Town Class
sailboat
A sailboat or sailing boat is a boat propelled partly or entirely by sails and is smaller than a sailing ship. Distinctions in what constitutes a sailing boat and ship vary by region and maritime culture.
Types
Although sailboat terminology ...
s are lap strake one-design
dories
A dory is a small, shallow-draft boat, about long. It is usually a lightweight boat with high sides, a flat bottom and sharp bows. It is easy to build because of its simple lines. For centuries, the dory has been used as a traditional fishin ...
, constructed in either wood or fiberglass. The Town Class was designed as an affordable boat for the townspeople, hence its name.
History
The first Town Class sailboat was designed and built (in wood only) in 1932 by Marcus C. Lowell in
Amesbury
Amesbury () is a town and civil parish in Wiltshire, England. It is known for the prehistoric monument of Stonehenge which is within the parish. The town is claimed to be the oldest occupied settlement in Great Britain, having been first settle ...
,
. Marcus' son, Percival M. "Pert" Lowell, later took over the business and relocated to
Newbury, Massachusetts. In 1936, the Town Class sailboat was adopted as a one-design class boat, and quickly became a popular racing boat from
Maine
Maine () is a state in the New England and Northeastern regions of the United States. It borders New Hampshire to the west, the Gulf of Maine to the southeast, and the Canadian provinces of New Brunswick and Quebec to the northeast and north ...
to
Florida
Florida is a state located in the Southeastern region of the United States. Florida is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the northwest by Alabama, to the north by Georgia, to the east by the Bahamas and Atlantic Ocean, and to ...
. In the late 1960s, fiberglass models became available. Currently, more than two thousand wood and fiberglass "Townies" have been built to date. The Pert Lowell Company, which is now operated by "Pert" Lowell's son-in-law, Ralph Johnson, continues to construct these boats today.
Town Class Regatta
The National Town Class Association was formed in 1962, also marking the first year of the Town Class National Regatta (an annual two-day racing event) which took place in
Nahant
Nahant is a town in Essex County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 3,334 at the 2020 census, which makes it the smallest municipality by population in Essex County. With just of land area, it is the smallest municipality by are ...
, Massachusetts. The Town Class Nationals have been held in
Marblehead,
Wakefield
Wakefield is a cathedral city in West Yorkshire, England located on the River Calder. The city had a population of 99,251 in the 2011 census.https://www.nomisweb.co.uk/census/2011/ks101ew Census 2011 table KS101EW Usual resident population, ...
,
Sharon
Sharon ( he, שָׁרוֹן ''Šārôn'' "plain") is a given name as well as an Israeli surname.
In English-speaking areas, Sharon is now predominantly a feminine given name. However, historically it was also used as a masculine given name. In I ...
, and
Newburyport
Newburyport is a coastal city in Essex County, Massachusetts, United States, northeast of Boston. The population was 18,289 at the 2020 census. A historic seaport with vibrant tourism industry, Newburyport includes part of Plum Island. The mo ...
, Massachusetts; as well as
Touisset Point,
Rhode Island
Rhode Island (, like ''road'') is a U.S. state, state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It is the List of U.S. states by area, smallest U.S. state by area and the List of states and territories of the United States ...
and Spofford Lake
New Hampshire
New Hampshire is a U.S. state, state in the New England region of the northeastern United States. It is bordered by Massachusetts to the south, Vermont to the west, Maine and the Gulf of Maine to the east, and the Canadian province of Quebec t ...
.
NDC Sailing Town Class
{{Webarchive, url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080908082115/http://doryclub.org/sailing_town_class.htm , date=2008-09-08 The Nationals now alternate between Marblehead, Nahant, Touisset, and Spofford.
References
External links
Town Class National Regatta Official Blog
Touisset Point Town Class Association Official Website
Marblehead Town Class Association Official Website
The Nahant Dory Club Official Website
Dinghies