The Lark is a two-person, non-trapeze

sailing dinghy Dinghy sailing is the activity of sailing small boats by using five essential controls: * the sails * the foils (i.e. the daggerboard or centreboard and rudder and sometimes lifting foils as found on the Moth) * the trim (forward/rear angle o ...

, designed in 1966 by Michael Jackson (who was also responsible for many

National 12 The National 12 is a two-person, two-sail, twelve-foot (3.6 metre) long sailing dinghy. They are sailed extensively in the UK. The class was started in 1936 by the Royal Yachting Association as an alternative to the more expensive International 14s ...

and

Merlin Rocket The Merlin Rocket is a dinghy sailed in the United Kingdom. It is an active class, now with over 3700 boats built. The boat designed around a box rule, meaning that all class boats need to be within a certain length and width, but can be any sh ...

designs). All Larks are made of glass-reinforced plastic (GRP). The Lark is a one-design class which leads to very close racing. The boat is very popular in the UK with a new builder (Synergy Marine) signed up in 2021 with a brand new design variation on the existing hull shape. In the UK the class became very popular through the university team racing circuit. The boat was also popular in clubs as it is suited to a wide range of crew weights, typically from 18 stone up to 25 stone. It is still one of the fastest non-trapeze dinghies available. Larks participate in handicap racing, utilising a Portsmouth number of 1073. National Championships are held every year in the UK. Entries to the Nationals in the 1970s and 1980s was typically 125 plus boats and although numbers have dropped still typically attracts 50 plus boats to the Nationals. This class is well known for its social events and the Masters continue this tradition with an event every two years. In the United States, Larks are sailed at several east coast universities, including

Tufts Tufts University is a private research university on the border of Medford and Somerville, Massachusetts. It was founded in 1852 as Tufts College by Christian universalists who sought to provide a nonsectarian institution of higher learning ...

and The University of Connecticut. The University of Connecticut fleet is among the oldest functioning fleet in the United States. In the United States of America college sailing forms part of the training scheme for

Olympic Olympic or Olympics may refer to Sports Competitions * Olympic Games, international multi-sport event held since 1896 ** Summer Olympic Games ** Winter Olympic Games * Ancient Olympic Games, ancient multi-sport event held in Olympia, Greece b ...

competition, sharing the same training model as many other collegiate sports. Although the Olympic class

470 __NOTOC__ Year 470 ( CDLXX) was a common year starting on Thursday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Severus and Iordanes (or, less frequently, year 1223 ' ...

is far more powerful than the collegiate

420 420 may refer to: * 420 (number) *420 (cannabis culture), informal reference to cannabis use and celebrations on April 20 ** California Senate Bill 420 or the Medical Marijuana Program Act *AD 420, a year in the 5th century of the Julian calendar * ...

, the former is similar to the Lark, making it an ideal junior boat for the 470. The Lark also shares skiff like characteristics with the 49er, another Olympic class, hence the Lark's suitability for collegiate sailing in relatively flat water conditions, which amount to roughly 70% of all college venues. In mixed fleets, Larks sail off a D-PN handicap of 93.6.

External links

Lark Class Owners Association Home Page

UK sailing clubs with Lark fleets

Barnt Green Sailing Club Home PageFrensham Pond Sailing Club Home PageNorthampton Sailing Club Home PageSouth Staffs Sailing Club Home PageWaldringfield Sailing Club Home PageUniversity of Portsmouth (UK) Sailing Club Home PageUniversity of Manchester Sailing Club Home PagePenzance Sailing ClubLittleton Sailing Club Home Page

References

{{Sailing dinghies and skiffs Dinghies Two-person sailboats