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  1. #1
    Join Date
    Feb 2014
    Location
    South Australia
    Posts
    4

    Default What type of dinghy is this - Heron? Mirror? Heinz 57?

    Hi All

    I've been lurking and dreaming about wooden boats for a while now and have bought an old plywood dinghy - complete apart from sails (!). The owner tells me it's a Heron, but it has a pram bow... The deck looks somewhat like it's a Heron to my inexpert eyes. The centre-board arrangement looked somewhat like a Mirror's, as does the pram front - but maybe not quite .... Perhaps it's a mongrel. But it's my mongrel now and that make's it family and worth trying to help.

    It's obviously filthy and needs a lot of work but it seems a solid enough basis as it's been undercover for 10 years or so. The farmer I bought it off of has a dam / lake and he used to sail a bit in that with his kids. I bought the dinghy for $120 and as the farmer said, that's $10 for the dinghy and $110 for the trailer which is solid. I've given it a few pokes and prods with a key and nothing seemed rotten (apart from the badly wearing top deck(, but there's bound be rot in there ... The shed it was stored in was a farm machinery shed so roof and 3 walls. The sails rotted away and the top deck needs replacement.

    The good news is I have a lot of free time at the moment and woodworking skills and my own machinery shed to dry dock it in . I'm looking at getting it clean and making sure it's water tight (apparently it didn't leak 10 years ago). I feel confident at having a go on my first boat after reading some of the restorations here in the forum. As I like to joke - what could go wrong? I'm sure my real problems will start when I go sailing!

    I had thought of building a boat from scratch, but I'd like to learn a bit more about how other people have put boats together first before I do that (and this boat was ready and waiting) and even if half of this boat is rotten I'll be happy enough to work up new sections - I'm thinking this will be like the little country cottage I restored after someone else had a go before me: I really learned a lot by seeing first hand what not to do, if that makes sense (think cruelty to wood and carpentry with fencing nails ...).

    Sorry, these aren't the best photo's but all I've got for now - does anyone have any ideas as to what this is? I'm picking her up tomorrow morning. She's just on 12 foot long.

    Any ideas?

    Many thanks
    Tyrone

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  3. #2
    Join Date
    Feb 2009
    Location
    Adelaide - outer south
    Age
    67
    Posts
    935

    Default

    I can't see your photos Tyrone - comes up with an "Invalid attachment specified" message.
    Cheers, Bob the labrat

    Measure once and.... the phone rings!

  4. #3
    Join Date
    Feb 2014
    Location
    South Australia
    Posts
    4

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by labr@ View Post
    I can't see your photos Tyrone - comes up with an "Invalid attachment specified" message.
    Thanks -I'll try again from a URL instead of uploading

    WP_20140307_009.jpg WP_20140307_008.jpg WP_20140307_006.jpg WP_20140307_003.jpg WP_20140307_002.jpg WP_20140307_001.jpg

    Hopefully this works!

  5. #4
    Join Date
    May 2010
    Location
    melbourne
    Posts
    173

    Default

    I don't think it is either a heron or a mirror. Neither had a cockpit of that shape. A mirror was almost completely open with a scow type bow. A heron was not a fully open boat but had a pointed sharp bow. Both had a swing centreboard as opposed to your that has a daggerboard. Both are a deeper boat than what your pictures show.

    I reckon that it could be a Rainbow dinghy. A rainbow is 12 foot long has a narrow cockpit and has a dagger board type centreboard.
    have a google search and see what you think. Does the seller have any idea?

  6. #5
    Join Date
    May 2009
    Location
    Hobart
    Posts
    106

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by piquet View Post
    I don't think it is either a heron or a mirror. Neither had a cockpit of that shape. A mirror was almost completely open with a scow type bow. A heron was not a fully open boat but had a pointed sharp bow. Both had a swing centreboard as opposed to your that has a daggerboard. Both are a deeper boat than what your pictures show.

    I reckon that it could be a Rainbow dinghy. A rainbow is 12 foot long has a narrow cockpit and has a dagger board type centreboard.
    have a google search and see what you think. Does the seller have any idea?
    It is not a Rainbow, definitely not. I used to have one.

    Looks like a Mirror side on but agree cockpit is the wrong shape.

    International Cadet perhaps?

    Cheers, Cameron.

