snipe sailboat specs

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• Sailboat Guide

Snipe is a 15 ′ 5 ″ / 4.7 m monohull sailboat designed by William F. Crosby and built by Lillia (Cantiere Nautico Lillia), Schock W.D., Grampian Marine, Nickels Boat Works, Inc., Helms - Jack A. Helms Co., Jibetech, Aubin, AX Boats, Eichenlaub Boat Co., and Loftland Sail-craft Inc. starting in 1931.

Rig and Sails

Auxilary power, accomodations, calculations.

The theoretical maximum speed that a displacement hull can move efficiently through the water is determined by it's waterline length and displacement. It may be unable to reach this speed if the boat is underpowered or heavily loaded, though it may exceed this speed given enough power. Read more.

Classic hull speed formula:

Hull Speed = 1.34 x √LWL

Max Speed/Length ratio = 8.26 ÷ Displacement/Length ratio .311 Hull Speed = Max Speed/Length ratio x √LWL

Sail Area / Displacement Ratio

A measure of the power of the sails relative to the weight of the boat. The higher the number, the higher the performance, but the harder the boat will be to handle. This ratio is a "non-dimensional" value that facilitates comparisons between boats of different types and sizes. Read more.

SA/D = SA ÷ (D ÷ 64) 2/3

• SA : Sail area in square feet, derived by adding the mainsail area to 100% of the foretriangle area (the lateral area above the deck between the mast and the forestay).
• D : Displacement in pounds.

Ballast / Displacement Ratio

A measure of the stability of a boat's hull that suggests how well a monohull will stand up to its sails. The ballast displacement ratio indicates how much of the weight of a boat is placed for maximum stability against capsizing and is an indicator of stiffness and resistance to capsize.

Ballast / Displacement * 100

Displacement / Length Ratio

A measure of the weight of the boat relative to it's length at the waterline. The higher a boat’s D/L ratio, the more easily it will carry a load and the more comfortable its motion will be. The lower a boat's ratio is, the less power it takes to drive the boat to its nominal hull speed or beyond. Read more.

D/L = (D ÷ 2240) ÷ (0.01 x LWL)³

• D: Displacement of the boat in pounds.
• LWL: Waterline length in feet

Comfort Ratio

This ratio assess how quickly and abruptly a boat’s hull reacts to waves in a significant seaway, these being the elements of a boat’s motion most likely to cause seasickness. Read more.

Comfort ratio = D ÷ (.65 x (.7 LWL + .3 LOA) x Beam 1.33 )

• D: Displacement of the boat in pounds
• LOA: Length overall in feet
• Beam: Width of boat at the widest point in feet

Capsize Screening Formula

This formula attempts to indicate whether a given boat might be too wide and light to readily right itself after being overturned in extreme conditions. Read more.

CSV = Beam ÷ ³√(D / 64)

Origins in the US, built, sailed and raced around the world, to this day, and one of the most popular sailing dinghies ever. (In its heyday, the largest sailboat racing class.) See international web site for the many fleets and associations around the world.

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SNIPE Specifications

Hull Type: Daggerboard Rigging Type: Fractional Sloop LOA: 15.50 ft / 4.72 m LWL: 12.67 ft / 3.86 m S.A. (reported): 128.00 ft² / 11.89 m² Beam: 5.00 ft / 1.52 m Displacement: 380.00 lb / 172 kg Max Draft: 3.25 ft / 0.99 m Min Draft: 0.50 ft / 0.15 m Construction: FG or Wood First Built: 1931 # Built: 31000 Designer: William Crosby

Hull Speed: 4.77 kn

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One-Design Showcase

About the Snipe

The Snipe Class International Racing Association was formed in 1932 and proudly claims the motto Serious Sailing, Serious Fun®. With over 450 members and 40 fleets throughout the United States, as well as members in at least 28 countries around the world, you’re sure to find some of that Serious Sailing, Serious Fun® whether it be at local fleet races, at regional weekend regattas, or at national and world championship events.

There are many things that make this boat so popular. The Snipe is a classical beauty that sails well and safely even in heavy wind conditions. The purchase price is attractive and the boat keeps its value and racing performance for years. You are free to compare it’s multiuser behavior and tactical challenges to any other class. Most importantly, you can stay in the same class and enjoy the same friends for the whole lifetime.

