snipe 15 sailboat

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• Sailboat Guide

Snipe is a 15 ′ 5 ″ / 4.7 m monohull sailboat designed by William F. Crosby and built by Lillia (Cantiere Nautico Lillia), Schock W.D., Grampian Marine, Nickels Boat Works, Inc., Helms - Jack A. Helms Co., Jibetech, Aubin, AX Boats, Eichenlaub Boat Co., and Loftland Sail-craft Inc. starting in 1931.

Rig and Sails

Auxilary power, accomodations, calculations.

The theoretical maximum speed that a displacement hull can move efficiently through the water is determined by it's waterline length and displacement. It may be unable to reach this speed if the boat is underpowered or heavily loaded, though it may exceed this speed given enough power. Read more.

Classic hull speed formula:

Hull Speed = 1.34 x √LWL

Max Speed/Length ratio = 8.26 ÷ Displacement/Length ratio .311 Hull Speed = Max Speed/Length ratio x √LWL

Sail Area / Displacement Ratio

A measure of the power of the sails relative to the weight of the boat. The higher the number, the higher the performance, but the harder the boat will be to handle. This ratio is a "non-dimensional" value that facilitates comparisons between boats of different types and sizes. Read more.

SA/D = SA ÷ (D ÷ 64) 2/3

• SA : Sail area in square feet, derived by adding the mainsail area to 100% of the foretriangle area (the lateral area above the deck between the mast and the forestay).
• D : Displacement in pounds.

Ballast / Displacement Ratio

A measure of the stability of a boat's hull that suggests how well a monohull will stand up to its sails. The ballast displacement ratio indicates how much of the weight of a boat is placed for maximum stability against capsizing and is an indicator of stiffness and resistance to capsize.

Ballast / Displacement * 100

Displacement / Length Ratio

A measure of the weight of the boat relative to it's length at the waterline. The higher a boat’s D/L ratio, the more easily it will carry a load and the more comfortable its motion will be. The lower a boat's ratio is, the less power it takes to drive the boat to its nominal hull speed or beyond. Read more.

D/L = (D ÷ 2240) ÷ (0.01 x LWL)³

• D: Displacement of the boat in pounds.
• LWL: Waterline length in feet

Comfort Ratio

This ratio assess how quickly and abruptly a boat’s hull reacts to waves in a significant seaway, these being the elements of a boat’s motion most likely to cause seasickness. Read more.

Comfort ratio = D ÷ (.65 x (.7 LWL + .3 LOA) x Beam 1.33 )

• D: Displacement of the boat in pounds
• LOA: Length overall in feet
• Beam: Width of boat at the widest point in feet

Capsize Screening Formula

This formula attempts to indicate whether a given boat might be too wide and light to readily right itself after being overturned in extreme conditions. Read more.

CSV = Beam ÷ ³√(D / 64)

Origins in the US, built, sailed and raced around the world, to this day, and one of the most popular sailing dinghies ever. (In its heyday, the largest sailboat racing class.) See international web site for the many fleets and associations around the world.

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Yachting World

• Digital Edition

World’s coolest yachts: The Snipe dinghy

• Elaine Bunting
• March 7, 2022

We ask top sailors and marine industry gurus to choose the coolest and most innovative yachts of our times. Dutch racer Bouwe Bekking nominates The Snipe dinghy.

“I would take a complete crazy thing: a Snipe. I think it’s an excellent boat for kids to start sailing in, and even for grown-ups. I have a Snipe dinghy myself.”

Bekking says the 15ft Snipe dinghy, designed by American William F. Crosby in 1931 for one-design racing, is an ideal family boat, especially for teaching people to sail.

“It’s safe, it’s very seaworthy and relatively fast. You can sail it very hard but still have fun with it,” he says.

“I haven’t sailed mine for three or four years because I haven’t had time and I said to the yacht club you can use it for your youth programme. I bought it when we had a little house on the water, and I wanted to have a dinghy to sail in open water.”

Bekking says he thought the Snipe ideal for the next generation of his own family. “I thought about an Optimist, but the Snipe was way nicer and we could sail with two or three people, and friends.”

Snipe Stats rating:

Top speed: 12 knots LOA: 4.72m Launched: 1931 Berths: n/a Price (second-hand): £2,000 Adrenalin factor: 10%

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Bouwe Bekking

Dutch sailor Bouwe Bekking has taken part in eight Whitbread / Volvo Ocean Races . He started in 1985/6 aboard Philips Innovator, then in subsequent races on Winston, Merit Cup, Amer Sports One, movistar, Telefónica Blue and Team Brunel (twice), skippering Telefónica Blue to a third place and Team Brunel to a second and third. Bekking is also regular race skipper for the 43.4m J Class Lionheart.

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Snipe or Coronado 15 for first boat?

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I am a novice and currently crewing at my Club on an inland lake. I am looking to get my first boat to learn on and eventually race. My club has a Snipe fleet and I am looking at both the Snipe and a Coronado 15. I am leaning to the Coronado 15 because it looks easier to single hand, right after capsize, better in self bailing and has more flotation than the Snipe. I have a 10 year old son who will be learning with me and thinks the trapeze on the Coronado looks like fun. It may be better for me to go with the Snipe for support of the few in the fleet but I really like what I see in the Coronado 15. I would be able to race the Coronado at my club because it is one design and has a portsmouth rating. I understand that both boats are racers and not designed for comfort but the Coronado looks a little more knee friendly and both have a high boom. One good thing about both is that they are still being made and support and parts are available. I did see where the Coronado 15 had a design change in the 90's changing the deck making it less round. It is noted that some believe the older style deck is more comfortable. The one I am looking at was built in 1976 and it is about half the price of the Snipe I am looking at. One more note is that when I grow up I will probably get a Flying Scot which is also a fleet boat my club. I hope to take my wife and daughter sailing once I get proficient and think the Scot is the best of both cruising and racing. Please let me also know if I should skip the Snipe and Coronado and go straight for the Scot. I am thinking the smaller boat will be better for a couple of years to learn on and single hand. During that time I could save up and get a really nice Flying Scot. At this point I only have around $1500 to spend. Thanks in advance for all opinions and advice.  

