A Bruce Kirby-designed dinghy featuring an unstayed cat rig and a lightweight hull that mirrors the International Laser
LOA
Beam
Draft (max)
Displacement
Hull type
Dbrd. Dinghy
Is it for you?
Character
Where this design lands on the numbers a shopper trusts — read straight from her own ratios.
TrailerableBeam 1.45 m — inside the 2.55 m no-permit tow width across most of Europe, and the 2.59 m US and Canadian limit. About 68 kg of hull, so roughly 650 kg on a trailer: check that against your own towing rating.Ramp-launchableAbout 68 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 0.13 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 beamy beam gives 2 — a quick, lively motion that feels every wave.
Comfort ratio 2
CoastalBluewater
At 3.58 she sits above the 2.0 line — beamy for her weight, and happiest coastal.
Capsize screening 3.58
LightHeavy
34 — light for her waterline, so she is easily driven and quick to accelerate.
Displacement / length 34
EasygoingPowered-up
49.3 — a lot of sail for her weight; powered-up and eager, a real performer.
Sail area / displacement 49.3
Light and lively — happiest day-sailing and coastal-hopping in settled weather.
The record
Full specifications
The complete reference set — tap any figure to switch between metric and imperial.
Dimensions
Weights
Rig & sail area
Rig
Cat (unstayed)
Ratios
SA / displacement
49.3
Displacement / length
34.3
Comfort ratio
2.3
Capsize screening
3.58
Hull speed
4.7 kn
Pounds / inch immersion
212
Hull
Hull type
Dbrd. Dinghy
Construction
Fiberglass
Production
Years built
First built 1980
Builder
Starwind, Wellcraft
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 family0.3 m longerA high-performance skiff designed by Julian Bethwaite, featuring a powerful fractional rig for competitive racing
Spindrift 134.06 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthA Hubert Vandestadt-designed centerboard dinghy with a high sail-area-to-displacement ratio for lively, responsive sailing
Ilca 7 (Laser-International)4.23 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthA Bruce Kirby-designed Olympic class dinghy featuring a simple unstayed cat rig and a lightweight, high-performance hull
McDougall Waszp3.35 mSame hull family0.8 m shorterA one-design foiling dinghy featuring wings and an unstayed rig, built in the thousands for high-performance racing
Topper International Topper3.40 mSame hull family0.7 m shorterAn Ian Proctor-designed polypropylene dinghy featuring an unstayed cat rig and three versatile sail-area configurations
Alcort Sunfish4.24 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthWith a high sail-area-to-displacement ratio of 47.02, this nimble 4.24-meter dinghy remains a benchmark for simple
