Design and Construction
Barney Lehman, a boatbuilder and designer best known for his Lehman series of dinghies, was developing a 14-foot version of his Lehman 10 when he sold the business to W. D. Schock. Bill Schock completed the project, creating a fractional sloop rig, widening the beam for stability, adding internal seat tanks for comfort and buoyancy, and replacing the Lehman tradition of a keel-stepped mast with a foredeck and deck-stepped mast.
The hull is hand-laid fiberglass with a solid laminate, and the spars are aluminum. Fully rigged, the boat weighs 310 pounds. Its 6-foot beam and sealed seat tanks give the hull reassuring steadiness for a 14-footer.
Rig and Handling
The deck-stepped mast is easy to erect. Mast rake is the main tuning control, affecting both power and helm balance.
On Classic boats, the boom runs in a mast track and is secured by a stopper or pin. The 6000 series, derived from the 1995 update, uses a fixed gooseneck. Both versions remain competitive on the racecourse.
Upwind, the Lido 14 carries weather helm. Downwind, it is sailed wing on wing, with the jib set on a whisker pole to work much like a spinnaker when the breeze permits. Racers lift the centerboard slightly to reduce hull drag.
Writing in Sail1Design, reviewers described the boat as beamy and very difficult to capsize, comfortable for cruising, and easy to set up, yet sporty enough to reward racing.
Cockpit, Capacity, and Shoal-Water Access
Designed as a family daysailer, the Lido 14 can seat as many as six. Its roomy cockpit and bench seating accommodate four or more adults.
The boat has a 13-foot-9-inch waterline and draws 4 feet 3 inches with the centerboard lowered. With the board raised, draft is only 5 inches, giving it real access to shoal water. Sail area totals 111 square feet: 76 square feet in the mainsail and 35 square feet in the jib. The builder cites a dry weight of 310 pounds.
History and Class Longevity
The first Lido 14 left Bill Schock’s Newport Beach shop in early 1958. More than 600 hulls had been cast by 1959, and nearly 1,000 were built within three years. Production approached 3,000 boats by 1970 and nearly 5,000 by 1980, with more than 6,000 ultimately cast.
A very large percentage of those boats raced competitively around the country. Minor regattas commonly attracted 60 or more entries, while major events were capped at 100 boats. Popularity peaked in the mid-1970s, but the class endured. Boats built in 1960 still race, and Classic hull #2506 won the 2014 Lido 14 Nationals.
The 1995 update introduced new construction and hardware for the 6000 series while keeping it close to the Classic design.
The Verdict
The Lido 14 is a rare survivor: a modest 14-foot dinghy that has remained relevant to picnicking families and one-design racers for more than six decades. Its beamy, tank-stabilized hull, straightforward deck-stepped rig, and enduring class organization make it an approachable classic that can still win races.
Pros
- Beam widened for stability, with internal seat tanks providing buoyancy
- Hand-laid fiberglass hulls with 60 years of racing survivability
- Easy-to-erect deck-stepped mast, with rake as the simple primary tuning control
- Long history of large one-design fleets
- Classic and 6000-series boats both remain competitive
Cons
- Weather helm upwind requires active helm work
- The Classic boom-track rig requires a security check of its stopper or pin
