Heron (dinghy)

Template:Short description Template:Use dmy dates Template:Infobox sailboat specifications The Heron Dinghy is a dinghy designed by Jack Holt of the United Kingdom as the Yachting World Cartopper (YW Cartopper). The Heron dinghy was designed to be built by a home handyman out of marine ply over a timber frame, but can now also be constructed from marine ply using a stitch and glue technique or from fibreglass. Modern dinghies will usually have built in buoyancy tanks; older craft will have bags or retrofitted tanks.

Since about 1980 boats have been increasingly made of fibreglass, although the Australian association has approved stitch and glue construction .

The Heron is sailed in the UK and Australia and New Zealand, with a few others spread around the world. UK class rules vary slightly from the Australian Rules.Template:How In the UK a spinnaker is permitted and a larger genoa can be used. The UK also permits the use of different rudder shapes and a Bermudan Mast. Other more minor differences exist between the rules.<ref name="heron_uk">UK Heron Association Template:Webarchive</ref> The Heron cartop dinghy was popular in Ireland from the late 1950s until the arrival of the Mirror which was lighter, easier to build, and had built in buoyancy.<ref>I sailed in the Dublin Bay fleet and at regional events in Skerries, Howth, and Cork Harbour during that period</ref>

They are mainly used as adult/child racing dinghies.Template:Citation needed For state and national titles the Olympic triangle course is often used.Template:Citation needed

The Heron has a Portsmouth Yardstick of 1346 when sailed single handed.<ref name="RYA2012">Template:Cite web</ref> In the US Sailing scheme it has a D-PN of 120.0.<ref name="UScbi">Template:Cite web</ref>

Over 10,500 Heron sail numbers have been issued since the design first appeared in the late 1950s.<ref name="HYO">Template:Cite web</ref>

The first Heron, No 1 Flook, still exists and is now owned by the National Maritime Museum Cornwall.<ref name="NMMC">Heron #1 "Flook" – BC08 www.nmmc.co.uk, accessed 15 November 2024</ref>