Before buying a sailing dinghy, one of the most frequent question asked is "which dinghy is most suitable for me?".

This guide will hopefully guide you through the number of choices you may be presented with:

What type of sailing dinghy do you want? 

Firstly, decide who will be sailing the boat.  If the boat is to be used mainly by children, then there a good number of classes to choose from.  The more common suggestions would include a Mirror, Topper, Optimist, and Laser Pico, but there are many other suitable boats to choose from.

If the boat is to be sailed by adults, then other issues such as boat size, crew weight and boat performance should also be considered.  If you are new to sailing, it would be wise to take part in a sailing course to learn the basics.  This should also help decide what you would like from the sport.

What type of sails should I look for?

The majoity of  dinghies will have one sail, (the mainsail), two sails (mainsail and jib) or three sails (Mainsail, job and spinnaker).  Most single handed boats will usually have only one sail, as obviously the greater the number of sails, the more difficult the boat becomes to sail, however boat speed and therefore enjoyment, will increase with greater sail area.

Wooden or Glassfibre?

Another aspect to consider is the construction of the boat.  Older wooden boats will require more maintenance to keep them in good condition, so only buy a wooden boat if you have the time to sand, varnish and paint your new boat and perhaps a garage to protect it during the winter.  Glass fibre boats require little or no maintenance, and small holes/scratches can be easily repaired.  There are many plastic boats on the market that can prove most durable and would be an excellent choice for children or begineers.

Where do you intend to sail?

Take a visit to your local sailing club and see which boats are being sailed there.  If you pick a popular class, there will be plenty of other fellow sailors to help you rig you boat for the fist time and also lend advice to help you to progress.  There is a searchable list of the UK's sailing and yacht clubs on Noble Marine's web site.

What is your budget?

Newer, high performance boats obviously come at a higher price, but there are many bargains to be found within some of the older boats.  Just bear in mind resale value too if you should want to trade to another boat, or you find that sailing is not for you.  The more popular classes tend to have an active second hand market and therefore should hold their values better. 

Noble Marine's website has a list of over 400 popular sailing dinghy classes.  Links to this can be found on our eBay page.

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