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Dished deck Sprite very low number on ebay . seems good

Author John Banks
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#1 | Posted: 13 Jun 2018 00:25 

Author rob baker
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#2 | Posted: 13 Jun 2018 08:21 
Ask how old the photos are, and check condition before you go, those photos look old, ask for up-to-date ones if they are.
I once drove all the way to the Scottish borders on the strength of photos only to find a wreck.

Author RonnyDG
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#3 | Posted: 13 Jun 2018 13:13 
My favourite kind of Minisail. If I didn't have already two of these I'd be on my way, only 60 miles from Dover.
Interesting photograps: It's sail reefed, way to mount oars, steep mast rake angle.
Two oars? There must be a system/way to attach the rowlocks, I love it.

Author John Banks
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#4 | Posted: 13 Jun 2018 15:31 
I have been exchanging messages with the owner and asked for the pictures only for the purpose of seeing what type of minisail it is.
I understand it was built the sellers husband who made it from a kit 50+ years ago and it hasn't been used since they had children! (anyone else know the feeling?)
She says it hangs in the garage and whoever purchases it will have to get it down and take it away. It would be lovely for it to be cherished again!

Author tommoore
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#5 | Posted: 15 Jun 2018 14:40 
John Banks
Lovely as it looks ply can deteriorate, but maybe not stored inside. My knee through my deck on my 36 year old may have been as it was left ( covered ) outside and maybe damp inside. It seems ply can get brittle with age . If I didn't have a few to restore ....Anyone got storage ? I'll ask friends maybe.

Author RonnyDG
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#6 | Posted: 16 Jun 2018 00:43 | Edited by: RonnyDG 
Indeed with these (home made) instants you cannot predict the condition of the construction but after a thorough check.
With few survivors of dished decked Sprites(dds) rarely popping up for sale, them having survived is an indication of being intact and worth the attention.
See, and this is only an assumption, but nailing a kit into a boat was one thing, sailing the damn thing on the other hand was another matter. Sailing a dished decked MS with an umbrella style cloth sail and a nearly rubber boom must not have been a motivating experience for builders to get on with sailing, some now rather keen to hang the handywork permanently on the garagewall as a diploma of boatbuilding.

Don't get me wrong, I love the wooden dds and think it's a very competitive Minisail variant .
I bought one in Bristol wihout any expectation many years ago and it turned out to be a well built solid structure ready to go. It'ts quick, the only one ever mastering it was our thriatlon friend Phillipe that showed us her potentionals.
Still have it and cannot part with (there are no takers anyway).

There is also -assuming the hull is solid- the burning question of who whould want to sail such a relict? One needs to be quite gymnastic to handle it, plus be a premium sailor to get the best out of it. Anyone, a young hipster handy in woodworking and epoxy maybe? Mmm.
Hence, this is a lovely Mininisail worth saving but I don't think the current Minisail lovers with our failing knees will be the folk that put her back in the race.

Is it now Lost? I hope not, and in the event it is, be assured there is at least one other left in Belgium. Taken care after and ready to return home.

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