Our featured boats for February are, once again smaller gaffers. Not one but a fleet or class of locally built boats, The Deben Lugger.
The Deben Lugger is a traditionally styled dayboat. Built solely in Suffolk, constructed in GRP with 2-pack foam buoyancy and oiled iron hardwood, the hull form has been designed to give superior performance over more dated designs. The Deben Lugger may be described as ‘Family Daysailing at its Best’. As their name implies, many may be found on the River Deben and Deben Luggers join in with many East Coast OGA events.
The rig, fully complementing the hull, is incredibly efficient. Internally, comfort and versatility are assured offering space for onboard picnicking and overnight camping with purpose built storage areas. The cockpit has ample room for six adults and kit and is CE rated for category C waters. The rig is light and easily handled with a balanced lug mainsail and mizzen. This proven rig keeps the centre of effort low making a powerful stable boat. Being un-stayed the carbon fibre rig is quick and easy to raise and lower, allowing the boat to be de-powered off the wind.
She has a shallow long keel with centre plate that gives great stability and enables her to sail in the shallows in as little as 16”. Coupled with excellent windward performance it makes her ideal for exploring estuaries and creeks. Her sealed centreplate is housed in the central locker maximizing space in the cockpit, increasing stiffness to the case and deck structure. The plate mechanism is easy to operate with its 10:1 gearing and is housed neatly out of harms way at the forward end of the locker. Down either side of the cockpit she has two substantial iroko rails for securing safety harnesses, fenders and warps. The helm seats are removable allowing for the helm to get out of the wind and shelter low down on the sole boards. The same seats also store the fire extinguisher and can accommodate canvas storage bins, for sail ties, warps etc.
Her substantial New England style ‘Barn Door’ type rudder gives a light balanced feel with minimal weather helm, it is the same depth as the keel allowing it to be left mounted while beaching, sailing in the shallows or leaving on a mooring. Launching and recovery could not be easier on her A frame multi roller swing beam trailer.
Words: Alex Haig
Deben Lugger website
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