Gee. I'm sorry no one replied to your posts. If you chose the Coronado 15 then I'm sure you will enjoy it. Both the Snipe and the C15 would be good choices for a learning platform. I think it is a good plan to learn a bit before jumping on a Flying Scot but you should enjoy the FS as well once you get there.  

thanks for the reply, I agree. I crewed on a Flying Scot today for some races inland and got some tiller time. Put all that reading to use and did pretty good up and down. Winds 5 - 10 mph with a few gusts closer to 15 mph. It felt like more holding the helm. The Scot is a sweet ride. Good day for getting some experience.  

I had a 19' Lightning for a couple of years which is a bit similar to the Flying Scot. What a racehorse! When you get that boat (or the FS) up on a plane excitement is what happens. Of course you'll need winds more like 15 - 20 for that to happen. I'm pretty sure you can get either the Snipe or the C15 to plane in the right winds as well. The nice thing about a small dinghy sailor like a Lightning, Flying Scot, Snipe or Coronado 15' is that there is not a whole lot of maintenance to do - unless something breaks. You did end up buying the Coronado 15', no? CORONADO 15 sailboat specifications and details on sailboatdata.com They were made by Catalina which is still in business. Not sure if you can still get parts from them for this boat though. I suspect you will enjoy the C15 but I am sure you will really like the FS once you pull the trigger on that. Some folks start out learning sailing on 30' + keel boats and seem to do fine. My opinion is that it is good to start out learning on smaller sailboats like the ones you are considering. The FS would also be a good 'starter' boat - it is really your call. I worked my way up from a Sunfish through Snipe, Lightning and now Tartan 27'.  

I did not get the C15 yet. I wish there was someone out there that could sell me on it. With some more thought I decided that if I get one of the two 15' dinghies before the Flying Scot, it should be the Snipe. Mainly to add to the fleet at my club. In this case it would be keeping it in the fleet because it is already there and I know the seller. It is also 9 years newer than the C15 and would be around $600 more at $1500. I know the sails for the Snipe are in good condition but have not seen the C15s. The trailer for the Snipe is practically brand new. Any opinions on the ease level of the daggerboard on the Snipe vs. centerboard on the C15 with single handing? Both boats are still being made. The Snipe has been around since 1931 and 30,000 have been produced while the C15 has had 3800 built starting in 1969. That seems to be a good selling point for the Snipe. I will update when I finally decide.  

C15 is out. The one I was looking at sold and I was leaning away from it anyway. Now it is between the Snipe and Flying Scot. For now I am going to crew on both for a few months. Flying Scot would be better for the family as a whole and will fit all four of us comfortably when just out for a cruise.  

I have a mutineer 15' in very nice shape Bob, less than 2 hours from you. Can send pics if you're interested. It sails much like the Scot, just smaller. Several racing fleets here as well.  

please send some pictures . thanks  

Hi, I am in Huntsville Al pretty close to you . I have a C15 and think it is great. I re-learned how to sail on it after some 30 years. There is a great Yahoo group that has tons of information and leads, and is enthusiastic regarding the boat at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/sailC15/ . You can sign up for free. If you are still looking, I noticed one here: 15' Catalina Coronada 1988 1000.00 OBO . Don't know anything about it, other than they spelled it wrong! Good Luck  

I owned and raced a Snipe for awhile. Not familiar with a C15. I will say the snipe is the most tactical dinghy out there. It has more sail controls than anything I've ever been on, it is a busy boat to sail. I'd go for the Flying Scott if you have a family and want to cruise a little with them. The Snipe is a fun boat and you will learn a lot on it but it is work. That's one reason I sold mine. I went to something simpler and raced PHRF. It's not as much fun as one design but the boat works better for the family.  

thanks for the feedback snider and eyeshot. I agree the Snipe will be a lot of work. One thing going for me is that I have a Snipe mentor willing to take me under his wing. I still am keeping the C15 and Mutt options open. The Scot is still #1 and I have access to borrow one as well as a Snipe at my club. For now I think I am going to focus on those two for the summer and see how it goes. Who knows maybe I will get both.  

single handed my Snipe yesterday in light winds @ 5 mph. First time out alone so I used the main only. no problem tacking. I will use the jib next time if winds are again light. It was a little tippy but I will get used to that. Very easy to launch and recover back on trailer alone. The FS seems so large in that respect. I think I made a good choice. It will be perfect to learn on and hone my skills to start to race. The sails are shot but okay for day sailing.  

Good for you HandsomeBob. What year is your Snipe from? I sailed on a wooden Snipe at a camp in the Adirondack Mtns. as a teenager. It was a fun boat to sail but was not rigged as neatly as today's racing Snipes that have every sail shape control known to mankind rigged. SNIPE sailboat specifications and details on sailboatdata.com It is good to be able to sail with just the main sail and with both the main and jib. It is a little more work for one person to handle both sails but should be easier in light winds. I heard a one design racer at my club make a comment about the FS. The comment was critical of how narrow the gunnels of the boat are so narrow and therefore pretty uncomfortable when you have to hike out. The Lightning has gunnels that are nearly 1' wide making hiking out fairly comfortable. Good for you for moving ahead!  

