Boat | |
---|---|
Crew | 2 (max) |
Hull | |
Hull weight | 63.7 kg (140 lb) |
LOA | 3.429 m (11.25 ft) |
Beam | 1.372 m (4 ft 6.0 in) |
Sails | |
Mainsail area | 4.78 m2 (51.5 sq ft) |
Jib/genoa area | Jib: 1.72 m2 (18.5 sq ft) Genoa: 2.83 m2 (30.5 sq ft) |
Spinnaker area | 6.36 m2 (68.5 sq ft) |
Racing | |
D-PN | 120.0 |
RYA PN | 1346 |
The Heron Dinghy is a dinghy designed by Jack Holt of the United Kingdom as the Yachting World Cartopper (YW Cartopper). The Heron dinghy was designed to be built by a home handyman out of marine ply over a timber frame, but can now also be constructed from marine ply using a stitch and glue technique or from fibreglass. Modern dinghies will usually have built in buoyancy tanks; older craft will have bags or retrofitted tanks.
Since about 1980 boats have been increasingly made of fibreglass, although the Australian association has approved stitch and glue construction .
The Heron is sailed in the UK and Australia and New Zealand, with a few others spread around the world. UK class rules vary slightly from the Australian Rules.[how?] In the UK a spinnaker is permitted and a larger genoa can be used. The UK also permits the use of different rudder shapes and a Bermudan Mast. Other more minor differences exist between the rules.[1] The Heron cartop dinghy was popular in Ireland from the late 1950s until the arrival of the Mirror which was lighter, easier to build, and had built in buoyancy.[2]
They are mainly used as adult/child racing dinghies.[citation needed] For state and national titles the Olympic triangle course is often used.[citation needed]
The Heron has a Portsmouth Yardstick of 1346 when sailed single handed.[3] In the US Sailing scheme it has a D-PN of 120.0.[4]
Over 10,500 Heron sail numbers have been issued since the design first appeared in the late 1950s.[5]
The first Heron, No 1 Flook, still exists and is now owned by the National Maritime Museum Cornwall.[6]