Perry Design Review: Escape Dinghies

I often get invitations to sail the boats I review, but typically the boat will be in Florida, while I am in Seattle. Peter Johnstone of the Escape Sailboat Company in Rhode Island promised to deliver his Escape dinghies almost to my doorstep if I would agree to test-sail them. I'm a lover of small boats, so I jumped at the chance and the boats came in huge boxes to the marina adjacent to my office. Peter did the rigging.

It was a typical Seattle summer's day, with the temperature hovering in the low 60s and a light drizzle to go with the fluky 10 to 12 knots of breeze. Peter stood there barefoot in shorts while I showed up in my Southern Ocean foul-weather outfit. It was cold and wet, and I had no intention of going swimming. At the end of our test sails, I stood there warm and comfortable, while Peter shivered to maintain body temperature.

Escape 9

I first test sailed the new Escape 9-footer. This is a rotomolded dinghy in the style of a techno beach toy. The styling is a masterpiece of industrial design, very form-fitting and with beautifully sculpted contours. The hull design is by Garry Hoyt. Be assured that this dinghy does not sail like a toy; the little boat sailed well. It should be noted that while these boats are marketed as "beach toys," they are in fact capable and well-rigged little dinghies that will satisfy the most experienced sailor. Unfortunately, I did not fit very well in the 9-footer. You really sit down inside this boat, making it ideal for beginners. I admit that I might have done better in shorts and bare feet, but at 6 feet, 3 inches and 212 pounds, I felt a little cramped in this little packet. Its hull shape makes it tremendously stiff and forgiving while preserving performance.

Expedition 12.5

Next, I sailed the Expedition 12.5. This is a fiberglass dinghy with a hard chine aft. Experience with my own chined Tasar dinghy has taught me that the chine adds a degree of stability that boats like the round-bilged Laser lack. I really liked the feel of this boat. It accelerated extremely well off the wind and had a nice solid feel. I certainly fit better in this 12.5-footer. It lacks the rotomolded durability of the Escape 9- and 11.5-foot models, but it is lighter and would appeal more to the performance-minded sailor.

The key to these dinghies is the Garry Hoyt system that allows the sail to be rolled up around the mast. The mast can be turned with a furling line that allows you to roll or unroll exactly the amount of sail you want. This can be done in an instant.

There is also the Windicator-Trimdex system that correlates colors on the Windicator card to colors on the boom-collar Trimdex to indicate when you have the sail trimmed correctly. You match the color the Windicator points to with the arrow on the boom and the color card on the boom-collar. This is great for beginners trying to learn how to trim the sail, but I even found myself looking at the card from time to time to gauge my own trim corrections.

Expedition 14.5

The 14.5 Expedition is basically a Laser II rigged with one big sail. You have about 25 square feet more sail area in the 14.5 than you have in a Laser. When I climbed into this boat I really felt that the ergonomic fit was correct. The 14.5 has the stability that comes with size, and it gives you the confidence to drive it hard. I'd like to lie to you, but in fact I am not a world-class dinghy sailor. I can get around in most dinghies, but my efforts — while effective — are not the epitome of style and grace. At my age there is little I do with style and grace anymore.

I liked the bigger feel of the 14.5, but the size of the mainsail was a little overwhelming in the puffy winds we had. Stomach muscles quivering, I did my best to keep the boat flat while on the wind. Peter called out from the 12.5 and suggested I take a roll or two in the sail. This effectively reefs the sail and is an aspect of these dinghies that sets them apart from the others and makes them ideal for an older sailor who would rather reef than hike. I took two rolls and it made all the difference in the world. My "hike or die" situation became instantly sedate as I sat nonchalantly on the rail and sped effortlessly to weather in complete control with an acceptable approximation of both style and grace.

Peter and I raced each other the length of the breakwater. We stopped long enough to talk to two visiting Australian sailors rigging a 49er. I passed along most of my secrets to making the 49er go and let Peter catch up. Then we took off for a lap around the breakwater. As we cleared the rocks I bore off and unrolled the rest of my sail. I enjoyed a squirt or two of near- planing speeds, but the wind was dying so I just held the boat at a beam reach trying to maximize boat speed and gybed my way back to the dock. I did like the 14.5 and its confidence-building size, but I still felt the 12.5 was the overall better design. If I owned a lakeside home with a nice dock, I think I would go for the 12.5.

Escape 11.5

But my beach place, while picturesque, has a rocky beach that is very hard on fiberglass boats. Based upon my sailing of these boats, I ordered a new boat for myself and I chose the rotomolded Escape 11.5-footer. This boat, despite its techno-toy appearance, has managed to impress every sailor I had test sail it. My wife and kids love it. My friends love it. My dog loves it. What more can you ask? It has the advantage over the Expedition 12.5 and 14.5 of being rotomolded and thus is far more durable. I wanted a boat that I could sail off our rocky beach with impunity. I also wanted a boat that I could sail hard back onto the beach so that I could avoid getting my feet wet. The cleverly designed rudder can be kicked up or down by pulling or pushing on the tiller.

The 11.5 also has an open transom that makes it ideal for hauling my dog Piper aboard. If I take off sailing without her, she'll swim after me until I pull her soaking wet over the gunwale. The open transom works well for this. I also felt the extra length and general deck design of the 11.5 would take care of the "fit" problems I found with the 9-footer.

When my Escape 11.5 arrived, I first watched the accompanying video with Gary Jobson doing his usual good job of making everything seem easy. The video takes you through the entire set-up and rigging process, then actually gives the viewer a cursory lesson in sailing (stressing safety). It was very well done and quite entertaining. I went out to try and rig my 11.5, assuming that it would be far harder than the video indicated. In fact, it was far easier. The boat went together in less than 15 minutes the first time. I stood in my driveway with my 16-year-old son Spike rolling and unrolling the sail. Later in the evening, I went out from time to time to do a few rolls and unrolls.

When I was growing up in Australia, we never had the money to own a boat. But my dad managed to impart to me a reverence for boats. We would rent fishing skiffs from time to time and it was apparent from my dad's actions that boats were special things — the keys to a world apart. Today as I survey my apparent successes and failures as a parent, I rest content knowing that my sons are sailors, confident and at ease in boats of all sizes and shapes. This is best achieved through many solitary hours in dinghies.

Stable, easy-to-sail dinghies with capable performance.

Boat Specifications