••••• NEW VIDEO!
INTRODUCING . . .
our new DragonFlyer 3.2
With sails up at the Maine Boats, Homes, and Harbors show.
Please excuse the less-than-stellar set to her sails, spilling wind
to keep her from sailing (eagerly) off onto the tar was the order
of the weekend. She wants to go, and she sure kept trying....
FIRST SAIL PHOTOS
NEW: VIDEO!
NEW OCTOBER SAILS SLIDESHOW! 
LOA: 3.2 m (10 1/2')
beam: 4'6"
sail areas:
main alone: 44 sq. ft.; main and jib: 59 sq. ft.; asymmetrical: 35 sq. ft.
DragonFlyer 3.2 is designed to be a great boat for all ages to build . . . then to learn to sail (if that's where you're starting) and sail (and race, if that's what's most fun), with two different mast and bowsprit positions and three different rig options (main, main & jib, with asymmetrical.) Moving the mast and/or bowsprit are simple operations, so re-rigging the boat for different sailors or conditions takes a little bit of doing but is reasonably quick and easy.
DragonFlyer is an ideal boat for kids since she's designed to be a good boat for learners but she's also fun, fast, and won't be outgrown, she can grow up along with the abilities of her young sailors. But she's far from “just a kids' boat"; we took the main sail and early design sketches to the WoodenBoat Show a couple years ago and we've talked to lots of people since, and many many of the eyes that have lit up and lips that have said "I want one!" were attached to adults. Kids immediately love the boat but adults love the idea of one for themselves, light, simple, easy to move/cartop and take out whenever the day says "go sailing . . . now!"
And parents/grandparents love the idea of a boat that the kids/grandkids can learn to sail in and have a blast that is also a boat they (the adults) can have some serious fun with. We've designed a lot of boats, built quite a few, and they've always been met with admiration of many and great affection from their owners. But DragonFlyer is a little different. Folks love the design, love the concept, love the idea of building one, and when they get to the idea of sailing one . . . well, that's when it's . . . a little smile, a big grin, and oh yeaaahhhhh this boat is going to be such a blast to sail . . . when again is the kit going to be ready?
DragonFlyer made her first appearance at the MBH&H Show in Rockland, Maine, August 9—11. We had a lot of great talks with folks, many grins and “oh boy that looks like it’ll be fun to sail!”; we have quite a line of folks who are eager to take her out for a sail, which we will do in the next few days, as soon as we can (John’s teaching design at WoodenBoat School this week). This first prototype boat is called Zip, and she’ll be staying with us as our own family boat. Our four kids (ages eight to twelve) helped to build her, though we parents eventually had to take over in “we’d better be a professional boat show now” mode in order to make it to the show (three weeks from first parts assembled to on the truck, driving to the show). The kids did an amazing job, had a great time, learned a lot, and it’s clear that the DragonFlyer building process is particularly ideal for kids (and anyone else) who is new to boatbuilding and is therefore learning about the materials and all as they go: low stress, forgiving, allows learning, epoxy limited to strategic intervals, and immediately rewarding and fun. (Follow Zip’s progress.)
DragonFlyer is designed as a kit. Kits and built boats will be available over the winter/for next season; we’ll be putting up full details on the site in a few days. Please check back with with us, or ask and ye shall receive our DragonFlyer updates.
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