Category talk:Dinghies

message: Just to let you all know that I have finally come to the conclusion that my Hotch-Potch dinghy is a LADYBIRD dinghy.
Then came a break through on E bay a similar Boat to mine appeared my first thought was its not the only boat in the world, my boat has a mate.
The boat was composite GRP hull with a Wood deck,but had the same ZIG - ZAG line down the hull side.
FIRST QUESTION TO the owner was
Did he know the make ! he said NO
But have got some info.now as follows
Can any one remember a main sail insignia marking at the top of the sail for class identification.
"ladybird with 6 or 7 spots"this may be for Norwegian design dinghy.
There is all so a small Mushroom at the bottom of both sails but this may be sail maker
what a break through !
No luck with mushroom sails all through I did find a tel.no on the google
Then came the second break through
I put an article in my local sailing club HCYC Magazines.
A member sent me some old photos of dinghies from a book called
"Boat world guide to Sailing Dinghies"
from mid 1976 I would like to get hold of a copy one of these books I now have a copy so will up date info 24 sept 2012
The LADYDIRD dinghy
Designer Bill Scales
The Beam is spot on at 4ft 6ins
Mast 16ft 6ins
LOA seems to be short at 11ft 5in but as I have found out with other class of dinghy IE the Heron for instance.
They measure from the inside surface of the transom , not the outside of the top flange.
Also some classes of dinghy when measuring the LOA at the bow end they take the point where the front fore stay brkt.is fixed on to the bow,
Not the outside edge of the fore deck flange.
If this is the case then 11ft 2 would be about right 
My dimension was 11ft 5in max.was to the outside of the top deck flange may be wrong or 
it could just be another builders interpretation.
The fore and aft built in buoyancy are correct.
The boom and mast look similar with a centre main system and Bermuda sails but I am not sure if my sails are the original ones 
as there is no ladybird on them.
I will check the sail area of my original red / orange sails
Take a look at my photos I have attached.
I have two masts,boom and sails the ones in the photo shows the gaff rig with mirror sails
I tried both sets out at HCYC not much difference. 
I am using the gaff rig down at Maldon as they stow away inside the boat.
LADYBIRD PHOTO
You can just about see see the V mould line in your photo on the fore deck the same as on my dinghy.
But because the dinghy in the photo has a black or blue hull the zig- zag mould line down the side of the hull does not show.
The boat for sale on E bay a few weeks back was a composit boat with a GRP HULL with wooden deck but it did have the same mould line down the outside of the hull and the sails had a ladybird on them at the top of the sail.
So I think this must be the right one.
I will update the various forums to the latest information I have so that the LADYBIRD dinghy will not be lost forever and be part of archival history as this may help some one in the future.
My next quest is to find out who made the Ladybird dinghy and how many have been built in the uk
I know they must have made 11 or 12 as the e bay dinghy was sail number 11 unless they started at 10
If you can add any information this would be most welcome 
Just to say thanks for all the help in the past, it shows if you you keep searching you get there in the end.
Can anyone tell me how I can add this dinghy to the Wikipedia data base
Regards mike
Attachments:
I can not add photos
Top	     
Display posts from previous:  Sort by  —Preceding unsigned comment added by Mikewillis1 (talk • contribs) 19:51, 11 October 2010 (UTC)
thread_title:  LADYBIRD DINGHY 

message: THE LADYBIRD DINGHY
Designed by William Scales 
LOA = 3.40 Metres 11.2 Feet
Beam = 1.37 Metres 4.6 Feet
SAIL AREA = 7.43 Square Metres  80 Square Feet
MAST 17.6 feet long approx.
BUILT in Sealed buoyancy = yes Fore and aft
CENTRE BOARD
HULL GRP or Composite GRP hull with wooden deck.
Designed by Bill Scales 
The LADYBIRD dinghy is a versatile boat, equally useful under sail or with an outboard 
She is hand layed-up from 5 1/2 oz. chopped strand mat with balsa sandwich floor stiffening.
Open and Foredeck versions
Made by Bradwell Marina the Waterside Bradwell - on sea near Southminster and Maldon Essex 
CONTACT at the time was Peter Cobb in 1976
Ideal for beginners , club racing and sailing schools etc.  — Preceding unsigned comment added by 86.19.208.33 (talk) 19:59, 25 September 2012 (UTC)
thread_title:  LADYBIRD DINGHY