Snipe (dinghy)
Class symbol | |
![]() | |
Boat | |
---|---|
Crew | 2 |
Draft | 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) |
Hull | |
Hull weight | 381 lb (173 kg) |
LOA | 15 ft 6 in (4.72 m) |
Beam | 5 ft (1.5 m) |
Sails | |
Upwind Sail Area | 128 sq ft (11.9 m2) |
Misc | |
D-PN | 91.9[1] |
RYA PN | 1117[2] |
![](../I/m/Scira_logo.png)
![](../I/m/Snipe_POL_29973.jpg)
The Snipe is a 15 1⁄2 foot, 2 person, one design racing dinghy. Designed by William Crosby in 1931, it has evolved into a modern, tactical racing dinghy with fleets around the world. The class is governed by the Snipe Class International Racing Association (SCIRA) and recognized by the International Sailing Federation as an International Class sailed in 26 different countries. There have been over 31,000 Snipes constructed worldwide.
The global Snipe slogan is "Serious sailing, Serious fun".
The Snipe class has both developed and attracted some of the sailing world's top competitors. The top two olympic medalists in sailing Torben Grael and Paul Elvstrøm have competed in the Snipe. Grael, winner of five Olympic medals, began his world class career by winning a junior Snipe world championship, and subsequently two world championships. Elvstrøm was Snipe world champion in 1959 having won three of his four Olympic golds and world championships in the Finn and 505 class. Five Snipe sailors have received the ISAF World Sailor of the Year Awards: Mark Reynolds, Robert Scheidt, Torben Grael, Anna Tunnicliffe and Santiago Lange.
The Snipe is simple, making it easy to sail and trailer. It can be sailed by all types of persons, no matter their age, their weight, or their sex. Co-ed crews are very popular in Snipe sailing. Perhaps because of the very limited evolutions of the boat allowed over the years, there is an excellent second-hand market.
History
During a meeting of the Florida West Coast Racing Association in march, 1931, Bill Crosby promised to publish a new trailer boat design in the magazine "The Rudder". This was done on the July, 1931 issue, and the new boat was called "Snipe". The first unit, named "Adelaide", was built in Pass Christian, Mississippi, by Jimmy Brown and father, and was issued sail number 1 of the class in September, 1931, and is now in the collection of the Antique Boat Museum, located at Clayton, New York.[3] By may, 1932, 150 boats were already registered, and by the end of the year the number reached 250. In July, 1936, the class was the largest racing class in the world.
Regattas
Regattas are held in most countries and local, regional, national and international championships offer great opportunities to compete at different levels of skills. Most regattas include open, junior, women, masters and coed categories.
The World Championships are the most important competitions, followed by the Europeans and the Western Hemisphere & Orient Championships. North American Championship, South American Championship, South European Championship, Nordic Championship, East European Championship, European Cup, Winter Circuit Championship and Iberian Championship are next in importance.
The Snipe is also present at the following Multi-sport events:
- Pan American Games
- South American Games
- South American Beach Games
- Central American and Caribbean Games
- Bolivarian Games
- Bolivarian Beach Games
Argentina
The most important regattas are:
- National Championship (Campeonato Argentino).
- Gran Prix Nacional (GPN). These are several regattas (six in 2016) hosted by different clubs every year.
- Eventos Principales (EP): Semana de Buenos Aires (Yacht Club Argentino), Grand Prix Internacional Luis Alberto Cerrato (Yacht Club Olivos), Campeonato San Isidro Labrador (Club Náutico San Isidro), Semana del Yachting (Club Náutico Mar del Plata) and Semana de la Bandera (Yacht Club Rosario).
Italy
The most important regattas are:
- National Championship (Campionato Italiano).
- Coppa Duca di Genova events. These are several regattas hosted by different clubs every year (four in 2017: Santa Marinella, Punta Ala, Caldonazzo and Pescara).
- Campionato dell’Adriatico
Spain
The most important regattas are the events that compose the National Circuit (Circuito Nacional). These include the most important competition, the Spanish Nationals, the second most important competition, the Spanish Cup, and the most popular local regattas chosen every year by the national assembly. When the "Iberian Championship" is hosted by Spain (every two years), this regatta is also included in the circuit.
USA
The National Championship is the top regatta of the year, followed by the Atlantic Coast Championship, the Pacific Coast Championship, the Southwestern Championship and the 7 District Championships. The Winter Circuit Championship, which includes three events, one of them in the Bahamas is also on top of the list:
- Midwinters at the Clearwater Yacht Club, Clearwater.
- Don Q at the Coconut Grove Sailing Club, Miami
- Bacardi, Gamblin & Kelly at the Royal Nassau Sailing Club, Nassau
Other popular regattas are the Colonial Cup and the Frigid Digit Regatta (Severn Sailing Association), the Earl Elms Memorial Regatta and the Carolyn Nute Memorial Regatta (Mission Bay Yacht Club), Halloween Regatta (Atlanta Yacht Club), Ron Payne Memorial (Lauderdale Yacht Club), Comodoro Rasco Regatta (Coconut Grove Sailing Club), Briody Regatta (Newport Yacht Club), St John’s Tea Party Regatta (Florida Yacht Club), Winchester Invitational (Winchester Boat Club), Rocky Mountain Championship (Union Sailing Club), Riff Raff Regatta (Cowan Lake Sailing Association), Indiana Open (Indianapolis Sailing Club), Fire on the Water (Lincoln Sailing Club), Whittemore St John Regatta (Quassapaug Sailing Center) and Norm Tanner Regatta (Bow Mar Yacht Club).
References
- ↑ "Centerboard Classes". US Sailing. Retrieved 31 July 2012.
- ↑ "The RYA Portsmouth Yardstick Number List for 2004" (PDF). Royal Yachting Association. Retrieved 22 August 2012.
- ↑ "Snipe 1 Restoration".
External links
![]() |
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Snipe (dinghy). |
- Snipe Today online magazine
- SCIRA
- Snipe USA
- Snipe Brazil
- The versatile Snipe is one of racing's best buys, as its top skippers will gladly testify. Sports Illustrated Aug. 03 1959
Current Builders