It is an 88 McLaughlin. The controls will become familiar with time. I most likely won't use them all for a while but will need to know where they are and their purpose. I noticed most of the sail manufacturers have free tuning guides specific to the boat that look very helpful.  

Was going to suggest not bothering with the Snipe, and going right for the FS (though I'm no fan, if that's the best of what's on the lake, that's the one to go for) but am too late.  

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The Endurance of the Snipe

• By Dave Powlison
• August 22, 2023

It’s early April on Miami’s Biscayne Bay, with an 18-knot easterly, gnarly chop and ribbons of sargassum seaweed—tough fare for racing any boat. We’re at the 2023 Don Q Snipe Regatta , heading uphill and racing against competitors with decades of experience in the class, as well as a slew of young hotshots and some first-­timers—40 teams in all. It’s baptism by fire, my first real experience racing a Snipe. And like many who jump into the boat for the first time, I’m being served heaps of humble pie. About the only time my crew, Danielle Wiletsky, and I see the top of the fleet is when we cross paths on opposite legs of the course.

The upside is that we have a ringside seat to their techniques. At one point, we watch as the eventual regatta-winning team of Ernesto Rodriguez and Kathleen Tocke round the weather mark. He hands her the tiller extension and mainsheet, slides back to clear weeds off the rudder, then takes over again. Blink and we’ll miss it.

“It’s something we’ve practiced,” Rodriguez tells me afterward.

Then it’s back to the business of riding waves, Tocke at times with her face almost at the headstay when going down waves, then rapidly sliding aft as the ride nears its end. It’s the product of years of muscle memory, and Tocke and Rodriguez are clearly in sync. Tocke, who first sailed the Snipe in 2008, says they don’t talk much on their boat. “Occasionally, he’ll tell me to hike harder,” she adds, “not because I’m not, but more as encouragement.”

Soon they’re a speck on the horizon as we plod our way upwind to the mark.

We’re not alone at the humble-pie buffet. Here at the Don Q, scores of top-notch sailors, ex-collegiate and otherwise, come with high expectations only to leave with egos battered and bruised by class veterans, many old enough to be their parents. Rodriguez has been at this for more than two decades. Plus, he regularly trains with the likes of Hall of Famer Augie Diaz, who has been in the class for 56 years and won more Snipe championships than space allows here, and Peter Commette, 36 years in the class, a former Olympian, a Laser world champion, and keeper of his share of big-time Snipe titles as well. “They taught me a lot,” Rodriguez says. “I’m still part of that group, and we always go back and forth with information, sharing a lot about tuning and ways to best sail the boat.”

The Don Q was started by class icon Gonzalo Diaz in 1966 and named after its rum sponsor. It’s been held every year since, even during the pandemic. As boats set up at the host Coconut Grove Sailing Club, with the overflow at the US Sailing Center to the north, it’s impossible not to notice the number of 30-somethings—not only as crew, but also skippers.

At a gathering at a recent Snipe event, Augie Diaz asked, “How many here are under 30?” Over half raised their hands.

So, how is it that a 1931 design is still going strong? With its 380-pound hull, unstylishly high boom, and an off-wind setup requiring a whisker pole, it’s a quirky boat that doesn’t align with modern metrics for success. Cue the Snipe class promotional video and enter Gonzalo Diaz, affectionately known as “Old Man.” Born in 1930, his Snipe career began in Havana at age 15. He left Cuba in 1965, settled in Miami, joined the Coconut Grove Sailing Club, and began working his magic in the local Snipe fleet.

“He was the kind of fleet-builder who spent a lot of his private time helping people get into Snipes,” says his son, Augie. About 30 years ago, he started a rent-to-own program. “He’d get a boat and pretty much let a prospective owner say how much they wanted to rent the boat for. The rental fee went toward the boat’s purchase. If it took them five years to pay the boat off, that was fine with him. If it took 10 years, that was fine too.” Augie admits that it’s tough to tell just how many boats his father ran through this program, but he ­estimates it’s well over 30.

“It’s a great way to promote the boat,” says Alex Pline, of Annapolis, “because those renting boats have skin in the game. The longer they rent the boat, the more they have invested in it and the less likely they are to give that all up.”

There are rumors about a Miami-area warehouse full of an ­unsubstantiated number of Snipes—usually in the double digits—and it’s clear who the supplier is.

Pline’s fleet adopted a version of the Old Man’s program in 2021. His wife, Lisa, says: “I love stealing good ideas. We’re on our third boat and our fourth person, who just got busy with other stuff. But we were able to turn that boat over pretty quickly.”

Rodriguez, also from Cuba, was a Laser sailor who met Old Man shortly after arriving in the States. “He gave me a boat to use for free and helped me out in a bunch of ways, including getting me in ­regattas when I couldn’t afford it.”

Greg Saldana, another Old Man recruit, had never sailed a Snipe but showed enough interest to catch Diaz’s attention. “We met at the US Sailing Center when there were just trailers and a bunch of boats. Here comes this little guy in a van. He gets out, and he’s carrying a briefcase, pen and a piece of paper, ready for me to sign. I said, ‘Wait a minute. Before I sign, can we first go sailing?’ He really didn’t want to because it was really hot out, but we went. We didn’t even get out of the channel when he said, ‘You’re going to do fine. Let’s go back.’ And I signed.”

The list goes on, and although Old Man passed away in early March 2023, Augie carries on his father’s legacy. “He had a love for the class that was infectious. I don’t know how many people I’ve brought into the class,” he says, “but I’ll always be behind the number my father brought in. I keep trying to catch up to him. I don’t keep count. I’m just going to keep doing what’s good for the class.”

There are rumors about a Miami-area warehouse full of an ­unsubstantiated number of Snipes—usually in the double digits—and it’s clear who the supplier is. As my crew observed, “It seems almost every boat here was either owned by Augie or is being ­borrowed from him for this event.”

