There is a lot to be said for simplicity. Nina is a most practical and useful type of boat. Despite her modest dimensions -- from her flat bottom to the tip of her unstayed mast -- Nina is very much of a little ship.
She is an excellent craft in which to learn to sail -- as well as to learn to become a seaman aware of the ways of wind and weather. She is a boat that will sail safely in rough, windy weather -- in confidence and with lots of fun. When the wind is more than she can handle in safety and comfort, a small outboard engine will urge her along in good style. How much more practical it is for youngster to learn the ways of the water in such a boat than to use a "skimming dish" rigged with hiking slings and all the complications of far too many of today's "youth training" boats used by yacht clubs.
Nina's dimensions are 11 feet 4 inches overall with a breadth of 4 feet 7 inches and 4-1/2 inches of draft. Nina will carry a cargo of two heavy persons nicely, or three average-size youngsters. Possibly among the best of her features is the fact that she can be built by an amateur or professional boatbuilder for a modest amount of money. Quarter-inch waterproof plywood can be used for her underbody and topsides, as is true of many of the flat-bottomed hulls shown in this catalog.
