Dabchick dinghy news update

In June 2016 we were asked to build a Dabchick, this of course would be a CNC kit built boat.

As it turned out nothing happened but today we have been asked about the supply of a good number of them and for a yacht club ?

If anyone is thinking along the same lines please make contact with me so we can discuss the idea and the way forward.

Roy

The Dabchick dinghy as a kit?

The Dabchick dinghy is mentioned in the April copy of Sailing (SA) magazine.

We have been asked to consider building one and if that was to happen we would produce a Dabchick kit.

The design is coming up for sixty years old now and depending who you ask has seen some 3000 to 5000 built to date.

Please contact me for more information on a kit.

There is lots more info on the Dabchick design in the link

http://sayachts.blogspot.co.za/2013/10/dabchick.html

Thanks to Mossel Bay Yacht Club for all these pics,

and to Tracy London for bringing them to my attention!

From the SA Yacht Blog, please view it and see the other pictures.

DABCHICK ASSOCIATION OF SOUTH AFRICA

PART 1                                                      INTRODUCTION

In the year 1955 the prototype of the Dabchick was designed by Mr Jack Koper of Cape Town.  He studied the Sailfish, an American designed 'skimmer', but  arrived at the conclusion that she was unsuitable.  He then worked on a plan  to make a flat bottomed boat out of three sheets of plywood and this became  the basis of his thinking and design.  Knowing that plywood is not easy to  bend or twist the rounded bow was adopted, and so the Dabchick was slowly  planned - much of it during sleepless hours in bed.

The first boat was narrower in the beam and had a more rounded bow and a curved transom.  This design proved rather a headache for youngsters to make.  After a season's sailing where she proved herself, a small jib was added and  this improved her performance.  The designer went to work on improving the  design.  There was enough plywood to increase the beam, the bow was widened and a genoa-type jib added. The plans were first published in June 1956.

The growth of the Dabchick was phenomenal and over 3 600 plans have been  issued to prospective builders.  The boats are normally constructed of wood but G.R.P. boats are also available.

The designer handled the class single-handed until the 1st February, 1970,  when the South African Yacht Racing Association agreed to the formation of an Association to be known as the Dabchick Association of SA ( DASA. ) to promote the development of the class, the training of its members, and to  ensure that the boats comply with the rules of the class as approved by the Council of the South African Yacht Racing Association.  A Constitution was drawn up and approved by the members on the 6th January 1971, and the Dabchick was given National Status by the National Authority.

Eric Burner, commonly known as "Father Dabchick" was the first person behind the formation of the National Dabchick Class Association in 1970 and through his efforts it soon became a South African National Class.

The Dabchick has proved herself over the years to be an excellent trainer for the young of both sexes between the ages of seven and eighteen years. The Dabchick can be sailed single-handed or with a crew.

The Dabchick has helped young people to learn how to sail. A number of them have shown top form in senior classes, obtaining the award of National colours.

Since 1985 the Class Secretariat has been administered first by the South African Yacht Racing Association and from 2002 by South African Sailing.