MCA website logo 2017 4

A technical specification drawing of a Mirror dinghy dating to around 1963

The Mirror is a small, light (i.e. hull less than 10lbs/foot), easy to sail, easy to transport, pram dinghy (pram means it has transoms at both bow and stern). It is the classic dinghy for training, cruising and racing. A stable family boat suitable for all ages and abilities, ideal for just "messing about", it is also raced widely and actively both in the UK and abroad. It's ease of handling makes it a very good single-hander sailed with main and jib. It can also be sailed with the mast in the forward position (if fitted) and no jib (i.e. cat rig). It also has a conventional (i.e. symmetric) spinnaker so all the skills needed on a three sail boat can be used. For racing the crew is two, but when pottering three can be carried. The boat can be rowed or fitted with a small outboard motor - it can then accommodate four or five people. Ideal for training young people, it used to be (sadly no longer) an RYA-recognised Junior Class. Many of the UK's top sailors started in a Mirror! A strict one-design, the Mirror became an International Class, administered by World Sailing (ex ISAF, ex IYRU), in 1990.

These are the specifications for the Mirror.

Portsmouth Yardstick

1364  (double handed, with spinnaker), 1364 (single handed with spinnaker), and 1376 (single handed, no spinnaker) from the 2026 list. Note that the RYA have published a 'Class Configuration List' containing Mirror gaff rig (double handed, with spinnaker) and Mirror (single handed with no spinnaker) and would encourage clubs to distinguish between these additional configurations in their returns.
LOA = 10 ft 10 ins (3.30 metres)
Beam = 4 ft 7 ins (1.39 metres)
Draft (Board raised) = 4 ins (0.09 metres)
Draft (Board down) = 28 ins (0.70 metres)
Rig = Bermudan or Gunter sloop with optional spinnaker, or cat rig (just the mainsail)
Bermuda mast height (above deck) = 16 ft (4.9 metres)
Gunter mast Length = 10 ft 8 ins (3.3 metres)
Gaff Length = 9 ft 3 ins (2.8 metres)
Boom Length = 7 ft 6 ins (2.3 metres)
Sail Area - Main = 49 sq ft (4.6 square metres)
                 - Jib = 20 sq ft (1.9 square metres)
                 - Spinnaker = 47 sq ft (4.4 square metres)
Hull construction GRP foam sandwich, GRP, GRP/wood composite or plywood
Weight - complete = 135 lbs (61.29 kgs)
              - Hull only = 98lbs (45.5 kgs)
Volume of Hull below Sheerline = 1.15 cubic metres
Volume of Buoyancy Tanks = 0.53 cubic metres
  (46% of Hull)
CE Conformity Boats with sail number below 69915 do not require a CE mark, for more details and situation with newer boats read this article.
Contact Us
All content belongs to, and copyright © of, the UK Mirror Class Association. Design and Maintenance - Peter Sedgewick, Martin Egan.
Thanks to Jan Grieg-Gran, Rob Grieg-Gran and Scotty Cochrane for their work on a previous website.