The Heron dinghy was designed to be built by a home handyman out of marine ply over a timber frame, but can now also be constructed from marine ply using a stitch and glue technique or from fibreglass.

Since about 1980 boats have been increasingly made of fibreglass, although the Australian association has approved stitch and glue construction .

[1] The Heron cartop dinghy was popular in Ireland from the late 1950s until the arrival of the Mirror which was lighter, easier to build, and had built in buoyancy.

[citation needed] The Heron has a Portsmouth Yardstick of 1346 when sailed single handed.

[5] The first Heron, No 1 Flook, still exists and is now owned by the National Maritime Museum Cornwall.