Dabchick (dinghy)

The Dabchick is a South African youth sailing dinghy that is raced single-handed. A Bermuda rigged boat, it has a mainsail and jib. Its hull is very shallow and its skipper sits on its flat deck. This hard chined scow was designed by Jack Köper[1] in 1955.[2] Since they were published in 1956, nearly 3,500[2] plans have been issued to builders, and over 4,000 boats have been built.[3] It is usually sailed by teenagers after moving out of the Optimist, before moving into higher performance classes.

Dabchick
Boat
Crew1
Hull
Hull weight38.6 kilograms (85 lb)
LOA3.607 metres (11 ft 10.0 in)
Beam1.150 metres (3 ft 9.3 in)
Sails
Upwind sail area5.57 square metres (60.0 sq ft)

Design and Construction

For decades, Dabchicks all were built of marine plywood. Though fiberglass boats are now being built, dozens of wooden boats are still being sailed competitively.[2] At the 2007 AGM, the class rules were modified to allow Mylar sails with a full length top batten.[2]

References
  1. Preedy, Roy (1979). Dinghy Sailing in South Africa. Cape Town: Purnell and Sons.
  2. "About the Dabchick". www.Dabchick.za.net. Dabchick Association of South Africa. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 21 Nov 2015.
  3. sailboatdata.com. "DABCHICK sailboat specifications and details". Retrieved 21 November 2015.
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