Dinghies at the London Boat Show

by Sail-World/Gerald New on 18 Jan 2006 The London Boat Show is big yachts and powerboats, lots of clothing and equipment suppliers and the major dinghy manufacturers. Now these manufactuers produce only a small number of the multitude of dinghy classes sailed and raced in the UK, but the majority of the dinghies sold.

The quantity producers such as Laser, Topper and RS each produce a range of dinghies that have expanded over the years to cover the various dinghy types that were once produced as designs to be built by many individual builders.

The older ones, the original Laser and Topper for example, have sold in massive numbers and still top the dinghy championship numbers charts. The relativly newer designs, RS400, RS200, 29er etc., have also moved into the mainstream, not having the total sales of golden oldies such as the Enterprise, GP14, Wayfarer or even the more specialist classes such as the Merlin Rocket. But with the changed expectations of younger sailors these packaged, one manufacturer classes lead the sales.

To maintain those year on year sales the majors seek to fill another niche or even create a niche. RS have produced a number of sub-racing dinghies, aiming both at the holiday/pleasure sailor, as well as the pure racing area that their original designs the RS200, 400, 600, 700 were so successful in.

There latest is the RS500. Managing director Martin Wadham explained that the success of the Feva had put them in close touch with the youth sailing market and they wanted to capitalise on that enthusiasm when the time came for them to move on. A new boat that provided a genuine alternative to the established 420/470 route is their answer. The 4.34m boat allows the move up to a new design with a single trapeze and an asymmetric spinnaker. Slightly smaller than the RS400 and narrower, but still built in GRP and with the power of the trapeze and the asymmetric to add the fun factor.

The RS500 looked so much better than the demo boat seen at HISC earlier in the year it could have been a different boat completely! Still with the familiar Feva centre spine but without a cross thwart and the mainsheet on a strop, there is plenty of room, added to by the use of a gnav style kicker. Price at the show was £4995.

See more information here: http://www.sail-world.com/indexs.cfm?nid=20215

Likewise with Laser, they have the Laser Vago - an asymmetric, single trapeze skiff style dinghy. At 4.20m the Vago is shorter than the 29er and the new RS500, which will be vying for a share of the same market. The hull is a Polyethylene tri-skin foam sandwich and the moulding looks and feels tough. In the typical modern, open deck style, the wide side deck provides a comfortable sitting out area as well as a stable platform for the crew to trapeze off.

Sufficient flare should provide a reasonably dry ride and good righting moment even if just hiked. Controls are kept simple and a centreboard makes sailing in restricted waters less damaging. Laser claim a PY of 1000 which puts it neatly between the 420 at 1087 and the 29er at 924. Already on sale for the past six months, Laser say they have sold over 300. Price? Well the standard is £4115 and the XD full-on version £4630 or under £5000 with a combi.

See more information here: http://www.sail-world.com/indexs.cfm?nid=21014

Also Topper who have a massive range of boats for every size of dinghy and type of sailor. Topper have the Xenon - an RS400 type hiking asymmetric dinghy (which replaced that class in the Champion of Champions event). This boat has been on the market for a while now and is a similar size to the very successful RS racing dinghy. Where it differs is in the methiod of production. The RS400 is GRP, as is their new 500, but the Topaz Xenon is a thermoplastic rotomoulding as are all the Topaz range. This gives the Xenon a big price advantage over its likely rival but produces a heavier hull.

The Xenon has other similarities with the RS, a hoop main and a centreboard. Plenty of room and again the now popular gnav kicker system, and inboard tanks providing plenty of sitting area in light winds, also some stowage boxes. Helping to provide control launching and recovery or single handed sailing is a jib furler. Looking good and at the right price - £5275 - the Xenon is competitive in a very competitive market.

From the old guard, without major production runs, they only made the London Show as examples of trial horses for equipment - Ronstan had a smart new version of the Osprey fitted out with their gear and Holt an International 14. The Solo class made a guest appearance over on the Purple Marine stand to plug their 50th Anniversary year. But to see the full range of Dinghies produced and sailed in the UK you will need to visit the specialist Dinghy Show at the Alexandra Palace on 4 and 5 March.