Discover the joy of cruising in your GP14. From day sailing to adventurous expeditions - your guide to safe and enjoyable cruising.
The GP14 was originally designed as a "Family Fourteen" for day sailing, with acceptable performance under sail, and the ability to be rowed or used with an outboard motor. It was designed to be reasonably forgiving, suitable for family recreation, and easily towed by a small car.
Optimal performance and comfort
With reasonable cruising kit
What the boat was designed for
The GP14 is also an excellent single-handed cruiser. See the dedicated single-handing section below for detailed tips and techniques.
With sensible handling, good seamanship, and correct reefing decisions, the GP14 is an excellent seaboat and eminently capable of serious day cruising, and occasional more demanding cruises in settled suitable weather conditions.
✓ Excellent for day cruising
Perfect for exploring coastal waters and estuaries
✓ Capable of extended cruises
In settled weather with proper preparation
1959: Single-handed Southend to Calais
1962: Dover to Ostend crossing
1963: Circumnavigation of Isle of Man
1966: Solent to Barfleur, France
1976: Portpatrick to Larne (Scotland to Northern Ireland) - RNLI fundraiser
Various: Circumnavigation of Isle of Mull
"It wasn't until Roger Seal of New Quay, Wales, sailed from Cardiff to New Quay via St. David's Head that people became convinced that the 'floating coffin' was also a good sea boat." — Searson Thompson, doyen of the GP14 Class
This serious open water passage involved either sailing 12 miles offshore round islands (avoiding the infamous Wild Goose Race) or navigating through Jack Sound - within yards of rocks with threatening waters if timing is wrong.
A really good reefing system is absolutely essential. You must be able to reef at sea, quickly and easily as well as safely and reliably.
Unless using just the standard jib (smaller than modern genoa), headsail roller reefing is essential. You need reefing, not just furling gear (i.e., using a luff spar).
Recommended suppliers:
Mainsheet setup is now entirely optional. Your personal optimum configuration for cruising may differ from racing arrangements.
Transom Sheeting
Allows facing aft when gybing in following seas
Centre Sheeting
Central control position
Hybrid System
Transom bridle to boom end, then to center (popular for racing)
Mainsheet Jamcleat Warning: Classic dictum - never cleat a mainsheet in a dinghy. If used, extreme caution required. Author's two cruising capsizes occurred when unable to free sheet from cleat quickly enough in vicious gusts.
With a metal mast, if the boat capsizes the hollow aluminum spar fills with water, causing it to sink and the boat to invert. Masthead buoyancy substantially reduces this risk.
Tip: Float left aloft all season becomes porous by end of first season. Lower after each sail for multi-season durability. Use external halyard system for easy deployment when needed.
"A capsize when you are a long way from help and when you have all your kit aboard is far more serious than when racing round the cans with a safety boat in close attendance."
→ Reef instead of sitting out hard in a blow
Although best when sailed two-up, the GP14 is also an excellent single-handed cruiser. The main consideration: you have only half the normal crew weight, so expect to shorten sail early.
"In August 2006 (at age 63) I spent three weeks sailing from Anglesey, single-handed throughout, in Force 4-5 winds on most days. I had her planing fairly hard even when heavily reefed. While I found that sort of wind a bit much for single-handing, the club's racing fleet with full crews had a fair number of capsizes, whereas I was successfully avoiding any capsizes." — Oliver L. Shaw
Result: Over the next 10 years, sailed extensively single-handed. Only two capsizes - both when fully crewed!
Some single-handers use continuous sheets for both headsail and spinnaker. Big advantage: sheet is always within reach on windward side, never out of reach on lee side when you need it most.
Note: Avoid heavy shackles at clew - flogging sail can cause serious eye injury
Tiller lines to temporarily hold the tiller are very useful, and probably essential if you want to set a spinnaker single-handed.
Pair of lines secured under deck, one each side. Tie to tiller with clove hitch or slip hitch.
Single shock cord straight across cockpit at tiller height. Lift over tiller end, holds by friction. Far better system!
Critical: Ensure genoa sheets pay out freely. Even slight friction at fairleads is magnified enormously when sheet bends around shroud and mast. Use good, large, wide-open fairleads (not blocks). Choose soft rope that bends very easily.
Technique is essentially same as when fully crewed. Transom sheeting preferred for this maneuver.
Advantage when cruising: Great freedom to place gybe to suit wind and sea conditions - no need to place it at specific geographic point like a racing mark.