Description
The Australian Sailfish is a classic, single-handed sailing dinghy designed specifically for amateur builders and competitive racing in Australia. It's a lightweight, centerboard monohull with a utilitarian design that prioritizes performance, simplicity, and affordability. Developed in the late 1950s, it draws loose inspiration from the American Sailfish (a board-boat style dinghy by Alcort, Inc.), but the Australian version features a stayed Bermuda rig and scow-like hull for better stability and speed in local conditions. The class was popular in Australian yacht clubs during the 1960s–1980s, with over 780 sets of plans sold, leading to hundreds of boats built. Though the formal class associations dissolved by the late 1980s, interest persists through enthusiast groups, with ongoing restorations and new builds. Full-size plans and construction notes are freely available online for download.
