Ireland's 12-Foot Dinghy Class Seeks Sailors' Stories

21st September 2025

Vincent Delany

12-foot dinghies at Royal Munster Yacht Club

The International 12-foot dinghy was once Ireland's top dinghy class in the 1930s. With strong fleets in locations like Malahide, Howth, and Dun Laoghaire, it thrived before the rise of the IDRA 14 footer in the late 1940s.

Many top helmsmen, including John Weaving and Peter Odlum, left for the new class.

Today, the 12-foot dinghy class splits into two groups. One retains the original balanced lug mainsail, while the other has moved the mast back to accommodate a jib. Both fleets race against each other without handicaps.

The 2023 International 12-foot dinghy championships with Sgadan with Ian and Jenny Magowan and Cora sailed by Mark Delany Photo: Vincent Delany

Boats with jibs perform better upwind, yet struggle on downwind legs.

The Irish Championship will be held at Royal St. George Yacht Club on Sunday, 5th October. Participants will compete in two morning races followed by two in the afternoon.

The club welcomes anyone who sailed 12-foot dinghies in the past or knows of dinghies resting in garages or boatsheds to get in touch. For inquiries, email [email protected].

Published in Historic Boats, RStGYC

Published in Historic Boats

Tagged under

12Foot Dinghy Class

About The Author

Vincent Delany

Email The Author

Sailing historian Vincent Delany is a member of the Association of Yachting Historians, and an active sailor in Water Wag, SOD and Squib classes. He has written a thesis on 'Yachting and yachtsmen on the River Shannon 1830-1930.' He has lectured on the history of The Water Wag Club, Royal St.George Yacht Club, and the Killinure Yacht Club, He has written two sailing books 'The Water Wags 1887-2012' and 'The International 12 foot class in Ireland' both of which are available from blurb.com

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