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!
text from The International 12 foot Dinghy Class Association | Photos from La Sezione Classici dell Associazione Italiana Dinghy 12