Sailing Magazine
By Richard Crockett
The Koper family played a major role in shaping sailing in this country as it was Jack Koper who conceived the Dabchick, a dinghy still spoken about with passion today – well over 60 years after the first one was launched. Former Dabbie sailors like nothing better than talking about their Dabbie days, and sharing pics of themselves and their Dabbies from days of yore.
Jack Koper designed the Dabchick, Tempo and Sonnet dinghies.
In July 2002 SAILING Magazine carried a feature on the Sonatina which Chris Koper, living in Canada, designed. It was conceived by Chris Koper as a modified Sonnet dinghy his father designed.
Some six months later SAILING Magazine carried an additional feature, written by Chris Koper, on developments with the Sonatina, plus info on the Chickadee which was based on the Dabchick, and which had a unique deck profile and shallow dished cockpit. This was intended to initially be a two-man dinghy which youngsters could later sail single-handed as they grew in size and sailing confidence.
I am not for one second thinking that either of these are the solution for getting “bums in boats”, and feature them as possible solutions to individual requirements sailing options.
READ ABOUT THE SONATINA HERE: 2002 07 – SAILING Magazine – OCR
READ ABOUT THE CHICKADEE HERE: 2003 01 – SAILING Magazine – OCR
