The Coypu is a class of small sailing dinghy

Dinghy sailing

Dinghy sailing is the activity of sailing small boats by using five essential controls:* the sails* the foils ....

. It is a highly stable boat, suitable for beginners, and is normally sailed by two people, although three can be accommodated comfortably.

Design

There are variants in the design of the coypu depending on the builder. The hull is normally Glass-reinforced plastic

Glass-reinforced plastic

Fiberglass , is a fiber reinforced polymer made of a plastic matrix reinforced by fine fibers of glass. It is also known as GFK ....

 construction, with buoyancy tanks front sides and rear.
The Centreboard

Centreboard

A centreboard or centerboard is a retractable keel which pivots out of a slot in the hull of a sailboat, known as a centreboard trunk or centerboard case...

 is metal, and the rudder

Rudder

A rudder is a device used to steer a ship, boat, submarine, hovercraft, aircraft or other conveyance that moves through a medium . On an aircraft the rudder is used primarily to counter adverse yaw and p-factor and is not the primary control used to turn the airplane...

 is removable, either fixed (i.e. does not have a downhaul

Downhaul

The downhaul is a line which is part of the rigging on a sailboat; it applies downward force on a spar or sail. The most common downhaul on a modern sailboat is attached to the spinnaker pole, though this may be referred to as the foreguy in some rigging nomenclature...

) or with a moveable blade.

Most coypu mainsail

Mainsail

A mainsail is a sail located behind the main mast of a sailing vessel.On a square rigged vessel, it is the lowest and largest sail on the main mast....

s are normally raised by feeding the luff into the track on the mast, although there are variants that have gunter

Gunter

In sailing, a gunter is used for two main configurations of rig:#The gunter is defined as a wire that leads from one point near the end of a gaff to a point near the other end. A block travels along this wire, and a halyard is attached to this block...

 rig sails

The mainsheet is fixed to the stern

Stern

The stern is the rear or aft-most part of a ship or boat, technically defined as the area built up over the sternpost, extending upwards from the counter rail to the taffrail. The stern lies opposite of the bow, the foremost part of a ship. Originally, the term only referred to the aft port section...

 of the boat. A jib

Jib

A jib is a triangular staysail set ahead of the foremast of a sailing vessel. Its tack is fixed to the bowsprit, to the bow, or to the deck between the bowsprit and the foremost mast...

 is used for normal use and only one size is available.

The boat is heavy in comparison with other dinghies, so traditionally they have proved popular at training centres where it is not necessary to remove the boat from the water on a regular basis. However the design provides a stable boat in all weathers which is ideal for beginners- especially juniors.

There was also a "Sea Scout

Sea Scout

Sea Scouts are members of the international Scouting movement, with a particular emphasis on water-based activities, such as kayaking, canoeing, sailing, and rowing. Depending on the country and the available water these activities are on lakes, rivers or sea in small or large ships. Sea Scouting...

" version of the Coypu dinghy

History

The coypu is a rather old design of boat. It is possible to get replacement spares. The design of the boat meant that small boatyards and centres could build their own fleet easily, with assistance from a mould. The design also meant that they were easy to repair, and as a result they have a long service life.

Previous centres known to build Coypu Hulls include:

Herts Young Mariners Base in Hertfordshire

Hertfordshire

Hertfordshire is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the East region of England. The county town is Hertford.The county is one of the Home Counties and lies inland, bordered by Greater London , Buckinghamshire , Bedfordshire , Cambridgeshire and...

 (Last manufactured in 1970's).

Barton Turf Outdoor Education Centre in Norfolk

Norfolk

Norfolk is a low-lying county in the East of England. It has borders with Lincolnshire to the west, Cambridgeshire to the west and southwest and Suffolk to the south. Its northern and eastern boundaries are the North Sea coast and to the north-west the county is bordered by The Wash. The county...

.

Dawn Craft of Wroxham

Wroxham

Wroxham is a village and civil parish in the English county of Norfolk. The civil parish of Wroxham has an area of 6.21 square kilometres and in 2001 had a population of 1532 in 666 households. The village is situated within the Norfolk Broads on the south side of a loop in the middle reaches of...

, Norfolk

Norfolk

Norfolk is a low-lying county in the East of England. It has borders with Lincolnshire to the west, Cambridgeshire to the west and southwest and Suffolk to the south. Its northern and eastern boundaries are the North Sea coast and to the north-west the county is bordered by The Wash. The county...

.

Current builder of Coypu dinghies: