John Baker Ltd. Otter

BoatsJohn Baker Ltd. Otter

Is it for you?

Character

Where this design lands on the numbers a shopper trusts — read straight from her own ratios.

TrailerableBeam 1.47 m — inside the 2.55 m no-permit tow width across most of Europe, and the 2.59 m US and Canadian limit. About 75 kg of hull, so roughly 650 kg on a trailer: check that against your own towing rating.Ramp-launchableAbout 75 kg of hull, with a keel that raises or a draft shallow enough to float off a trailer — she can go back on the trailer at the ramp, not only into the water.Shoal draftDraws 1.07 m, board up where she has one — creeks, sandbars and thin anchorages most keels have to stay out of.

CoastalBluewater

At 3.52 she sits above the 2.0 line — beamy for her weight, and happiest coastal.

Capsize screening 3.52

EasygoingPowered-up

39.9 — a lot of sail for her weight; powered-up and eager, a real performer.

Sail area / displacement 39.9

Powered-up and quick to accelerate — this one likes to sail.

Draws more than ~76% of boats her size on file

Compared with 291 boats of the same type within a quarter of her length.

The record

Full specifications

The complete reference set — tap any figure to switch between metric and imperial.

Dimensions

Weights

Rig & sail area

Rig

Gunter

Ratios

SA / displacement

39.9

Capsize screening

3.52

Hull

Hull type

Centerboard Dinghy

Construction

Fiberglass

Production

Years built

1965–1988

Units built

1173

Designer

George O'Brien Kennedy

Builder

John Baker Ltd, Chris Clarance Marine

Boats like this, on the water

Nobody has filmed this one — but these are close.

Comparable boats the fleet has on camera: same type, within a quarter of her length. Open the boat, or watch the video — a timestamp means she only appears in passing.

Several Under License 29er4.40 mSame hull family0.8 m longerA high-performance skiff designed by Julian Bethwaite, featuring a powerful fractional rig for competitive racing

Marie Rønningen, Olympic gold contender7:24 from SEILmagasinet

Spindrift 134.06 mSame hull family0.4 m longerA Hubert Vandestadt-designed centerboard dinghy with a high sail-area-to-displacement ratio for lively, responsive sailing

Our Boat Got Stolen 😡… So We Built a New One (in just ONE Week)from WhiteSpotPirates

Alcort Sunfish4.24 mSame hull family0.6 m longerWith a high sail-area-to-displacement ratio of 47.02, this nimble 4.24-meter dinghy remains a benchmark for simple

Lewis Boat Works TETRIS 30 Apr 230:02 from kentblairl

Ilca 4 (Laser 4.7)4.23 mSame hull family0.6 m longerA Bruce Kirby-designed dinghy sharing the classic Laser hull, optimized with a smaller sail plan for lighter sailors

Theodor Middelthon: An "ILCA Viking" on a steady course for the world summit11:48 from SEILmagasinet

CL Sailboats 144.32 mSame hull family0.7 m longerA 109-kilogram fractional sloop built since 1980, offering a high sail-area-to-displacement ratio for lively handling

Sailing Is Way Scarier Than You Think - Ep 353 - Lady K Sailing6:44 from Lady K Sailing

McDougall Waszp3.35 mSame hull family0.3 m shorterA one-design foiling dinghy featuring wings and an unstayed rig, built in the thousands for high-performance racing

Asker Sailing Club5:14 from SEILmagasinet

The family

Related models

The designs closest to hers — usually the rest of the builder's range, sometimes the same hull sold under another name.

O'Day Corp. 7/11A versatile 2.4-meter dinghy designed by Robert H Sailstar Boats Little BearA nimble 3.5-meter centerboard dinghy with a high sail-area-to-displacement ratio for spirited light-air sailing

Keep looking

Nothing filmed of this one yet

Two ways to keep looking — both search what the fleet has actually recorded.

Search the fleet for boats like thisAsk the fleet about the John Baker Ltd. Otter

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