Wow:
(Photos courtesy of Fyne Boat Kits)
This is a National 12 from Fyne Boat Kits in the UK.
I’ve always liked the National 12 — It’s a developmental class. From the association’s website:
“The National 12 is a two person, two sail racing dinghy. With a main & jib area of around 10.4 sq metres (8.4m2 measured) and a light hull, 78Kg including mast and centre-board, there is ample power to drive the fast and responsive hull.
The 12 is a development class so hulls and rigs can be changed or modified within the class rules. The different hulls allow helm-crew combinations between 16 & 23 stone to be competitive. You are free to fit your boats out as you please so you can customise your twelve to your requirements.”
I’m not quite sure why the National 12 has never been popular in the US. In fact, it seems that few developmental classes have, the International 14 and a few others being the exceptions.
Here’s a bit of history:
“In 1935 the only dinghy raced on a national basis was the expensive International 14, so to encourage dinghy sailing the RYA published the rules for a simpler and cheaper boat – the National 12.
The original rules were simple:
Hulls must not exceed 12 feet in length
Hulls must not weigh less than 190 lbs (including floorboards!)
Hulls must be of clinker construction
Dinghies to carry no more than 90 square feet of sail.
Boats must cost less than £45 (inflation!)”
Of course, the class has made updates to the rule since her introduction 78 years ago. Again, from the association’s website:
I began this post with Fyne Boat Kits’ SWEET CHARIOT. Here’s some more information about her:
“The Sweet Chariot National 12 design is primarily designed for inland ‘round the cans’ club racing, the semi-circular centre-section providing good roll-tacking characteristics and a low wetted area for light air performance.
The unusual chine configuration imparts buoyancy and power aft and then loses itself into the sheerline thereby contributing to the fine entry forward. The craft has a tallish stem, the bottom of which is designed to be below the waterline to aid windward performance. There is a fairly generous longitudinal rocker which lifts the bow when the crew weight is aft during fast downwind sailing.
Sweet Chariot is a performance 12 that can be built from the kit of precision cut plywood parts using hand tools in about 120-140 hours. Fyne Boat Kits developed an innovative patented construction approach to a design by Colin Cumming utilising FSC okoume marine plywood and solvent free epoxy to create a strong lightweight durable ecologically sound aesthetic craft.
Construction involves a central ‘T-beam’ spine incorporating the centre-board case which also supports the self-draining double floor as well as providing a flat planing surface throughout the length of the hull. To this spine a ‘single plank per side’ is attached and the thoroughbred shape created simply by seaming the two contra-curving overlapping darts.”
She is designed by Colin Cumming. And I know I want one. There are National 12s available from other designers as well.
So, who else is in? And what do you think?
Here are the links:
Fyne Boat Kits: http://www.fyneboatkits.co.uk/kits/sailing/national-12
And the National 12 Association: http://national12.org
