Taylor & Sons Lightning Sailboats for Sale & Market Overview

Drawing Diagram

Builder drawing

Hull Type

Monohull · centerboard

Rig

Fractional Sloop

LOA

19' · 5.79 m

Disp.

700 lbs · 318 kg

First year

1938

In the late 1930s, the world of smallboat sailing was profoundly shaped by the introduction of the International Lightning. Designed by Olin Stephens of the legendary firm Sparkman & Stephens and first launched in 1938, the Lightning was conceived as an affordable, highperformance daysailor and class racer. The design was exceptionally generous; rather than retaining exclusive rights, Sparkman & Stephens sold the plans to the newly formed Lightning Class Association in 1939 for a nominal fee, cementing the class as one of the most successful and enduring onedesigns in maritime history. While several builders emerged to construct the nineteenfoot sloop, J.J. Taylor & Sons, the legendary Canadian boatbuilder based in Toronto, Ontario, brought their elite wooden yachtbuilding expertise to the class. A J.J. Taylorbuilt wooden Lightning is more than just a class dinghy; it is a beautifully crafted piece of maritime heritage that showcases the finest in traditional wood construction.