Dyer Dink Buyer's Guide
Shopping for a used Dyer Dink means looking at a 10-foot Philip Rhodes centerboarder that has been built since 1934, with around 1,400 produced and a fiberglass-and-teak hull offered by The Anchorage in Warren, Rhode Island. On the brokerage market she appears as a cat-rigged tender-sized sailboat with a two-part spruce mast, bronze fittings, and a following anchored by the Riverside fleet in Connecticut.
Layouts on the Used Market
The Dink is a single open cockpit with a true centerboard trunk rather than a daggerboard, and the hull carries teak on all other features with a riveted two-part gunwale and rubrail. Early 1930s boats were wood lapstrake before the switch to Dyeresin fiberglass, so a buyer will meet both construction types; the fiberglass hull was built to last, but the centerboard trunk is a different story. Thwarts were throughbolted to flanges in the original hull, and the forward thwart braces the bronze tube chainplates that carry the rig.
Equipment and Common Upgrades
Teak decks are commonly fitted on Dyer Dinks in the used market, a buyer-expected finish rather than a rare refit. Beyond that, the boat's defining gear is the proprietary bronze Dyer rigging — chainplates, clevis pins, cotter rings, and mast collars — plus the spruce two-part mast and boom and the centerboard with its bronze hardware. A sound example shows rudder, centerboard, and bronze in decent shape, mast collars snug, and a good mast step; these are the pieces that matter more than any added accessory.
What to Inspect
The centerboard trunk fiberglass is pretty thin, and delamination on the underside was caused by a wooden plate fiberglassed into the trunk to accommodate the centerboard lever anchor. Check the trunk carefully for softness or separation. The aft thwart can curl badly at the forward edge where it was not screwed down, so confirm every teak fastening is present and tight. Remember she can turn over or, more likely, swamp, so assess buoyancy and drainage with that in mind rather than treating her as a self-righting dinghy.
Availability and Buyer's Takeaway
Dyer Dinks are found in the United States market. For a buyer, the checklist is short and structural:
- Verify centerboard-trunk fiberglass for thinness or delamination at the wooden plate
- Confirm aft thwart fastenings to avoid edge curling
- Check bronze rigging, mast collars, and mast step for soundness
- Expect teak decks as a common fitted feature, not an upgrade
- Treat her as a dry, fun frostbiter that can still swamp if abused
Price & volume trends
Monthly asking-price and listing-volume trends for the Dyer Dink. The line shows the median ask each month; the bars show how many listings appeared.
Monthly breakdown · 1 row
| Month | Listings | Median ask | Δ vs. last mo. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 25 | 1 | $2,950 | — |
Where they're listed
Dyer Dink listings appear across 1 country. United States has the most listings with 1.
Country view
1 listings · 1 country| Country | Median ask | Listings · 12 mo | Active · 90 d | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| United States | $2,950 | 1 | 0 | 100.0% |