History
According to skaters around the world, the renowned Dinghy board is one of the best cruisers in the game…and we would hasten to agree! Having been in production for the last seventeen years, it’s certainly got one of the longest lifespans.
The crew over at Landyachtz are known for dedicating as much time as possible to the design and development of all of their boards, and the Dinghy has been put through its paces for the last two decades.
In 2001, the team embarked on a serious case of trial and error, hoping to develop a solid all-rounder board for cruising suitable for the whole skating community. From the early stages to achieving the first ever design, they were committed to producing a product with longevity.It began as a simple board, with a relatively flat deck and a subtle tail that you might have missed at first glance. Rigorous and repeated testing was conducted to gather feedback, which led to the addition of a kicktail and more of a nose, whilst the deck was narrowed down and made sleeker.
Although this model proved popular among skaters with experience, it was trickier for newcomers to get the hang of. The purpose of the Dinghy was to produce an all-around board accessible to anyone, so the team went back to the drawing board.
Eventually, the board found its final form, recognizable even today: a more practical kicktail, larger wheel wells to accommodate big, soft wheels and a wider platform for your feet. After many years of trial and error, it has evolved to become the go-to board for skaters.
Nowadays, it is available in numerous sizes and setups, more customisable than ever, but always carries that characteristic Dinghy flip that has become so recognisable and iconic. You can make it your own and still retain the classic flair we have come to expect.
With such vast experience behind every member of their team, Landyachtz is a company you can put your faith in. Skateboarding is an extreme sport, and you want to make sure you are as safe as possible before you even start to ride, so a board you can trust is a must.
Why choose a Landyachtz Dinghy?
We clearly have a high opinion of this board, don’t just take our word for it! Below, we’ve outlined some of the key features of the Dinghy, highlighting exactly what makes it such a long-standing choice in the skating community.
Being sure not to take a biased stance, because not every skateboard is perfect, we have also made clear where the board falls a little short in some places.
Size and Shape
Like a penny board but strong enough to carry riders up to two hundred pounds, these boards are lightweight, slightly wider and strike a perfect balance between stiffness and flexibility that is difficult to achieve.
Coming in as one of the smaller cruisers available, the Dinghy measures a dinky twenty-eight and a half inches, making it perfectly portable. Lightweight and easy to carry or throw in a backpack, you’ll find yourself taking it everywhere.
It is also available in two ‘mini’ formats, coming in at twenty-six and twenty-four inches respectively, which are also narrower with a slightly smaller wheelbase. These boards were designed to accommodate smaller riders and would be great for kids eager to learn to skate.
Maple is a go-to material choice for any decent skateboard, and the Dinghy is no exception. The durable seven-ply directional top mount deck is chosen for its higher quality and overall superiority to plastic boards that have flooded the market of late.
Components
Using components that reflect the quality and passion of the project is a driving force behind the Landyachtz team and has been a priority for the nearly twenty years the Dinghy has been in production. Whilst cheaper models are happy to use unbranded materials, this company prefers to stick to the reliable names that skaters know and love, to ensure they are offering a product that is of the highest standard.
Functional cruiser trucks that are small but mighty are hard to come by, especially when you’re looking for a board on the cheaper side. Quality bushings, precise axles, and faced hangers ensure a tight fit with the Polar Bear 105 millimeters top mount trucks.
Sixty-three-millimeter Fatty Hawg wheels were developed specifically for use with Landyachtz Dinghy boards but have proved so popular you can now add them to any board purchase.A careful balance of slide and grip is achieved with a wide fifty-millimeter contact patch for buttery-smooth riding.
With each piece designed especially for use with the Dinghy, you’re guaranteed a safe ride with these bad boys supporting you. This is a nimble board, suitable for tight carves but also stable enough to cruise to your heart’s content.
Design Features
Perfect for nifty tricks, the team over at Landyachtz has perfected the hardly-pronounced but still rounded nose and tail, with plenty of space to perform nose-manuals and shuvitz, amongst other fan-favorites.
The deck is constructed with medium stiffness and follows a mellow radial concave shape, accommodating a comfortable foot placement whether you’re turning, carving, or sliding. Stable and supportive, you won’t find yourself locking your feet and losing your balance.A sturdy clear grip offers plenty of traction, gripping your feet into place, but not to the point where quick feet turns are difficult. Certain variants of the Dinghy feature a thin layer of foam between your deck and grip tape to offer a second buffer, but not every board offers this.
You can have plenty of fun trying out manuals, kickflips and ollies with a nice kicktail for easy jumping off and onto curbs or over bigger potholes. This makes for a silky-smooth transition from street to sidewalk. Skatepark ramps and bowls are also doable with the Dinghy, it really is a versatile board.
As well as spacious cutout wheel wells to avoid the dreaded lip bite, there is also a slight flare to their in-house wheel design, allowing for maximum clearance and a secure, locked-in feel when riding.
Artistic Expression
The folks over at Landyachtz have put much effort into a collaboration with a wide variety of artists to create a multitude of designs for the Dinghy. Considered a work of art as well as a handy way to get around, there is a board to suit any rider, young or old.
Shortcomings
Unfortunately, this isn’t a board for beginners; the Dinghy is probably most suited to an intermediate skater with some street experience. Though versatile, its smaller size and wheelbase, high-sitting top mount style, and fast-moving trucks might prove too tricky for new riders.
Although the Dinghy’s stock cone or barrel-shaped bushings are well made and of high quality, they may prove too soft for riders of a heavier stature. If you still want to try it out, you could pick up some higher durability bushings, such as those from Venom, to combat this problem.
Though stable enough for speedy riding and casual kick tricks, you can’t use this cruiser for intense freeriding or going downhill, as its small stature doesn’t provide enough security for your feet at those highest of speeds.
Whilst the maple deck is a great option for strength and long-lasting durability, it can become heavier over time when exposed to the elements, as it is not resistant to water. A waterproof bamboo or hybrid decked board might be better if you live in a rainy state.
A stiff deck is useful for keeping steady, but in conjunction with the design’s short wheelbase, it can cause riders to suffer from speed wobbles on the Dinghy. Common in beginners, your board starts to wobble from side to side, seemingly for no reaso, when you hit higher speeds.
Overall Thoughts
We hope it’s now clear to you why the Dinghy has such a solid reputation amongst riders of all ages and abilities. Home-grown from humble beginnings, made by the skaters, for the skaters, Landyachtz have developed a versatile, portable board revered in the community.
Components can often cause a board to fall short when designers fail to recognise the need for utilising parts of the highest possible quality, no matter how small. This often means sticking to the named brands that skaters trust, and the Dinghy features several recognisable and well-loved labels.
Every piece of this product is built from durable materials that are built to last, from the deck to the wheels to the trucks. You can rest assured that this board will continue to take hits again and again, no matter how many times you stumble and fall.
Whether you want to cruise around town, commute from home to work or school, even perform tricks down at the park, this board can do it all, and it performs well. Not even the biggest cracks or roughest terrain will slow you down.
Available in three sizes, with a large selection of designs to choose from, there is a style and shape that suits everyone. Creating a product that is both customizable and classic is a tricky feat, but we’d say Landyachtz have managed it.