Rover, a 14-foot boat built and designed by Dennis Knight of Green Point, Gosford, NSW, is billed as one of the world’s smallest bilge-keel yachts and the vessel was created to be easily trailed behind a standard car while still offering enough cabin space to comfortably sleep two people. The layout emphasizes practicality for family day-sailing, featuring a spacious six-foot-long cockpit, a tabernacle-hinged mast for easy lowering, and an economical home-built cost of $500 (1968) including sails.

Constructed using double-chine marine plywood over timber frames, the boat incorporates a unique cost-saving measure: twin bilge keels cast from common concrete reinforced with steel mesh. Structurally, the Rover features a 14-foot length overall, a 6-foot beam, a draft of 1 foot 6 inches, and a total sail area of 132 square feet split between a mainsail and a genoa. Its low weight, stability, and shallow draft make it an accessible, budget-friendly option designed to perform well in moderate breezes.

Specifications:

• LOA (Length Overall): 14 ft

• LWL (Length Waterline): 13 ft 3 in.

• Beam: 6 ft

• Draft: 1 ft 6 in.

• Ballast: 300 lb min

• Sail Area: 60 sq ft mainsail, 72 sq ft genoa

• Mast: 20 feet high, box-section

• Keels Weight: 200 lb each (twin bilge keels)

• Total Cockpit Weight / Weight on Trailer: Approx. 7 cwt (784 lb)

• Home-Built Cost: $500 (including Terylene sails)

• Designer & Builder: Dennis Knight, Green Pt, Gosford, NSW