About
Image: Eithne Twomey
The Rankin dinghy is a 12ft 9in glued plywood clinker boat, powered by sail, oar or outboard motor, produced by the Rankin brothers, Eric and David, at their workshop on Lynch’s Quay in the harbour town of Cobh, Co. Cork, Ireland.
Established there at the start of the 1950s, early commissions included 20ft salmon yawls, 15ft and 17ft fishing boats, cold-moulded 5o5s, a set of 30 14ft oars for the Irish Naval Service, a rowing eight for Cork Rowing Club, an Uffa Fox 18 footer and, of course, the Rankin dinghy. The Rankin proved to be a bouyant, safe boat, well suited for family boating adventures in choppy harbour conditions.
The first Rankin was built in the early 1960s. The design became very popular and subsequently over 80 were produced until the close of the Rankin workshop in the late 1980s.
Thanks to Maurice Kidney and Conor English, who each began to raise awareness of the boat, a “Rankin revival” commenced around 2014 and a local, informal group led by Maurice, Conor and Owen O’Connell convened to promote the class, rescuing and renovating boats, organising sailing events, and even building new Rankins.
We are documenting all aspects of this wooden boat class here, including history, the boats themselves, and occasional articles on the ongoing life of the Rankin dinghy class.