Lightning

BoatsLightning

See her sail

The Lightning, on the water

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

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 draught shallow enough to float off a trailer — she can go back on the trailer at the ramp, not only into the water.Shoal draughtDraws 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.

What the fleet has seen

The Lightning, as the fleet has seen it

Derived from the videos the fleet has analysed of this model. ▶ marks open the moment aboard.

The Lightning is a 5.8-meter fractional sloop, centerboard dinghy designed by Sparkman & Stephens, first built in 1938. It has been continuously produced since then, initially in wood and later in fiberglass, becoming one of the most popular one-design classes in the US and internationally. With a 1.5-meter draft and 317 kg displacement, the Lightning is designed for racing. Aboard Quantum Sails, Mike Fisher manages a racing program in Traverse City, Michigan, emphasizing a core crew of eight who rotate through specialized positions like jib trimmer and bowman.4:49 Fisher prioritizes social cohesion and friendship among his crew, and he advocates for US Sailing’s Safety at Sea program for all crew members.6:48 He suggests new boat owners recruit experienced sailors to mentor newcomers, fostering a learning culture.9:12

The living fleet

Sailed by the fleet

Where the fleet has filmed this boat.

Seen once across one channel of the fleet.

Basemap © Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0

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.

Klepper Cadet5.40 mSame hull family0.4 m shorter

We're off to Greece to see our NEW BOAT! 😍 Road trip, catamaran & sailing dinghy22:21 from Eternal Sailing

O'Day Daysailer5.11 mSame hull family0.7 m shorterA 1956 centreboard dinghy with a high sail-area-to-displacement ratio that remains in production today

Boat Shop Windows4:54 from kentblairl

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

Rio to Polynesia on a 25-Foot Boat, the Journey that Changed Sailing in Brazil Forever | #SAL #368:16 from Hashtag Sal

Hunter Marine 154.42 mSame hull family1.4 m shorterA lightweight fractional centerboard dinghy designed for easy handling and high performance

What Happened to Hunter Sailboats? The History Most People Don't Know.from All About Sailing

MacKay Boats Ltd. 49erfx4.88 mSame hull family0.9 m shorterA high-performance Olympic skiff featuring the 49er hull paired with a specialised rig tailored for lighter crews

Pia Dahl Andersen and Nora Edland showed strength in the first World Cup of the year.2:03 from SEILmagasinet

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

From Kayak King to National Team Manager: Eirik Verås Larsen on Peiling på Seiling11:16 from SEILmagasinet

The family

Boats like this

Nearby designs by size, type, and era — worth a look alongside her.

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

Keep asking

The fleet has more to say

Search what's been said about the Lightning, or ask a specific question — the answer comes back written out, with links to the moments it draws on.

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