The H-Boat is a strict one-design keelboat designed by Finn

Hans Groop Hans Groop, born 1932 in Vaasa is a Finnish yacht designer based in Helsinki. He has designed more than a hundred yachts and motorboats, the most famous being the H-boat, one of the most popular yacht classes in the world. Hans Groop has been a li ...

in 1967, with some minor modifications by

Paul Elvstrøm Paul Bert Elvstrøm (25 February 1928 – 7 December 2016) was a Danish yachtsman. He won four Olympic gold medals and twenty world titles in a range of classes including Snipe, Soling, Star, Flying Dutchman, Finn, 505, and 5.5 Metre. ...

in 1971. The boat gained international status in 1977. Since 1967 over 5000 hulls have been made, making it one of the most popular yacht classes in the world. The boat is mostly sailed and raced in

Nordic countries The Nordic countries (also known as the Nordics or ''Norden''; literal translation, lit. 'the North') are a geographical and cultural region in Northern Europe and the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic. It includes the sovereign states of Denmar ...

and Central Europe, although there are a few boats in the UK and the US. The official race crew consists of three persons. Women and juniors are allowed to have a fourth crew member in competitions. The H-boat has sleeping bunks for up to four persons. As a cruising yacht, the boat is suitable for 2-5 persons. Major manufacturers of H-Boats have been Eagle Marine (Finland), Elvstrøm (Denmark), Scanboat (Åland), Hydrospeed (Finland), Artekno (Finland), Botnia Marin (Finland), O.L. Boats (Denmark), Ott Yacht (Germany) and Frauscher (Austria).

History

The Hans Groop-designed H-boat won a Finnish design competition for a GRP one-design fleet racer with spinnaker in 1967 and production started in 1970 by the Finnish builder Artekno. The ''H'' in the name H-boat came from the

Greek mythology A major branch of classical mythology, Greek mythology is the body of myths originally told by the Ancient Greece, ancient Greeks, and a genre of Ancient Greek folklore. These stories concern the Cosmogony, origin and Cosmology#Metaphysical co ...

goddess Hestia. During the first three years, 500 boats were sold. In 1971, Elvstrøm started production of the H-boat with some modifications on rudder and mast and in 1977 Botnia.

Events

World Championships

The H-boat World Championships has been sailed since 1980.

References

External links

Official Eagle Marine webpage
Keelboats 1960s sailboat type designs Sailboat types built in Denmark Sailboat types built in Finland Sailboat types built in Austria Sailboat types built in Germany Sailboat type designs by Finnish designers {{ship-type-stub