Since 2012, Windsport International has held the worldwide licence to build the Dart 18. Production continues under strict one-design rules, preserving the original concept while allowing incremental improvements over the decades.
Design and Construction
The Dart 18 is a true multihull, with solid fiberglass hulls, an overall length of 18 feet, a beam of 7.5 feet, and a displacement of just 285 pounds. Its hulls follow the familiar beach-cat form but have no centerboards. Instead, their lower sections carry skegs typical for a beach catamaran.
Flotation inserts in both hulls retain buoyancy if a shell is breached. A rear hatch cover provides access to each hull for inspection or service.
Assembly takes place ashore. The main and rear beams clip to the hulls with spring-loaded retaining pins, while the trampoline is laced to the beams and hulls. The first Dart 18, built in Falmouth, is now at the National Maritime Museum Cornwall.
Rig and Handling
The rotating mast stands 8 meters and is supported by a forestay and two shroud wires, with no spreaders. This simple arrangement keeps tuning approachable: shroud tension is adjusted merely by moving bolts in the chainplates.
The 12.92-square-meter mainsail has nine full battens and no boom. It is sheeted through a 7:1 purchase with a ratchet-and-cleat block. The 3.16-square-meter jib has two short battens and uses a 2:1 sheet. A single trapeze supports the crew, and the boat can also be sailed solo without a foresail.
The design has a Portsmouth Yardstick of 805 and a D-PN of 76.3, and it can reach speeds near 20 knots. A 15.5-square-meter gennaker may be added with a jib-furling setup, but it isn’t permitted for racing.
Crew and Day Sailing
This is a day-racer, not a cruiser. The Dart 18 is intended for one or two people, with a trampoline spanning the hulls rather than any enclosed accommodation.
The manufacturer describes the boat as adaptable for everyone and easy to rig. In practical terms, either a single sailor or a two-person crew can launch and race it without complication—a versatility the manufacturer associates with the boat's adaptability and easy rigging.
Ownership, Transport, and Storage
Class rules limit alterations, but several details make the Dart 18 straightforward to own. Its two rudders can be removed without tools, retract if they strike the beach, and lock in the raised position for trailering or shallow-water use.
Because the beams attach with spring-loaded clips and the trampoline laces into place, an owner can dismantle the catamaran for transport or storage without specialized equipment.
The Verdict
The Dart 18 remains an enduring one-design beach cat, supported by a large international fleet and offering a forgiving, fast platform. Its strict class rules protect value and competitive fairness, while flotation inserts and retracting rudders make it practical for beach launching.
The lack of centerboards and the boomless mainsail keep the boat simple. However, the ban on racing with a gennaker limits offwind experimentation for serious competitors.
Pros
- Large global one-design fleet with continuous licensed production
- Hull flotation inserts retain buoyancy after damage
- Tool-free rudders retract on impact, easing beach handling
- Simple rotating mast with adjustable shrouds and no spreaders
Cons
- Gennaker and furling-jib setup isn’t legal for racing
- No centerboards; skeg-only hulls provide less upwind lateral resistance than board-equipped catamarans
- Day boat only, with no enclosed accommodation for overnight stays
