National Small Boat Collection

In 1969 two friends, Ian Fraser and Kim Stephens, both successful sailors, formed a company in Restronguet, Falmouth, called Panthercraft. They applied for a licence to build the Tornado catamaran,…

The first Dragon was built in 1929 in Sweden as a result of a competition to find an affordable weekend cruising boat. In 1948 the Dragon qualified for Olympic status,…

Very few successful, long-lasting dinghy designs happen by accident. The Fireball is no exception and was designed by Peter Milne to meet a need: to bridge the gap between small…

The Victorian yachting era existed in an age when being part of the “set” required a large bank balance. In return its participants enjoyed a position in society which others…

‘All the fun of messing about in boats. Build it yourself from the kit. Easiest on the pocket and the easiest job you’ve ever tackled. And remember she weighs less…

This style of boat is typical of those still being built in and around Os, a town situated in south-west Norway, near Bergen. It represents a type used in this…

Wayfarers have been built by professional boatbuilders and DIY enthusiasts in their thousands, and have proved themselves to be very stable and seaworthy boats. The class has been enduringly successful,…

Small boats tend to be shaped by the lives of those who make and use them. so around the world vessels built for the same purpose differ greatly, due to…

When Ian Proctor designed the Tempest it was clear from the outset that he was aiming at a breakthrough. The initial object, along with his eleven rivals, was to win…