The Snipe Class International Racing Association (SCIRA) is a widely popular and well run organization all over the world. One of the things that makes the class so strong is the local fleet activities. You may find a local Snipe Fleet close to your living area. And if not, you may collect a group of interested Snipe Sailors and start a new one. In this case be in contact with the class office.

Also of interest and importance are international activities. Races are arranged in Europe, Americas and in Orient. The Snipe Class offers the best racing calendar you can imagine – for champions and beginners consisting of World Championships, Western hemisphere’s and North Americans, not to forget several international Snipe Regattas.

Click here  to watch interviews from our Snipe sailors.

Class Information:

Class Contact:  Jerelyn Biehl

Class Contact Email:   [email protected]

Class Contact Phone:  619-224-6998

Class Website:   snipeusa.com

Social Media:   Facebook  |  Instagram  |  snipetoday.org

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Class Specs

LOA:  15 ft 6 in 

LWL:  3 ft 6 in  

Beam:  5 ft 

Draft:  3 ft 3 in 

Weight:  381 lbs 

Sail Area:  128 sq ft

The Endurance of the Snipe

The International Snipe Class continues to reinvent and reimagine itself through initiatives that continue to make it one of sailing’s most iconic one-design classes.

Snipe Sailing’s Generation Fast

The current generation of top Snipe Class sailors have been groomed by great, which would stand to reason, they may just be that much better.

A World of Snipe

The Snipe dinghy provides more than great one-design sailing experience; it connects you to a global family.

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Daggerboard

Specifications SNIPE

Home - Sailboat Listings 15.50 ft / 4.72 m - 1931 - William Crosby

SNIPE Sailboat Data

Hull Type: Daggerboard Rigging Type: Fractional Sloop LOA: 15.50 ft / 4.72 m LWL: 12.67 ft / 3.86 m S.A. (reported): 128.00 ft² / 11.89 m² Beam: 5.00 ft / 1.52 m Displacement: 380.00 lb / 172 kg Max Draft: 3.25 ft / 0.99 m Min Draft: 0.50 ft / 0.15 m Construction: FG or Wood First Built: 1931 # Built: 31000 Designer: William Crosby

Information from  sailboatdata.com .

Hull Speed: 4.77 kn

Yachting World

• Digital Edition

World’s coolest yachts: The Snipe dinghy

• Elaine Bunting
• March 7, 2022

We ask top sailors and marine industry gurus to choose the coolest and most innovative yachts of our times. Dutch racer Bouwe Bekking nominates The Snipe dinghy.

“I would take a complete crazy thing: a Snipe. I think it’s an excellent boat for kids to start sailing in, and even for grown-ups. I have a Snipe dinghy myself.”

Bekking says the 15ft Snipe dinghy, designed by American William F. Crosby in 1931 for one-design racing, is an ideal family boat, especially for teaching people to sail.

“It’s safe, it’s very seaworthy and relatively fast. You can sail it very hard but still have fun with it,” he says.

“I haven’t sailed mine for three or four years because I haven’t had time and I said to the yacht club you can use it for your youth programme. I bought it when we had a little house on the water, and I wanted to have a dinghy to sail in open water.”

Bekking says he thought the Snipe ideal for the next generation of his own family. “I thought about an Optimist, but the Snipe was way nicer and we could sail with two or three people, and friends.”

Snipe Stats rating:

Top speed: 12 knots LOA: 4.72m Launched: 1931 Berths: n/a Price (second-hand): £2,000 Adrenalin factor: 10%

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Bouwe Bekking

Dutch sailor Bouwe Bekking has taken part in eight Whitbread / Volvo Ocean Races . He started in 1985/6 aboard Philips Innovator, then in subsequent races on Winston, Merit Cup, Amer Sports One, movistar, Telefónica Blue and Team Brunel (twice), skippering Telefónica Blue to a third place and Team Brunel to a second and third. Bekking is also regular race skipper for the 43.4m J Class Lionheart.

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Snipe Sailing Dinghy

Snipe sailing dinghy

The Snipe was designed in 1931 when RUDDER editor Bill Crosby attended a meeting of the Florida West Coast Racing Association. In answer to a request for the creation of a class of racing sailboats suitable for trailering to regattas, Crosby promised to give the proposed class a send-off by designing and publishing plans of such a boat in his magazine.

