Mirror Dinghy
Description
The Mirror Dinghy (often simply called the "Mirror") is a classic, two-person sailing dinghy renowned for its affordability, ease of construction, and accessibility. Designed in the early 1960s by British naval architect Jack Holt, it was sponsored by the Daily Mirror newspaper, which gave it its name and signature red sails. Over 70,000 units have been built worldwide, making it one of the most popular dinghies ever produced. It's an International One-Design class recognized by World Sailing, ideal for beginners, families, racing, and casual cruising. The Daily Mirror newspaper sponsored the project to promote affordable boating to working-class families, launching it in 1963. Priced at half the cost of competitors like the Heron or Gull, it exploded in popularity through massive promotion and kit sales. By the 1970s, VAT hikes slowed sales, but its legacy endures. The Mirror's origins trace back to 1960 when BBC DIY expert Barry Bucknell built a prototype plywood dinghy for his son using an innovative "stitch-and-glue" construction method (pioneered for canoes by Ken Littledyke). This involved wiring plywood panels together like a chainmail stitch, then fiberglassing the seams for strength. Jack Holt refined Bucknell's design into the final hull. The Bermuda mainsail is now a legal alternative to the traditional Gunter rig (see the class rules below).
Construction Details
| Designer | Jack Holt |
|---|---|
| Length | 11.000 ft |
| LOA | 10.830 ft |
| Beam | 4.580 ft |
| Displacement | 135 lb |
| Max Draft | 2.500 ft |
| Min Draft | 0.500 ft |
The standard boat dimensions
| i | - |
|---|---|
| j | - |
| p | - |
| e | - |
| p2 | - |
| e2 | - |
| i2 | - |
| j2 | - |
| I | J | P | E | P2 | E2 | I2 | J2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
Documents
Sails
| Sail Type | MAINSAIL |
|---|---|
| Luff | 14.29 ft - (4356 mm) |
| Foot | 7 ft - (2134 mm) |
| Leech | * 15.65 ft - (4770 mm) |
| Tack Angle | * 88.53 ° |
| Diagonal | 15.75 ft - (4801 mm) |
| Head (inches) | 2 in - (51 mm) |
| Area | * 51.05 ft² |
| Sail Type | JIBSAIL |
|---|---|
| Luff | 9.29 ft - (2832 mm) |
| Foot | 5.04 ft - (1536 mm) |
| Leech | 8.08 ft - (2463 mm) |
| Length Perpendicular | * 4.38 ft - (1335 mm) |
| Area | * 20.33 ft² |
| Sail Type | SPINNAKER |
|---|---|
| Stays | 9.25 ft - (2819 mm) |
| MidGirth | 7.5 ft - (2286 mm) |
| Foot | 8.33 ft - (2539 mm) |
| Area | * 65 ft² |
| Sail Type | GUNTER |
|---|---|
| Luff | 4.083 ft - (1244 mm) |
| Foot | 7 ft - (2134 mm) |
| Leech | 14.83 ft - (4520 mm) |
| Tack Angle | * 93.1 ° |
| Diag (clew/throat) | 8.292 ft - (2527 mm) |
| Head | 9.208 ft - (2807 mm) |
| Area | * 46.5 ft² |
Disclaimer. Boats are not all the same -- even when produced in the same factory of the same model. Sailrite does its best to publish accurate dimensions, but we often find it worthwhile to have our customers measure their boats carefully before we produce kits for them. You should take the same precautions, especially when the data is not from Sailrite. The information on this site is not guaranteed to be accurate. Sailrite offers this content as a service to our community, but takes no responsibility for the reliability of the data provided.