That includes us. We quickly get a taste of another component of the Snipe’s continued success as Pline comes over while we are setting up the boat. He helps us get the rig base settings correct, and Andrew Pimental, the US Snipe builder who is right next to us in the parking area, jumps in as well.

“Everyone’s always helping each other,” says Charlie Bess, who crewed with Enrique Quintero to take second in the Don Q. “It doesn’t matter if it’s someone’s first time in the class or someone who’s been around for decades. You can ask them anything.”

The assistance doesn’t end in the boat park. Just after the start of the first race, our hiking stick universal breaks, and as we are approaching the club dock, two people rush to see what had happened. It’s Saldana and his crew, Grace Fang. “We got out to the end of the channel and decided we didn’t want to deal with those conditions,” Fang tells us. They quickly offer up the tiller and hiking stick from their boat, and we make it out for the second race. With a no-throw-out series, it was a tough way to start a regatta, but the hospitality put it all into perspective.

Later that evening, I was about to deal with our universal repair when I find our original tiller and hiking stick back in our boat, repaired and ready for the next day, no doubt the work of Saldana and Fang. We discover later that Saldana was Old Man’s regular crew and close friend for many years. Saldana and Fang are not here just for the racing either.

“We couldn’t attend the memorial for Old Man,” Fang says, “but we thought just being here for this event would be a good way to honor him. I think there are others here for the same reason.”

On the water, top Snipe sailor Jato Ocariz serves as the fleet coach, coming alongside boats between races to offer advice. On the second day, with the wind now around 15 but still a strong chop, he has us sail upwind so he can check our setup. “Put two more turns on your shrouds and move your jib leads back,” he says. And just like that, we are able to point better and log our best finish, just about midfleet.

One of the class’s most successful endeavors is recruiting younger sailors. Bess is a self-confessed poster child for the effort. “When I was 15, Augie sent me an email, along with around 10 other juniors in our program. He got us a boat, provided coaching and helped us out. That’s how I got into the class,” Bess says. Now she’s the Miami Snipe fleet captain and on the class’s “next gen” committee, which focuses on attracting 30-somethings. “The idea behind it is that a lot of people do junior sailing, then college sailing, graduate and discover they have no place to go. We try to make the point that we are that next step.”

What is it about the Snipe that appeals to that demographic? For starters, there’s a practical component. Commette says: “Over the last 20 years, people have won Snipe world championships in boats that were 10 to 15 years old. I just sold a 1998 boat I wasn’t racing anymore. It’s one of the best boats I’ve ever sailed, and it could win a world championship easy. That’s the great thing about the Snipe. You can get an old boat and be competitive. You can get a used Jibe Tech or Persson for $5K, put some time into it, a couple of hundred dollars to update lines and things, and win a Worlds with it. That’s what makes it so fantastic for young kids.”

The boat is also a technical step up from junior and college sailing boats, but not so much that it’s intimidating. The spreaders can be adjusted to accommodate a range of crew weights, the mast can be moved fore and aft at deck level with a lever or block-and-tackle system, and there are the usual jib and main controls. Class veterans Carol Cronin and crew Kim Couranz are at the lighter end of the weight spectrum, which, according to Diaz, is optimally around 315 to 320 pounds, making it well within reach for mixed-gender teams and smaller teams. “There are enough controls that you can customize the boat to how heavy you are and how tall you are,” Cronin says. “Like the Star, the bendy mast keeps the boat exciting to sail. It takes a little more technique, but it also means you can tune the mast to fit a wider variety of weights.” Despite a breezy first two days, Cronin and Couranz finish ninth overall.

Then there’s the class motto: “Serious sailing, serious fun.” That appeals to the younger crowd. “I’ve always thought it sounds a little cheesy,” Bess says, but it’s entirely accurate. Taylor Schuermann, who crews for Diaz, says: “There’s a tremendous amount of enthusiasm, now more than ever, from that group. We have a WhatsApp group, and on Monday and Tuesday people are already asking, ‘Who’s going out this weekend?’ People are chomping at the bit to practice, sail together, and really put in that effort. Then when you show up to a regatta, no matter how long you’ve been in the class, it feels like a family reunion.”

And like a reunion, there are always those moments when you remember who is absent. Fittingly, the regatta’s Saturday night Cuban dinner includes a celebration of Old Man’s life, with photos, videos and a lot of storytelling.

“It’s all about peer groups,” Lisa Pline says, “and keeping it fun and competitive.”

Carter Cameron got into the lease-to-own program in Annapolis, says Evan Hoffman, the current Snipe class secretary. “All of a sudden, he started inviting all of his friends and became sort of a lightning rod for the fleet. Now he’s in San Diego, working for Quantum, and he’s doing the same kind of thing there.”

There is a downside, however, to the youth recruiting scheme, Pline says. “Every time we bring a new kid into the class, I think, ‘Oh, great, another kid who’s going to kick my ass.’”

The class also hosts under-30 regattas. “We found that if you can get a younger person interested in a Snipe, they’ll get other people their own age interested as well,” Pline says. “The U30 events really help with that. The idea is that it’s a regatta for younger people—it’s the older generation, if you will, reaching out to younger sailors, loaning boats for the event, doing whatever we can to make it successful.”

Over the years, the Snipe has withstood a lot of competition from startup classes that have the mentality of keeping it simple and easy.

Over the years, the Snipe has withstood a lot of competition from startup classes that have the mentality of keeping it simple, easy, and all the things that would make it a Laser-like doublehanded boat. “But the problem is,” Commette says, “that’s a dumbed-down type of sailing. While the Laser has excelled for what it is, it doesn’t teach you how to do so many other things necessary to become a really good all-around sailor. With the Snipe, you learn so much more, which is why so many America’s Cup champions, so many Olympians, so many other world champions have had significant Snipe experience.”

