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 SEILmagasinet
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.
LivelyComfort 5Sea-kindly
CoastalCapsize 2.76Bluewater
LightD/L 83Heavy
EasygoingSA/D 39.1Powered-up
Light and lively — happiest day-sailing and coastal-hopping in settled weather.
The living fleet
Sailed by the fleet
Where the fleet has filmed this boat.
Seen 2 times across 2 channels of the fleet.
On the water
The Aubin (Chantier Aubin) Snipe on video
Also on YouTube
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.
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
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
CL Sailboats 144.32 mSame hull family0.4 m shorterA 109-kilogram fractional sloop built since 1980, offering a high sail-area-to-displacement ratio for lively handling
Butler Boats Streaker3.88 mSame hull family0.8 m shorterA 3.88-metre cat-rigged dinghy featuring a high sail-area-to-displacement ratio and a fiberglass option introduced in 1998
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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