Texas One Ton Information, Review, Specs

Sailing Performance & Handling

The Texas One Ton is a quintessential IOR racer, characterized by the design "loopholes" of its era, including a significant beam carried amidships and distinctive "pinched" ends. Because it was engineered to a specific rating rather than a set length, its handling is defined by its high ballast-to-displacement ratio and a massive sail plan. On the water, the boat is exceptionally stiff and weatherly, capable of pointing higher than many of its contemporary cruiser-racer rivals.

Under sail, the Texas One Ton feels powerful but requires an active, skilled hand on the helm. Like many Britton Chance designs of the period—including his work on America’s Cup contenders—the hull features a deep fin keel and a skeg-mounted rudder. While this configuration provides excellent tracking upwind, owners often note that the IOR-influenced hull shape can become "lively" when running downwind in heavy seas. The narrow stern and wide midsection can induce a rhythmic roll, known among veterans as the "IOR death roll," if the spinnaker is not trimmed with precision. However, in light to moderate air, the boat’s low wetted surface area allows it to ghost along while others remain stalled.

Interior Comfort & Variations

True to its heritage as a pure racing thoroughfare, the interior of the Texas One Ton is functional rather than luxurious, though it lacks the spartan "stripped-out" feel of modern carbon racers. The layout was designed to accommodate a full racing crew during offshore events like the Newport Bermuda Race. It typically features a traditional offshore arrangement: a compact galley and navigation station flanking the companionway to keep weight centered, followed by settee berths in the salon and pipe cots aft for "hot-bunking" during races.

The primary sibling to the Texas One Ton is the Plastrend PT-40. While the Texas One Ton was optimized specifically for the 27.5-foot rating, the PT-40 utilized a similar hull form and construction technique but offered a slightly more versatile configuration for general offshore racing and limited fast cruising. The use of composite materials—advanced for the 1970s—allowed for a stiffer hull with less internal framing, which marginally increased the volume of the living spaces compared to traditional wood or heavy-glass boats of the time.

Popular Mentions & Media

The Texas One Ton’s most significant claim to fame is its victory in the 1971 North American One Ton Championship. The boat Resolute, a Chance/Plastrend creation, became a benchmark for the class, as detailed in historical archives of the Manhasset Bay Yacht Club, which hosted many of these high-stakes regattas. The success of this model helped establish Britton Chance Jr. as the premier designer for the IOR rule during the early 70s and solidified Plastrend’s reputation for building "tough, fast boats" outside of the traditional coastal boat-building hubs.

Known Issues & Buyer’s Checklist

Purchasing a Texas One Ton today requires a specialized survey focusing on its aging competition-grade construction.

• Deck Core Integrity: Plastrend was a pioneer in composite construction, often using balsa or foam cores to save weight. Buyers should use a moisture meter and percussion hammer to check for delamination around high-load deck hardware, such as the primary winches and the mast step.
• Keel Bolt and Sump Strength: Given the high ballast-to-displacement ratios and the rigors of offshore racing, the keel sump area should be inspected for "smile" cracks at the leading edge of the keel or signs of structural fatigue in the fiberglass floors.
• Mast Step Corrosion: Many of these boats featured aluminum mast steps that, if subjected to standing bilge water over decades, can suffer from galvanic corrosion.
• Rudder Bearing Wear: The skeg-mounted rudder design can develop play in the bushings over time. While not a structural failure, it significantly degrades the helm sensitivity required to sail these boats to their potential.

Community & Resources

Owners of Plastrend and Composite Technologies vessels often find technical support and historical documentation through the broader IOR classic racing community. While no singular "Texas One Ton Association" exists today, the Classic IOR Yachts group provides a wealth of technical knowledge regarding the maintenance of 1970s-era racing machines. Historical design data can sometimes be sourced through the Britton Chance archives, though technical drawings are increasingly rare.

The Verdict

The Texas One Ton is a specialist’s boat—a piece of maritime history that offers a raw and rewarding sailing experience for those who appreciate the technical nuances of the IOR era.

Pros:

• Historic Pedigree: A genuine championship-winning design from the golden age of offshore racing.
• Upwind Performance: Exceptional pointing ability and stiffness in a breeze.
• Robust Construction: Built by Andy Green’s team with a focus on durability and "Texas toughness."

Cons:

• Downwind Handling: Requires a vigilant crew to manage IOR-induced rolling in heavy air.
• Minimalist Interior: Not suited for family cruising or long-term live-aboard use.
• Maintenance Intensive: Early composite hulls require careful monitoring for core saturation.