# Dyer Dhow 12.5 Sailing dinghy restoration



## gradygal (10 mo ago)

Just bought a 12.5 that we plan to restore. We were told it’s a 1966 hull but we don’t think that’s correct. There’s no plaque from Dyer.
1. Is there anyway to tell year? Sail number on original Thurston Sail is 285.

Thanks
Judi


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## Dyer Wolf (Sep 7, 2021)

Contact Dyer Boats and ask. 








DYER BOATS Dyer® Boats DYER DINGHY PROUDLY BUILT, PROUDLY OWNED DYER 29' - %


Dyer Boats, Dyer Dinghy, Dyer Dhow, Dyer 29, Dyer Glamour Girl.. Contact 401-245-3300



dyerboats.com




Bill Dyer's daughter was still running it when I visited a few years ago to get some parts for my Dyer Dhow Midget. 

Don


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## Kimotee (8 mo ago)

gradygal said:


> Just bought a 12.5 that we plan to restore. We were told it’s a 1966 hull but we don’t think that’s correct. There’s no plaque from Dyer.
> 1. Is there anyway to tell year? Sail number on original Thurston Sail is 285.
> 
> Thanks
> Judi


I'm about 2/3 thru restoration of Dyer Daysailer 12.5 Sail #/hull #283. It was built between Jan-Mar 1970. Anna at The Anchorage in Warren RI can confirm the dates for you. Anna and Tad are good folks doing business mostly the old fashioned way by phone and in person. They don't respond to most emails. Thurston just did new sails for us. 
What I dragged in off of a roadside sale









As of last weekend, rigged to be flipped for bottom work


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## Dyer Wolf (Sep 7, 2021)

That's lovely! What a find!
My father sailed wooden Dyer Dinks that were used in some college sailing fleets in the 1940s. When I was in high school I located one and restored it. It was sold when I was in college and had nowhere to keep it, but last I saw was in good hands and still sailed occasionally. Dyer Dink #1 is at the Anchorage. 
I had not liked the Dhows (thought they were ugly, which of course they are compared to the original Dink) but after I was given one I began to appreciate their virtues. Mine is a Midget (7'11") that was used for many years as a yacht tender, then left for too many years upside down so the gunwales rotted. I got new gunwales from the Anchorage and have yet to do the work to change them.


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## Kimotee (8 mo ago)

Dyer Wolf said:


> That's lovely! What a find!
> My father sailed wooden Dyer Dinks that were used in some college sailing fleets in the 1940s. When I was in high school I located one and restored it. It was sold when I was in college and had nowhere to keep it, but last I saw was in good hands and still sailed occasionally. Dyer Dink #1 is at the Anchorage.
> I had not liked the Dhows (thought they were ugly, which of course they are compared to the original Dink) but after I was given one I began to appreciate their virtues. Mine is a Midget (7'11") that was used for many years as a yacht tender, then left for too many years upside down so the gunwales rotted. I got new gunwales from the Anchorage and have yet to do the work to change them.


In order to do the restoration, taking a cue from the dolly's I saw at The Anchorage and others, this is my design that works well for a variety of small boat projects and may work for others. Built for my height (6'2") it is light, inexpensive, easy to move around with 4" locking casters, articulated pads, and both boat and worker aboard.


















The position of the bottom rails is such that the provide a small step for reaching into the boat for the majority of the interior work


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## gradygal (10 mo ago)

Kimotee said:


> I'm about 2/3 thru restoration of Dyer Daysailer 12.5 Sail #/hull #283. It was built between Jan-Mar 1970. Anna at The Anchorage in Warren RI can confirm the dates for you. Anna and Tad are good folks doing business mostly the old fashioned way by phone and in person. They don't respond to most emails. Thurston just did new sails for us.
> What I dragged in off of a roadside sale
> View attachment 143720
> 
> ...





Kimotee said:


> I'm about 2/3 thru restoration of Dyer Daysailer 12.5 Sail #/hull #283. It was built between Jan-Mar 1970. Anna at The Anchorage in Warren RI can confirm the dates for you. Anna and Tad are good folks doing business mostly the old fashioned way by phone and in person. They don't respond to most emails. Thurston just did new sails for us.
> What I dragged in off of a roadside sale
> View attachment 143720
> 
> ...


Thanks for the reply. I contacted The Anchorage and Tad was very helpful. We are about 2/3 of the way as well. My next project is using Cetol on the woodwork. No varnish for me. I used Cetol on my Island Packet and it worked out very well. We are now in Maine and the Dhow is in my garage in Punta Gorda Fl. The Cetol will have to wait til October. 
I believe the sail that I have is the original. It’s in good condition. How long did Thurston take to produce the new sail?


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## Kimotee (8 mo ago)

gradygal said:


> Thanks for the reply. I contacted The Anchorage and Tad was very helpful. We are about 2/3 of the way as well. My next project is using Cetol on the woodwork. No varnish for me. I used Cetol on my Island Packet and it worked out very well. We are now in Maine and the Dhow is in my garage in Punta Gorda Fl. The Cetol will have to wait til October.
> I believe the sail that I have is the original. It’s in good condition. How long did Thurston take to produce the new sail?


Thurston/Quantum like all business is short on qualified sailmakers and are currently slammed. We ordered at the end of January and picked up in the first week of May. Basically a 90-day period. The wood on 283 was all painted, but I've managed to strip it and do a restoration using a mix of epoxy blends and then finishing the thwarts with multiple coats of varnish over 207 epoxy. But the boat will be used on Cayuga Lake in New York and be stored undercover, so will not get significant UV exposure. For Florida, I understand your choice of Cetol


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