American 21 (Ami)
Description
The American 21 (AMI), also known as the Ami 21 or American 6.5 (reflecting its metric length of 6.5 meters), is a compact fiberglass pocket cruiser designed for trailerable day sailing or short coastal/overnight trips. Produced in the late 1970s to early 1980s by American Mariner Industries (AMI), it's a monohull sailboat emphasizing stability, interior space, and ease of handling for small crews or solo sailors. The standout feature is its patented "stabilizer keel," where the cabin sole recesses into the keel, providing exceptional headroom (over 6 feet) in a boat under 21 feet—ideal for standing comfort without a bulky cabin top. This model is distinct from the American Fiberglass Corp.'s American 21 (a 1973 design by Ron Bertholf) and the Spirit 6.5 (by Glastron, with a pop-top cabin). AMI's version focuses on innovative space efficiency, making it a favorite for beginners or families seeking a "big boat feel" in a small package.
Construction Details
| Designer | Arthur S. Henry (founder of AMI) |
|---|---|
| Builder | American Mariner Industries |
| Length | 21.000 ft |
| LOA | 20.750 ft |
| LWL | 18.750 ft |
| Beam | 7.830 ft |
| Displacement | 2500 lb |
| Ballast | 900 lb |
| Max Draft | 2.167 ft |
The standard boat dimensions
| i | 25 ft |
|---|---|
| j | 8.50 ft |
| p | 23 ft |
| e | 7.80 ft |
| p2 | - |
| e2 | - |
| i2 | - |
| j2 | - |
| I | J | P | E | P2 | E2 | I2 | J2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 25 ft | 8.50 ft | 23 ft | 7.80 ft | - | - | - | - |
Sails
| Sail Type | MAINSAIL |
|---|---|
| Luff | * 23 ft - (7010 mm) |
| Foot | * 7.8 ft - (2377 mm) |
| Leech | * 23.91 ft - (7288 mm) |
| Tack Angle | * 88 ° |
| Diagonal | * 24.03 ft - (7324 mm) |
| Head (inches) | * 4.5 in - (114 mm) |
| Area | * 93.907 ft² |
| Sail Type | JIBSAIL |
|---|---|
| Luff | * 21.13 ft - (6440 mm) |
| Foot | * 11.38 ft - (3469 mm) |
| Leech | * 18.17 ft - (5538 mm) |
| Percentage LP | * 115 % |
| Length Perpendicular | * 9.78 ft - (2981 mm) |
| Deck Angle | * 12 ° |
| Area | * 103.33 ft² |
| Sail Type | GENOA |
|---|---|
| Luff | * 25.09 ft - (7647 mm) |
| Foot | * 13.83 ft - (4215 mm) |
| Leech | * 23.49 ft - (7160 mm) |
| Percentage LP | * 150 % |
| Length Perpendicular | * 12.75 ft - (3886 mm) |
| Deck Angle | * 4 ° |
| Area | * 159.93 ft² |
| Sail Type | ASYMMETRICAL |
|---|---|
| Luff | * 25.09 ft - (7647 mm) |
| Foot | * 14.03 ft - (4276 mm) |
| Leech | * 23.08 ft - (7035 mm) |
| Perc LP | * 165 % |
| Area | * 264.01 ft² |
Disclaimer. Boats are not all the same -- even when produced in the same factory of the same model. Sailrite does its best to publish accurate dimensions, but we often find it worthwhile to have our customers measure their boats carefully before we produce kits for them. You should take the same precautions, especially when the data is not from Sailrite. The information on this site is not guaranteed to be accurate. Sailrite offers this content as a service to our community, but takes no responsibility for the reliability of the data provided.