Dinghies

Uffa Fox designed and Fairey Marine developed and built two tough little boats as yacht tenders which were called the Dinky (7ft 6in LOA) and Duckling (9ft LOA). Each had a beam of 4ft and a depth of 18in forward and 14in aft.

The shells of these boats were constructed by hot moulding three laminations of 2.5mm agba veneer. A mahogany frame and transom were added together with transom bilge rubbers and skeg. The all-up weights with equipment were 70lb and 100lb respectively.

The Dinky easily carried four 11-stone adults and was a good rowing tender for the Atalanta 26. It could be towed behind the yacht or carried on the roof of the stern cabin. It is still in use by a few owners but most now prefer the ubiquitous Avon, or similar inflatable that is lighter to handle. Recently there has been a demand for the Dinky and they are still to be found and well worth restoring.

The Duckling, being longer and heavier, had to be towed by the yacht while cruising but had the advantage that it converted readily into a sturdy little sailing dinghy especially suitable for children.