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Jacksnipe
Designer: Jack Holt  ·  Builder: Lakeland Plastics (Uk)  ·  First built: 1968
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About the Jacksnipe

Designed by renowned British naval architect Jack Holt in 1968, this compact centerboard dinghy represents classic small boat sailing at its finest. With its fractional sloop rig and fiberglass construction by Lakeland Plastics, the Jacksnipe offers an ideal platform for day sailing, boat handling instruction, and informal racing in protected waters. At just over 15 feet overall, this nimble craft strikes an appealing balance between performance and manageable size. The relatively deep draft of 3.67 feet with centerboard down provides excellent upwind performance, while the modest 180-pound displacement keeps the boat lively and responsive. The 128 square feet of sail area delivers spirited sailing in light to moderate conditions, making it particularly well-suited for coastal waters, lakes, and harbors. Jack Holt's design philosophy emphasized seaworthiness and ease of handling, traits clearly evident in this model. While only 40 examples were built during its production run, the Jacksnipe embodies the quintessential British dinghy tradition of practical, well-mannered boats that reward skillful sailing. The low comfort ratio indicates this is primarily a day sailor rather than an overnight cruiser, perfectly suited for sailors seeking an engaging, traditional sailing experience in a compact package.

Core Dimensions
LOA (Length Overall) 15.50 ft / 4.72 m
LWL (Waterline Length) 14.00 ft / 4.27 m
Beam 4.50 ft / 1.37 m
Max Draft 3.67 ft / 1.12 m
Min Draft 0.33 ft / 0.10 m
Displacement 180.00 lb / 82 kg
Sail Area (Reported) 128.00 ft² / 11.89 m²
Design & Construction
Hull Type Centerboard Dinghy
Rigging Type Fractional Sloop
Construction FG
Designer Jack Holt
Builder Lakeland Plastics (UK)
First Built 1968
Number Built 40
Associations Classic & Vintage Racing Dinghy Association
Related Sailboats Wayfarer · Snipe · 470 · Coronado 15 · Windmill
Owner Reviews

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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
64.29
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
29.28
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
2.59
Capsize Screening Formula The USHS Capsize Screening Formula estimates offshore capsize risk. Lower is safer — values under 2.0 are considered acceptable for offshore sailing.
Under 2.0 — Safe for offshore2.0–2.2 — Borderline offshoreOver 2.2 — Coastal use recommended
3.19
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. 5.01 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. 225.11 pounds/inch
Rig Dimensions
Mast Height (DWL) 19.33 ft / 5.89 m
How It Compares

vs. 470, Coronado 15, Snipe, Wayfarer, Windmill

This boat Similar boats
Dimensions
LOA
Jacksnipe ★
15.5 ft
470
15.4 ft
Coronado 15
15.3 ft
Snipe
15.5 ft
Wayfarer
15.8 ft
Windmill
15.5 ft
LWL
Jacksnipe ★
14.0 ft
470
14.6 ft
Coronado 15
Snipe
12.7 ft
Wayfarer
14.8 ft
Windmill
14.5 ft
Beam
Jacksnipe ★
4.5 ft
470
5.5 ft
Coronado 15
5.7 ft
Snipe
5.0 ft
Wayfarer
6.1 ft
Windmill
4.8 ft
Displacement
Jacksnipe ★
180 lbs
470
269 lbs
Coronado 15
385 lbs
Snipe
380 lbs
Wayfarer
372 lbs
Windmill
198 lbs
Sail Area
Jacksnipe ★
128 sq ft
470
137 sq ft
Coronado 15
139 sq ft
Snipe
128 sq ft
Wayfarer
141 sq ft
Windmill
119 sq ft
Performance
SA / Displacement (higher = more powerful)
Jacksnipe ★
64.3
470
52.7
Coronado 15
42.1
Snipe
39.1
Wayfarer
43.7
Windmill
56.1
Comfort Ratio (higher = more comfortable offshore)
Jacksnipe ★
2.6
470
2.9
Coronado 15
4.3
Snipe
5.1
Wayfarer
3.4
Windmill
2.6
Capsize Screening (lower = safer)
Jacksnipe ★
3.19
470
3.41
Coronado 15
Snipe
2.76
Wayfarer
3.38
Windmill
3.26
Displacement / Length (lower = lighter)
Jacksnipe ★
29
470
38
Coronado 15
77
Snipe
83
Wayfarer
Windmill
28
Hull Speed
Jacksnipe ★
5.0 kts
470
5.1 kts
Coronado 15
4.8 kts
Snipe
4.8 kts
Wayfarer
5.2 kts
Windmill
5.1 kts
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