  7. #6
    Join Date
    Feb 2014
    Location
    South Australia
    Posts
    4

    Default

    Thank you Seafarer and piquet for their responses. I think Seafarer has it. It looks like a Cadet based on the profile of the hull and the general shape of the deck. I lifted the front deck off and had a look at the frame underneath and it is very similar to the deck and framework pictures on page 2 of this thread "Cadet MK2" here on woodworkforums.

    Getting the Cadet down to my place necessitated a 350km drive and unfortunately I'm presently without a car with a tow-bar. However not be put off I went with my dad (he turned 70 the other day - you're never too old to get help from your Dad) and so we picked up the boat and trailer - literally. Providence or dumb luck ensured that the farm we picked the boat up from happened to have (in the same paddock where the boat lay) 3 removalists who cheerfully volunteered to help us roll over and upend the trailer and then lift it on the back of Dad's ute. One of the removalists asked me "What's so special about this boat?" I responded "I bought it!" Fair enough he nodded.

    WP_20140312_002.jpg

    Unloading was surprisingly simple. We slid the trailer off the tray, down some planks and then 'eased' it over onto its' side as it came down off the back of the ute and then we rolled the trailer over onto it's wheels once again. It's a solid trailer - the wheel guards took the weight of the whole trailer when we rolled it over and they didn't warp or buckle.

    WP_20140312_008.jpg WP_20140312_010.jpg

    I had a more thorough poke around the boat and found that it really is quite solid. No rot that I could find but lots of wear and use and old fiber-glass tape repairs that were done over the paint and which are, accordingly, now lifting off in parts. Taking the front deck off and looking into the framework revealed a very clean bottom and inside with only slight blackening, nice quality carpentry framing and I presume, the DIY makers name 'Cock + Son' written on the underside of the deck. There's been lots of paint over paint over paint which is lifting off in many places revealing the original varnishing.

    WP_20140312_021.jpg

    I'm currently restoring an old Mercedes - I will start final respray tomorrow - so I'm now motivated to finish that off in the next few weeks and get onto, what I think, is my Cadet!



  8. #7
    Join Date
    Feb 2007
    Location
    Wagga Wagga
    Posts
    19

    Default

    I think it is an International Cadet too

    If it has sails you could check the symbol - if it is a C then likely to be a cadet

    Cheers

    Kym

  9. #8
    Join Date
    Feb 2014
    Location
    South Australia
    Posts
    4

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by KymG View Post
    I think it is an International Cadet too

    If it has sails you could check the symbol - if it is a C then likely to be a cadet

    Cheers

    Kym
    Thank you for your input, I think you're right and I'm fairly positive that it's an International Cadet - it's a Mark I, I think (plywood on frame). Mind you I was sure it was a Heron, Mirror and a Rainbow as well. I guess, at an fundamental level they're all fairly similar. And three out of the four have the same designer involved.

    I should have taken a photo of the 'sails' - more like a remnant of rotten hanky. There's nothing left but a scrap with rope tied to it. Anyone who reads this and has sails that might suit a cadet, let me know! I'd be keen to buy some cheap sails or explore making my own.

    This is a much later GRP hulled International Cadet with a gorgeous plywood deck. Apparently the later Cadets have wider sides to the deck than the earlier :

    IMG_2236.jpg

    As can be seen, the similarities are obvious :

    WP_20140312_010.jpg

    Cheers

  10. #9
    Join Date
    Feb 2007
    Location
    Wagga Wagga
    Posts
    19

    Default

    My advise would be to get in contact with the International Cadet Assosoction in SA. Ask Mr Google.

    It is funny that you should ask if it is a Heron or Mirror because the International Cadet was designed by the same person.

    Now be a bit careful because there is also a Cadet Dinghy and they are not the same. The Cadet Dinghy is (from memory) a clinker built hull.

    Looks like you have a challenge ahead of you. Good luck. I am sure that you will learn a heap and come away with something to be proud of.

    Cheers

  11. #10
    Join Date
    Apr 2009
    Location
    Melbourne,VIC
    Posts
    157

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by KymG View Post
    My advise would be to get in contact with the International Cadet Assosoction in SA. Ask Mr Google.

    It is funny that you should ask if it is a Heron or Mirror because the International Cadet was designed by the same person.

    Now be a bit careful because there is also a Cadet Dinghy and they are not the same. The Cadet Dinghy is (from memory) a clinker built hull.

    Looks like you have a challenge ahead of you. Good luck. I am sure that you will learn a heap and come away with something to be proud of.

    Cheers
    It will be a challenge,no doubt,but it will be worth it.That's why I'm restoring the FD.Will look forward to seeing pictures when finished.

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