The name Snipe was chosen in accord with RUDDER’s custom of naming all its designs for sea birds, and the Snipe plans appeared in the July issue of RUDDER – which quickly sold out.

The boat was designed as a 15 foot 6 inch hard chine hull to conform to the standard 16 foot plank, and was designed for easy home building (so simple that a schoolboy could build one). The original 100 square feet of sail area was increased to 116 square feet, with the introduction of the overlapping jib which replaced the working jib in 1932. Currently the sail area is 128 square feet in mainsail and overlapping jib. Spinnakers are not permitted. The hull has remained essentially unchanged through the history of the class with only slight changes due to tightening of tolerances. The largest single change made over the 50 years of class history was the weight reduction from 425 pounds to 381 pounds in the early 1970s.

Early Snipes were all of wood plank construction, but through the years plywood and fiberglass have come to be accepted as building materials. Most boats are now built by professional builders and are of fiberglass, but plank, and plywood are still used, and amateurs can build boats from plans obtainable from the SCIRA office, or buy fiberglass boats in kit form from the manufacturers for home finishing. All boats are required to be measured and to carry current SCIRA decals in SCIRA competition.

The Snipe is a 15-1/2 foot, 2 person, one design racing dinghy with a rich history. It has evolved into a modern, tactical racing dinghy with fleets around the world. Nearly 30,000 boats have been build worldwide – construction quality is excellent and older boats are both comptetive and affordable.

Snipe racing is organized and runby its members through their organization, the Snipe Class International Racing Association (SCIRA). The class emphasis is on one-design sailing, thus encouraging sailing skills rather than design breakthroughs.The tight one-design measurements and minimum weight of 381 pounds encourage sound boat construction. Crews include many couples and family teams and although the recommended crew eight is between 270 and 325 pounds, the only prerequisite is a keen interest in sailboat racing. The Snipe is very reasonably priced and maintains its competitiveness and resale value for years. Numerous used boats are always available.

• Specification
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Length : 4.72m Beam : 1.52m Weight : 172.8kg

International Snipe Class

I have owned two Snipes, including a mahogany boat in 1957 and a f/g boat at present. Never have I raced either one. My point: The Snipe is always presented as a hot racer but it’s more than that. One or two people can have a delightful day sail, over and over again. That’s what my wife and I do. Why a Snipe for this? Well, it’s above all weatherly, also seaworthy, and always fast but not ever really out of control. You can beach it quickly for a run ashore, or simply make a passage across ten miles or so of semi-protected water. Should it capsize, you can easily learn the drill to right it. Are you a single-hander? When the going gets heavy you can get the Snipe back on her feet by dropping the jib. With main only, be sure you don’t pinch up in the puffs. Rather, hold your course and ease the main so you keep moving well. I have done this many times. For a few bucks, take an old main and have a good sailmaker adapt it to take a slab reef. What’s a good Snipe choice? I would recommend finding a McLaughlin from the early 1990’s. The cockpit is open enough to permit stowage of sails, lunch, and even some light camping gear. With my old Snipe I was fond of 3 day camping trips. So yes, the majority are not very salty: Launch, race, back on trailer, then party the night away. Believe me, the Snipe can do much more than that. I would love to hear more about cruising the Snipe. I was thinking about buying a racer for my kids and I but fancy the idea of taking a daysail, too. I’d like to know about setup and stowage for a daysail. Any advice would be helpful. I’ve contemplated this boat or perhaps a Lightning. The Lightning competition may be more cutthroat because everyone fancies themselves to be Olympic-worthy or some dumbness like that. Then you are obliged to round up three people any time you want to race… good luck with that. Sounds like a royal pain in the rump. I could have written the first comment about single handing the Snipe, because that is exactly what I do with my McLaughlin Snipe 27777. I sail in Hood Canal and Admiralty Inlet. Up to 8 knots of wind I can carry both main and jib. Up to 15 I go main only. Above 15 I reef the main, which brings the head of the main down to the level of the forestay. My reef band is exactly five feet above the foot, as close to the the top of the lowest batten as it will go. I know about capsizing too. The glass Snipes carry a lot of their flotation under the cockpit floor, so when you go over the boat wants to completely invert. That’s a bad thing to have happen for self rescuing. I fixed this tendency by siezing a foam pool noodle to the masthead, then down along the mast. It will keep your boat on its side. Climb out on the board and up she comes. Be sure the mainsheet is clear to run, so the water filled sail can dump its load. Always have a line cleated over the top of the board, because it likes to slide over the side and sink. Without the board one is helpless again. I weigh in at 155# and am 72 years old.

