a tougher job to narrow down to just one.  If pushed I'd have to say NSM/Summer Wine/NSM2 era Merlin Rockets were gorgeous, as were Nat12's around the same time.  Scorpion hasn't had a mention yet and should have done! Old-school cold-moulded Firefly's and the redoubtable Osprey's both have lots of charm. Hard to look past a Bonnezi Contender with single-handers for me.  D-Zero is pretty, so are British Moths, in an odd-but-charming sort of way (bit like Thales A-Raters and Norfolk Punts)



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