Best sailing dinghy

[subdude]

Greetings!
I've been a lurker on CF and learning great gobs of stuff as my wife and I are increasingly serious about living aboard in a couple of years if not sooner.

One of the things I'm researching is how to continue my small boat sailing addiction while living aboard the mothership. I'm an avid (perhaps rabid) Laser sailor who cannot miss a local race, any season. Of course, a Laser just won't travel well on the 40'ish boat we're planning on buying.

So, any advice on a cruiser-friendly sailing dinghy, say in the 10'-12' range? Not looking for a sailing row-boat or tender, but something that can provide enough of a rush at anchorages to compensate for keelboat slo-mo.

Criteria:
pointability
durabiity
stowabilty

For those of you who enjoy sailing their dinghies while cruising, what are some of the limitations? Interested in how you stow the boat, etc. I suspect simplicity is the key.

Looking forward to your responses!

[Cap Erict3]

A buddy of mine built a nesting sailing dink that was envied while he was at Boot Key harbor. He found it less of use in the Caribbean.




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Looking for another pretty place to work on the boat.

[Hudson Force]

Originally Posted by subdude

...............
...................... Not looking for a sailing row-boat or tender, but something that can provide enough of a rush at anchorages to compensate for keelboat slo-mo.

Criteria:
pointability
durabiity
stowabilty

................ I suspect simplicity is the key. ...

A sail board i.e., windsurfer, mistral, etc. seems to fit best for simple, stowability & enough of a rush. You can even use it with some function too. I've cleared customs in the Bahamas on a sailboard with the papers from my boat in a zip-lock bag.

[deckofficer]

Laura Dekker sure enjoys her MiniCat.

Minicatamaran

LauraDekker.nl de Jongste solozeiler ter wereld! - â—¦ News â—¦

https://www.youtube.com/watch?t=47&v=VuQMOVJufW0

[laika]

I'm looking at perhaps a crossover SUP/windsurfer: Inflatable WindSUP Crossover Boards-Isthmus Sailboards

That minicat looks great too, but fear the hellish time i would have assembling it on my foredeck.

[barnakiel]

Check out: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Europe_%28dinghy%29.

20 pounds lighter than a Laser, some feet shorter than a Laser and HEAPS more fun to sail than a Laser.

Think of a miniature Finn dinghy. Very cool and very cheap (it is no longer an Olympic class ...)

Skiffs (like Musto) and IC10 like boats are fabulous but may be to heavy and too long to carry about.

b.

[Steadman Uhlich]

Originally Posted by Hudson Force

A sail board i.e., windsurfer, mistral, etc. seems to fit best for simple, stowability & enough of a rush. You can even use it with some function too. I've cleared customs in the Bahamas on a sailboard with the papers from my boat in a zip-lock bag.

Just what I was thinking too.

Since the OP does not want to restrict the choice to a "tender" "Dinghy" then a sailboard seems to be the best/fastest more fun option (to me).

Another interesting thing might be a inflatable cat (especially if you want to take more than one person on the sailing "dinghy" at a time). Google "Ducky" inflatable catamaran.

For a classic that can carry an adult man and some groceries or jug of water, I would look at an El Toro (8ft long). They are a lot of fun to sail, and tiny.

[caradow]

Check out a RS Aero.
All carbon and hull weighs only 67 lbs.
It is like a Laser on steroids.
Option of 3 different sails so it is a boat for the whole family.
Local dealer here can't keep them in stock so I am waiting for a new shipment.
Guess it depends on exactly what kind of mother ship you are buying and if you have the room but for my purposes it will be ideal.
good luck

[barnakiel]

A windsurfer is sure a fine option. Or else look at BIC dinghies (they are like a very modern Opti; however: this one only for relatively short and light people - it is a junior racing class after all.

b.

[subdude]

Excellent suggestions, people. I was leaning towards a BIC, but a sailboard sounds simple and compact. I've sailed both Europe and RS Aero and agreed: they are wildly fun boats--but take up too much space. I really like the Minicat, too.

I learned to sail on an El Toro 45 years ago, and returning to it may be the most appropriate thing!

Thank you!

[Roy M]

Not what you probably want, but I couldn't resist:

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

[rotorman]

I have built myself a Spindrift 11N

spindrift

Rotorman - Haj?napl?

It's a nesting dinghy, takes half the deck space.

Very stable.

I row, sail and also use the outboard.

Cheers
Geza

[Steadman Uhlich]

Originally Posted by barnakiel

A windsurfer is sure a fine option. Or else look at BIC dinghies (they are like a very modern Opti; however: this one only for relatively short and light people - it is a junior racing class after all.

b.

I think the BIC O'pen looks great. Love the design concept. Looks like a LOT of fun.

But…

I am too big and too heavy for it.

Unfortunately, I don't think they make one larger (for 200# sailors).
_________________

From the Bic website:

O'pen Bic (intended for youth or young and small and light sailors)
O'pen BIC Complete with 4.5m2 One-Design Rig - BIC Sport North America, Inc
"Should weigh less than 65kg. Ideal weight. "

[Steadman Uhlich]

A few photos of some small sailing (racing) dinghies going at it.

__________________

Came across this line, somewhere in my notes from online:

"Examples of classic sailing dinghies are Minto, Mirror Dinghy, Fatty Knees, Trinka, Bauer, Whitehall and Gig Harbor."

[ruby tuesday]

only dinghy worth looking at really is the topper

fits the bill enough pace to guarantee some fun and really small when it comes to putting it away - everything goes in bags and the boat itself could be stood up against guardrails or laid down on the foredeck - she's 11ft long and about 6 inches tall - i'd deffo consider one