Escape Sailboats

Escape Sailboat Company was an innovative American manufacturer of small, affordable, rotomolded polyethylene dinghies designed to make sailing accessible to families, beginners, and casual users. Founded in the mid-1990s amid a push to revitalize the flagging small-boat market, Escape focused on user-friendly features like roller-reefing sails, extreme stability, and unbreakable construction to lower barriers to entry—addressing the "elitist" image of dinghies like the Sunfish or Laser. The boats were bright yellow for visibility, self-teaching via color-coded systems, and priced under $2,500, selling over 21,000 units in their heyday. Production emphasized "sailing for the rest of us": tough, fun, and hassle-free. The company is defunct (operations ceased post-2000s acquisition).