Selected Spec Sheets from the Harpoon Handbook

      Please click on any picture for a full screen view.
          Be patient, the detail is well worth waiting for.





          Part Numbers



          Running Rigging Set
          Main Halyard: 1/4" braid pre-streched with shackle; 52'
          Jib Halyard: 1/4" braid pre-streched with shackle; 48'9½"
          Mainsheet: 3/8" braid; 30'6"
          Jib Sheet: 5/16" braid; 22'0"
          Jiffy Reef Line: 3/16" braid; 14'1"
          Outhaul: 3/16" braid; 9'9 1/2"
          Cunningham: 1/4" braid; 5'9"
          Downhaul: 1/4"braid; 3'4"
          Spinnaker Package
          3 Swivel blocks
          1 Spinnaker pole - 6'5" / black anodized
          1 Spinnaker halyard ' 1/4" braid (blue); 44'4"
             Samson eyesplice / shackle
          2 Spinnaker sheets - 1/4"braid (blue) / 34"0"
          1 Pole downhaul - 1/4" braid; 10'9" / Samson eyesplice / shackle
          1 Pole lift - 5/16" nylon shock cord, 4'5" / shackle
          Standing Rigging Set
          Forestay: 1/8" (1x19), 18'1" (measured w/turnbuckle fully closed)
             clevis & cotter pin, fork end
          Shrouds: (port and starboard) 1/8" (1x19), 17'8 5/8",
             cotter & clevis pin, fork end,
             shroud tensioners



          PRICING
          According to a 1979 Price List, the Harpoon 5.2 sold for $4,495 without sails and for $5,195 with sails. Or course, this price did not include a trailer. Spinnaker and related gear installed cost an additional $540. When everything was said and done, the 1979 cost was well over $6,000. Clearly the boat was not cheap. A year later, BW raised the prices so that the costs ran around $8,000. A few years later, according to one report from Texas, the total price for a new Harpoon 5.2 including most options such as the racing gear, trailer, taxes etc ran up to $10,500. In comparison to other dinghies, these prices were extremely high. The product quality seems to have justified such prices but surely it made marketing more difficult.

          According to the Bucnet, the BucValue (in 2000) of a Bristol Mint Condition 1980 Harpoon 5.2 ranges between $3,400 to $3,950. Excellent boats range between $3,150 and $3,650. Harpoons 4.6 are shown to range between a low of $2,500 to a high of $3,150 for mint condition.

          The truth is that a Top Notch boat can fetch quite a bit more, especially if it comes with the original Handbook and without bottom paint. If the sails are in excellent shape and if it comes with complete spinnaker racing gear and a great trailer, a Harpoon 5.2 could easily exceed $5,000. Harpoons seem to have held on to their value remarkably well. Boats in top shape usually sell very quickly. Potential buyers have to be willing to act quickly.

          In principle, dinghies which are still being made and which enjoy active racing fleets will command comparatively higher prices. However, the Harpoon is a limited commodity and its head-turning appeal on water as well as its amazing practicality ensure that there is continuing high interest and demand.

          Depending on where exactly you are located, it is possible to acquire a Harpoon 5.2 that is in decent shape for between $2,200 to $3,200. The actual asking price will very much vary to local supply and demand. Obviously, boats that require some work will fetch less. On the other hand, there is not much that a qualified boat yard could not fix on a Harpoon. Thus, bargain hunters could make a great deal on a Harpoon which requires some TLC.

          AVAILABILITY
          It is hard to guess how many Harpoons (of the original limited number of hulls produced) are still in service. Originally, Harpoons were popular in the Southern Ohio area and in many parts of Texas. As a result, used boats can still be found quite regularly in these areas. More recently, I have also noticed used Harpoons for sale in Florida as well as New York, New Jersey and California. I found my boat in the general Yahoo Classifieds.

          A new Yahoo Harpoon Site has recently been set up (2006) and it does specifically list Harpoons for sale. Since my original search it has become a lot easier to find Harpoons available for sale.

          The Knotty Sailor Site has been hosting a Harpoons For Sale page for many years now. This site has helped many prospective Harpoon sailors find the boat of their dreams.



