BoatsLightning

Lightning

Fractional Sloop · Centerboard Dinghy · First built 1938

A Sparkman & Stephens-designed one-design dinghy that has remained a competitive racing staple since 1938

Designed by Sparkman & Stephens.

LOA
Beam
Draft (max)
Displacement
Ballast
Hull type
Centerboard Dinghy

See her sail

The Lightning, on the water

The fleet's own footage — the truest look at how she really moves.

Footage from Quantum Sails

Is it for you?

Character

Where this design lands on the numbers a shopper trusts — read straight from her own ratios.

TrailerableBeam 1.98 m — inside the 2.55 m no-permit tow width across most of Europe, and the 2.59 m US and Canadian limit. About 318 kg of hull, so roughly 900 kg on a trailer: check that against your own towing rating.Ramp-launchableAbout 318 kg of hull, with a keel that raises or a draft shallow enough to float off a trailer — she can go back on the trailer at the ramp, not only into the water.Shoal draftDraws 0.13 m, board up where she has one — creeks, sandbars and thin anchorages most keels have to stay out of.
LivelySea-kindly

Her light displacement on a moderate beam gives 5 — a quick, lively motion that feels every wave.

Comfort ratio 5
CoastalBluewater

At 2.93 she sits above the 2.0 line — beamy for her weight, and happiest coastal.

Capsize screening 2.93
LightHeavy

88 — light for her waterline, so she is easily driven and quick to accelerate.

Displacement / length 88
EasygoingPowered-up

38.4 — a lot of sail for her weight; powered-up and eager, a real performer.

Sail area / displacement 38.4
TenderStiff

19% of her weight is ballast — on the tender side; she'll heel readily and want a reef sooner.

Ballast 19%

Light and lively — happiest day-sailing and coastal-hopping in settled weather.

  • Heavier than ~88% of boats her size on file
  • Draws more than ~97% of boats her size on file
  • Beamier than ~75% of boats her size on file

Compared with 184 boats of the same type within a quarter of her length.

The record

Full specifications

The complete reference set — tap any figure to switch between metric and imperial.

Dimensions
Weights
Ballast / displacement
18.6%
Rig & sail area
Rig
Fractional Sloop
Ratios
SA / displacement
38.4
Displacement / length
88.1
Comfort ratio
5.5
Capsize screening
2.93
Hull speed
5.2 kn
Pounds / inch immersion
354
Hull
Hull type
Centerboard Dinghy
Construction
Wood
Production
Years built
First built 1938
Units built
15550
Designer
Sparkman, Stephens
Builder
Various, Allen Boat Co

Boats like this, on the water

More boats like her, on the water

Comparable boats the fleet has on camera: same type, within a quarter of her length. Open the boat, or watch the video — a timestamp means she only appears in passing.

Aubin (Chantier Aubin) Snipe4.72 mSame hull family1.1 m shorterA legendary William F. Crosby-designed fractional dinghy that remains one of the world's most active racing classes
A Story of Overcoming: 40 Years at Sea with Only One Legfrom Hashtag Sal
LaserPerformance 49er4.88 mSame hull family0.9 m shorterAn Olympic-class high-performance skiff featuring a massive sail-area-to-displacement ratio for elite racing
Focus on sailing: How Bård Spilling intends to build the future of KNS18:41from SEILmagasinet
Several Under License 29er4.40 mSame hull family1.4 m shorterA high-performance skiff designed by Julian Bethwaite, featuring a powerful fractional rig for competitive racing
Marie Rønningen, Olympic gold contender7:24from SEILmagasinet
Small Craft Ltd. Wayfarer4.82 mSame hull family1.0 m shorterAn Ian Proctor-designed centerboard dinghy with a high sail-to-displacement ratio, built since 1957 in wood and fiberglass
Behind the scenes at the Wayfarer factory – a tour of Hartley Boatsfrom practicalboatowner

The family

Related models

The designs closest to hers — usually the rest of the builder's range, sometimes the same hull sold under another name.

Marcus C. Lowell Fleet-O-WingA 1939 fractional sloop from Sparkman, Stephens and K. Aage Nielsen, featuring a light displacement and high sail areaMustang 17A Sparkman & Stephens fractional dinghy with a high sail-area-to-displacement ratio built for spirited performance

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