Paul hd
Fellow
I bought this dinghy a couple of weeks before lockdown. Today I got it on the water, next outing will hopefully be my first sail.
Mirror Dinghy row. - YouTube
Mirror Dinghy row. - YouTube
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Paul hd
Fellow
Hello sailor, that looks fun Paul, you’ll be able to give those “ refugees “ a lift to a better life with benefits.
HaHa. It is fun mate.
With my sailing and rowing skills it would be quicker for them to swim.
Cheers,
Paul.
Pierre
Fellow
Paul I guarantee you will have fun, I learned to sail on a Mirror back in about 1966 at Ruislip Lido and the best thing was in a stiff breeze if it leaned too far the centre board would come out of the water and it would turn to windward and so it was almost impossible to capsize, but if you did manage that feat, it did it so, so slowly there was time to step over the side, stand on the center board and re right it before the sails hit the water!! I went on from there to a Nicholson 55 many years ago.
Have fun and make it work hard.
Have fun and make it work hard.
Paul hd
Fellow
Hi Pierre,
Great to hear your memories of the Mirror. Do you remember the number?
The club I was at today is just a few miles from the Lido, I was at Harefield/Denham.
Just looked up the Nicholson 55, what a beautiful design, did she sail as good as she looks?
Regards,
Paul.
Paul hd
Fellow
Hi Ewan,
Just starting at 56.
She was built in 2002 and raced until 2008. The owner then went on to a different boat but could not bring himself to sell until this year.
It is in superb condition and I hope I can keep her that way.
Regards,
Paul.
Hi Ewan,
Just starting at 56.
She was built in 2002 and raced until 2008. The owner then went on to a different boat but could not bring himself to sell until this year.
It is in superb condition and I hope I can keep her that way.
Regards,
Paul.
thats great the mirror is a good starter. hope you get time to enjoy it this summer.
i probably wont get my boat in the water this year.
Neil
Fellow
Learnt to sail in a mirror dinghy, number 25864, hope you’re not too tall! The mirror was one of a family of three mirror dinghies, the mirror, the mirror 14 and the mirror 16. They were followed up a few years later by the miracle.
Went on to sail in all sorts of boats and got my instructors certificate at the Island Cruising Club in Salcombe. Those were very happy days.
I hope you enjoy your mirror, make sure there’s a bungy over the centre plate as they had a tendency to fall out if you did capsize!
Went on to sail in all sorts of boats and got my instructors certificate at the Island Cruising Club in Salcombe. Those were very happy days.
I hope you enjoy your mirror, make sure there’s a bungy over the centre plate as they had a tendency to fall out if you did capsize!
Paul hd
Fellow
Hi Neil,
It is good to see some sailors on the forum. 25864 was produced in 1971
I am 6' 4 and have had a few too many pies. I do feel a bit big for the Mirror but I will get on with it. I have seen a video where the guy raised the boom position by 6 inches. He said it didn't change the characteristics. It might be good for me to have a little extra headroom.
I think a Wayfarer would be a good size for me.
Cheers,
Paul.
Paul hd
Fellow
You see, none sailors ignorance.
I was expecting to see you on a mirror so thought “this would be a good watch”
At least he will see his reflection when swimming back to the water surface.
I was expecting to see you on a mirror so thought “this would be a good watch”
At least he will see his reflection when swimming back to the water surface.
Curly
Graduate Member
My roommate had one and sailed it a lot until he bought a Folkboat (fibreglass). Have great memories of both. His mirror have a wood mast. ;)
Pete
Pete
Paul hd
Fellow
Hi Pete,
I have been following a YT channel called my classic boat and they have featured a few Folkboats and they are beautiful.
I do have a wooden mast as a spare, I actually prefer the look of it and will swap over in the future.
Cheers,
Paul.
Pierre
Fellow
No I dont remember any number but at age 16 would I have been interested ??? All i know is my progression was Mirror, GP14 (as said eddski), Laser. Then I stopped and the Nicholson 55 was the Army training boat to give recruits confidence (and to show the navy how to sail!!), My son went on to do a UK to Greenland navigation exercise in a big sailing boat but I cant remember which. Which if you think about it is all a bit bizarre because I then went on to do 25 years in the RAF. 
Neil
Fellow
No I dont remember any number but at age 16 would I have been interested ??? All i know is my progression was Mirror, GP14 (as said eddski), Laser. Then I stopped and the Nicholson 55 was the Army training boat to give recruits confidence (and to show the navy how to sail!!), My son went on to do a UK to Greenland navigation exercise in a big sailing boat but I cant remember which. Which if you think about it is all a bit bizarre because I then went on to do 25 years in the RAF.
Sailing was the reason I joined the navy. Careers advisor asked me what I wanted to do, replied that was why I had come to see him, he asks what I was good at, Sailing says I, best you join the Navy says he so I did.
Had some great times, particularly and spectacularly beating the RAF in the annual Navy RAF dinghy team racing regatta. Managed one international outing sailing against for GB against Pakistan which was a survival issue as if anyone had fallen into the water in the river in Karachi I doubt they would have made it to the hospital let alone survived. Passed two dead bodies on the upwind leg on the first lap which was somewhat off putting!
Neil
Fellow
Paul,
Where did you find out that 25864 was produced in 1971? I built it with my father (I got in the way!) I was in charge of threading the cooper wire and twisting the wire before managing to get the fibreglass all over myself!
Paul hd
Fellow
If you had been a owner/builder of the Mirror you would of remembered. Especially in the mid 60's as this would have been a low number.
Hi Neil,
Here is a list of the numbers. How to tell the age of a boat from it's sail number
Pierre
Fellow
At 16 I was a member of a club, I used to get 30/- per week as a Saturday boy in Safeways Supermarket North Harrow!! There was no way I would have remembered the numbers of the 10 or so mirrors etc that they had at the Lido.
