Welcome to the website of  'The International 12 foot Dinghy Class Association' When Southport solicitor and amateur boat designer George Cockshott, entered a design competition in 1913, little could he have envisaged that the boat that he drew would still be sailing 100 years later. Cockshott's 12 Foot Dinghy went on to become the first small boat to gain international status and was selected for the 1920 and 1928 Olympic Games. Although outclassed by modern boats, its endearing character ensures that it is still sailed and raced enthusiastically by near-fanatical owners around the world. No fewer than 171 Dinghies assembled in the Netherlands during June 2014 to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the arrival of the 12' Dinghy in that country! Since then the Class has continued to prosper in the Netherlands, Italy and Japan, and fleets are growing in various other countries including France, Switzerland and Austria.

Picture of the month - May 2020   Friendship Series - Lowestoft 2017 A duel between Michael von der Gathen sailing his newly restored 1929 Dinghy, Vagabond, and Dutch sailor Jeroen de Groot.

Argo at the Lake Como International Vintage Boat Museum ITA1000 - Argo, - now on display at the Museo Barca Lariana Built: 1957 by Primo Valli, Lezzeno This boat belonged to Francesco Bariffi, General Secretary of the Associazione Italiana Classe Dinghy "It is well worth continuing, even if only for a very few. Even if it were for just one person. Even if I were the only one in the world who was interested in traditional boats and even if there were a total lack of interest among people today, I would still go on, because nautical history deserves any amount of effort in order to keep it alive. And I, like my fellow boat lovers, want to continue to be that link between past and future" G.A. Zanoletti The Founder of Museo Barca Lariana

This website is the home of all 12' Dinghy sailors. No matter when, or where, your boat was built, whether it is wood or plastic, modern or traditional, you are welcome here! Recently I was looking at this photo of one of the competitors at the 1928 Olympics. I was struck by the lack of a kicking-strap, tiller extension, bouyancy bags - all things that we take for granted. Following the loss of our 'international status' in 1964, the pace of change quickened, and, probably inevitably, there was divergence between Italian-style and Dutch-style boats. But as Jaap Wientjes, President of the Dutch Twaalvoetsjollenclub so elegantly states, 'Clearly this may separate us, but there is a lot more that unites us'. To summarise, it does not matter whether you call your boat an International 12-foot Dinghy, a Dreadnought, a Dickie, a Dinghy 12 piedi, a Dinghy douze pieds, a B.R.A. 12ft. Dinghy, an 'A' Class Dinghy, a Dinghy 12' Classico, a Dinghy 12, or anything else; - this web site is for you.

Royal Oak is for sale SOLD Royal Oak, - possibly the oldest navigable International 12' Dinghy in England, is for sale. Built: 1937 - fully restored Locally know as a Dreadnought location: Wirral, England telephone: 0044(0)7747112342

Who would believe it? Lurking under this deck lies what is possibly the oldest surviving International 12' Dinghy in the United Kingdom. YWURRY International 12 Donated to West Wales Maritime Heritage Museum 2018/19 by Francis Gaydon. This boat was originally owned by Francis' grandfather H R Gaydon, who represented Great Britain in the 12 foot dinghy class in the 1928 Olympics. Ywurry is currently being restored as a navigable International 12' Dinghy by Chris Barlow at the West Wales Maritime Heritage Museum. Francis Gaydon writes: She belonged to my Grandfather Mr H R Gaydon, he raced her on the Crouch (Burnham-on-Crouch Essex). He soon had another 12' built (Iwunda) and went on to race in the class during the 1920s, gaining some notoriety he took part in the 1928 Olympics. When racing ended he was so angry that he swapped Iwunda for a radio! and converted Ywurry to use with his family, including my late Father.

Remember the 1920 Olympic Games Oostende Olympic Centennial Celebrate the centennial of the first Olympic participation of George Cockshott's 1913 design. July 11-12, 2020 Oostende, Belgium www.twaalfvoetsjollenclub.be

Swiss 12' Dinghy Association

An autumn sail on the Thunersee Photographer: Thomas Jakob

Bosham Classic Boat Revival Read a report about the 2019 Bosham Classic Boat Revival on the news page of this site

Dinghy racing on a lake close to Haarlem (NL) during the 1950s

Vintage Yachting Games 2018   The third Vintage Yachting Games for discontinued Olympic and Paralympic Classes was sailed during September 2018 on Øresund, Copenhagen in Denmark. The event was organised by the Kongelig Dansk Yachtklub and the Hellerup Sejlklub. The Vintage Yachting Games Organization (VYGO) was the governing organization. photographer: © Per Heegaard Fotografi

Contact us:   info@12footdinghy.org