“One of the things that’s always appealed to me,” Cronin says, “is that, if you look at Old Man and Augie, you realize, ‘I can keep doing this for a long time, if I stay fit and stay interested.’”

I can relate. As a late adopter to the Snipe myself—let’s just say a few years past my retirement—I now know firsthand from the Don Q that I’ve got a long way to go to get to the front of the Snipe fleet. Thankfully, I’m guided by Old Man’s legacy and the efforts of many others in the class. Keep at it, ask the right questions, and someday I might be within shouting distance of Rodriguez. I’m sure many of the new kids in the class hope for the same.

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Whisker Pole Launching System

The Snipe uses a retractable boom-launched whisker pole. The crew deploys the pole with an automatic cleating system led through two 29 mm Carbo stand-up blocks. Two 29 mm T2 Carbo blocks hold up the whisker pole line.

Carbo Ratchamatic Mainsheet®

Use this revolutionary load-sensing ratchet as a secondary mainsheet ratchet to give the skipper extra holding power upwind. As the load decreases around the weather mark, the ratchet automatically turns off for a smooth release.

If you would like to link to or reprint this article please contact  [email protected].

Class History

This popular racing dinghy has an active international class association that attracts some of the best sailors in the world. The boat's bendy rig and simple sail plan allows a broad range of crew combinations and weights to make this modern, tactical racer great fun to sail.

Links International Snipe Class McLube™ Harken Canvas

Boat Specifications

LOA: 15 ft 6 in (4.7 m) LWL: 13 ft 6 in (4.1 m) Beam: 5 ft (1.5 m) Sail Area: 128 sq ft (11.8 sq m) Weight: 381 lb (173 kg)

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Published on August 4th, 2021 | by Editor

Getting started in the Snipe Class

Published on August 4th, 2021 by Editor -->

Getting started in a new one-design class can be intimidating. You may not know the boat, the people, the set-up of the rig, or the fastest sail trim. But joining a new class is not as scary or as challenging as you might think.

Quantum Sails’ Carter Cameron began sailing Snipes a year ago and in this report reflects on the positive experience and lessons learned to give others a leg up when starting your one-design journey.

Sailing the 2021 Snipe US Nationals marked my first anniversary in the boat, and I couldn’t have had more fun. Here are my takeaways after the first year learning the boat.

Chines Growing up sailing Lightnings in Charleston, I was familiar with how a chined boat sails. However, most new Snipe sailors are collegiate or recently graduated sailors who are used to sailing round-hulled boats like Lasers, 420s, and FJs.

With these boats, the goal is to sail as flat as possible so you get the most efficient flow over your underwater foils. Anytime you heel to leeward, you’ll start sliding because the foils don’t have an optimal angle of attack. The Snipe is different from collegiate dinghies because the chine helps create lift as well, and its daggerboard is not as efficient either.

The Snipe board is made from a piece of sheet metal, so it’s only faired around the edges and flat in the middle, whereas with fiberglass boards you can create shape across the whole foil. Sailing the Snipe with a little bit of leeward heel−no more than 5 degrees−puts the chine in the water and creates lift to help overcome its less efficient daggerboard. Tunable Rig The Snipe has many controls to help manipulate sail shape, which is great for the collegiate sailors who are used to having vang, cunningham, outhaul, and jib halyard to tension the rig. In addition, the Snipe has adjustable spreaders in sweep and length, a mast ram, jib cunningham, and STA-Masters to adjust rake. While this may seem like a lot, the magic of the Snipe is that you can simplify all these controls and still be fast.

Quantum’s tuning guide is spot on, so just follow that to match rake, tension, and spreader sweep and length, and you’re off to the races. I learned fairly quickly what the mast ram is capable of, but new sailors don’t need to worry about moving it in their first year in the boat. Just lock it at neutral and you’re good to go.

For the curious, however, mast forward upwind will bend your rig more and sag jib halyard and vice-versa for when you pull it back. Once you’ve got some Snipe experience, you can pull your mast aft all the way on the downwind, which helps get your boom farther out and pushes more depth into your main, creating a more powerful shape.

Whisker Poles Are Your Friend Gone are the days of the skipper holding out the windward jib sheet for wing-on-wing downwind. Now the whisker pole has come to the rescue. Snipe whisker poles are rigged on a clever self-retracting bungee system rigged inside the boom.

All that needs to be rigged to go sailing each day is to tie the end of the pole launcher line coming out of the pole to the clew of the jib and feed the other end of the launcher line through the blocks on the mast and deck to the crew. Whisker poles are great for maximizing projected area on the downwind and they really help the boat take off on the reaches. Snipes love to plane because of this set-up.

Serious Sailing, Serious Fun The Snipe Class trademarked this motto for good reason. It is truly one of the most competitive one-design classes in the world, and it’s hard to meet a better group of sailors off the water.

It’s not every day you get sail against World Champions like Augie Diaz, Raul Rios, George Szabo, Pan-American gold medalist Ernesto Rodriguez, and too many National and North American champions to count. It’s humbling to be rolled by one of these guys on an upwind, and they’re more than happy to help you sail your boat faster as well.

My favorite part of the motto is Serious Fun. I’ve made friends I’ll have for the rest of my life and had mentors I’ll never be able to pay back no matter what I do. Part of the serious fun is getting the “U30s” in the boat, post-collegiate sailors 30 years old and younger. There are lease-to-own programs, loaner boats, and numerous regatta charter deals that are geared to get this group sailing Snipes.

