It was also one of the earliest production boats to be built from fiberglass, then a new boatbuilding material. Barney Lehman’s company, PlastiGlass, launched the design on the United States West Coast. W. D. Schock Corp acquired the builder in 1955 and continued producing the boat for a number of years. Although the Lehman 12 is now out of production, the class remains active in Southern California racing.
Design and Construction
The Lehman 12 dates from the very beginning of production fiberglass boatbuilding. Its hull is predominantly solid fiberglass, with mahogany and oak trim. The boat has a plumb stem and transom, a transom-hung rudder controlled by a tiller, and positive-flotation buoyancy tanks that render it unsinkable.
Wooden rails, thwarts, and flotation tanks gave early boats a traditional dinghy character, but they also brought a considerable varnishing burden. In 1998, W. D. Schock Corp redesigned the boat in consultation with the class association. The company replaced those wooden components with fiberglass, exchanged the wooden tiller for an aluminum one, and added flared hiking rails with structural-strengthening stringers.
These changes eliminated varnishing, reduced weight, and kept the new hull compliant with class one-design rules. The program was intended to simplify both production and owner maintenance across the line.
Rig, Performance, and Handling
The Lehman 12 carries a loose-footed catboat sail plan, with an 81-square-foot mainsail on its 12-foot hull. Its sail-area-to-displacement ratio is 41.42.
The retractable daggerboard draws as little as a quarter foot when raised and two feet when lowered, allowing the boat to sail in shallow water and be beached. Ullman Sails describes the Lehman 12 as a daggerboard boat with a loose-fitted cat rig and deep rudder. It also calls the boat an exceptionally responsive two-man planing dinghy that glides quietly in only a whisper of wind.
The United States Sailing Association notes that these boats are very responsive to weight, trim, and steering. That sensitivity makes the Lehman 12 a challenging and competitive racing class.
Crew and Intended Use
There are no cabins or berths: this is a recreational planing dinghy built for two. Ullman Sails describes its simple, uncomplicated design as ideally suited to a husband-and-wife team.
Rather than relying on complex systems, the boat rewards careful crew-weight placement and precise steering. Its unsinkable flotation and beachable daggerboard also make it straightforward to own and launch.
History and Class Legacy
PlastiGlass first built the Lehman 12 in 1953, and the boat became a staple of Southern California one-design racing from the outset. It remains among the region’s most active racing-dinghy classes.
After W. D. Schock Corp purchased PlastiGlass in 1955, the design remained in production for years. It later spawned the slightly larger Lehman 14. The 1998 redesign modernized the boat without breaking class rules, but the Lehman 12 is now out of production.
The Verdict
The Lehman 12 is a historically significant small racer: an early fiberglass one-design that remains actively sailed in its home waters. Its cat rig and daggerboard define it as a focused, responsive planing dinghy. The 1998 redesign removed the worst of the wood-maintenance burden while preserving compliance with the class rules.
For two sailors looking for a light, unsinkable, trailerable racer, the Lehman 12 remains a focused and enduring choice.
Pros
- Early production-fiberglass construction with unsinkable flotation
- Responsive, two-person planing dinghy suited to husband-and-wife crews
- The 1998 redesign reduced weight and eliminated varnishing while preserving one-design compliance
- Shallow draft and beachable for easy storage
Cons
- Minimal accommodations—it’s a racing dinghy, not a cruiser
- Wood-trimmed early boats require regular varnish upkeep unless updated
