The Snipe is 15 1/2 foot, 2 person, one design racing dinghy. The Snipe has a rich history dating to 1931. Originally designed by William Crosby, to comply with the emerging "trailer class" of racing sailboats, it has evolved into a modern International tactical racing dinghy. Although the class has some of the best competition in the world, the class has not lost sight of the importance of social events and, in fact, many regattas are as well known for their parties as they are for their racing. The essence of the class is summed up by it's motto "Serious sailing, Serious Fun®."
Although designed in 1931, the boat is up to date as far as sail controls and rigging is concerned. The class is a strict one design, but allows for innovation in rigging and to a limited extent hull design, under the auspices of the class governing body (SCIRA), a strong and healthy national and international association which governs all aspects of the class and its activities. This fact has allowed the boat to evolve and mature with changes in technology, while not obsoleting boats 15-20 years old. As proof, the average age of the top ten boats at the 1994 North Americans was 8 years old. The innovations of late have been in the area of the deck layout. Due to the flexibility of the Snipe rig, a broad range of crew combinations has proven successful in the Snipe, generating a very diverse group competitors in terms of age, size,skill and gender. Crew weights of 250-330 pounds are competitive. For more on the origins of the class, see A History of the Snipe Class.
The Snipe sail plan consists of a main and jib only. Off the wind, the Snipe utilizes a whisker pole for the jib, generally on an easily operated boom-launched system. The whisker pole for the jib offers many of the aspects of a spinnaker (tactics, something for the crew to screw up :-) but doesn't have the cost and complexity of a third sail.
The Snipe can be cartopped (van topped) as the complete boat is 381 pounds, but is more easily trailed with virtually any type of car. A certain green boat was once seen being trailed at high speed on the trans-Canada highway behind a Nissan 240SX. The class is extremely popular world-wide (the Japanese collegiate boat, the Optimist successor for older youths in South America) and has fleets in all parts of the US and the world. The Snipe Class sanctions many regattas from the club level (high point championships) and US district championships (6) to national events such as the Midwinter Circuit in Florida and the Bahamas, as well as National (all countries) and North/South American Championships and World (including Womens, juniors and Masters) and Western Hemisphere Championships. Although there is much international racing the strength of the class is very much in the local fleet racing activity. Competition in national regattas reads like a who's who, but there is much room for us mere mortals in regional regattas (and the big events, for that matter, as most regattas are "open" not requiring qualification).
The boats are built by a variety of class approved builders and are very well made giving them a long life. There are many competitive used boats to be had between $2500-4000. New boats are priced around $8000. Snipe specifications can be found here.
The Snipe Class is a great competitive time on the water and a friendly and helpful atmosphere off. For more information about "Serious Sailing, Serious Fun®" please write or call The International Snipe Class (SCIRA).