Michael Ellis has this item at Three Sheets Northwest. I recently got a chance to put a vintage Ranger Minto through its paces on Seattle’s Lake Union for the big Opening Day celebration, and I can really see what people like about these boats.
A little Northwest classic sails out of the past
[Photo by Michael Ellis: Mary Schoen with EDDON Minto #5 at her West Sound home on Orcas Island.]There are a number of Northwest boat designs that have withstood the test of time, but few if any could rival the Minto sailing dinghy.
Because of the visual appeal of its fine lines, teak gunwales, teak seats, Sitka Spruce spars and the peculiar use of a steamship insignia on its sail, the Minto sailing dinghy always draws attention.
The little lapstrake is reported to have been “borrowed” by more builders than any other boat design known to have come out of the Northwest boating industry. And it was once cited by a Seattle policeman as the most frequently stolen dinghy in the area.
It’s no wonder that for the past 45 years, these classic skiffs have lured a loyal group of owners
