BoatsLa Prairie (France) Zef

La Prairie (France) Zef

Fractional Sloop · Centerboard Dinghy · First built 1960

A lightweight 1960s centerboard dinghy designed by Joubert-Nivelt for nimble, fractional-rigged coastal sailing

Designed by Michel Nivelt, Lucien Gourmez & Joubert-Nivelt.

LOA
Beam
Draft (max)
Displacement
Hull type
Centerboard Dinghy

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 91 kg of hull, so roughly 700 kg on a trailer: check that against your own towing rating.Ramp-launchableAbout 91 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 0.10 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 3 — a quick, lively motion that feels every wave.

Comfort ratio 3
CoastalBluewater

At 3.42 she sits above the 2.0 line — beamy for her weight, and happiest coastal.

Capsize screening 3.42
LightHeavy

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

Displacement / length 94
EasygoingPowered-up

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

Sail area / displacement 45.0

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

  • Draws less than ~90% of boats her size on file

Compared with 300 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
Fractional Sloop
Ratios
SA / displacement
45.0
Displacement / length
93.7
Comfort ratio
3.5
Capsize screening
3.42
Hull speed
4.2 kn
Pounds / inch immersion
176
Hull
Hull type
Centerboard Dinghy
Construction
Fiberglass
Production
Years built
First built 1960
Units built
15000
Designer
Michel Nivelt, Lucien Gourmez, Joubert-Nivelt
Builder
La Prairie (FRANCE)

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 family0.7 m longerA high-performance skiff designed by Julian Bethwaite, featuring a powerful fractional rig for competitive racing
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
Fairey Marine Firefly3.66 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthThe 1948 Olympic single-handed class, this Uffa Fox design was the first sailboat ever produced by Fairey Marine
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
Topper International Topper3.40 mSame hull family0.3 m shorterAn Ian Proctor-designed polypropylene dinghy featuring an unstayed cat rig and three versatile sail-area configurations
Finn (Monotype)4.50 mSame hull family0.8 m longerA Richard Sarby-designed Olympic single-handed dinghy featuring an unstayed cat rig and a long history of competition

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.

Keep looking

Nothing filmed of this one yet

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