Howmar 12 Sailboats for Sale & Market Overview

The Howmar 12 represents a final, refined effort by Howmar Boats Inc. to capture the recreational dinghy market before the company’s dissolution in 1983. Founded by industry veteran Jack Howie—whose pedigree included leadership roles at O’Day Corp and AMF/Alcort—Howmar sought to blend the accessibility of mass-produced daysailers with the design sophistication of elite naval architecture. The Howmar 12, specifically commissioned as Design #2405 from the prestigious firm Sparkman & Stephens, was engineered to provide a more stable and "roomy" alternative to the era’s more cramped racing dinghies. Measuring 12 feet, 2 inches, this fractional sloop was built at the company’s Hartford, Connecticut facility, targeting families and sailing schools that required a manageable, fiberglass-constructed platform capable of handling various wind conditions without the twitchiness often found in performance-oriented skiffs.