BoatsAubin (Chantier Aubin) Snipe

Aubin (Chantier Aubin) Snipe

Fractional Sloop · Daggerboard · First built 1931

A legendary William F. Crosby-designed fractional dinghy that remains one of the world's most active racing classes

Designed by William F. Crosby.

LOA
Beam
Draft (max)
Displacement
Hull type
Daggerboard

See her sail

The Aubin (Chantier Aubin) Snipe, on the water

The fleet's own footage — the truest look at how she really moves.

Footage from Hashtag Sal

Is it for you?

Character

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

TrailerableBeam 1.52 m — inside the 2.55 m no-permit tow width across most of Europe, and the 2.59 m US and Canadian limit. About 172 kg of hull, so roughly 750 kg on a trailer: check that against your own towing rating.Ramp-launchableAbout 172 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 0.15 m, board up where she has one — creeks, sandbars and thin anchorages most keels have to stay out of.
LivelySea-kindly

Her light displacement on a moderate beam gives 5 — a quick, lively motion that feels every wave.

Comfort ratio 5
CoastalBluewater

At 2.76 she sits above the 2.0 line — beamy for her weight, and happiest coastal.

Capsize screening 2.76
LightHeavy

83 — light for her waterline, so she is easily driven and quick to accelerate.

Displacement / length 83
EasygoingPowered-up

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

Sail area / displacement 39.1

Light and lively — happiest day-sailing and coastal-hopping in settled weather.

What the fleet has seen

The Aubin (Chantier Aubin) Snipe, as the fleet has seen it

Derived from the videos the fleet has analysed of this model. ▶ marks open the moment aboard.

The Aubin (Chantier Aubin) Snipe is a 4.7-meter fractional sloop dinghy designed by William F. Crosby, first built in 1931 and still in production. It features a daggerboard hull, displaces 172 kg, and has a beam of 1.5 meters. The Snipe originated in the US and became one of the most popular sailing dinghies globally, once holding the title of the largest sailboat racing class. The Tønsberg Seilforening in Norway hosts the Women's Snipe Europeans, utilizing overhead cranes in their workshop for measurement checks.4:55 In Brazil, the Aratu Iate Clube uses Snipes in its youth sailing training programs, alongside Optimist and Laser classes.9:04 A sailor in Tapes, Brazil, began his sailing journey on a Snipe before acquiring larger vessels.0:03

The living fleet

Sailed by the fleet

Where the fleet has filmed this boat.

Seen 6 times across 2 channels of the fleet.

Basemap © Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0

On the water

The Aubin (Chantier Aubin) Snipe on video

The record

Full specifications

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

Dimensions
Weights
Rig & sail area
Rig
Fractional Sloop
Ratios
SA / displacement
39.1
Displacement / length
83.4
Comfort ratio
5.1
Capsize screening
2.76
Hull speed
4.8 kn
Pounds / inch immersion
226
Hull
Hull type
Daggerboard
Construction
Wood
Production
Years built
First built 1931
Units built
31000
Designer
William F. Crosby
Builder
Aubin (Chantier Aubin)

Boats like this, on the water

More boats like her, on the water

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.

Melges 195.79 mSame hull family1.1 m longerA Reichel-Pugh designed fractional dinghy with an exceptionally high sail-area-to-displacement ratio for rapid planing
Why sailing is dying: The industry's hidden crisis12:39from All About Sailing
LaserPerformance 49er4.88 mSame hull family0.2 m longerAn Olympic-class high-performance skiff featuring a massive sail-area-to-displacement ratio for elite racing
Anders Kristensen - building on last year's successes15:51from SEILmagasinet
MacKay Boats Ltd. 49erfx4.88 mSame hull family0.2 m longerA high-performance skiff utilizing the 49er hull with a downsized rig specifically optimized for lighter crews
Pia Dahl Andersen and Nora Edland showed strength in the first World Cup of the year.2:03from SEILmagasinet
RS Venture4.98 mSame hull family0.3 m longerA 4.98-meter fractional sloop with a high sail-area-to-displacement ratio, designed for agile, modern dinghy sailing
Elliot Finnestrand - World Champion in sailing after motocross accident0:07from SEILmagasinet
Hunter Marine 1404.27 mSame hull family0.5 m shorterA lightweight fractional sloop designed for responsive dinghy sailing with a high sail-area-to-displacement ratio
Sailing Dighies NOT to Buy - How to Learn Sailing Ep 318 - Lady K Sailing6:19from Lady K Sailing
Small Craft Ltd. Wayfarer4.82 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthAn Ian Proctor-designed centerboard dinghy with a high sail-to-displacement ratio, built since 1957 in wood and fiberglass
The Easiest Sailboat You’ll Ever Own – The Wayfarer0:47from Practical Sailor

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.

Aubin (Chantier Aubin) VaurienA nimble one-design centerboard dinghy by Jean-Jacques Herbulot, still actively raced with a modernized sail planChantier Aubin MuscadetA Philippe H. Harle-designed keel-centerboard sloop from 1963, built for versatile coastal cruising and shoal waterScorpion DinghyA hard-chined fractional sloop designed by Taprell Dorling for plywood construction and popular as a home-built kit

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