Day sailer
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
A day sailer or dayboat is a small sailboat without sleeping accommodations but which is larger than a dinghy. Many dayboats have a small cabin or "cuddy" for storage and to provide a little shelter, but this is generally not large enough to stand in and certainly not to sleep. Dayboats are also distinguished from dinghies by being more stable, and are generally sailed more like a small yacht than a dinghy. For example, although crew weight may well be shifted to increase performance, this is not crucial to stability as it is a dinghy. The distinction between keelboats and day sailers is not always clear; generally the former term indicates a greater concern for speed and performance, with an eye to racing, whereas "day sailer" implies a comfortable and pleasant day out.
The Uffa Fox designed Day Sailer, a marconi rigged sloop, (deck designed by George O'Day and built originally by O'Day Yachts in the USA) was first built in 1957 and is currently (2006) in production by Cape Cod Shipbuilding. The hull is 16.7 ft. in length, features a pivoting centerboard, a small cuddy cabin and utilizes a mainsail, jib and optional spinnaker sail. Thousands of Day Sailers (sail designation "DS") sail and race today in America and Brasil. For more information, see www.daysailer.org .
