Restoring my first boat

The Blue Peter is 8ft (2.44m) long, by 4ft 2in (1.27m) wide and a minimum draft of 3 inches (0.076m), built entirely out of fibreglass. The intention was that it would become a widely used children's racing dinghy. This didn't happen, probably because of the  popularity of the Optimist. It is also very heavy as I know to my cost, getting it on and off roof racks. The claimed hull weight is 85lbs (38kg)but I reckon it is nearer 100lbs (45kg) or more. This is a small boat, but very heavy.

It has the same unstayed rig as a Topper, but with a smaller sail at 38.5 sq ft (3.5 sq m). It rows well, sails well (if you duck) and can take a motor, although I have yet to try that. It is meant to be fully filled with sealed in foam buoyancy. Mine did not have a single bubble of foam in it as I discovered when restoring it.

The original brochure. The red dinghy is actually my boat. I bought it off of Lyme Regis Sailing School when they closed down in about 1986. Click a page to see it in detail