Frac. Sloop (Free standing) · Dbrd. Dinghy · First built 1995
A Jo Richards-designed dinghy with a free-standing rig, built for versatile single or double-handed sailing
Designed by Jo Richards.
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 1.43 m — inside the 2.55 m no-permit tow width across most of Europe, and the 2.59 m US and Canadian limit. About 70 kg of hull, so roughly 650 kg on a trailer: check that against your own towing rating.Ramp-launchableAbout 70 kg of hull, with a keel that raises or a draught shallow enough to float off a trailer — she can go back on the trailer at the ramp, not only into the water.Shoal draughtDraws 0.09 m, board up where she has one — creeks, sandbars and thin anchorages most keels have to stay out of.
CoastalBluewater
At 3.50 she sits above the 2.0 line — beamy for her weight, and happiest coastal.
Capsize screening 3.50
EasygoingPowered-up
30.8 — a lot of sail for her weight; powered-up and eager, a real performer.
Sail area / displacement 30.8
Powered-up and quick to accelerate — this one likes to sail.
The record
Full specifications
The complete reference set — tap any figure to switch between metric and imperial.
Dimensions
Weights
Rig & sail area
Rig
Frac. Sloop (Free standing)
Ratios
SA / displacement
30.8
Capsize screening
3.50
Hull
Hull type
Dbrd. Dinghy
Production
Years built
First built 1995
Units built
10000
Designer
Jo Richards
Builder
Laser Performance, LaserPerformance
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.
Alcort Sunfish4.24 mSame hull family0.7 m longerWith a high sail-area-to-displacement ratio of 47.02, this nimble 4.24-metre dinghy remains a benchmark for simple
Ilca 4 (Laser 4.7)4.23 mSame hull family0.7 m longerA Bruce Kirby-designed dinghy sharing the classic Laser hull, optimized with a smaller sail plan for lighter sailors
Spindrift 134.06 mSame hull family0.6 m longerA Hubert Vandestadt-designed centerboard dinghy with a high sail-area-to-displacement ratio for lively, responsive sailing
McDougall Waszp3.35 mSame hull family0.2 m shorterA one-design foiling dinghy featuring wings and an unstayed rig, built in the thousands for high-performance racing
Butler Boats Streaker3.88 mSame hull family0.4 m longerA 3.88-metre cat-rigged dinghy featuring a high sail-area-to-displacement ratio and a fibreglass option introduced in 1998
Topper International Topper3.40 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthAn Ian Proctor-designed polypropylene dinghy featuring an unstayed cat rig and three versatile sail-area configurations
