The Left Coast dart
The Left Coast dart

..Meaning ?
afternoon sails are not daunting.
Just untie it from the dock and go. If its dry stored, getting it launched should be simple enough that it doesn’t stand in the way of a nice daysail. The rudder is removable & the keel lifts for easy trailering.
Just enough interior.
The Dart is not a yacht. Think of it like a tent trailer. A tent trailer that can go to sea (Or to lake?). Sleeps four, with an ice chest, LED reading lights. A little bit of storage.. That’s about it, keep things simple.
Plays music.
Seriously, the kids insisted that it not only plays music from their iPods, but could charge them as well. So be it, the Dart is also the worlds most fun iHome. It will play and charge iPods.
Kid friendly.
Along with the iPod thing, the kids also insisted that the machine be fitted with oversize winches. This is so that they could deal with the working loads and be able to run the jib sheets etc. All of the winches are oversized by one step up for lighter working loads.
And.. If the boat is knocked down it will be self righting and self bailing. The only way we know of to actually capsize a Dart would be to get it sideways in a large breaking wave. Actually that’ll capsize most anything. Smart sailors stay away from waves like that.
Oh, and no ants.. Camping in a boat means no ants, spiders, beetles or other creepy things that usually inhabit dirt/tent camp sites. Kids talk big, but really, most don’t like being woken up by creepy crawlies. And, its no fun to find them in lunch either!
Quality = Inexpensive.
Use of exotic materials is carefully minimized to keep costs down. Not deleted, just minimized.
All fiberglass parts are vacuum molded using vinyl ester resin. Vinyl ester resin gives higher strength to weight than standard resins. It also reduces, or possibly eliminates, any blister problems down the line.
No structural wood. Structural wood can rot and cause failures. Eliminating structural wood eliminates this potential problem. Now, a little wood here and there for trim purposes, no problem.
Wind is free, gas cost more every day. Good sailing performance means you can use the wind when most of the rest are relying on their engines. Also, a 2 HP outboard costs a lot less in every way than a 50 HP outboard.
All-up towing weight is 2200 lb (boat) plus 700 lb (trailer) = 2900 lb. Meaning, you don’t need a full size truck to haul it. A minivan should be able to do it.
Design Specs..
Accommodations
Sleeps 4, no galley.
Size
26 feet x 8 1/2 feet
Displacement
2,200 lbs.
Draft
6 feet (Keel down)
Auxiliary
2 HP outboard.
Sail area
338 sqft.
Current dart progress

About the Dart
Fun to sail.
All of this wouldn’t really count for beans if the machine wasn’t a real kick to sail. After everyone else is comfortable with their Dart features, its your turn to have a good time.
Many trailerable sailboats can trace their lineage back to, well.. Camping trailers. They are basically calm water versions of camping trailers. And, many of them sail like, camping trailers.
The Dart can trace its linage back to Leif Beiley’s racing sailboats. It is a family day sailer, really it is. But we quietly made sure that there was plenty of stability, using a six foot draft bulb keel. And, plenty of power in the sail rig, along with the appropriate sail controls to manage it.
Although you’re taking the family out for a weekend camping trip, its still fun to pass most any sailing craft of the similar size, and many that are larger.

More Dart info?