Herreshoff America 18

Description

The Herreshoff America (also known as the Herreshoff America 18 or Herreshoff America Catboat) is a classic American trailerable daysailer/cruiser designed by Halsey Chase Herreshoff (grandson of Nathanael G. Herreshoff) as a modern take on traditional catboat aesthetics and handling. It was first built in 1971 by Nowak & Williams (Bristol, Rhode Island, USA), with molds later sold to Squadron Yachts (Bristol, RI) and then to Nauset Marine (Orleans, Massachusetts), where production continued into the 1980s; overall, more than 100 hulls were built across these builders during the 1970s and 1980s, making it one of the more produced fiberglass interpretations of Herreshoff-inspired small boats. Features include a traditional gaff-rigged catboat sail plan (single sail on a mast stepped well forward for simplicity and powerful performance), centerboard (trunk) for shallow draft and easy beaching/trailering, wide beam for exceptional initial stability and spacious cockpit (seats 4-6 comfortably), low-profile cabin with berths for 2 (V-berth forward, small sitting headroom), outboard motor well, fiberglass construction with wood trim accents, and renowned for easy single-handing, forgiving sailing characteristics, surprising speed for its tubby shape (SA/D ~23), and suitability for daysailing, gunkholing, or short coastal overnights.