ATTENTION FEATURES EDITOR:

Dear Sir or Madam,

The following information is sent to you with hopes that you will find it informative and newsworthy and of benefit to your readership. Since the news of it first reached the public with test case exposure in the Pacific Northwest in 1996, orders began to trickle in. Initially the boats were built of wood and glass construction, on a jig, and custom from stem to stem. In March of 2002, the first all glass production models appeared and were sold from the West coast to as far East as France. The boat still retains custom features, making it unique in the industry from concept to completion. Over 75% of sales remain delivered to offshore sailors and 95% of all sales are one of two " sail-a-way versions". The basic "Row-Power" version makes up the balance.

I'm still just a little guy in the industry, but boaters keep telling me I'm the only show in town with the best nesting/stowable, hard dinghy solution that they have found. In addition, a great deal of upgrades and improvements have been made over the past year. The NN 10 is still very new "News". It remains virtually unknown to the boating community at large. Anything that you might do to help remedy this situation would be greatly appreciated.

Many thanks, Barry Niccolls

NEWS ARTICLE

THE PROVEN, NESTING/CRUISING DINGHY HAS PROGRESSED FROM CUSTOM TO FULL PRODUCTION WITH NEW PERSONALIZED FEATURES FOR 2003.

The NN 10 Nesting Dinghy was developed due to the old truism, "necessity is the mother of invention". It's long been the challenge of offshore, coastal and inland lake sailors the world over: how to find the near-perfect dinghy, with the most attributes and the fewest compromises. The NN 10 is three boats in one; and one boat in two. It rows, powers and sails. It also happens to be the biggest performance dinghy in the smallest package available anywhere, and that's because the bow section nests snugly inside the aft section, locked into and cradled by the full interior aft liner. So, now you have this safe and stable, 10'2" sailing dinghy that does it all well. When the fun is over, the tight little package inverted on your car top or deck is only 5' 8" long and from 53" to 36" wide. Being only 16" high at the bulkheads, it reduces windage and allows you to wiggle it into all kinds of spaces.

The NN 10 Nesting Dinghy was originally built to conform nicely to the cabin top, forward of the mast, of a 26' cruiser, so as to allow safe passage around and adequate working room forward. It happened also to fit beautifully on the roof of a compact car and inside the covered box of a mini pickup. Since it's first prototype in 1993, and after two seasons of extensive cruising tests in the Pacific North West, it was ready to be talked about. Since that time, this lovely looking and no-nonsense dinghy, tender and day sailor has been the choice of many an offshore family and recreational enthusiast.

2002

2002 saw the proven performer take the giant step forward with 5 production molds including two hulls, aft liner and bow parts, all glassed in, for the first all -glass NN 10. It allows for three bow options effectively meeting the needs of three distinct markets.

2003

What's new for 2003? A full length keelson rub rail is standard, as well as custom colored vinyl striping below the rail, running for and aft, combined with matching sail panels on main and jib. We'll also affix your favorite name to the bow or transom. The price list is the same as it was at the end of 2001.
$1,995.00 for the Row-Power version with the dagger house and mast step built in to allow for a sail upgrade later. $ 2,995.00 for the Sail-a-way Coastal Cruiser, complete with forward storage area, accessible through a large watertight hatch. $3,395.00 buys the Ultimate Offshore version with a full forward deck, two watertight compartments with two different sized access hatches. It's equipped to take you anywhere. Or you can order the sail version with open bow and a single seat. How many production dinghies offer these options?

The NN 10 Nesting Dinghy is still built by the designer and owner of Niccolls Lite, Barry Niccolls. He helped build his first dinghy when he was twelve years old. With thirty years sailing experience and a family history dating back to the original Cutty Sark, not to mention the years of searching for that ideal little boat, he knew what he wanted to accomplish with the NN 10. The improvements never stop.

The NN 10 is just right: not too long; not too short. It has to fit on any boat 26 feet or longer, but it also has to have the waterline and capacity to accomplish the major challenges; row, power, tow and sail, quickly and safely. Not too wide; not too narrow. Excessive beam adds pounds and creates difficulty launching from topsides. A narrow beam, although generally good for rowing, can produce initial instability. It's a delicate balance. Not too little freeboard; not too much. Here's a boat that will take the average Captain, the Admiral , three kids, a dog, a week's worth of garbage and laundry, and a 2 hp outboard, to the docks in a moderate chop with freeboard to spare.( An actual dry test case) The reason offshore sailors love her is because she conforms to most cabin tops, and with only 16" of height at the bulkheads and 20" at the transom, her exposure to wind and wave is minimal. Just as important, her toerails in the inverted position are tight to the deck, preventing lift off. Not too heavy; not too light. Most dinghies are either hernia jobs, requiring physiotherapy after, or they're just too small to do anything right. And you don't want ultra light that forces you to trapeze out by your bare toes, just when it was getting good. The NNIO has made that crossing.

Here's where this little "full nester"really shines. Throw it in the water, easily, in two separate hulls; the aft at 60 lbs and the fore at 40 lbs. It won't delaminate because it's lay up of three layers of glass (four re-enforcing the transom and rails), doubled up in the keelson and beach strakes are ready for white water work. Sit in the aft section, knees to the daggerboard. In three seconds, snap the two SS, elliptical and adjustable fasteners, one on each rail. Now she'll behave herself until you spin in the four heavy duty thru-hulls made to float and last for years under any conditions. That took 15 seconds apiece. At this point, you can row, tow, power or surf through just about anything. If you want to go sailing, simply assemble the 2" diameter, three sectional and stay free mast, complete with fractional jib and main on sail rings, then drop it into the slotted mast step. The mast sections won't spin. Rig her in one minute and fly. The mainsheet block is, attached to the clear finished, birch daggerboard ( rudder matching) so that when you're approaching the shoreline, just snap off the shock chord and watch the board rise while it eases off both halyards to boot. Release them from the jam cleats and 70 square feet of sail will hit the deck in a New York second. If you're training youngsters in the age old art, this is the boat you want. There's a reef point in the main and the rig is so nicely balanced that she'll sail great with a doused jib. In 20 knots, with everything up, the NN 10 has been flown by a sixteen year old, weighing 140 lbs., just giggling on the rail. It's a real boat. It's not a toy; not a novelty, just great fun and easy on you.

Back on deck, you can cover the hull with an optional, color-matched polyester fabric which snugs around the rails. The sails, boom and mast sections slide into a special optional bag, color matched, with webbing at the base for air circulation. If a package with this much fun potential, weighing 100 lbs., and taking up a small space 5'8" long x 53 "to 36" wide x only 16" to 20" high, doesn't fit your needs for car top or boat what will? This may be the only case where, "two boats are better than one". www.niccollslite.net

The vital statistics: LOA 10'2" LWL9"3" MaxBearn:53"

Draft Empty: 2"-24" Capacity: 500 plus lbs.

Mast Height 16.5 ft. Nested size: 5'8" x 53" x 16"

Barry Niccolls

President, Niccolls Lite

P.O. Box 222 1, Point Roberts, WA

98281,

Cell: (604) 218-8027

Fax: (604) 940-0798

E-Mail nn10@niccollslite.net

Copyright Metroline Wire Service Webmaster Syd Sellers Last updated Jan 23/2003