The Oz Goose Sailboat is not the prettiest sailing dinghy in the universe but it works very very well on the water for training, cruising, racing or just messing around on the water. Check the video below.
Also it is very affordable. Build from local materials, sail very well in all conditions. And carries one to three adults or two adults and a couple of kids. It recovers from capsize dry with no water aboard
Cost to build in advanced economies is around $1500 to 2000. In emerging economies $800 to 1000. Less if you make your own sail (included in the plan). Though there are professionally made sails of reasonable cost from reallysimplesails.com delivered internationally.
Plans for the Oz Goose are $40 – click on the “Buy Plans” item in the menu above. The plans are very detailed and step by step with illustrations and photos.
I have a question about the Oz Goose…
Our Oz Goose Sailboat Facebook Group is very useful to ask questions:
Teach or Sail for Fun with up to 3 adults or 2 Adults with Kids
The numbers of Oz Geese are growing worldwide with boats in many countries. But the big area of growth is in the Philippines. Over 100 boats built in the past 5 years. Hundreds of people introduced to sailing. And the formation of sailing clubs in the North, South and Central regions. Because the Oz Goose is affordable and does not require expensive materials.
We also have Oz Goose groups forming in the USA and Hungary. Fleets building in the USA.
The 11 Geese in the photo here cost the same as importing a single ILCA Laser Dinghy. That is about 20 people introduced to sailing for the price of getting one person sailing in developing nations.
With the Detailed Plans and Instructional Videos you can build your own Oz Goose Sailboat
All the photos in this section are people who have not built a boat before.
There are six sheets of plywood in the Oz Goose.
There are Oz Goose Sailboat Kits Available, but it is easy to make your own from the plan
See “KITS” in the main menu above.
There are Precut kits available for the Oz Goose Sailboat in North America, the Philippines, UK, France, Hungary, South Africa and Australia – see menu above. We can often organise an experienced builder to cut a kit for you in other countries.
Kit specifications differ from country to country. From simply plywood, to having some of the gluing done (as below). But talk to the kit supplier about what you want (see menu). Kit suppliers can also supply sails, rigging, glue, fibreglass.
The Instant Yacht Club Concept.
We have undertaken several projects to help a group of friends set up or revive a yacht club. Through building a group of Oz Geese. Affordable and getting people on the water.
The Albay Yacht Club in the Philippines is one of the oldest yacht clubs in the region (1907) but had not operated for decades. Two years ago in the middle of Covid there were 12 boats built by individual builders from kits.
Since then the Albay Yacht Club has sailing events three times a week. It now holds the record of the biggest fleet of boats of the same type ever in the Philippines. The highly visibility of sailing influences the whole community involving people of all generations and all economic groups. Below is one of their weekday sailing events.
Our other project three years ago was working with the St Joseph’s College Maritime College cadets in Butuan on the top of the South Island.
These talented students were taught by a small group of more experienced builders on how to build 10 Oz Geese. They went on to build another 10 boats for a total fleet of 20 boat.
As they are training to be seafarers. Sailing with the Geeese for the last three years they now know a great deal about boat handling, navigation, boat repair. Not to mention such a love for the sea that they would rather go sailing on the weekends rather than go home.
There is often the question – can a blunt boat like the Oz Goose handle waves and rough weather?
Well – Yes it can. The Oz Goose Sailboat has a record of being the boat that goes out when the other boats are scared of the rough weather. It is very well behaved and always goes where you steer it. No matter if there a waves or the boat is well heeled.
With one person aboard it pays to steer around the biggest wave peaks. But with two on the boat it just smashes the waves out of the way.
If it does capsize it comes up again with no water in the cockpit. And it comes up easily with one person pulling down on the end of the centreboard. No acrobatics.
Not worried by waves
The blue boat top middle has just hit a wave. But if you click on the image you can see from the wake that the boat is still moving fast. The middle bottom is the goose coming in after a sudden wind increase with adult coach and two adult learners aboard.
