Lightning
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Designer
Sparkman & Stevens
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Design year
1938
The Lightning is an American sailing dinghy that was designed by Olin Stephens of Sparkman & Stephens as a one-design racer and first built in 1938. An accepted World Sailing class, the boat is one of the most popular one-design sailing classes in the United States and is also raced in several other countries.
Lightning, a nineteen-foot trailerable centerboard sloop, was originally designed by Sparkman & Stephens as an affordable family day-sailor and racing boat. She has evolved into one of the most popular and competitive one-design racing classes in the world. Awarded ISAF International Class status, the Lightning is sailed in more than thirteen countries and in the Pan American Games, and the Class provides a professionally-managed association that is among the largest in all of one-design sailing. The Lightning's rig is simple but offers sophisticated sail shape controls. The hull features a unique hard chine design that combines the stability that provides sail-carrying power, with flat bottom sections that promote planing. The International Lightning Class Association protects the boat's design and licenses custom and private builders to build boats under its administration. A list of Lightning builders is available from the ILCA upon request.
Build / Config
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Vessel type
Sail
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Rig type
Sloop
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Keel config
Centerboard
Ratings / Handicaps
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Portsmouth
87
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Number of crew
3 (typical)
Dimensions
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Length (overall)
5.8m
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Length (water)
4.65m
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Beam
2.0m
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Draught
1.513m
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Draught (min)
0.128m
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Mast
7.9m
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Displacement
318.0 kg
Sails
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Sail area (total)
44 m2
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Main sail area
16.44 m2
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Spinnaker area
27.87 m2