Designed as a recreational sailing dinghy, the Trac-16 is deliberately simple: a fractional sloop rig set over two fiberglass hulls, with no keels or centerboards.
Design and Construction
The Trac-16 is a true catamaran, with two solid-fiberglass hulls, raked stems, and plumb transoms. The asymmetrical hulls have a pronounced “banana” shape, which the designer used to provide some resistance to leeway when sailing to windward. There are no keels or centerboards.
The boat is 16.4 feet long, with a waterline length of nearly 16 feet. It has an 8-foot beam, displaces 359 pounds, and draws just 0.75 ft. This light, narrow platform is beachable and meant to be launched and retrieved without a hoist.
Twin transom-mounted rudders are linked to a single tiller, keeping steering control close at hand. The 600-unit production run also makes the Trac-16 a relatively uncommon class.
Rig and Handling
The Trac-16 carries a fractional sloop sail plan with a Bermuda rig. Its sail area is about 194 square feet, producing a sail-area-to-displacement ratio near 61.
Without a keel or centerboard, the boat relies entirely on its curved, asymmetrical hulls to resist leeway and hold a course upwind. That arrangement trades absolute pointing ability for the freedom to dry out or travel on a trailer without anything to retract.
The twin transom-hung rudders give the tiller direct command of both sterns. With its catamaran hull form, shallow draft, and 4.5 capsize ratio, the Trac-16 belongs firmly in the small-dayboat category rather than the offshore cruiser class.
Accommodations
The Trac-16 was conceived strictly as a day sailer. It has no cabin, berths, or enclosed accommodation. Its intended role is single-day coastal or lake sailing with minimal gear, consistent with a 359-pound catamaran designed for launching and retrieval without a hoist. By definition, it’s a spartan recreational dinghy.
Refits and Ownership
With production ended and only 600 examples built, the Trac-16 is now a used-only design. Ownership centers on trailering and maintaining the rig, rudders, and tiller rather than looking after complex systems.
The fiberglass hulls and simple fractional rig help keep ongoing costs low. However, the small class size means parts and class knowledge are scarcer than they are for higher-volume dinghies.
Verdict
The Trac-16 is a minimalist American catamaran dayboat whose appeal lies in its simplicity: no keels, engine, or cabin—just two fiberglass hulls, a fractional sloop rig, and a tiller controlling twin rudders.
Nichols’ banana-shaped asymmetrical hulls provide the boat’s only upwind aid. With just 600 built, the Trac-16 is a tidy but uncommon trailer-sailer for sailors who value light weight and easy launching over creature comforts.
Pros
- True catamaran platform with no keels to retract and a draft of only 0.75 ft
- Light 359 lb displacement and 8 ft beam suit easy trailering
- Asymmetrical hulls provide some resistance to leeway without boards
Cons
- No enclosed accommodation; suitable for day sailing only
- Small production run limits class support and access to spare parts
- Upwind performance depends entirely on hull form, with no centerboard or keel
