Town Class
sailboat
A sailboat or sailing boat is a boat propelled partly or entirely by sails and is smaller than a sailing ship. Distinctions in what constitutes a sailing boat and ship vary by region and maritime culture.
Types
Although sailboat terminology ...
s are lap strake one-design
dories, constructed in either wood or fiberglass. The Town Class was designed as an affordable boat for the townspeople, hence its name.
History
The first Town Class sailboat was designed and built (in wood only) in 1932 by Marcus C. Lowell in
Amesbury
Amesbury () is a town and civil parish in Wiltshire, England. It is known for the prehistoric monument of Stonehenge which is within the parish. The town is claimed to be the oldest occupied settlement in Great Britain, having been first settl ...
,
Massachusetts
Massachusetts ( ; ), officially the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, is a U.S. state, state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It borders the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Maine to its east, Connecticut and Rhode ...
. Marcus' son, Percival M. "Pert" Lowell, later took over the business and relocated to
Newbury, Massachusetts. In 1936, the Town Class sailboat was adopted as a one-design class boat, and quickly became a popular racing boat from
Maine
Maine ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the New England region of the United States, and the northeasternmost state in the Contiguous United States. It borders New Hampshire to the west, the Gulf of Maine to the southeast, and the Provinces and ...
to
Florida
Florida ( ; ) is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. It borders the Gulf of Mexico to the west, Alabama to the northwest, Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia to the north, the Atlantic ...
. In the late 1960s, fiberglass models became available. Currently, more than two thousand wood and fiberglass "Townies" have been built to date. The Pert Lowell Company, which is now operated by "Pert" Lowell's son-in-law, Ralph Johnson, continues to construct these boats today.
Town Class Regatta
The National Town Class Association was formed in 1962, also marking the first year of the Town Class National Regatta (an annual two-day racing event) which took place in
Nahant
Nahant () is a town in Essex County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 3,334 at the 2020 census, which makes it the smallest municipality by population in Essex County. With just of land area, it is also the smallest municipali ...
, Massachusetts. The Town Class Nationals have been held in
Marblehead,
Wakefield
Wakefield is a cathedral city in West Yorkshire, England located on the River Calder. The city had a population of 109,766 in the 2021 census, up from 99,251 in the 2011 census. The city is the administrative centre of the wider Metropolit ...
,
Sharon
Sharon ( 'plain'), also spelled Saron, is a given name as well as a Hebrew name.
In Anglosphere, English-speaking areas, Sharon is now predominantly a feminine given name, but historically it was also used as a masculine given name. In Israel, ...
, and
Newburyport
Newburyport is a coastal city in Essex County, Massachusetts, United States, northeast of Boston. The population was 18,289 at the 2020 census. A historic seaport with a vibrant tourism industry, Newburyport includes part of Plum Island. The m ...
, Massachusetts; as well as
Touisset Point,
Rhode Island
Rhode Island ( ) is a state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It borders Connecticut to its west; Massachusetts to its north and east; and the Atlantic Ocean to its south via Rhode Island Sound and Block Is ...
and Spofford Lake
New Hampshire
New Hampshire ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It borders Massachusetts to the south, Vermont to the west, Maine and the Gulf of Maine to the east, and the Canadian province of Quebec t ...
.
NDC Sailing Town Class
{{Webarchive, url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080908082115/http://doryclub.org/sailing_town_class.htm , date=2008-09-08 The Nationals now alternate between Marblehead, Nahant, Touisset, and Spofford.
References
External links
Town Class National Regatta Official Blog
Touisset Point Town Class Association Official Website
Marblehead Town Class Association Official Website
The Nahant Dory Club Official Website
Dinghies