Is the Mirror Dinghy the ultimate family class? Consider this....

by Grant Atherton on 14 Jan 2009 If there was ever any doubt as to the best dinghy class for families, a review of the results from the Sydney Ports 43rd Mirror Nationals provides some hard evidence. Of the 32 boat fleet, 19 boats comprised skipper and crew from the same family, with father & son, mother and son, father and daughter, and sister and sister crews being represented.

In terms of results, don’t assume the family crews are at the back of the fleet:
Lachlan Gilbert and son Finn finished first in Stanley Crocodile and are the Australian Champions.
Greg Field and son Ben finished in 3rd place in Jukebox and took home the Frank Buxton Trophy for best family (as Class Nationals rules allows only one trophy per boat).

Anita Scott-Murphy and her son Ben Cruse in Stealth finished fifth overall and took home the Women’s Trophy. Jeejee Unwalla and his daughter Jessica in Spooky took out the Cruiserweight Trophy for first crew over 130 kg.

The real story behind the family nature of the championships only comes out when you take a closer look, with families represented in multiple boats. For example Lachlan Gilbert’s other son Paddy won the Sub-Junior Trophy sailing with Daniel Barnett whose father Phil sailed with his daughter Ella. Paul and Austin Taylor were sixth overall while Paul’s other son Lawson helmed another boat in the Sub-juniors.

Brothers Daniel and David McAully crewed in different boats (while Dad Malcolm volunteered onto the Committee boat to keep an eye on them). Robbie Hunt helming with his father Quentin crewing had a good series competing with Quentin’s other son Alex. The Foster family were present on three boats, with Stephen and Tara both helming while Daniel crewed. I could go on….

Taking the various combinations into account lifts the family connection to 26 boats from the 32 boat fleet, combine this with the fact that the Mirror is still by far the world’s most popular two person dinghy with well over 70,000 having been built around the world and you would be struggling to find a reason not to size your family up for a Mirror – but wait there’s more (no - sorry no steak knives), with the Mirror being an ISAF International Class there are World Championships held every 18 months.

The 2009 World Championships are being held in Wales, with the following Worlds to be held at the Princess Royal Sailing Club at Albany WA in 2010-11 – plenty of time to get on board and up to speed!