Dart 18
| Current Specifications | |
|---|---|
|
120x60px Class Symbol | |
| Crew | 2 |
| LOA | 5480 mm |
| Beam | 2280 mm |
| Hull weight | 130 kg |
| Mast height | 8 m |
| Mainsail area | 12.92 m2 |
| Jib / Genoa area | 3.16 m2 |
| Spinnaker area | 15.5 m2, not legal for racing |
| D-PN | 76 |
| RYA PN | 798 |
The Dart 18 is a one-design 18-foot (5.5 m) long glassfibre sailing catamaran. It is designed to be sailed by two people and can achieve speeds of up to 20 knots.
History
The Dart 18 was designed in 1975 as a One Design Class by Rodney March, who was also responsible for the design of the Olympic Tornado class catamaran. Up to the present, a number of improvements have been made, but the original concept was preserved though strict class rules. More than 7980 boats have been built up to 2008, which are sailed in more than 16 nations on 4 continents. Since Jan. 2009, Bryher Mouldings holds the worldwide license to build the Dart 18. The boats are manufactured since 2005 at Collins Fibreglass Plastics in South Africa. The World Championship results can be found here.
Design
The hulls of the Dart 18 are similar to the Tornado catamaran, but without daggerboards. Instead, the lower part of the hulls have skegs typical for a beach catamaran. The hull material is glassfibre. Both hulls are filled with flotation inserts to preserve buoyancy in case of damage. The inside of each hull can be reached through a hatch cover located at the rear of each hull. The boat is assembled by attaching the main and rear beams to the hulls with spring-loaded retaining clips, and lacing the trampoline to the beams and hulls. The two rudders are removable without tools, retract on impact with the beach, and can be locked in the up position.
The rigging consists of a rotating mast held by a forestay and two shroud wires. The shrouds can be adjusted by simply moving the bolts in the chainplates. The Dart 18 mast does not have spreaders. There is a trapeze for the crew.
The mainsail does not have a boom, has 9 full battens, and is controlled by a main sheet with a 7:1 mechanical advantage. The jib sail has 2 short battens, and is controlled by a jib sheet with a 2:1 mechanical advantage. The main sheet block and both jib sheet blocks have a ratchet and a cleat.
A gennaker sail can be added, but is not legal for racing. This is usually combined with a jib furling system.
External links
- UK Dart 18 Catamaran Association
- SA Dart 18 Catamaran Association
- Collins Fiberglass Products Manufacturer of the Dart 18 since 2005
- ISAF 2009 class report for the Dart 18
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