Mirror (dinghy)

The Mirror is the classic two-person family dinghy, and with more than 70,000 built since its 1963 launch, used boats are rarely hard to find. Jack Holt drew the 10 ft 10 in hull around a simple stitch-and-glue plywood method, from an idea by television DIY presenter Barry Bucknell. It suits a parent and child or two young sailors, and it teaches the whole job: a jib and spinnaker for crewing, and either the traditional gunter rig or the Bermuda mainsail the class now allows. Older plywood boats vary widely in condition, so check the hull and seams before buying.