At 13.5 feet overall with a 5.5-foot beam, the Tanzer 14 is a compact two-person centerboarder built predominantly of fiberglass. Despite its small size, it offers a useful amount of room.
Design and Construction
Johann Tanzer gave the 14 a length-to-beam ratio of 2.45. That proportion keeps the hull narrow enough for easy trailering while providing more room than many comparable boats. Reviewers found it roomier than most of its class, a notable achievement in a dinghy this size.
Both the hull and deck are solid fiberglass. Displacement is around 315 pounds, with an immersion rate of roughly 259 pounds per inch. Draft varies from about 0.43 to 0.73 feet, depending on load. With the centerboard raised, the boat can dry out, be sailed from a beach, or sit on a trailer with little draft penalty.
Rig and Handling
The Tanzer 14 has a fractional sloop rig, a pivoting centerboard keel, and a transom-hung rudder. Its 90 square feet of sail area, combined with a 12.42-foot waterline, gives it a lively rig for a boat of this weight. It is well suited to daysailing in sheltered water.
The specified crew is two. The modest rig can be managed from the cockpit without powered winches, while the centerboard lifts clear of the bottom. With the board up, the boat draws well under a foot, making beach launching and trailer storage practical.
Cockpit and Use
The Tanzer 14 has no cabin or conventional berths. It is a day dinghy for two sailors, intended for afternoon outings rather than overnight trips.
Its generous beam for its length—and the comparative spaciousness reviewers noted—gives two people room to sit out and handle the boat without crowding. The open cockpit and centerboard trunk make up the entire interior.
Refits and Ownership
The Tanzer 14 is no longer in production, and only a few hundred were built. Surviving boats are therefore entirely in private hands.
Its all-fiberglass construction avoids the rot-prone plywood-core issues seen in some earlier Tanzer small boats. A sound hull should need little beyond normal gelcoat and rigging upkeep. The transom-hung rudder is simple and replaceable, while the fractional rig is straightforward to re-rope or fit with new sails when refurbishing a used boat.
Verdict
The Tanzer 14 is a tidy, purposeful dinghy from Johann Tanzer’s early-1970s catalog. It leaves the exotica of larger Tanzer cruisers behind in favor of an honest two-person dayboat that is easy to store, light to launch, and roomier than most boats in its class. For a sailor looking for a simple, trailerable centerboarder, it is a sensible choice.
Pros
- Roomy for its length compared with similar dinghies
- Very shallow draft with the centerboard raised, suitable for beach and trailer use
- All-fiberglass construction without a rot-prone core
- Simple fractional rig and transom-hung rudder that are easy to maintain
Cons
- No provision for overnight accommodation
- Production has ended, and only a few hundred were built, limiting the used-boat pool