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Snipe Deck Layout

Whisker Pole Launching System

The Snipe uses a retractable boom-launched whisker pole. The crew deploys the pole with an automatic cleating system led through two 29 mm Carbo stand-up blocks. Two 29 mm T2 Carbo blocks hold up the whisker pole line.

Carbo Ratchamatic Mainsheet®

Use this revolutionary load-sensing ratchet as a secondary mainsheet ratchet to give the skipper extra holding power upwind. As the load decreases around the weather mark, the ratchet automatically turns off for a smooth release.

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Class History

This popular racing dinghy has an active international class association that attracts some of the best sailors in the world. The boat's bendy rig and simple sail plan allows a broad range of crew combinations and weights to make this modern, tactical racer great fun to sail.

Links International Snipe Class McLube™ Harken Canvas

Boat Specifications

LOA: 15 ft 6 in (4.7 m) LWL: 13 ft 6 in (4.1 m) Beam: 5 ft (1.5 m) Sail Area: 128 sq ft (11.8 sq m) Weight: 381 lb (173 kg)

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Snipe Class International Racing Association

Class contact information.

Click below

Class Email

Class Website

One-Design Class Type: Dinghy

Was this boat built to be sailed by youth or adults? Both

Approximately how many class members do you have? 500

Photo Credit:Matias Capizzano

Photo Credit: Matias Capizzano

About Snipe Class International Racing Association

Serious Sailing, Serious Fun® is what you can expect from the International Snipe Class. The Snipe’s design allows for a wide variety of two person teams, from couples, to parent/child. Try the Snipe no matter what your sailing abilities and become part of a worldwide family.

*Resources are numerous (below) Please see: Tuning: http://www.snipetoday.org/category/articles/technical-experts/tuning/ Boat Handling & Training: http://www.snipetoday.org/category/articles/technical-experts/boat-handling/ Equipment: http://www.snipetoday.org/category/articles/technical-experts/boats-equipments/ Tactics & Strategy: http://www.snipetoday.org/category/articles/technical-experts/tactics-strategy/

additional websites: Int: https://www.snipe.org/ SnipeToday: http://www.snipetoday.org/

Boats Produced: 31665

Class boat builder(s):

JibeTechnology, RI, USA Diemer – Brazil RioTecna – Argentina DB Marine – Italy J2Snipe – Spain Zeltic – Spain Tsudijo Racing – Japan Persson Marine Japan

Approximately how many boats are in the USA/North America? 18000

Where is your One-Design class typically sailed in the USA? List regions of the country:

All regions with stronger fleets in Southern California, midwest & great lakes, Florida, Atlanta, Annapolis, Boston,

Does this class have a spinnaker or gennaker? No

How many people sail as a crew including the helm?  2

Ideal combined weight of range of crew:  285-320

Portsmouth Yardstick Rating:   91.90

Boat Designed in  1931

Length (feet/inches): 15’6″

Beam: 5′

Weight of rigged boat without sails: 381

Draft: 6″ up, 3’3″ down

Mast Height: 21′ 3″

Class Rules (PDF Doc)

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SNIPE Detailed Review

If you are a boat enthusiast looking to get more information on specs, built, make, etc. of different boats, then here is a complete review of SNIPE. Built by Grampian Marine and designed by William F. Crosby, the boat was first built in 1931. It has a hull type of Daggerboard and LOA is 4.72. Its sail area/displacement ratio 39.08. Its auxiliary power tank, manufactured by undefined, runs on undefined.

SNIPE has retained its value as a result of superior building, a solid reputation, and a devoted owner base. Read on to find out more about SNIPE and decide if it is a fit for your boating needs.

Boat Information

Boat specifications, sail boat calculation, contributions, who designed the snipe.

SNIPE was designed by William F. Crosby.

Who builds SNIPE?

SNIPE is built by Grampian Marine.

When was SNIPE first built?

SNIPE was first built in 1931.

How long is SNIPE?

SNIPE is 3.86 m in length.

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