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Duckling
Designer: Uffa Fox  ·  Builder: Fairey Marine Ltd.  ·  First built: 1952
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About the Duckling

Designed by legendary British naval architect Uffa Fox in 1952, this compact wooden dinghy represents classic post-war small boat design at its finest. Built by Fairey Marine Ltd., the Duckling earned recognition as an excellent training and recreational sailing vessel, embodying Fox's philosophy of creating seaworthy yet manageable small craft. With its traditional centerboard configuration and simple cat rig, this 9-foot dinghy offers ideal characteristics for beginners and experienced sailors alike. The wooden construction provides classic aesthetics and satisfying craftsmanship, while the modest sail area of 50 square feet ensures manageable power in varying conditions. The centerboard design allows for shallow water exploration and easy beach launching, making it perfect for coastal day sailing, sailing instruction, and leisurely harbor exploration. Uffa Fox's reputation for creating boats that sail well above their size is evident here. The Duckling's proportions suggest a stable yet responsive platform, suitable for single-handed sailing or instruction with two aboard. Its capsize screening formula of 3.08 indicates reasonable stability for its size class. This design appeals to sailors seeking traditional wooden boat character combined with proven seaworthiness in protected waters and mild coastal conditions.

Core Dimensions
LOA (Length Overall) 9.00 ft / 2.74 m
Beam 4.00 ft / 1.22 m
Max Draft 1.50 ft / 0.46 m
Min Draft 0.50 ft / 0.15 m
Displacement 140.00 lb / 64 kg
Sail Area (Reported) 50.00 ft² / 4.65 m²
Design & Construction
Hull Type Centerboard Dinghy
Rigging Type Cat (Marconi)
Construction Wood
Designer Uffa Fox
Builder Fairey Marine Ltd.
First Built 1952
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Performance Ratios
SA/Displacement Sail Area to Displacement ratio measures how much sail power a boat has relative to its weight. Higher values mean more performance and speed.
Under 14 — Heavy cruiser, slow14–18 — Cruising sailboat18–22 — Cruiser/racerOver 22 — Performance racer
29.69
Displacement/Length Displacement to Length ratio measures how heavy a boat is relative to its waterline length. Lower values mean a lighter, faster boat.
Under 100 — Ultralight racer100–200 — Light cruiser/racer200–300 — Moderate cruiser300–400 — Heavy cruiserOver 400 — Very heavy
139.6
Comfort Ratio Ted Brewer's Comfort Ratio predicts how comfortable a boat will feel in offshore conditions. Higher values mean a steadier, more comfortable motion in a seaway.
Under 20 — Uncomfortably rough20–30 — Acceptable coastal30–40 — Good offshore comfortOver 40 — Very comfortable offshore
4.21
Hull Speed Hull Speed is the theoretical maximum speed of a displacement hull, calculated from waterline length. Most cruising sailboats reach this speed in moderate conditions. 3.71 kn
Pounds/Inch Immersion Pounds per Inch Immersion (PPI) tells you how much weight is needed to sink the boat one inch. Useful for calculating how additional gear and stores affect waterline. 0.66 pounds/inch
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