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Mirror (dinghy)
Encyclopedia
The Mirror is a very popular sailing dinghy
, with more than 70,000 built.
The Mirror was named after the Daily Mirror, a UK
newspaper
with a largely working class distribution. The Mirror was from the start promoted as an affordable boat, and as a design it has done a great deal to make dinghy sailing
accessible to a wide audience. Although most popular in the UK, Mirrors are also sailed in other countries, notably Australia
, Ireland
, Sweden
, Canada
, the Netherlands
, South Africa
, New Zealand
, the Philippines
and the United States.
and TV do-it-yourself expert Barry Bucknell
in 1962. It employed a novel construction method where sheets of marine plywood
are held together with copper
stitching and fibreglass tape. This is called tack and tape or stitch and glue construction. Buoyancy
is provided by four independent integral chambers rather than by bags. It was originally designed to be built with simple tools and little experience, and this meant that the design was quite simple. For example, the characteristic 'pram' front reduces the need for the more complicated curved wooden panels and joinery needed for a pointed bow, and a daggerboard
is used instead of a hinged centreboard
. The result is a robust, versatile and fairly light boat that can be easily maintained and repaired, and can also be got into the water very quickly from storage or transport. Although most experienced sailors would carry a paddle rather than oars, if necessary it rows well. If the transom
is strengthened, an outboard motor
can be used for propulsion.
The original rig was a Gunter Rig
, but in 2006 the class rules were changed to allow a single mast and an alloy boom. Although a Bermudan sloop rig has now been introduced for the Mirror, the original Gunter rig (with a gaff
that effectively doubles the height of the mast) meant that all the spars could be packed inside the hull for easy storage or transportation. This same space saving is still available with the Bermudan rig by using an optional two-piece aluminium mast. Mirrors can be sailed without a jib
by moving the mast into an optional forward step and moving the shroud attachment points forward. However, in this configuration it can be difficult to tack, so it would mainly be used to de-power the boat for beginners. Most single handers retain the mast in the standard position and handle the jib as well: because of the Mirror's small size, this is quite manageable.
Mirror class rules permit the use of a spinnaker
. This may also be used by single handers as well - although flying a main, jib and spinnaker single-handed sounds complex, it is quite manageable with a bit of practice.
Mainsail controls permitted by the class are downhaul (Cunningham
), outhaul and kicking strap (Vang). The Jib tack fixing may also be adjustable while sailing allowing changes in jib luff tension and tack height.
The Mirror is light and stable enough to be sailed safely by two young teenagers or two adults. It is an excellent boat for children or teenagers learning sailing
for the first time.
The Mirror World Championship is contested biennially (every two years) by the nations of Ireland, the UK, the Republic of South Africa, Canada, New Zealand, Sweden, Netherlands and Australia. Ireland has dominated the event over the past decade, winning the championship in 1999 (Marty Moloney and Revelin Minihane), 2001 (Peter Bayly and William Atkinson), 2003 (Chris Clayton and Craig Martin) and 2005 (Ross Kearney and Adam Mc Cullough) although the last two world championships have been won by British pairings. Anna Mackenzie and Holly Scott from team GBR
were the first all-female team to win the title in 2007 which was contested in Durban, South Africa. Andy and Tom Smith also from Great Britain won the event in 2009 in Pwlleli, Wales.
Former world champion Ross Kearney won both the 2010 Mirror European championships at Sligo Yacht Club
, and the 2011 Mirror World Championship held in Albany, Western Australia, with current crew Max Odell.
(near Liverpool) to the Black Sea
. Because there are so many of them around, it is fairly easy to find others to sail with. In bad weather, Mirrors remain well behaved and have inspired confidence in many young sailors. Their seaworthiness is excellent for their size.
Mirror No 1 may be seen at the National Maritime Museum Cornwall
Dinghy sailing
Dinghy sailing is the activity of sailing small boats by using five essential controls:* the sails* the foils ....
, with more than 70,000 built.
