New to sailing

[NickG]

Hi I have recently bought a gp14 with everything needed to get out on the water. However by the title I have obviously zero sailing experience. I have 2 small daughters and from watching videos online of the boat and sailors I am reluctant to take them in it using the sail etc. My question is do you think it is possible to put a small outboard on the back so I can take them out and it be abit safer. If so do you have any tips on what to look for and how to mount it ?

Many thanks

Nick

[Ianfs]

Hi Nick
Welcome to the forum.

Most of us have sailed at some stage and my dad nearly bought one of these back in the 60's, but instead went for a Mirror dinghy to build with me only because at 14 feet this was too big to go on top of his car.

Originally designed by Jack Holt back in the fifties the GP (General Purpose) 14 was designed in a similar fashion to the Mirror i.e. it could be sailed. rowed or have an outboard attached. The Mirror had a thin transom about an inch thick so the outboard could be attached directly, however doesn't the GP 14 have some decking on the transom, so would possibly require an outboard bracket of some kind?

I've sailed these in the past at the IYPC in Iver and there were some there with a hatch cut into the transom decking, however now most GP14's seem to have a transom horse making it impossible to use this method. You could bolt a mounting board to the transom but the bolts would have to be water tight and this could be removed if used only occasionally. Finally a Transom Bracket of some kind would work too, something like these...

http://www.angleseymarinesupplies.com/auxilliary-outboard-brackets.php

So, where do you sail and do you have any photos?

[NickG]

Thank you for the reply the information you have given has given me plenty to think about. My local sailing club is Halifax sailing club however I'm not a member as it stands. I am however hoping once I've made the modifications you mentioned to register it for lake Windermere and go there with it as it holds very good memories for me and my family.

What do you have and where do you go ?

Thank you again for the great reply !

Nick

[Ianfs]

Windermere eh? Wow what a great place, I've not boated on it but there are a few members on here who have, Nick for one.

If you are able to pick up an old Seagull engine, they are great and would be the perfect fit for your boat.

I currently only have a small old Sea Ray Seville 18 with a V6 4.3 Mercruiser, which will be up for sale soon. We have recently moved close to Christchurch and have debated long and hard what to have next as I'm always looking, but would like a small cruiser of some kind. SWMBO and I recently went to Keyhaven to have a look at the area and were welcomed into the yacht club there by several members, so we are now debating whether to buy a sailing dingy and have a cruiser as well.

[NickG]

I will try speak to Nick then as I'm sure he will have lots of great advise for me too ! If your after a sailing dinghy hold out, if this doesn't work out for us I'll know where there will be one ! I have looked at the seagull but I thought it would be under powered ? Do you have any idea of what sort of speed I would get from it ?
Love the sea Ray by the way the gp14 is us dipping our toe (or more probably) in the water so to speak hopefully all will go well and we can move up from there.

Once again thank you so much for the advice so far you have been a brilliant help