How to Setup and rig a Mirror Dinghy

With Mochyn Du freshly varnished and painted, it's time to get her re-rigged and ready for sailing again. So, I thought this would be a good time to show you how I put everything together again!
00:00 Sorting the mast out
02:24 Rigging the Jib
04:47 Raising the Mast
08:32 Attaching the boom
12:32 Attaching the Gaff
13:54 The Main sail
17:11 Tying in the Tack of the Main sail
18:56 Main sail Clew
19:55 Attaching the Kicker / Vange
22:16 The Main sheet
24:55 Bailer, computer and tie line
26:55 Righting lines and paddle
27:44 Dagger board
28:12 Mast float
28:37 Rudder

[@ClaireFranceScotland]

Thanks Dave. v useful video. I'm away to pickup my mirror today, and now feeling quite excited to get it back and start rigging.

[@SailingWithDave]

Exciting! Is it your first boat? Such a great boat and I'm sure you're going to have a lot of fun with her. Let me know how it goes.

[@donaldbuttery7128]

Requested this other day ,perfect timing,will be so helpful when finished painting .never used new boat or set up .Thank you so much

[@SailingWithDave]

Glad it helped you Donald. Manyth anks for the comment.

[@phillotf]

Thanks! The only usefull video how to rig mirror dinghy, actually! 😀

[@SailingWithDave]

@phillotf Thanks for the kind comment Phil. I spent a lot of my own time trying to work it all out so thought it would be useful to others. This video has since become one of my most watched ones so was worth doing!!! I need to get one up for the spinnaker, but I have to also work that one out myself before I can do that. Very complicated!!!

[@phillotf]

@@SailingWithDave looking forward to watch spinnaker video then! 👍

[@robertseaman2254]

Thanks Dave ,thats a very useful video. Hope you get some good sailing in this year and look forward to see you in action.

[@SailingWithDave]

Many thanks. Glad it helped. Yes loads of sailing still to watch. In the Lugger and Mochyn Du is going to be back in Season 3!!!

[@oliverpratten8097]

Cheers Dave, just bought one and it’s been 32 years since I last did this. Best of luck

[@SailingWithDave]

Many thanks Oliver. Hope I have helped. I remember when I bought my Mirror I got a quick rigging tutorial and it all seemed so alien and I forgot by the time I got her home!!! Just need to get that Spinnaker sorted!!

[@frundlemud]

A very honest share. Thanks.

[@SailingWithDave]

Glad it was helpful!

[@ivanlotter8417]

Thank you very much Dave for the video, it is helping me a lot to rig my Mirror #54907 for the first time. I am practicing rigging it at my house until I am sailing it for the first time this weekend, weather permitting. I think I have watched your video now for the 5th time!

[@SailingWithDave]

Hi Ivan. Many thanks for the comment and I know exactly how you feel. I also practised in the garden to get the hang of it all. It was all quite bewildering at first for me! I also removed all the Spinnaker lines, but getting those back on will be a challenge. The great thing about the Mirror is that once you have her rigged up you only really have to then bring the mast, gaf nd boom down. Everything else can be left attached so when you sail it can take less than 10 minutes to set her up once you get used to her.

[@johnryan2193]

Thank you so much for taking the trouble to show how this is done, cheers

[@SailingWithDave]

No problem. Will do one on the spinnaker soon, just as soon as I work it all out!!!

[@OkieBobby]

Good show mate! Way to put yourself out there without a practice run. Much more enjoyable! Bitchin van!

[@SailingWithDave]

Many thanks for the comment!

[@nicolasnikiforos5121]

Thank you for showing how to rig the mast and sails. I have the same mirror dinghy in Corfu, Greece, made of polyester.All the best Nicolas

[@SailingWithDave]

Glad to have geklped Nicolas

[@andrewcottee6231]

Thank you, from a beginner mirror family!

[@SailingWithDave]

You are so welcome!

[@williamtrehearne4037]

Thanks Dave, This was very helpful and I’ll watch it again before I set up the old fibreglass Mirror that I just bought. Gaff and boom are in poor condition so I’m going to splash out on a telescopic metal mast and boom from Trident.

