practicalboatownervideo
Behind the scenes at the Wayfarer factory – a tour of Hartley Boats
July 27, 2026 · 10 min · 374 views
What this video covers
Hartley Boats manufactures the Wayfarer, Zenith, Streaker, and Wanderer dinghies at a two-floor facility using foam sandwich construction throughout. The process begins with a gel coat, followed by a first fiberglass layer, a vacuum-bagged foam core, and a final outer layer.7:30 Flat foam sheet with perforated holes handles simple curves; scrim foam with relief cuts handles tighter compound shapes.9:15 Pre-cut reinforcement pads are vacuum-bagged in simultaneously to create solid fixing points for fittings.9:45 Downstairs runs predominantly polyester resin production; upstairs is epoxy.6:21 All boats are post-cured in an on-site oven before release from the mould, then move to a dust-extracted finishing room where centreboards, bailers, and drain tubes are cut out.4:31 Fitting and rigging happens in a dedicated workshop using class-specific drilling jigs that prevent wrong placement or oversized holes.2:17 Race boats are weighed on scales and corrected to class minimum weight with up to 6.8 kg of lead ballast.3:36 Every completed boat — including secondhand units — passes through a handover room where staff cover reefing, spinnaker use, outboard brackets, or race tuning depending on the buyer.0:22 The Zenith, designed by Phil Morrison, is a single-handed racing dinghy with 11 m² of sail, a carbon mast, and a target crew weight of 70–120 kg.5:33
Boats in this video
More from practicalboatowner
From practicalboatowner — see the channel’s boat, crew, and every analyzed video.
The Sailing Directory Newsletter
One email with the fleet's best finds — the moments, boats, and stories worth your watch time. Enter your own address to get your own copy.