The Mirror was named after the Daily Mirror, a UK
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
newspaper
Newspaper
A newspaper is a scheduled publication containing news of current events, informative articles, diverse features and advertising. It usually is printed on relatively inexpensive, low-grade paper such as newsprint. By 2007, there were 6580 daily newspapers in the world selling 395 million copies a...
with a largely working class distribution. The Mirror was from the start promoted as an affordable boat, and as a design it has done a great deal to make dinghy sailing
Dinghy sailing
Dinghy sailing is the activity of sailing small boats by using five essential controls:* the sails* the foils ....
accessible to a wide audience. Although most popular in the UK, Mirrors are also sailed in other countries, notably Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
, Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
, Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, the Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
, South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
, New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
, the Philippines
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
and the United States.
Design
The Mirror was designed by Jack HoltJack Holt (dinghy designer)
Jack Holt, OBE was a prolific designer of sailing dinghies. His pioneering designs of dingies using plywood did much to popularise the sport of sailing in the period immediately following World War II....
and TV do-it-yourself expert Barry Bucknell
Barry Bucknell
Barry Bucknell [Robert Barraby Bucknell] was a BBC TV presenter who popularised Do It Yourself in the United Kingdom....
in 1962. It employed a novel construction method where sheets of marine plywood
Plywood
Plywood is a type of manufactured timber made from thin sheets of wood veneer. It is one of the most widely used wood products. It is flexible, inexpensive, workable, re-usable, and can usually be locally manufactured...
are held together with copper
Copper
Copper is a chemical element with the symbol Cu and atomic number 29. It is a ductile metal with very high thermal and electrical conductivity. Pure copper is soft and malleable; an exposed surface has a reddish-orange tarnish...
stitching and fibreglass tape. This is called tack and tape or stitch and glue construction. Buoyancy
Buoyancy
In physics, buoyancy is a force exerted by a fluid that opposes an object's weight. In a column of fluid, pressure increases with depth as a result of the weight of the overlying fluid. Thus a column of fluid, or an object submerged in the fluid, experiences greater pressure at the bottom of the...
is provided by four independent integral chambers rather than by bags. It was originally designed to be built with simple tools and little experience, and this meant that the design was quite simple. For example, the characteristic 'pram' front reduces the need for the more complicated curved wooden panels and joinery needed for a pointed bow, and a daggerboard
Daggerboard
A daggerboard is a retractable centreboard used by various sailing craft. While other types of centreboard may pivot to retract, a daggerboard slides in a casing. The shape of the daggerboard converts the forward motion into a windward lift, countering the leeward push of the...
is used instead of a hinged centreboard
Centreboard
A centreboard or centerboard is a retractable keel which pivots out of a slot in the hull of a sailboat, known as a centreboard trunk or centerboard case...
. The result is a robust, versatile and fairly light boat that can be easily maintained and repaired, and can also be got into the water very quickly from storage or transport. Although most experienced sailors would carry a paddle rather than oars, if necessary it rows well. If the transom
Transom (nautical)
In naval architecture, a transom is the surface that forms the stern of a vessel. Transoms may be flat or curved and they may be vertical, raked forward, also known as a retroussé or reverse transom, angling forward from the waterline to the deck, or raked aft, often simply called "raked", angling...
is strengthened, an outboard motor
Outboard motor
An outboard motor is a propulsion system for boats, consisting of a self-contained unit that includes engine, gearbox and propeller or jet drive, designed to be affixed to the outside of the transom and are the most common motorized method of propelling small watercraft...
can be used for propulsion.
The original rig was a Gunter Rig
Gunter
In sailing, a gunter is used for two main configurations of rig:#The gunter is defined as a wire that leads from one point near the end of a gaff to a point near the other end. A block travels along this wire, and a halyard is attached to this block...
, but in 2006 the class rules were changed to allow a single mast and an alloy boom. Although a Bermudan sloop rig has now been introduced for the Mirror, the original Gunter rig (with a gaff
Gaff
-Pole-shaped devices:* Fishing gaff, a pole used in fishing* Gaff or hakapik, used as a seal-hunting weapon* Gaff rig; A fore-and-aft sailing arrangement where the sail is held up by a spar called a gaff-Ankle-worn devices:...
that effectively doubles the height of the mast) meant that all the spars could be packed inside the hull for easy storage or transportation. This same space saving is still available with the Bermudan rig by using an optional two-piece aluminium mast. Mirrors can be sailed without a jib
Jib
A jib is a triangular staysail set ahead of the foremast of a sailing vessel. Its tack is fixed to the bowsprit, to the bow, or to the deck between the bowsprit and the foremost mast...
by moving the mast into an optional forward step and moving the shroud attachment points forward. However, in this configuration it can be difficult to tack, so it would mainly be used to de-power the boat for beginners. Most single handers retain the mast in the standard position and handle the jib as well: because of the Mirror's small size, this is quite manageable.
