The previous header photo was the Australian, two-man, NS 14 dinghy "going down the mine" off of Andersons Inlet, South Gippsland Yacht Club, Inverloch, Victoria.
The NS 14 is an indigenous Australian development class; a two person hiking, no spinnaker class. It is 4.27 meters (14) long and 1.8 meters (just under 6) wide. Those who have read Frank Bethwaites High Performance Sailing know that Franks first forays into dinghy design experimentation were in the NS 14 class and that his successful NS 14 designs were the basis for his one-design Tasar.
The 1960s NS 14 fleet.
Six older NS 14s were imported into the San Diego area around the new millennium and when that effort of fleet building stalled, one or two were brought east, specifically to the West River Sailing Club, with transplanted Aussie, Tony Arends owning one. Sadly I was never around the club when they showed up and missed the chance to take one out for a spin. West River SC already had a fleet of Jet 14s so the NS 14 was again a non-starter in the United States. Im not sure what happened to the boats.
Some more photos culled from the Internet:
The somewhat smallish 9.3 sq. meter sail plans features the now de rigueur square-top (or nearly a square-top) main. The fleet uses a very deep over-rotating mast for more power.
The NS 14 has the modern, double bottom, full draining interior.
To save weight the reverse sheer profile is very "humpy", aggressively turning down at the stern.
Our impressive duo from the header photo, après pitchpoling.
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