Originally called the Atlantic Coast One Design, the class was renamed simply Atlantic in March 1929. It has never lost its one-design discipline: the class organization continues to protect the boats’ identical features while promoting and expanding the fleet.
Design and Early History
Burgess intended the Atlantic to promote a class of fast, identical boats that could be raced and daysailed. The original wooden hulls were production-built by Abeking and Rasmussen in Lemwerder, Germany, theoretically with mahogany planking over oak ribs.
Rumor held that the design plans were destroyed when the yard was bombed during World War II. Even so, the Atlantic became one of the first one-design classes to convert to fiberglass. A third generation began with hull #101, built from a new mold that incorporated the keel.
Construction and Specifications
Cape Cod Shipbuilding developed the fiberglass Atlantic using hull #27, Rumour, as a plug. The yard attached her original keel, rudder, spars, and hardware to a new fiberglass hull. Author John Hersey bought the revamped boat and raced her through the 1954 season.
Today’s Atlantic is built with a solid fiberglass deck, teak trim, and aluminum spars. The modern specification lists a displacement of 4,559 pounds, including a 2,200-pound lead keel. The boat has a 6-foot 6-inch beam, a 4-foot 9-inch draft, and a 21-foot 6-inch waterline.
Rig, Sailing, and Racing
The Atlantic carries a fractional sloop rig. Class rules require the mast and boom to be built by Dwyer, with standing and running rigging included as standard.
Owners who sailed the fiberglass boat reported that she sails well in all weather and handles chop in a seaway particularly well, without pounding. She is a superbly balanced racing boat, with a setup that allows sailors of all ages to handle her without difficulty. Most teams race with three or four crew, though two can daysail her.
The open cockpit provides plenty of room for sail handling, crew movement, and spinnaker work on windward-leeward courses. Strong fleets continue to race on Long Island Sound.
Cockpit and Accommodations
The Atlantic is fundamentally a racing daysailer rather than a cruiser. Its large open cockpit dominates the deck plan, while teak trim and coamings dress the weather decks. The cabin provides basic shelter rather than liveaboard comfort.
Throughout the design, the emphasis is on a light, balanced one-design that a small crew can manage, not on cruising space or amenities.
Known Issues
By the early 1950s, many original wooden Atlantics required a good deal of bailing while racing. This reflected the age of their mahogany-on-oak hulls before the fiberglass conversion took hold.
The later fiberglass boats avoided that complaint. Meanwhile, strict class protection has kept the hull form and rig consistent across generations, including the wooden and fiberglass boats.
Class Development and Refits
The class has managed the Atlantic’s development through measured rule changes rather than unrestricted modification. A new spinnaker with higher shoulders and greater area appeared in 1965. Aluminum spars were permitted in 1969, the jib became a deck-sweeper in 1973, and adjustable backstays were allowed in 1984.
Because the class protects the boat’s one-design features, owners’ refit choices remain bounded by class rules. Fleet racing continues today in the northeastern United States.
The Verdict
The Burgess Atlantic is a rare survivor: a nearly century-old one-design that converted early to fiberglass without losing its racing character. Balanced, light on the helm, and forgiving in a chop, she suits small crews and still attracts competitive fleets.
The trade-off is a spartan, race-first layout with little concession to cruising. Early wooden boats also demand vigilance for leakage.
Pros
- Superbly balanced and easy for two to daysail, yet competitive with three or four crew
- Early, successful conversion from wood to fiberglass while preserving one-design integrity
- Active class organization that protects the boat’s identity and promotes fleets on Long Island Sound
Cons
- Original wooden hulls were prone to significant bailing needs by the early 1950s
- Open, spartan layout prioritizes racing over cruising comfort
- Strict one-design rules limit owners’ freedom to change the rig and sail plan
