About Dinghy Sailing

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What is a sailing dinghy and what will it do?
A sailing dinghy is a small open boat, as opposed to a keelboat or a yacht. Most modern dinghies are between 3.5 and 5 metres (11 to 16 ft) in length, and are usually sailed by one to three people. The usual arrangement is of one mast, normally aluminium tubing, supporting two sails. Nowadays, most boats are built of glass fibre reinforced plastic although wooden ones are still quite common in the longer established classes and other materials are occasionally used. Whatever they are made of, dinghies are built with sufficient buoyancy so that even if severe damage occurs, they should still float.

A dinghy should be able to sail in almost any direction, in a wide range of wind strengths. Due to the design it is easier for the boat to move forwards than sideways, a dinghy can surprisingly sail into the wind, albeit in a series of zig zags.

Because of their small size and light weight, dinghies are relatively cheap, to both to buy and maintain, and also to store and insure. While larger boats might require the use of a crane to put in the water. dinghies can usually be launched and recovered manually by the crew.                                                                                      

Types of boat at Perth Sailing Club
Boats designed for two people usually have two sails, one of which is tended by the crew while the helmsman, or woman looks after the other. Both must work as a team if the boat is to sail efficiently.  Examples of these which we have at Perth we have Mirror, Enterprise, Firefly and Albacore dinghies.

Single-handed boats, which are designed for one person sailing alone, normally have only one sail. At Perth we have Lasers, Solos and Feva dinghies.

Most of the classes of boats sailed at Perth have their origins in the dinghy boom of the 1950s and 60s and there are many other such classes.  Dinghy sailing is undergoing another period of growth, and many new classes have been introduced over the last few years leading to a bewildering choice for the would be buyer.  Ask advice before buying a boat, people will be pleased to help.