| What IS a sailing dingy anyway?! | | | | two hulls and a flat surface that lends to their |
| I know you have probably sat there wondering | | | | speed in the water. Even the Olympics have |
| before, about something you've heard of and | | | | dinghy racing. There are quite a few classes in |
| wanted to know more about. What is it? What | | | | Olympic dinghy racing for both men and women. |
| does it mean? What does it do? This happens to | | | | The sailing dinghy works by keeping the boat |
| a lot of people. For me, in particular just recently | | | | balanced. To do this, the crew uses its body |
| it was the phrase sailing dinghy. That's dinghy with | | | | weight against the force of the sails. They are |
| an h. I always thought it was dingy myself. I'm | | | | built to capsize and you can usually upright one |
| always enjoying learning new things, and sharing it | | | | without any assistance. Your best bet in learning |
| with other people. | | | | how to sail one of these boats is to join a local |
| The sailing dinghy came about as a way to shuffle | | | | sailing club or find a sailing school. All ages can |
| goods from larger ships to shore back in the day. | | | | enjoy sailing and even racing these boats. There |
| Deep docks weren't commonplace things, so the | | | | are even some schools that have dinghy racing |
| large transport vessels had to park out in deeper | | | | teams. It's not too expensive of a sport because |
| water while these smaller boats carried the loads | | | | you can usually find excellent quality used boats |
| in. These little sail boats turned out to be quick | | | | for sale. |
| and really maneuverable and the idea of racing | | | | Learning all this about the term sailing dinghy has |
| them came into being. They are generally manned | | | | made me interested in trying it out. Some things I |
| by a single person, or what's called a two plus | | | | have learned about it are that most of these |
| crew depending on the size. Some boats can | | | | boats go fast. The risk of capsizing is there and if |
| have a sailing crew up of up to eight people. | | | | you have a fear of getting wet it might not be |
| There are few different classes and types of | | | | the sort of thing you want to do. If you do roll |
| dinghies. Skiffs are the fastest, with their flat | | | | your boat it's pretty easy to get it back up all by |
| bottoms and narrow hulls. Depending on the size it | | | | yourself. Sailing one of these is something you can |
| can take one to three people to sail one. Cruising | | | | do alone, or with another person or two. It's |
| dinghies are for the more laid back sailor. They | | | | important to learn how to sail correctly, not only |
| tend to be a bit more stable in the water and | | | | for your own safety but the safety of those |
| have a smaller sail. I was surprised to find out | | | | around you. And that this is a sport everyone in |
| that a catamaran is a dinghy as well. They have | | | | the family can enjoy if they want to. |