National 12 (dinghy)
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The National 12 is a two-person, two-sail, twelve-foot (3.6 metre) long sailing dinghy. They are sailed extensively in the UK. The National 12 is a development class with a long, famous and intriguing history. The class was started in 1936 by the Royal Yachting Association as an alternative to the more expensive International 14s.
The National 12 is a development class where within a set of rules (and with occasional considered changes to those rules) the boats have been able to evolve over time, moving from wood and clinker construction to high-performance glass and carbon fibre - foam composite boats. One of the most noticeable changes in the boats is the steady increase in beam over the history of the class - early examples were less than 5' while modern ones are usually at the maximum 6'6" to provide maximum righting moment for the crew. The Twelve has developed into a racing boat which performs well in all conditions being highly manouvreable and challenging to sail in windy weather.