There’s nobody that does this better than Alex and Lisa Pline of Annapolis Fleet 532. They’ve been instrumental in getting me involved in the class and making sure I’m having a good time. Because of folks like the Plines, we’ve got a good group of U30s who travel to all the regattas. You’ll feel like you’re back in college with these folks when you’re off the water.

After one year of sailing the Snipe, I can tell you it is a fantastic boat for anyone looking for competitive, fun racing at a price that won’t break the bank. I wouldn’t change a thing I’ve done sailing this boat for the past year, and I know I’ll be sailing it for the rest of my life. So for all of you on the fence, trust me and go get a Snipe. You won’t regret it.

For more information about Quantum Sails Snipe products and tuning resources, visit the Quantum Sails Snipe one-design page .

Tags: Carter Cameron , education , Quantum Sails , Snipe

Related Posts

Building Blocks of Asymmetric Spin Trim →

It’s not what you say, but what you do →

Take a Deep Breath, and Simplify! →

2024 Snipe US National Championship →

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Search for sailboat finds two children passed away; father still missing

DOOR COUNTY, Wis. (WBAY) - Two children were found dead, almost two days after a boating trip turned into a widespread search of the Bay of Green Bay.

Bill Salnik, 32, and his children, who were 3 and 5 years old, are believed to have gone sailing from Oconto near the breakwater Saturday. No one had contact with Salnik since 5 o’clock Saturday evening.

Their 18-foot sailboat was found capsized south of Chambers Island at 6:22 Monday morning during a search for the missing boaters. The bodies of the children were found five hours later. Oconto County Sheriff’s Office said the bodies of the two children were recovered about one mile south of where the boat was located.

Their names are not being released at this time pending positive identification and notification of the next-of-kin. Land, water, and air searches are continuing into the evening and additional searches will resume in the morning. This remains an active investigation, the Door County Sheriff’s Office said.

The U.S. Coast Guard is using a 45-foot boat from Sturgeon Bay and a helicopter from Traverse City to search for their father.

Investigators are looking over the sailboat after it was towed to Fish Creek and pulled out of the water by multiple law enforcement agencies. They appeared to be carrying the boat’s sail separately.

They were last seen near Egg Harbor and Green Island. They were supposedly headed for Riley’s Bay before storms hit.

The Coast Guard began a search when they were reported missing Sunday afternoon after they failed to reach their destination. The person who reported them missing said calls were going straight to voicemail and the truck and trailer for the boat were found still at the boat ramp.

The Door County Dive Team and incident command have been working out of Fish Creek since Monday morning.

The Wisconsin Air National Guard is assisting, along with sheriff’s offices in Door, Oconto and Brown counties, Oconto Fire and Rescue, Gibraltar Fire, and the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources.

The search for the boat stretched from Green Bay to Ellison Bay.

Anyone with information about the family should contact the Sturgeon Bay Coast Guard station.

Action 2 News will continue updating this report as more information becomes available.

Copyright 2024 WBAY. All rights reserved.

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Southbridge Boat House

Hours updated 1 month ago

Review Highlights

“ Now that Spring is here, I'd heartily suggest coming out here, and spending the day paddling up or down the River . ” in 21 reviews

“ We headed toward the Old North Bridge , which is part of the Minute Man historic park. ” in 5 reviews

“ Good prices, equipment is ok, but the best is the excursion to the minute man historic monument and house. ” in 3 reviews

Location & Hours

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496 Main St

Concord, MA 01742

Upcoming Special Hours

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About the Business

The South Bridge Boathouse offers canoe and kayak rentals to the general public with waterfront access to the historic waterways of the Assabet, Concord and Sudbury rivers. We are committed to making your experience safe and enjoyable. Please call us if you have any questions, we’re happy to assist you. Happy paddling! …

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Got a question about Southbridge Boat House ? Ask the Yelp community!

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• 1 star rating Not good
• 2 star rating Could’ve been better
• 3 star rating OK
• 4 star rating Good
• 5 star rating Great

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Overall rating

Perfect spot for some weekend activity! Friendly staff and great location! Cameron did an excellent job in getting my party ready for some enjoyable kayaking experience.

Cash only!! (Only reason it's not a 5!) Plan ahead.... Solid service by Bri, and the young men who launch you and help you back in. Thanks for such an affordable, reliable kayaking opportunity. Part of my summer rituals now.... Know that the website is not current, either.... But what they do, they do well!

On the River

One of our sightings

Reasonable prices but cash only. Equipments are fine and easy renting. The old man and the young guy both were helpful. 1.5-2 hrs kayak/ canoe is totally worth it. Social distancing and masks are requiredat the dock at these convos times but later can be removed in the boats.

Had lot of geese accompany us!!

This goes back some time, but had the same experience as other reviewers here with the "older man" and felt compelled to write this review. Brought extended family (with young kids) to rent some canoes. Found the front desk empty during regular hours. Stepped onto the deck in front of the river to see if anyone was around. Eventually we noticed the "older man" by himself with some canoes. He ignored us. We asked if he worked here and he went ballistic. Started yelling at us and punching canoes. Getting violent and unpredictable. We retreated quickly to our car. Absolutely confused by the incident. We reached out to the owner by phone to report the incident and she basically told us "what do you want me to do about it?" As I understand it, he is related to the owner and she is well aware of this ongoing problem. Read the other reviews, this is not an isolated incident.

I really enjoyed Canoeing here, the concord river is huge so we canoed for 3+ hours but only covered a fraction of the river. The boat house has double kayaks, canoes, and single kayaks. Be aware that this place is CASH ONLY. They had someone help us get in and out of the boat which was nice. The price I believe is changed by hour then after 3 hours, the price no longer goes up. The facilities are on the older side but did not impact our experience. I would make five stars if they accepted credit card and/or could book from their website.

