The (Daily) Mirror class dinghy was launched at the 1963 London International Boat Show. Nick Hodshon, who worked for Victor Shaw in Sales and Marketing Department of the Daily Mirror, takes up the story:
"Fortunately we had a stand just inside the main entrance but there where big objections from the Boat Show sponsors----The Daily Express newspaper. The compromise was that it was no longer the Daily Mirror Dinghy but simply, the Mirror Dinghy. IPC ( the parent company) had funded 250 kits to be ready for despatch from Bell Woodworking in Leicester and life was hectic throughout the show.
The exhibition staff had a few days holiday before we were back in the office at New Fetter lane. The gloom was that we had only sold 20 kits during the show and it appeared that the Dinghy Project would not be viable. Fortunately orders flooded in in the post and within the month all the kits had been sold and more kits where ordered - the rest is history."
The Boat Show was reported in the Daily Mirror, Wednesday 2nd January 1963, page 6. Amazingly there is no mention of the (Daily) Mirror Dinghy launch, maybe there was doubt about the Daily Express allowing the dinghy to appear right up to the last minute.
There is also a British Pathé newsreel of the event. The (Daily) Mirror dinghy is not mentioned, but it gives a good idea and feel of the show.
There is a story in Practical Boat Owner by Peter Baylis of one kit that was sold at the show.
