Penguin Class

[pressed steel]

A while ago I posted a question regarding the suitability of an OK class dinghy as a first boat. Thanks for all the input. Now I would like some input regarding the Penguin class boat. Would this be a good choice for a first sail boat? It would be used by two adults on a lake. The boat that I was interested in has no sails. Is a new set easily sourced? Any ideas as to a possible cost? Any information on the Penguin would be appreciated.
Thanks again.

[bamamick]

How big are the adults?

A Penguin has only a main, and though North quotes a ridiculous price of something like $600 for a new sail, I would imagine that you could easily find someone to give you one of their old sails, or sell one very inexpensively. The Penguin is a great boat. After some recent experience I would recommend it as a nice boat for two smaller adults.

Others you might keep in mind: Snipe, Wayfarer, Albacore, Jet14, Fireball, Comet, Windmill, and any number of smaller glassfibre-built boats. Penguins are great boats. OK's are great boats. All of those I listed are great boats if used in the way that they were designed to be used. If the Penguin appeals then grab it. Honestly, though I am the last person on earth to take this advice, I'd ask the owner for a test sail even if you had to borrow a sail from someone. It's what I should always do and never have.

Mickey Lake

[Bobcat]

I had a Penguin for several years. Nice boat, nothing fancy. Two adults with no problems, aside from climbing over the centerboard trunk when you tack

As for sails, if you contact a sailmaker who does a lot of work for Penguin racing fleets, you make get some cheap used sails. I also had a Highlander and got a used main because a racer wanted to upgrade with a new sail. The sail was fine for my purposes.

[rbgarr]

IIIRC you are both in your fifties and haven't sailed for a while. A Penguin would be too small and probably uncomfortable.

Maybe these would be worth looking into? May be too expensive? Good luck.

The first is a Dovekie and this is what they look like rigged. A very simple boat to launch, rig and sail. Safe, too. http://www.shallowwatersailor.us/1.html
http://i44.tinypic.com/2j6047l.jpg
http://philadelphia.craigslist.org/boa/1208940746.html

http://scranton.craigslist.org/boa/1201521791.html

http://philadelphia.craigslist.org/boa/1213461788.html

[johnw]

I've had three small adults in a Penguin, and it was fine. More weight than you'd race with, but still not a problem.

They were designed for frostbite racing, which means they were designed to accommodate two adults. They are quite dry compared to a Snipe. With two adults aboard, they are a bit tame for modern racing sailors, but it sounds like tame it okay for what you want.

[BobAlbers]

HI....
I just so happen to have lots of "pieces" from a penquin that was to be restored but was too rotted to do so.
The owner has essentially abandoned the project and is looking for a home for the piece parts....
These include sails/spars/trailer(needs work)/rudder/centerbooard/ lots of misc bronze hardware....If interested send me a pm....I'm sure the price will be cheap and a good find for someone ....I'm in Dallas area...

[tprice]

Penguins are cute as hell and in their way, very nice little boats. BUT. They aren't a good beginner boat, especially with 2 adults. They are tippy, quick and have a nasty little habit of dipping the leeward rail and suddenly filling - way before you feel in danger of capsizing.

[johnw]

Not my experience at all.

[John B]

Does anyone have a pic of a penguin. google just gives me boids.

[tprice]

Not my experience at all.
You haven't pushed them hard enough! Cute, but with a dark side. Like Madonna (early years)

[Wiley Baggins]

Does anyone have a pic of a penguin. google just gives me boids.

There are a few photos of one for sale on eBay - http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=180357617665&viewitem=

Edited to add - It's a Phil Rhodes design.

[johnw]

http://mysite.verizon.net/vzeocqeq/ICPFR_0023c.jpg

Key is to google the class association.

http://www.penguinclass.com/

By the way, pressed, where are you?

[pressed steel]

Thanks for all of the input. I am located in the Lehigh Valley of Pa.

[pressed steel]

Actually on Willy Baggin's post, that is the boat that I was interested in. However I saw it on Craigslist.

[Wiley Baggins]

johnw's photo contribution does a nice job of illustrating sailing a Penguin two-up. I tend to think of boats in this class as a bit small for two adults. I haven't sailed one, but I'm wondering if a Blue Jay might not be a better choice. It's a bit roomier, wider side decks, and (what certainly looks to be) a higher boom.

http://www.sailbluejay.org/index.html

[johnw]

Funny thing is, a Blue Jay was designed for two kids, a Penguin was designed for two adults. Yes, adults tend to be bigger now than the were in the '30s, but I've sailed both classes and I like the Penguin better.

[rbgarr]

If I were to want a smallish cat-rigged boat like a Penguin http://www.bristolseacraft.com/PhotoGallery.html I'd try to find an Interclub. They have air tanks and are a bit more forgiving and comfortable for older adults. http://www.interclub.org/history/index.php

[John B]

Thanks for the photo links.

Are they dead flat forward? and then deadrise /rocker tortured in aft near the transom?

[johnw]

The Penguin is an arc-bottom sharpie. They were designed in I think 1932 by Philip Rhodes for construction in 1/4 inch mahogany with batten-seam construction, but didn't catch on until marine plywood became widely available. They were kind of the Laser of their day, and have been largely replaced in junior programs here with Lasers. I learned to sail in a similar but tamer and more comfortable class, the Merry Mac, which I've only seen in Maine.

http://www.greatbayyachtclub.org/images/6_2008.jpg

[bamamick]

I am in the process of ordering a bow bag and two pillows for the stern. After I get all of that rigged I am going to rig everything back to the aft end of the centerboard trunk, including and especially the main halyard, the intent being that I don't want to have to go up to the mast when singlehanding. Balancing the boat seems easy enough if I stay behind the mast, but when I tumped the other day it was just from dipping the weather bow under just a wee bit. Next thing you know the boat was completely swamped and there wasn't a darn thing I could do about it. Bizarre, but I understand this is pretty normal.

I think that two smallish adults would be perfect for the Penguin.

Mickey Lake

[I, Rowboat]

Oops. Sorry, I thought this was a thread about training flightless antartic seabirds.

[johnw]

Oops. Sorry, I thought this was a thread about training flightless antartic seabirds.

Are you a flightless Antarctic seabird, or just looking for somewhere to hook up with one?

[John B]

Oops. Sorry, I thought this was a thread about training flightless antartic seabirds.


Its good to know you still keep an eye on things in Gothams wooden boat precinct.

[rbgarr]

"Tumped"

Now there's a Southern expression! :D

Margaret knocked over the sugar bowl a few months after we married and she said "Now look what I've done! I tumped it over!"

Do you "mash" the light switch on the wall, too? :D

I sailed those Merry Macs at a summer camp near hear at age ten or so. Those ones look like they are in nice shape. This is what the camp sails now.

http://i44.tinypic.com/wss850.jpg

[johnw]

Too bad Merry Macs are so local. It's a great boat, but outside Maine and New Hampshire, not much chance of finding one.

Is that a Crotch Island pinky?

[J. Dillon]

A good boat . Built two of them with shipmates aboad a carrier on the mess deck. I capazied one of them in the bay of Toranto Itlay.

JD

[DLW]

If anyone is interested in purchasing a Penguin, I have one for sale that has be exclusively stored inside my garage for the past 20 years unused. e-mail me (dlwaldo@gmail.com) for more info if interested. Would love to find it a home and have it sailed again.