Mirror 16
Encyclopedia
The Mirror 16 is a class of sailing dinghy which was sponsored by the Daily Mirror newspaper in 1963 and the design project was headed by Jack Holt
. Its design was based upon the easy to construct "stich and glue" principle introduced by Barry Bucknall for the Mirror 11 dinghy
. The Mirror 16 was designed for the racing enthusiast and also the camping/potterer dinghy sailor. The concept was a relatively light dinghy with a large sail area that could easily be reefed. The main sail was designed for slab reefing and the large Genoa had roller reefing. The M 16 was faster than the Proctor designed Wayfarer.
There were no plans and boats were built from kits provided by Bell Woodworking Company, the parts being made from templates. Bell Woodworking Company no longer exists and the templates have been lost. Currently a small group of enthusiasts are trying to recreate the design templates.
The Mirror 16 did not achieve the popularity of the other Mirror Classes. Only about 600 were built. The hull, made from 5mm plywood, was adequate but not strong enough to take punishment such as grounding on hard surfaces. Very few survive today since most have suffered from rot.
Jack 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....
. Its design was based upon the easy to construct "stich and glue" principle introduced by Barry Bucknall for the Mirror 11 dinghy
Dinghy
A dinghy is a type of small boat, often carried or towed for use as a ship's boat by a larger vessel. It is a loanword from either Bengali or Urdu. The term can also refer to small racing yachts or recreational open sailing boats. Utility dinghies are usually rowboats or have an outboard motor,...
. The Mirror 16 was designed for the racing enthusiast and also the camping/potterer dinghy sailor. The concept was a relatively light dinghy with a large sail area that could easily be reefed. The main sail was designed for slab reefing and the large Genoa had roller reefing. The M 16 was faster than the Proctor designed Wayfarer.
Vital statistics
- LOA 16ft
- Beam 6ft
- Hull draft 6ins
- Sail area; Main 123 sq ft (11.4 m²), Genoa 55 sq ft (5.1 m²), Spinnaker 120 sq ft (11.1 m²).
- Weight 260 lbs.
There were no plans and boats were built from kits provided by Bell Woodworking Company, the parts being made from templates. Bell Woodworking Company no longer exists and the templates have been lost. Currently a small group of enthusiasts are trying to recreate the design templates.
The Mirror 16 did not achieve the popularity of the other Mirror Classes. Only about 600 were built. The hull, made from 5mm plywood, was adequate but not strong enough to take punishment such as grounding on hard surfaces. Very few survive today since most have suffered from rot.