Flying Dutchman (dinghy)
Dutch high-performance one-design racing dinghy, Olympic class 1960–1992.
The Flying Dutchman is a Dutch planing sailing dinghy, created as a high-performance one-design racer by Uus Van Essen and Conrad Gülcher. Its first build was in 1951, and it served as an Olympic sailing class from 1960 through 1992.
Production began in 1951 and involved numerous builders, including Sunbeam Yachts, Alpa Yachts, Mader Bootswerft, MacKay Boats, Plastrend/Composite Technologies, Lanaverre, Lockley Newport Boats, Advance Sailboat Corp., Binks Yacht Constructions, Chantier Naval Costantini, and Mobjack Manufacturing. Over 10,000 units have been built, and as of 2022, Mader Bootswerft continued production.
The design is a racing sailboat originally made of wood, with many modern versions using fiberglass sandwich construction and a plastic deck. Cold-molded plywood remains an option, preferred by some sailors. It features a fractional sloop rig, a spooned raked stem, a plumb transom, a transom-hung rudder controlled by a tiller, and a retractable centerboard. Modern boats may have plastic rudders and centerboards. Displacement is 287 lb (130 kg). While sailing, the crew can adjust the genoa halyard, shroud tension, and mast rake, and use a trapeze for balance. Downwind, a symmetrical spinnaker of 226.0 sq ft (21.00 m2) can be used, and the Flying Dutchman was the first design equipped with a spinnaker bow chute. Its Portsmouth Yardstick D-PN is 82.6, and its RYA PN is 879.
The International Flying Dutchman Class Organization supports the boat with racing events. The Flying Dutchman was an Olympic double-handed dinghy class from 1960 to 1992. Its complexity has made cost a barrier to wider acceptance. A Classic Sailboats review noted it debuted as the "fastest double-handed dinghy in the world" at the 1960 Naples Olympics, based on a trapezing crew and large spinnaker, and that pure boatspeed is key for success. The United States Sailing Association calls it "one of the most exhilarating dinghies you will ever be in."
A Flying Dutchman is on display at the National Maritime Museum in Greenwich, England.
- designers
- Uus Van Essen and Conrad Gülcher
- first built
- 1951
- type
- planing sailing dinghy
- nationality
- Dutch
- Olympic class
- 1960–1992
- displacement
- 287 lb (130 kg)
- number built
- more than 10,000
Lore & Background
The Flying Dutchman was designed by Uus Van Essen and Conrad Gülcher as a high performance, one design racer and first built in 1951. It was built by numerous manufacturers including Sunbeam Yachts, Alpa Yachts, Mader Bootswerft, MacKay Boats, Plastrend/Composite Technologies, Lanaverre, Lockley Newport Boats, Advance Sailboat Corp., Binks Yacht Constructions, Chantier Naval Costantini and Mobjack Manufacturing. As of 2022, Mader Bootswerft were still producing the design.
The boat was initially built of wood, with many modern boats made from fiberglass sandwich construction with a plastic deck; cold-molded plywood is still used. It has a fractional sloop rig, a spooned raked stem, a plumb transom, a transom-hung rudder controlled by a tiller, and a retractable centerboard. It displaces 287 lb (130 kg). The design was the first equipped with a spinnaker bow chute.
The Flying Dutchman was an Olympic sailing class in double-handed dinghies from 1960 until 1992. Due to its complexity, the design's cost has been a barrier to its wider acceptance. A Classic Sailboats review noted that the 'fastest double-handed dinghy in the world' made its Olympic debut in Naples in 1960, based on the concept of a trapezing crew and a large spinnaker.
Reader's Guide
The Flying Dutchman holds significance as a high-performance one-design racing dinghy that served as an Olympic class for over three decades, from 1960 to 1992. Its design introduced innovations such as the trapeze for crew balancing and a large symmetrical spinnaker deployed via a bow chute, influencing later dinghy development. The boat's long waterline and planing capability made it fast, though its complexity and cost limited broader adoption. The International Flying Dutchman Class Organization supports active racing. The United States Sailing Association describes the boat as 'one of the most exhilarating dinghies you will ever be in.' A Classic Sailboats review noted that pure boatspeed was key for success, but the large genoa jib made tacking slow. The design remains in production as of 2022 by Mader Bootswerft, and a boat is displayed at the National Maritime Museum in Greenwich, England.
Did You Know?
- The Flying Dutchman was the first design equipped with a spinnaker bow chute.
- More than 10,000 Flying Dutchman dinghies have been built since 1951.
- The boat was an Olympic sailing class from 1960 until 1992.
- As of 2022, Mader Bootswerft were still producing the design.
More in Olympic sailing classes 1-24
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