Design and Construction
Barney Lehman, a boat builder and designer best known for his Lehman series of dinghies, had been working on a 14-foot development of his Lehman 10 when he sold the business to W. D. Schock. Bill Schock finished the project by creating a fractional sloop rig, widening the beam for stability, adding internal seat tanks for comfort and buoyancy, and fitting a foredeck with a deck-stepped mast in place of the Lehman tradition of keel stepping. The hull is hand-laid fiberglass with a solid laminate and an aluminum spar, and the boat weighs 310 pounds fully rigged. That 6-foot beam and the sealed seat tanks give the hull a reassuring steadiness for a 14-footer.
Rig and Handling
The deck-stepped mast is easily erected, and mast rake is the primary tuning lever, controlling both power and helm. Classic boats carry the boom in a mast track fixed by a stopper or pin, while the 1995-derived 6000 series uses a fixed gooseneck; both remain competitive on the racecourse. Upwind the Lido 14 carries weather helm, and downwind it is sailed wing on wing, with the jib set on a whisker pole to act much like a spinnaker when the breeze permits. In racing the centerboard is lifted a little to cut hull drag. Writing in Sail1Design, reviewers described the boat as beamy and very difficult to capsize, cruising comfortably and easy to set up, yet sporty enough to reward racing.
Accommodations
As a family-oriented day-sailer the Lido 14 seats as many as six, with a roomy cockpit and bench seating that accommodates four or more adults. The 13-foot-9-inch waterline and 4-foot-3-inch lowered centerboard draft give it real shoal-water access—only 5 inches with the board up—while the 111 square feet of sail (76 main, 35 jib) drive a hull that the builder cites at 310 pounds dry.
History and Class Longevity
The first Lido 14 left Bill Schock's Newport Beach shop in early 1958, and over 600 hulls were cast by 1959. Within three years nearly 1,000 were built; by 1970 the total approached 3,000 and by 1980 nearly 5,000, with over 6,000 ultimately cast. A very large percentage saw competitive racing around the nation—minor regattas commonly drew 60 or more boats and major events capped at 100. Popularity peaked in the mid-1970s, but the class endured: boats from 1960 still race, and a Classic hull (#2506) won the 2014 Lido 14 Nationals. The 1995 update brought new construction and hardware to the 6000 series while keeping it close to the Classic.
The Verdict
The Lido 14 is a rare survivor: a modest 14-foot dinghy that has stayed relevant to both picnicking families and one-design racers for over six decades. Its beamy, tank-stabilized hull, simple deck-stepped rig, and enduring class organization make it an approachable classic that still wins.
Pros
- Beam widened for stability and internal seat tanks for buoyancy
- Hand-laid fiberglass hull with 60-year racing survivability
- Easy-to-erect deck-stepped mast; rake is simple primary tuning
- Large one-design fleet history; Classics and 6000 series both competitive
Cons
- Weather helm upwind requires active helm work
- Classic boom-track rig needs stopper or pin security check
