Kestrel Owners' Association

USEFUL KESTREL INFORMATION

It is our intention to use this section of the web site to provide Kestrel sailors with useful technical and "how to" information. Some of it will appear with no access restrictions but other material may well be limited to Kestrel Owners' Association members to encourage membership. This is not expensive - see Membership page. We hope this part of the site will eventually develop into a helpful addition.

basic kestrel dimensions	main sail - quick reference	foresail - quick reference
spinnaker - quick reference	mast - quick reference	kestrel variants
visual differences	association history

basic kestrel dimensions
Overall length	4.776 metres (15' 71/2".)
Beam	1.75 metres (5' 6")
Bare hull weight	120 Kg (265 lbs.)
Main	9.29 sq. metres (100 sq. ft.)
Foresail	4.8 sq. metres (52 sq. ft.)
Spinnaker	11.15 sq. metres (120 sq. ft.)
Optimum weight	146 Kg (322 lbs.)
Portsmouth Yardstick (PY)	1038

main sail - quick reference
Leach length	6401 mm
Width - half height	1981 mm including bolt rope
Width - three-quarter height	1245 mm including bolt rope
Window area	186040 sq. mm
Width - headboard	102 mm
Length - top batten	1219 mm
Length - lower batten	838 mm
Width - top batten end (square with luff)	1016 mm

foresail - quick reference
Luff	4115 mm
Leach	4064 mm
Foot	2413 mm
Head to half width on foot	4013 mm
Maximum roach on leach	102 mm
Window area	186040 sq. mm

*spinnaker - quick reference
Hanging height	4572 mm
Greatest width	2896 mm
*Half-height width (minimum 3/4 of n)*	2896 mm max.
Foot width (n)	2896 mm
*North American owners. See special measurement rule

mast - quick reference
Lower band	Upper edge of band above datum on mast: 978 mm - 1004 mm
Upper band	Lower edge of band above upper edge of lower band: 5791 mm
Boom band	Distance from rear of mast track, to forward edge of limit band: 2730 mm
Spinnaker halyard exit	No more than 4013 mm above top edge of lower band

kestrel variants
type	number	maker
wooden	number 1 - number 6	Jack Chippingdale
mk I	number 7 - number 1428	John Gmach
mk I 1/2	number 1429	John Gmach
mk II	number 1430 - number 1479	John Gmach
mk II	number 1480 - number 1502	Martin Boats
mk II	number 1510 - number 1512	Moores of Wroxham (for Paul Williams)
mk II	number 1513 - number 1516	Williams
Kestrel 2000	number 1530 - onwards	Hartley Laminates

kestrel variants - visual differences

Here is a visual comparison along with a brief description of the main differences between the boats.

Kestrel number 6

In 2010 John Barnes wrote to us:

"Thought you may be interested to know that I have put Kestrel number 6 Cristel back in the water this year after a long lay off. As far as I know this is the only surviving wooden Kestrel out of the 6 built. ( I have somewhere the letters from Ian Proctor confirming she is number 6). I raced her at Weymouth in the Nationals some years ago to 9th place which wasn't bad for a boat built around 1955.
Best wishes to those in the Kestrel class who remember me. Thanks JB"

Wooden Kestrel No.6 "Cristel" owned by John Barnes

A Mark I may have had many modifications made to it. Not all were produced with spinnaker chutes and many have changed from transom sheeting to centre sheeting. It is not uncommon to find strengthening bars fitted between the chainplates to stiffen the hull for racing. These dinghies were supplied with either steel or alloy centreboards. Cruising boats may not have been fitted out with transom flaps or bailers.

The Mark II is not as numerous as the Mark I and looks very different above the hull. There is no afterdeck and the side buoyancy tanks are extended to the transom. Spinnaker chutes were optional and the Kestrel could be specified with centre or transom sheeting.

The Kestrel 2000 is the current version of the dinghy. The foredeck is cleaner in design and the side buoyancy tanks have been remodelled with a destinct angled inner section, replacing the radius curve of previous marks. Decks are of an off-white colour whilst the hull can be specified with two colours - below the water line is usually white.

association history

The following link is to letters to the secretary from two Kestrel sailors. They include details about the history of the Kestrel and the formation of the Kestrel Association.
This link is password protected and is only available to Kestrel Owners' Association members. Reminiscences by Eric Raybould & Jim Cuckoo.

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