Description
The GP14, short for General Purpose 14-foot dinghy, is a timeless double-handed fractional Bermuda-rigged sailing dinghy designed by British naval architect Jack Holt in 1949 and sponsored by Yachting World magazine for affordable home construction using marine plywood, evolving into a fiberglass option with over 14,000 units built worldwide and thriving one-design fleets in the UK, Ireland, Australia, South Africa, Sri Lanka, and parts of the northeastern USA. Measuring 14 feet LOA with a 5-foot-1-inch beam, 293-pound hull weight, and a centerboard draft of 2 feet 6 inches (up) to 4 feet 6 inches (down), it balances stability and responsiveness for family cruising, competitive racing, or casual outings, powered by a 125-square-foot mainsail and 50-square-foot jib for a sail area/displacement ratio around 20—delivering lively planning in breezes up to 15 knots—while easily rowing with floorboards or mounting a small outboard up to 2 horsepower. Its spacious cockpit accommodates two adults plus children, with built-in buoyancy tanks and a forgiving hull shape ideal for beginners learning tacks and gybes, yet capable of channel crossings, Irish Sea voyages, or Great Glen cruises for adventurous souls; active class associations host world championships and support modern upgrades like carbon spars, making the GP14 a durable, trailerable icon that punches above its weight in fun and versatility, often outlasting flashier contemporaries like the Laser for multigenerational sailors.
