International 12 Foot Dinghy Sailboats for Sale & Market Overview

Drawing Diagram

Builder drawing

Hull type

Monohull · centerboard

Rig

Lug Rig

LOA

12' · 3.66 m

Displ.

229 lbs · 104 kg

First year

1913

The International 12 Foot Dinghy holds a singular place in maritime history as the first "International" onedesign racing class, established by the International Yacht Racing Union (now World Sailing) in 1913. Designed by George Cockshott, an amateur designer from Southport, England, the boat won a design competition aimed at creating a standardized, affordable, and seaworthy dinghy that could be used across Europe. While the builder context provided highlights the American company International Marine—famed for the West Wight Potter—the International 12 Foot Dinghy is a distinct historical entity with roots in the British clinkerbuilt tradition. It gained global prominence through its selection as an Olympic class for the 1920 Antwerp and 1928 Amsterdam Games, and it remains a vibrant racing class today, particularly in the Netherlands, Italy, and Japan.