Good prices, equipment is ok, but the best is the excursion to the minute man historic monument and house. Make sure you pick a good, clear, and warm day for your excursion. The rental was quick and efficient. Not much training or "friendliness", just to business and off you go on the water.

Fun expeditions to minute man historical monument

David was great. He provided us with maps of the river, advised us on some hidden gems and shallow areas to watch out for, and was generally speaking just a really kind person. I was glad we ended up here - David's warm welcome was a great way to begin a lovely afternoon paddling trip. Will definitely be back.

How can you not be excited about getting on the water in this spot?

Love this beautiful spot! The new 3rd generation owner is amazing! She is so kind, professional, and hardworking. The customer service is top notch and the views on the river are stunning. Can't recommend this place enough!

What a great place this is. The prices could be a little less, but it's still worth it. The Sudbury River water isn't the cleanest but it's all good...the boathouse has nothing to do with that. They don't take debit or credit cards like the website says. They should update the site. I know that the boathouse may have survived some massive water damage throughout the years with floods...but it still upholds its charm. My experiences have been pretty fair when it comes to the staff. There's a lot of wild life which is a plus!

This is a lovely little spot to come to and have an 1 1/2 canoe or kayak down river through Concord. It's very pretty and we had the opportunity to take some wonderful pictures. The boat house has a working bathroom and lots of boats, the staff are young but helpful. There is an easiness to renting (cash only). They offer a lunch and dinner cruise that could be nice but the menu wasn't of interest. We would recommend this and do it again!

See all photos from Delilah A. for Southbridge Boat House

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Small boat crossings in 2024 pass 15,000

It comes a day after the new prime minister outlined his plans to tackle illegal migration following Labour's scrapping of the Conservatives' Rwanda scheme.

Political reporter @NifS

Friday 19 July 2024 11:57, UK

The number of people arriving in the UK via small boat Channel crossings this year has now passed 15,000, the government has confirmed.

A total of 317 people made the dangerous journey across six boats on Thursday, bringing 2024's total so far to 15,076.

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The number is higher than the figure for the same date in 2023, where the total had reached 14,071.

But it is still lower than the record breaking year of 2022, where it had reached 15,314 by this date.

Keep up with all the latest news from the UK and around the world by following Sky News

It comes after another person died overnight when their boat, crowded with 86 people, got into trouble in the Channel.

And it also follows fresh commitments from the new government on how it plans to tackle illegal migration.

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Related Topics:

• Migrant crossings
• Sir Keir Starmer

Speaking at the European Political Community (EPC) summit last night, Sir Keir Starmer announced his plan to stop the crossings at "source" by putting £84m into health and education initiatives in Africa and the Middle East , helping prevent people wanting to flee their homes in the first place.

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The prime minister also confirmed a "deepening [of] cooperation" with European partners to tackle the issue, including increasing the UK's presence at Europol, agreeing new arrangements with Slovenia and Slovakia on tackling organised crime, and a commitment to share more intelligence "to put the gangs out of business".

It is a very different approach to the previous Conservative government and their Rwanda deportation plan , which was scrapped by Labour after they took power two weeks ago.

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A Home Office spokesperson said: "We all want to see an end to dangerous small boat crossings, which are undermining border security and putting lives at risk.

"The new government is taking steps to boost our border security, setting up a new Border Security Command which will bring together our intelligence and enforcement agencies, equipped with new counter-terror-style powers and hundreds of personnel stationed in the UK and overseas, to smash the criminal smuggling gangs making millions in profit."

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Boat capsizes on Lake Michigan, killing two and leaving one survivor

Notifications to the families of the deceased victims are still pending..

OZAUKEE COUNTY – Two people died and one survived after a boat capsized in Lake Michigan near Port Washington during the evening July 15.  

After receiving a mayday call of a sinking vessel, the U.S. Coast Guard launched a 45-foot response boat from Station Milwaukee. A Station Sheboygan crew also responded.  

A good Samaritan arrived at the scene to help after hearing a distress call over the radio. They heard a person yelling for help in the water.   

A 50-year-old man and a 51-year-old man from Illinois were found unresponsive when other emergency personnel, including Ozaukee County Emergency Management rescue boat and Port Washington Fire Department fire boat, responded.

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A 26-year-old man from Beloit was found conscious, who confirmed the distress call and that there were three people on the boat. 

All three individuals were transported to the Aurora Medical Center in Grafton.  

“This all-hands effort highlights the partnership we have with our local partners, with their help we were able to find all three people from the vessel that sank tonight,” Petty Officer 2nd Class Kimberly Miller, Station Milwaukee Coxswain, said in a news release. “The one responsive person we rescued was also wearing a life jacket, which was critical in buying us time to find them and pull them out.” 

Although rescue personnel performed lifesaving efforts, the two unconscious victims did not survive. Their families haven’t been notified yet.  

The 26-year-old man rescued is in stable condition, according to the Ozaukee County Sheriff's Office.

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The water was about 53 degrees Fahrenheit, and waves reached 2-4 feet high. The boat, a 177 model and 17-foot 2008 Triton fishing boat, was overturned when a wave struck its side, completely submerging it. The boat hasn’t been found.

The Port Washington Police Department and Grafton and Saukville fire departments assisted in this incident as well.  

Have a story tip? Contact Alex Garner at 224-374-2332 or [email protected] . Follow her on X (formerly Twitter) at @alexx_garner .

Buying a Used Snipe

So you've decided to sail Snipes. You're not quite sure you're ready for a brand new model (what do you do with all those lines?), but you want something that will help you learn the ropes and be competitive with the rest of the fleet. Other fleet members have suggested you look into a good used boat. But what defines a "good used boat?"

