National E (Lazy E)

Description

The Lazy E (now commonly known as the National E) is a classic two-person performance dinghy designed by renowned British naval architect Jack Holt in 1962 as an evolution or successor to his popular Enterprise and GP14 designs, aiming to combine their virtues with enhanced speed and features for intermediate to advanced sailors. Built primarily in plywood (with some fiberglass examples later), it gained popularity particularly in Australia and some other regions but never became hugely widespread in the UK or elsewhere; no active class association exists today, though vintage and classic racing groups like the CVRDA occasionally reference it, with boats still sailed, raced, or restored decades later (some wooden hulls from the 1960s–1970s remain in use). It features a sloop rig with mainsail, jib, spinnaker, and single trapeze for exciting, planing performance in a lightweight, trailerable package—suitable for club racing, training, or adventurous daysailing (including some reports of surprising seaworthiness in strong winds even when singlehanded); it's open-cockpit with no cabin, centerboard for shallow draft, and emphasizes responsive handling over cruiser comforts.