Description
The Mallard 12, a compact fiberglass or wooden sailing dinghy designed by British naval architect Andrew Wolstenholme and introduced in 1994 as plans for amateur builders via The Boatman magazine (with no formal production run but dozens built worldwide), draws inspiration from Arthur Ransome's Swallows and Amazons series—modernizing the classic Swallow with a rockered lapstrake hull, airfoiled pivoting centerboard, skeg-hung rudder, and versatile gunter sloop rig (options for balanced lug or forward-mast cat rig) delivering 83-88 sq ft of sail area for lively performance suited to two adults or a family of three, achieving planing speeds downwind in 10-15 knots, sharp tacking through ~100° upwind at 4-5 knots in moderate breeze, and responsive handling in choppy Lyme Bay conditions while rowing efficiently at 3 knots with oars stowed amidships, though it ships occasional water in heavy slop and requires bailing (no self-draining cockpit). Measuring LOA 12 ft, beam 5 ft, draft 6.5 in board-up / 3 ft 1 in down, and weighing ~250-300 lbs dry (trailerable with a short mast stowing aboard), it features glued-lapstrake plywood construction (e.g., Robbins Elite marine ply epoxied over, with mahogany thwarts, iroko floors, and varnished oak gunwales) or strip-planked cedar sheathed in fiberglass/epoxy for durability and smooth lines, plus simple fittings like bronze chainplates, stainless rigging, and a red Terylene sail set by RJ Sails—ideal for coastal knockabout, youth training, or tender duties with bench seating, foot-bracing slots, and ample locker space under thwarts, though the open cockpit feels snug for adults over 6 ft and lacks modern flotation. Note that the designer provides several alternative sail plans: gunter, gunter sloop, and lug.
