Frostbite B Class

Description

The Frostbite B Class (often called the Class B Frostbite Dinghy or B One-Design) is a historic one-design racing dinghy from the early frostbiting era of the 1930s, when sailors pioneered winter dinghy racing in cold-weather harbors along the U.S. East Coast (e.g., Long Island Sound, New England). Sponsored and popularized by Cornelius Shields (who "godfathered" the class in 1934), it was designed as a simple, affordable, high-performance dinghy for frostbite racing—short, intense winter series in small open boats despite freezing conditions. The class used wooden construction (some later in plywood or fiberglass), with a cat rig (single sail on a unstayed mast) or simple sloop setup, centerboard, and open cockpit for 1–2 sailors. It gained fame through events like the Eastern Frostbite Dinghy Regatta (starting 1933 in Essex, CT) and helped spark organizations like the MIT Nautical Association. Notable examples include Herreshoff-built hulls (e.g., Ankle Deep, a 1934 Class B preserved at the Herreshoff Marine Museum) and others displayed or raced at clubs. The class declined post-WWII as newer designs (e.g., Interclub Dinghy in 1946, sponsored by Shields to address B-class flaws like a fine bow leading to instability in breezes) emerged, but surviving B-class boats remain rare classics cherished for their role in frostbiting history.