With all the discussion in the Bulletin about capsizing, it is about time that the self-righting Roamer dinghy got another mention. For those with serious dinghy cruising in mind it is probably the best dinghy for their purpose. As far as I know it is the only special design readily available to anyone who wants to build, or have built, such a craft.

The Roamer Dinghy by Peter Bick

As previously printed in ‘Afloat’ magazine

Dinghy racers consider capsizes a natural part of sailing, normally dealing with the matter without difficulty. However, those who cruise in their dinghies on a lonely bit of sea and away from that comforting rescue boat, are or should be aware that particularly in choppy conditions, a capsize can be a very different matter. When choosing a dinghy for cruising the choice seems to be between a hybrid racing/day sailer like the Wayfarer, fast, reasonably stable and weatherly but with a risk of capsize from a tired crew, and say a Drascombe Lugger; very seaworthy and with low capsize risk but slow to windward. The founding father of the Dinghy Cruising Association, the late Eric Coleman, had cruised for many years, including several passages in a 13'6" clinker dinghy between the East Coast and the Solent, and a two way trip from the East Coast to Holland. When considering the matter he felt that if specially designed for the purpose there was no reason why a fast close winded boat shouldn't be produced which is also dry, stable and self-righting.

When designing for self-righting one can approach the problem in two ways. Add ballast low down - or add buoyancy high up like the earlier lifeboats. The former by itself can mean a rather heavy boat, the latter produces a boat with unnecessary windage which reduces its windward ability. Eric decided to use both methods but in moderation - the result is the 'Roamer'. A boat which does not call on its crew to exert itself to keep it upright in reasonable conditions, but in which the extra leverage of its crew sitting out allows it to power strongly to windward in rough conditions. The product of Eric's experience and engineering background was briefly - a 14 foot double chine stable hull with 7/8 Bermuda rig of fairly low aspect ratio and self-righting. She weighs in at only 600 lbs, heavier than a general purpose racing/day sailer but much lighter than traditional day boats of the same length. I launched and recovered my Roamer from a simple trailer every time I sailed, without difficulty.

Overall length: 14’0” L.W.L: 13’ 3” Rig: Bermudan Beam: 5’ 10” Areas Main: 67 sq ft Minimum freeboard: 1’ 7” Genoa: 48 sq ft Draft plate up: 9” Working jib: 29 sq ft Draft plate down: 3’ 5” Storm jib: 12 sq ft Ballast internal: 76 lbs Weight for trailing: 600 lbs (with gear) Centreplate: 80 lbs Length of mast/deck stepped: 17’9”

The primary aim of the design is to stay upright. Tested with 24 stone on the side deck and the centreplate up still left the gunwale above water. In the capsize test the prototype was heeled over to 110 deg. It was impossible with the gear available to heel the boat further as the mast was under water at this point, but the boat is designed to recover from 120 deg. from vertical. Even capsized thus the water level doesn't reach the sealed central hatches. Essentially she is conceived to look after her crew when they make mistakes in handling her.

The underwater lines of the Roamer are related to those of racing dinghies but with greater deadrise aft so that she will remain balanced when heeled. She will plane in the right conditions but from a cruising point of view one is then over canvassed. For sailing in shallow water, the plate can be fully raised with negligible change in handling characteristics. Liveliness of handling is deliberately restrained so that the crew can make long passages without exhaustion. For day sailing there is obviously plenty of room for four and the forward compartment can be used as a mini-cabin for children if it rains. The stability allows the crew to sit in the boat if they so wish. The centreplate is hoisted by a drum winch and the wire leaves the case via a trunk so that water will not enter the boat from the case if swamped. In the worst scenario this allows baling or pumping out without panic. EMBED Imaging.Document

The layout shows that for cruising, there is ample space for gear in four watertight compartments and also below the bottom boards. To add to the buoyancy, four buoyancy bags are located under the side decks. The aft sections of the side benches are removable for sleeping aboard and one of them fits across the boat forward for use as a rowing thwart - shown on layout side view. When the awning is set, the oars, normally stowed under the side benches, are placed as shown to push out the sides and give more room. There is no need to lower the mast when anchored in gale force winds. The raised floorboards allow for wet stowage below but also allow the crew to transfer themselves from the side benches to the comfortable side decks without effort, when conditions require.

If an outboard - long shaft - is carried, it can be stowed on the aft deck. If you intend to cruise in Roamer it is best to try out the boat before buying a motor. You will probably find that it is not required. Fitted with a simple helm impeder she will hold her course while her crew pours out the coffee or consults a chart.

Construction is orthodox plywood with special emphasis on avoiding skill. Recently however the hull panel shapes have been developed by computer so that the 'stitch and tape' method can be used for the hull if preferred. This should save some building time as well as weight. The building instructions for the original method leave nothing for the builder to work out for himself. All the parts are fully listed.

As the boat cannot be bought ready built - normally you build it yourself - there have not been a vast number produced and sail numbers have not yet reached 200. However the plans have been sold world wide with Roamers afloat in waters in America, Australia and as far away as Patagonia. Nowadays with a small but steady growth of small firms prepared to build one-off wooden boats, this situation could change. The hull of my own Roamer was built by McNulty of South Shields in 1982.

When one owns a Roamer there is a great temptation to make use of her superb cruising characteristics. Of those I know, R1 was cruised in the Western Isles of Scotland as well as the East Coast. The travels of R96 included six weeks in Dutch waters with the husband and wife crew living aboard for the whole time during a very wet summer. R10 was extensively cruised around north Norfolk and the East Coast. My own boat R112, always single-handed, has cruised the length of the East Coast from Ramsgate to the Ore, and has poked into virtually every creek. In addition it has crossed the straits of Dover, been trailed to the West Country and day sailed in the Solent area. Many owners have, at one time or another, been very grateful for the stability of these splendid cruising dinghies; R10 surfed over Blakeney harbour bar in very doubtful conditions, R96 broached with three aboard in the Blackwater and self-righted having not taken enough water on board to cover the floorboards. My own boat was knocked over by a cross sea when crossing Orford Haven bar in a fresh breeze due to my foolishness in attempting it at the wrong stage of the tide. It self-righted and I sailed on - it was only later that I realised that I had about 20 gallons of water below the floor boards which needed pumping out!