          FLAWS
          The Harpoon cannot be faulted for lack of beauty in design and workmanship. Most everything is exactly where you'd like it to be. However, there are two items which are less than perfect:

        • A relatively minor item is that the tiller is about 5 inches longer than necessary or convenient. Anyone doing serious sailing on a Harpoon nowadays might want to consider simply sawing off about 5 inches from the end of the tiller and installing a new universal-joint tiller extension. I find the telescoping style extension very conventient when hiking out.

        • The bigger concern is the centerboard pulley system. This set-up is a greater problem when sailing single-handed. But even with crew, the pulley system is less than ideal. This biggest draw back is that you cannot examine the condition of the ropes which lead into the CB trunk at the point where it matters most, i.e. where they attach to the center board. So, examining for rope rot etc is not easily done.

            Since this setup is so primitive, it is important that the ropes are attached properly and in perfect shape. A prospective buyer is well advised to examine the centerboard controls thoroughly. You certainly would not want to have one of the knots in the centerboard blade become undone whilst at sea.

          Furthermore, if you get the two control ropes confused, you might be lowering the board rather then raising it or visa versa.
            NOTE 1: Mark each rope so that they cannot be confused. Color coding is an easy method. If you have to replace the ropes it might be a good idea to get two contrasting colors, i.e. green and red to distinguish the uphaul and downhaul rope.

          Finally, when rounding the leeward mark, it is not easy to get the blade back down.
            NOTE 2: Make sure that you minimize the load on the blade before attempting to lower it.

          Lowering the blade under even a light load (such as on a broad reach) takes some serious muscle power. You might consider installing a type of purchase system similar to the one I have devised on my Harpoon. (FAQ page) My solution was the result of my desire to install a purchase system with minimal invasive action. Before you install anything new, try to work with the original setup. It is possible to learn to work around this flaw.


          • Beware that the centerboard is made of fiber glass and therefore wants to pop-up when the downhaul pulley rope is not cleated. On many dinghies this works the other way around because frequently the center board is weighted.




      What to look for during an Inspection

        • (1) Check condition of wood. Be sure to look at the underside of the benches as well as the anchor locker. Pay particular attention to the wood around the screws. Do you notice wood rot?

        • (2) The original screws were bronze except stainless screws and finishing washers which were used for the upright components attached to the hull. Are screws and threads in good shape?

        • (3) Check all attached fittings, cleats blocks etc.

        • (4) Check standing rigging for corrosion. If the boat has seen service in salt water it is VERY important to be particularly mindful of this item.

        • (5) Running rigging is relatively inexpensive to replace. Still, you should check all sheets, halyards, boom vang etc for wear and tear.

        • (6) Inspect the rudder and its fittings at the transom. It is critical that there is no rot in this area. One Harpoon owner reported that the fittings broke off (due to rot) while sailing.

        • (7) Similarly, it is important as - mentioned above - to check the pully system of the center board. Here again, I heard from another owner that he lost control of his center board when one of the ropes came loose while sailing.

        • (8) Look the hull over for repairs and patches. Due to the type of sandwich construction, it is critical that the structural integrity of each layer be sound. Minor scratches and gouges in the gel coat particularly in the keel area are usually inconsequential and can be repaired easily with MarineTex.

        • (9) Check that the bailers work properly. The flaps must swing freely.

        • (10) Take a good look at the trailer. The weight of the boat should be resting primarily on its keel such as on rollers. My trailer has two long bunks that run along the entire length of the boat close to the keel on either side. That works pretty well. However, the best type of trailer would be the "break trailer" as recommended in the Handbood. Getting the correct trailer for the Harpoon 5.2 would not be that easy or cheap. So, if you buy a used Harpoon, be sure the trailer will work properly, especially if you are planning to haul the boat around quite a bit. Things to look for are the winch, the wheel bearings, (does the trailer have bearing buddies?) etc.

        • (11) The final inspection point should be the condition of the sails. Since the sails are likely to be old you should not expect to see pristine white. Check for the condition of the batten pockets, the bolt rope, the grommets, the jib hanks and the over all wear of the Dracon. Sails can be repaired and re-resined at a fraction of the cost of new sails. If the sails have been exposed to extreme conditions or many years of hard racing, they may have lost their shape and be beyond repair. In any event, you should know what you might want to spend on improvement & repair costs before making an offer on a boat.