Sailing dinghies come in all shapes and sizes, with the first-ever Water Wag designed by Thomas Middleton in 1887. Though dinghy meaning has become somewhat generalised over time, often confounded with the small inflatable rafts used for white water rafting and kayaking, sailing dinghies are still commonly used today.
To help clear any confusion, we've created a guide to explain the various types of sailing dinghies floating around so you can show off your boating knowledge to your friends or perhaps decide which type of sailing dinghy is best for you!
Sailing dinghy boats
High-performance dinghies
It's easy to see where high-performance dinghies get their name from - they're fast, robust rafts that can glide effortlessly through the water, especially upwind. That's because high-performance sailing dinghies often come equipped with a crucial bit of apparatus - the symmetrical spinnaker, a large three-cornered sail explicitly designed for sailing against the wind. This factor makes high-performance dinghies ideal for cruising around an Olympic triangle in National and World sailing competitions and regattas.
Another integral part of a high-performance dinghy includes a trapeze, a wire attached to the sailboat's mast. The trapeze is used to support the helmsman or member of the crew whilst they suspend over the side of the boat to gain more leverage to offset the force of the wind against the sails. It’s important to note that not all high-performance dinghies are two-handed boats; some high-performance single-handed boats such as the International Contender and RS600 are equipped with a trapeze but not a spinnaker.
Some of the most famous high-performance dinghies include the International Flying Dutchman, the International 505, the Fireball, 29'er and 49'er.
Racing dinghies
As you might expect, a racing dinghy is designed with competitive racing in mind. Racing dinghies are shaped for speed and agility, with a flat bottom that makes it easy to plane across the waters.
Most racing dinghies fall into one of two categories: single-handed (one person only) such as Lasers, RS Vareos or double-handed, such as the 470, 505, Heron, Tasar, RS200, RS400, International Fireball, or International Fourteen. Double-handed boats can even carry more than two crew members while racing, though this is usually the case with heavier day boats. The skipper is responsible for the mainsail for these vessels, while other crew members handle the jib and spinnaker.
Cruising dinghies
As the name implies, cruising dinghies are designed for a relaxed sailing experience across the coast. They are popular amongst sailing newbies due to their slower-paced nature and inexpensive price tag. A cruising dinghy is distinctive in that it’s small in size and much easier to handle than other types of sailboats from this list. For starters, its sails are smaller, which gives it a much steadier and smoother cruising experience. These dinghies also have a less rounded hull and more significant displacement, which provides the boat with more stability and buoyancy.
A cruising dinghy is ideal for family sailing trips and leisure excursions, as you’ll find that many of these dinghy types are designed for camping aboard and longer passage-making. Inland and on the coast, the Wayfarer is one of the most popular dinghies for cruising. It can also be used as a training boat, or it can be raced with a spinnaker.
Cruiser-racer dinghies
A cruiser-racer is a dual-purpose boat that you can race competitively and use for cruising, making it an excellent vessel for beginners with a taste for adventure. Aside from its superb racing performance, it also has excellent stability and is a capable cruising dinghy. Cruiser-racers typically tend to be fitted with quality deck gear that gives more control over sail shape, allowing sailors to adjust speed according to the wind.
When on the water, the Wayfarer Cruiser is a superior boat for cruising, partly due to its size. On the other hand, a GP14 is the ideal boat for racing and enjoys the fleet enjoys a competitive international, national, and regional racing circuit.
Classic dinghies
Everybody loves a classic, and dinghies are no exception. Although most of the other dinghies on this list focus on design for sailing performance, classic dinghies emphasise beauty and craftsmanship. Traditionally, classic dinghies are wood and typically used as yacht tenders or shore boats.
In contrast, modern classic boats are typically made of fibreglass. In addition to making maintenance more effortless, fibreglass hulls are considered sturdier and less likely to rust, unlike wood. Examples of classic sailing dinghies are Mirror, Firefly and older Merlin Rockets.
Multi-hulls
Unlike typical dinghies, multihulls are fast twin or three-hulled boats requiring slightly different sailing techniques than dinghies with single hulls. With its high aspect ratio rig, thin hulls, and battened sails, multi-hulled dinghies produce less drag and give it a tremendous speed advantage over traditional dinghies. As a result, dinghy-sized multihulls are sometimes called Beach Catamarans or Beach Trimarans. Some examples of these are Hobie Cats, Dart15, Dart 18, Hurricanes and Tornados.
Our favourite types of sailing dinghy boats
Now you're more clued up on the types of sailing dinghy boats available, let's look at some of our favourite models on the market in more detail. Check them out below.
Hartley Boats Wayfarer Cruiser
Key features
- Highly versatile
- GRP construction for durability
Perfect for: Family sailing
Crew capacity: 6 people
Length: 4.88m
Beam: 1.85m
Weight: 182.3kg (hull)
Spinnaker area: 13.5m²
Main sail area: 8.83m²
Laser SB20
Key features
- Stainless steel bar on the gunwale to prevent crew hiking upwind
- Good stability
Perfect for: Sports sailing
Crew capacity: 4 people
Length: 6.15m
Beam: 2.15m
Weight: 685kg (hull weight, including 327kg keel)
Spinnaker area: 46m²
Main sail area: 18m²
Topper
Key features
- Lightweight for extra speed
- Low maintenance
Perfect for: Youth sailing and racing
Crew capacity: 1-2 people
Length: 3.4m
Beam: 1.2m
Weight: 43kg
Main sail area: 5.3m²
Laser Vago
Key features
- Excellent performance in high winds
- High boom for ample head room
Perfect for: Racing
Crew capacity: 1-3 people
Length: 4.25m
Beam: 1.56m
Weight: 106kg
Spinnaker area: 10.85m²
Main sail area: 7.56m²
RS Tera Sport
Key features
- Two sail sizes for different ages
- Ensures safe and easy sailing for beginners
Perfect for: Beginners
Crew capacity: 1 person
Length: 2.87m
Beam: 1.22m
Weight: 38.56kg
Main sail area: Sport rig – 3.5m² / Mini sail – 2.6m²
GP14
Key features
- Perfect for competitive fleet racing
- Can also be cruised or rowed
Perfect for: Racing and cruising
Crew capacity: 2 people
Length: 4.27m
Beam: 1.54m
Weight: 132.9kg
Spinnaker area: 8.4m²
Main sail area: 12.85m²
Hartley Boats Wanderer
Key features
- Good handling and stability
- Sensitive and responsive
Perfect for: Family racing and sailing
Crew capacity: 4 people
Length: 4.27m
Beam: 1.75m
Weight: 129.5kg
Spinnaker area: 9.94m²
Main sail area: 10.68m²
Hartley Boats Gull
Key features
- Safe and stable reputation
- Easily launches and recovers single-handed
Perfect for: Training and cruising
Crew capacity: 1-2 people
Length: 3.35m
Beam: 1.44m
Weight: 88kg
Spinnaker area: 5.57m²
Main sail area: 5.12m²
Specialist dinghy insurance through GJW Direct
Whatever type of sailing dinghy you decide is right for you, specialist dinghy insurance through GJW Direct can help protect it should anything happen to it while you're out on the water.
Get a quote online today to see how much your cover could cost.
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