[@SailingWithDave]

Hi William. Many thanks for the comment. I had no idea that mast existed. Just had a look, quite pricey tho. I wonder if you could make it yourself. I just made an aluminium telescopic jib stick for the lugger so I wonder if you could do the same for the mirror mast? If you get specs for the diameter and thicknesses, I would be very interested and could help you find the right size and aluminium spec?

[@williamtrehearne4037]

@@SailingWithDave Hi Dave, Unfortunately I'm not that handy. I would probably find it easier to repair the wooden gaff. I haven't had a proper look at it yet, it's 80 miles away. Thanks for the offer though!

[@MrGazzbazz]

Thanks for the nice video. I just have one suggestion. You could put a small line through your mainsail tack around the mast and then tie off. This would keep the tack of the sail close to the mast when you tighten the out-haul and also put less of a strain on the down-haul in heavier weather, especially as it seems your mainsail doesn't use a luff-line. Happy sailing!

[@SailingWithDave]

Hi Gareth. Yes, I often wonder that but, on my mainsail there are no eyelets to do that with!! I could put some in as I don; tthink they would need reinforcing in any way.

[@macrazy6092]

This is awesome I'm going to watch your videos and hopefully get some tips , I've also got a mirror dinghy a I'm learning to sail also I'll have to upload my vids.

[@SailingWithDave]

Definitely do MacRazy and let me know so I can come and subscribe!

[@philipnorman2480]

Dave.I take your point about there not being many helpful videos out there for preparing a Mirror.What I was trying to get over was,Mirrors are actually quite fiddly boats to set up,so making it look more complicated than it is helps nobody.As I said previously,what a pity that you hadn't rehearsed or prepared the procedure before actually filming it!

[@SailingWithDave]

Dude can you please tell me what and why the weird links in your comments are for?

[@FalkinerTim]

I am intrigued with the simplicity of the mainsheet setup. I have never seen that (i live in Melbourne, Australia) until I watched some UK videos. All the mainsheets here are down from the rear of the boom to a pulley running on a line between the two holes in the transom then back to the rear of the boom, along the boom to a pulley above the thwart and then down to a block on the back of the thwart. More gearing, a ratchet and the main sheet is in front of the skipper but a lot of friction. I am going to try the simple setup.

[@SailingWithDave]

Hi Tim, I think I have the "original" rigging for the mainsheet which most of the wooden and older boats have. At some time in the 1980's I think, they released a newer mainsheet set up that sounds like the one you have. It had the benefits of clearing the cockpit if the main sheet, which can get in the way sometimes, and also it gave a better performance as I belive it uses a number of blocks to get more tension through the sheet? I actually like the way mine is, because it's very easy to remove which gives me a nice clear cockpit when motoring.

[@FalkinerTim]

@@SailingWithDave Yes, it is very clean. On Albert Park Lake the wind is notoriously fickle. Shifts and gusts are very common. The boat I have (the Mirror is for my granddaughers) is a Sabre which has a tall narrow sail with a centre boom sheet. The Sabre is designed so the sailor can very quickly spill the wind out of the sail and this is ideal for the lake. The rear boom sheeting of the Mirror coupled with the wider sail makes it slow to spill the wind but the simple setup which you use would let the sheet pay out more quickly.

[@SailingWithDave]

Hi Lozzie, they're 3D printed clips that stop the jib hanks from coming off when its windy. I made them myself but I am beginning to winder if I should be selling them as quite af ew people have asked about them, now. Do you live in the UK?

[@Lozzie74]

7:54 what are those clips that attach the jib luff to the forestay? I want to get some. My Mirror doesn’t have them.

[@SailingWithDave]

Hi Lozzie, I made them myself and 3D print them. In a newer video I also have a version that tidies up the Jib down haul aswell. Do you live in the UK, if so I could take a Paypal and send you some?

[@Lozzie74]

@@SailingWithDave awesome work! I have two 3D printers. I live in Australia so it’s probably more convenient to send me the STLs. Happy to pay you a reward.

[@joewilliams5396]

It can be frustrating work re-rigging after a complete removal, I've had the same forgetful problems myself and had to start again.

[@SailingWithDave]

Definitely and I also had trouble finding real lay-persons help out there so thought i'd try and fill that gap!