Mirror class rules permit the use of a spinnaker
Spinnaker
A spinnaker is a special type of sail that is designed specifically for sailing off the wind from a reaching course to a downwind, i.e. with the wind 90°–180° off the bow. The spinnaker fills with wind and balloons out in front of the boat when it is deployed, called flying. It is constructed of...
. This may also be used by single handers as well - although flying a main, jib and spinnaker single-handed sounds complex, it is quite manageable with a bit of practice.
Mainsail controls permitted by the class are downhaul (Cunningham
Cunningham (sailing)
In sailing, a cunningham or cunningham's eye is a type of downhaul used on a Bermuda rigged sailboat to change the shape of a sail. Sailors also often refer to the cunningham as the "smart pig"....
), outhaul and kicking strap (Vang). The Jib tack fixing may also be adjustable while sailing allowing changes in jib luff tension and tack height.
The Mirror is light and stable enough to be sailed safely by two young teenagers or two adults. It is an excellent boat for children or teenagers learning sailing
Sailing
Sailing is the propulsion of a vehicle and the control of its movement with large foils called sails. By changing the rigging, rudder, and sometimes the keel or centre board, a sailor manages the force of the wind on the sails in order to move the boat relative to its surrounding medium and...
for the first time.
Racing
Despite not being a particularly fast dinghy, the Mirror is popular for one-design racing. Because of the very large number that have been made, it is fairly easy to find other Mirror sailors to race against - at least in the countries where the Mirror is popular. The large fleet of similar boats coupled with the Mirror's stability and relative complexity (for a boat of this size) make it the ideal boat to learn racing skills. It is a recommended UK Olympic pathway boat and many top sailors learned their trade in mirrors. Mirrors are raced competitively worldwide.Great Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
were the first all-female team to win the title in 2007 which was contested in Durban, South Africa. Andy and Tom Smith also from Great Britain won the event in 2009 in Pwlleli, Wales.
Former world champion Ross Kearney won both the 2010 Mirror European championships at Sligo Yacht Club
Sligo Yacht Club
The Sligo Yacht Club is located at Rosses Point, County Sligo, Republic of Ireland. It has been located at its present site since 1973, and was redeveloped in preparation for the 2006 GP14 World Championships. The event, which was won by Ian Dobson & Andy Tunnicliffe , was run successfully in the...
, and the 2011 Mirror World Championship held in Albany, Western Australia, with current crew Max Odell.
Cruising
Mirrors are suitable for cruising in coastal waters - one has even been sailed and rowed singlehanded from EllesmereEllesmere
-Places:* Ellesmere, Shropshire, a market town in Shropshire, England** Ellesmere Castle** Ellesmere Rural, a civil parish to the west* Ellesmere Park, area of Eccles, Greater Manchester, England* Ellesmere Port, an industrial town in Cheshire, England...
(near Liverpool) to the Black Sea
Black Sea
The Black Sea is bounded by Europe, Anatolia and the Caucasus and is ultimately connected to the Atlantic Ocean via the Mediterranean and the Aegean seas and various straits. The Bosphorus strait connects it to the Sea of Marmara, and the strait of the Dardanelles connects that sea to the Aegean...
. Because there are so many of them around, it is fairly easy to find others to sail with. In bad weather, Mirrors remain well behaved and have inspired confidence in many young sailors. Their seaworthiness is excellent for their size.
Mirror No 1 may be seen at the National Maritime Museum Cornwall
National Maritime Museum Cornwall
The National Maritime Museum Cornwall is located in a harbourside building at Falmouth in Cornwall. The building was designed by architect M. J...
External links
- International class association
- UK Mirror Class Association
- Irish Mirror class Association
- West Australian Mirror Association
- Ontario Mirror Dinghy Association
- USA Mirror Dinghy Sailing
- Dutch Mirror Class Association
- Tasmanian Mirror Class Association
- Mirror Class Race Results
- Videos of the 2009 World championships in Wales
- Video of the 2007 World championships in South Africa