A Paradox, up close and personal

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The Dinghy Cruising Association’s boats assembled at Beale, with
Al Law’s Paradox Little Jim in the foreground

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A highlight of the Beale Park Boat Show last year was meeting Al Law and seeing his home-built Matt Layden-designed Paradox named Little Jim close up.

Yes, this little 14-footer is the boat he sailed to the Scillies and back in company with another Paradox owner, Bill Serjeant. Some say the heavy displacement Paradox is a small sharpie, while others say it can’t be  a sharpie because it’s under 19ft. Both views are correct, of course, in the mad logic of boat nomenclature.

I say that it has an interesting n some ways it’s more like a model of a small modern ship.But whatever one calls them, they’re certainly interesting, and perhaps of particular interest to someone who has come to realise their family is unlikely to sail with them, and finds sailing a small, easily managed boat alone an agreeable alternative. See the study plans here and Al’s record of building and sailing his boat here. And if you’re wondering how a boat like this can sail, check this video and also this one of Bill’s boat Faith. Bill, I should add, had sailed his little boat right round the coast from Essex: see earlier posts.

Little Jim sailing at Beale Park

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4 thoughts on “A Paradox, up close and personal”

  1. Great website.. I am looking at doing about a 15% increase in scale of this boat with a junk rig. I am very interested to see how it does. Thank you Gav for making a one stop source for lots of information, Bravo! — M.

  2. I now know what is meant by "you'll know it when you see it…" After three (3) builds I have discovered PARADOX. She is going to be my retirement boat…perfect for a sailing bachelor like myself. After completion she's gonna take me to Australia, and French Polynesia and after a very thorough repair, refit, and re-provision, who knows maybe a complete circumnavigation….when I saw her I knew…SHE'S THE ONE!

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