Mike McLaughlin, with 30 years experience building Snipes, including the Chubasco and McLaughlin, and now owner of Eclipse Manufacturing, gives his “tire kicking” advice.

Before shopping for a used Snipe, you should first define your intended level of racing (if any), the maximum amount of money you are willing to invest, and your projected annual budget for regattas and sailing expenses.

If you are looking for a daysailing Snipe which will never be raced, look for a self-rescuing fiberglass hull with an aluminum mast, decent sails and simple rigging. Because you needn’t worry about a minimum weight or complicated sail controls, pre-1980 era Snipes are available for very low prices and are great sailing boats.

If you are new to the Snipe Class and want to race competitively, you must have a competitive boat. You don’t have to have a new boat. I recommend buying a good used boat for your first year during which you can hone your skills, crash into marks and docks, give and receive dings, and drill holes and change fittings. You can quickly scale the learning curve and experiment with this boat and become comfortable with sail and mast controls, hiking straps and sheeting systems. As you get used to Snipe racing in general, you can upgrade your boat with new rigging, sails and blades, or buy a new boat knowing exactly what rigging options work best for you. If after this first year you decide Sniping isn’t for you (does this happen?) you can sell he boat and walk away with most of your investment and many new friends.

Let’s look at the important features of a competitive used Snipe. The first thing is hull shape. Chubasco, Eclipse, Jibetech, McLaughlin, Mueller, Persson, and Phoenix are all good shapes and will win races. The Chubasco and older Phoenix and Mueller hulls, while good shapes, may be over weight or “soft”. The advent of vacuum bonded PVC foams [i.e. Klegecel] in 1980 not only made for long lasting boats, but reduced the chance of hulls absorbing water and becoming overweight.

Weigh the prospective boat: if it is more than five pounds overweight with no visible corrector lead, look at other boats. Don’t worry about the moment of inertia; it is not that important in the big picture and most post-1980 boats will be at or near the allowable minimum.

Check the overall structure of the hull and deck. There should be no soft spots on the hull, deck, or floor liner. Most used boats will have had some rigging changes so there may be some small holes or patches. Check to see that all fittings and hiking straps are well fastened and caulked and check the overall condition of all parts.

An absolute must for a boat to be competitive is a bendy mast. Cobra II, Firestix, Sidewinder, Proctor Miracle or Bryant all will work and only the Firestix is out of production. If the boat has a Cobra I, Mueller, Proctor A, E or EX, shop on or plan to spend approximately $880.00 for a mast upgrade. Most used boats will come with at least one set of sails. If the sails are more than two years old, they might be OK for fleet racing, but plan on spending some of your sailing budget soon for a new set. Remcmber that your mast-sail combination is the key to boat speed and should have top priority!

Of lesser importance are the blades – – your daggerboard and rudder. The daggerboard should be straight and smooth and all edges should be well tapered to the l” tolerance. The leading edge may need to be sharpened but this can be done on a milling machine by parts suppliers or you can do it with a big file and much elbow grease. The rudder should be fair and stiff and should fit tightly into the transom gudgeons. The tiller should have no play with the rudder head and the tiller extension should be at least 36 inches long with a flexible rubber connector. Rudder thicknesses and shapes vary, but generally a fat(l 3/8-1 1/2″) rudder is best for big swells and lumps, and thin (1-1 1/2 “) is best for flat water sailing.

If you plan on traveling, check out the trailer carefully. Obviously inspect the welds, tires and support bunks for proper padding and fit, but always inspect the bearings, lug nuts and lights and carry a spare tire. Many regattas are remembered only for trailer problems and not the good sailing or good friends.

Information

In such short space, all Snipe construction and historical evolution can’t be fully covered. If a used Snipe interests you, find the hull number and manufacturer and call for a background check. SCIRA will only provide research for current members of the Snipe Class.  Use the Boat look-up feature on this website: “Membership/Boat Look-up” tab on the home page.  Then type in the hull number. All boats are recorded by hull number.  Any information on hulls have been entered into the online database.  If a Measurement Data Sheet exists on the boat, it will be listed here as well as the original owner and if the boat has been registered with SCIRA. 

If you are looking for a used boat, you can visit the National Websites or visit the FB Page SnipeToday Group – Snipe Buy / Sell / Charter

What to know about the AR-15, the style of gun used in Trump assassination attempt

Former President Donald Trump was shot at a campaign rally in Pennsylvania Saturday, surviving an assassination attempt.

One person was killed and two others were "critically injured," the Secret Service said.

Thomas Matthew Crook , 20, was identified by the Federal Bureau of Investigation as the shooter. He was killed at the scene and an investigation into motive remains ongoing.

USA TODAY reported that an AR-15-style rifle was used in the assassination attempt. CNN reported Sunday that the gun was used to identify Crooks.

Here's what we know about the weapon used in the assassination attempt.

What is a semi-automatic rifle

A semi-automatic firearm , which includes AR-15-style rifles, is a weapon where the shooter must pull the trigger to fire, but the next round is automatically loaded into the chamber, according to Northeastern University.

An automatic weapon allows a shooter to fire multiple rounds when the trigger is pulled.

AR-15 popular weapon in US

The AR-15, manufactured by Armalite, became one of America's most popular guns after the end of the Assault Weapons Ban in 2004.

About 1 in 20 U.S. adults owned an AR-15 in 2023, according to the Washington Post. The Post found that the weapon was used in at least 10 of the 17 deadliest mass shootings in America.

The gun has been featured in video games and media , including the popular Call of Duty franchise.

AR-15 range

The effective range of an AR-15, where an average shooter can hit a vehicle-sized target, is between 400-600 yards, according to a survey of gun review sites. The range will be affected by the skill of the shooter, the caliber of round used and environmental factors.