The Mirror was named after the Daily Mirror, a UK newspaper with a largely working class readership. The Mirror was from the start promoted as an affordable boat, and it has probably done more than any other design to make dinghy sailing in the UK a sport available to anyone. Although most popular in the UK, Mirrors are also used in other countries, notably Australia.
The Mirror is of marine plywood construction, the sheets of ply being held together with copper stitching and fibreglass tape. Bouyancy is provided by integral chambers rather than by bags. It was originally designed to be built with simple tools and little experience, and this meant that the design was quite unsophisticated - for example, a simple daggerboard is used instead of a hinged centreboard. The result, however, was a robust and versatile boat that can be easily maintained, and repaired, and can also be got into the water very quickly from storage or transport. Although most experienced sailors would carry a paddle rather than oars, if necessary it can be rowed reasonably easily. If the transom is strengthened, an outboard motor can be carried. Its standing lug rig, with a gaff that effectively doubles the height of the mast, means that the spars can be packed inside the hull for easy storage or transportation.
All these features make the Mirror a first class choice for children or teenagers learning sailing for the first time. Because of the very large number that have been made, it is fairly easy to find other Mirror sailors to cruise or race with.
The Mirror is light and stable enough to be sailed safely by two young teenagers; it is a little cramped for two adults. It can be sailed single-handed by dispensing with the jib. On the other hand, it can carry a spinnaker.
The Mirror will never be the fastest boat on the water, or the most elegant, but it holds a special place in the affections of a large number of dinghy sailors.