ebb
02-24-2007, 07:45 AM
Is there a sailer/journalist in the crowd?
There are vast numbers of dinks, prams, tenders and one design dinghy classes.
But I haven't found a single book on the subject. It would be a challenge, but somebody should attempt it. With some planning, it would probably be ten volumes. I don't know how you'd organize it but, as a reader, I wouldn't be interested in anything small-print encyclopedic.
I imagine the Intro would be a revealing essay on what defines the little boats and what their attributes are. I can imagine one or two pages per design with a photo and profile, plan, and section drawings, and specs. Good photography and great art. Wouldn't mind seeing the Sabots, Mirrors, Optimists, Toros, and the rest cheek-by-jowl and comparable by turning the pages. Add a paragraph or two on each boat's designer, history and numbers.
There'd maybe be a chapter on kit boats, nesters, and home built. My choice for the first volume would be the shorter prams, Up to ten feet, maybe - ones that have made the jump to being reliable tenders.
Now, evidently the Sabot was inspired by norwegian fishing prams and the idea was translated to plywood and marketing in the early '30s here in the US. They may have been the first commercial pram on the scene. Some 'classes' continue to be produced while others like the Sabot are in decline. One Aussie source, where they have been popular for decades says they're getting too high-tech and expensive for regular folks.
I'd like to find out why one class pram continues and another declines.
In the mean time, dinghys are morphing into something radically different - like the MOTH'S! Holy jumpin jehosaphat!!
Sabot - there is no substantive info on the net that I can find on the boat itself. Not even a good choice of photos. Go to an association site and they don't even bother to have a portrait of the boat!
The boat has an enclosed foredeck and a rear bouyancy seat that looks like it is or can be made insinkable and have stowage too. Might even be altered into a nester. Newer Sabots are plastic and maybe they can be picked up cheap. A used one would come with the rig, of course. A sliding gunter, with shorter spars, and the same sail, might stow better in the boat. Whatz a new dinghy with sail, oars and OB go for these days? $5,000 ?
Somebody who loves and hates dinghys oughta write a book aboutem - it's about time, isn't it?
There are vast numbers of dinks, prams, tenders and one design dinghy classes.
But I haven't found a single book on the subject. It would be a challenge, but somebody should attempt it. With some planning, it would probably be ten volumes. I don't know how you'd organize it but, as a reader, I wouldn't be interested in anything small-print encyclopedic.
I imagine the Intro would be a revealing essay on what defines the little boats and what their attributes are. I can imagine one or two pages per design with a photo and profile, plan, and section drawings, and specs. Good photography and great art. Wouldn't mind seeing the Sabots, Mirrors, Optimists, Toros, and the rest cheek-by-jowl and comparable by turning the pages. Add a paragraph or two on each boat's designer, history and numbers.
There'd maybe be a chapter on kit boats, nesters, and home built. My choice for the first volume would be the shorter prams, Up to ten feet, maybe - ones that have made the jump to being reliable tenders.
Now, evidently the Sabot was inspired by norwegian fishing prams and the idea was translated to plywood and marketing in the early '30s here in the US. They may have been the first commercial pram on the scene. Some 'classes' continue to be produced while others like the Sabot are in decline. One Aussie source, where they have been popular for decades says they're getting too high-tech and expensive for regular folks.
I'd like to find out why one class pram continues and another declines.
In the mean time, dinghys are morphing into something radically different - like the MOTH'S! Holy jumpin jehosaphat!!
Sabot - there is no substantive info on the net that I can find on the boat itself. Not even a good choice of photos. Go to an association site and they don't even bother to have a portrait of the boat!
The boat has an enclosed foredeck and a rear bouyancy seat that looks like it is or can be made insinkable and have stowage too. Might even be altered into a nester. Newer Sabots are plastic and maybe they can be picked up cheap. A used one would come with the rig, of course. A sliding gunter, with shorter spars, and the same sail, might stow better in the boat. Whatz a new dinghy with sail, oars and OB go for these days? $5,000 ?
Somebody who loves and hates dinghys oughta write a book aboutem - it's about time, isn't it?