Norwalk Island Sharpie 18

Description

The Norwalk Island Sharpie 18 (often abbreviated NIS 18) is a lightweight, trailerable American sharpie-inspired pocket cruiser designed by legendary Canadian naval architect Bruce Kirby (famous for the Laser dinghy). It is the smallest in the Norwalk Islands Sharpies (NIS) family, a series inspired by 19th-century Connecticut River oyster-fishing sharpies—blending workboat heritage with modern racing performance for shallow-water access, coastal cruising, and spirited sailing. Plans and kits are available from sources like Straydog Boatworks (Australia) or Bruce Kirby Designs, with boats typically owner-built or small-shop constructed in plywood/epoxy (some fiberglass sheathed); no large factory production exists, but hundreds of NIS boats across sizes have been built worldwide since the 1980s. The 18 features a cat ketch or cat yawl rig (unstayed masts for simplicity, self-tacking jib-less setup, easy reefing, and excellent twist control), extreme shallow draft (centerboard up), double-ended hull for wave handling and beachability, and a compact cuddy cabin for storage or minimal overnights (2–4 berths, basic galley/heads). It's praised for versatility (rows well, sails fast off wind with planing potential, motors with small outboard), seaworthiness in chop (perky sheer and buoyant ends), and fun factor—great for gunkholing, daysailing, or short coastal hops.