[@andyevans7331]

The

[@davidnavin6285]

Hi Dave, Where about on the Gaff is the halliard connected to? Is it the thing in the middle of it? Can't wait to go sailing, Thanks for the advice! It's been very useful..

[@SailingWithDave]

Hi David. Yes it's something like that, u can find exact measurements online. Mines got the Mirror gaff band but I've seen a lot of people just drill a hole through and use a stopper knot. .

[@davidnavin6285]

@@SailingWithDave Thanks Dave, it has one of them bands, I didn't know if it would hold though if I'd got it wrong. I'm looking forward to sailing, Might even bump into you, not literally though eh 😁

[@SailingWithDave]

@davidnavin6285 hahaha. Yes just a stopper knot needed I think. Will be out on Mochyn Du soon aswell so may well see her!!

[@elmin2323]

Get the spinnaker setup! :)

[@SailingWithDave]

I will, its one of my goals this season for Mochyn Du. I have someone going to help me soon to get her set up.

[@thewanderingbox8253]

think you need to upgrade your rigging to use synthetic standing rigging...no varnish worries then

[@SailingWithDave]

Oh yes so there'd be less scratching from the rigging! I will look in to that!

[@Lozzie74]

This is a big help but beware mixing your terminology. 2:13 you advise running the jib SHEET to the top of the mast. That would be the job HALYARD. You don’t run any sheet from the top of the mast.

[@SailingWithDave]

Thank-you Lozzie. Yes I get my sheets mixed up all the time!! I need to pay more attention to that.

[@Lozzie74]

@@SailingWithDave thanks for taking my comment positively. Your video was a BIG help to my son and me as we rigged our new Mirror Dinghy on the weekend. We were lost rigging the gaff and your video clarified it all 😄

[@bl00zbr0]

The foot of your jib is sitting way too high Dave, it should sit level or just below the deck

[@SailingWithDave]

Hi Andy. Yes I agree and actually did lower it in an early video somewhere on here. But, that gave me two issues. Firstly my back ached so much trying to see under the sail that it became unpleasent on a whole days sail. Secondly I couldn't see much ahead under the sail. I just wanted to be safe and be able to see all the swimmers and kids on the lake. Trust me, they get everywhere, even the middle of the lake isn't safe!!!

[@bl00zbr0]

Aha, fully understand and safe 👍

[@SailingWithDave]

@@bl00zbr0 Yes, However I would also add that for me it's hardly going to make a difference. I htink whatever I did to a Mirror Dinghy, my 95KG of body mass would always make me .5KT slower than a young 50KG lad or girl if racing against them!!

[@jackccharity]

Get rid of the mast float. You'll never need it.

[@SailingWithDave]

Hi Jack. Cheers for the comment. I added the mast float as the last time I capsized, she turtles quite quickly. I think it gives me a lot of peace of mind but in anything but the roughest says probably don't need it.

[@jackccharity]

@@SailingWithDave Hi Dave. I am really surprised to hear that you turtled your Mirror. My model (14948, self-built in 1967) has never turned turtle and I have the same setup as you - wooden masts, etc. In fact, the only boat I managed to turn turtle was my Flying Dutchman and in so doing, lost my tiller and rudder!

[@SailingWithDave]

@@jackccharity Hi Jack. So the first week I learnt to sail is not in fact on the channel, the reason for that is that I mistakenly just got on with things and nothing in the boat was strapped down. Of course it wasn't long before my first capsize and I lost my brand new GoPro camera, along with most other stuff in the boat! You only need to learn that lesson once. Anyway that day was quite calm and the boat seemed to lay on her side. I think looking back if she was left for longer she would possibly have turtled eventually. In season 2 I was sailing her in heavy winds. Doing quite well, beating all the way down the lake, great fun. I came to Gybe to make my way back and got caught out by a timeley gust. Later I was told it was 35+ gusts out there on that day. Over we went and she turtled almost immediately. I took 5 attempts to right her, each time she went straight back over. Knackered, I sat a-top of her and drifted into the shore in about 20 minutes. The wind was so strong it didn't take long at all. I waited for the mast to touch the bottom and then pulled her over sideways and swam her into shore. Looking back I htnk the Jib sheet may have been cleated. The slight panic meant I probably missed that. I think with mine having the hollow Aluminium mast that fills with water, it is more prone to turtling than older Mirrors.