About the Sharpie Class

Sharpies are one of the most widely sailed one design racing dinghies in Australia. Genuinely exciting performance, evenness of competition and a comparatively low cost give the Sharpie class an unmatched appeal and some of the best competition that yachting has to offer for a broad base of sailors.

The Sharpie has a fine, efficient six-metre-long planing hull and carries a crew of three (skipper, sheethand, and forward-hand on the trapeze) with a powerful sail-plan that produces a performance equal to the best dinghies in the world.

Sailed to its best, it rewards crew coordination, team effort, tactical skill, concentration and endurance with blistering performance; or at the very least an afternoon of fun battling the elements in the company of friends.

The class also boasts a strong and very social off-the-water fraternity. Some have been known to join the ‘Sharpies’ for this reason alone…

The Sharpie is developed from the 12-Square Metre class, which provided Australia’s first-ever Olympic medal, silver for WA’s Rolly Tasker at the 1956 Melbourne Games. Its impressive history since has featured such great names as John Bertrand, Sir James Hardy and John Cuneo.

The Sharpie has fleets in seven states of Australia and brings together fleets of up to one hundred boats for its National Titles held each year over the Christmas/ New Year period.