Enthusiasts of the sleek, double-ended 24-foot International 110 are quick to point out its striking similarity to many of today's high performance sport boats, citing its minimal wetted surface, bulb keel, and generous sail area—a testament to renowned designer Ray Hunt's innovation, considering he launched the 110 in 1939. One of the first boats made from marine plywood, this hard-chined, flat-bottomed one-design is known for its speed, stability, and responsiveness. Modern 110s are made of fiberglass and feature a single trapeze, a bow-launched spinnaker, and rollerfurling jib. The 110 is easily trailerable, weighing only 910 pounds, and its class remains a perennial favorite among daysailers and racers alike, boasting fleets nationwide and as far off as Hawaii and the Philippines. This picture was published early on to show how easy it is to trailer a boat of the 110 Class.

Building on the success of his popular 110 class, naval architect Ray Hunt launched its post-WWII 30-foot big brother, the International 210, in 1945. Based on the same inventive design, the 210 is an exciting pencil-thin, needle-nose double-ender with a bulb keel that cuts through the water with remarkable ease. Aiming for a dual-purpose keelboat, Hunt created a fast, high performance one-design racer that could double as a family-friendly daysailer. Though not as popular as the 110, almost 500 wood and fiberglass boats have been built over 58 years, and fleets remain active on the East Coast and Great Lakes.
210 Class

If catamarans were going to catch on in the 1960s, Art Javes knew that they would have to be easy to sail. So in 1961 he built the Aqua Cat, a 12-foot multihull with one sail, one sheet, a tiller, and no boom—it couldn't be simpler. Forty-two years later, the first mass-produced fiberglass catamaran and member of the American Sailboat Hall of Fame remains a popular and fun family beach cat. In continuous production since 1961 (over 25,000 have been built), the Aqua Cat 12.5 is American Sail's updated version of Javes' design; the slightly larger (14 feet) but equally popular Aqua Cat II was born 15 years after the original. American Sail

Unlike the Volkswagen of the same moniker, this rotund 12-foot gaff-rigged sailboat is named for the Massachusetts family that designed it rather than the insect it more vaguely resembles. Modeled after the larger catboats that fished the shallow waters off Cape Cod, the Beetle Cat was launched in 1921 by John Beetle and remains one of the few production boats still constructed entirely of wood (cedar and oak). More than 3,500 boats have been built to date. Designed with a beam almost half the boat's length, a roomy cockpit, a retractable centerboard, and a stubby bow, the Beetle Cat quickly garnered a reputation as a forgiving, stable, and dependable daysailer—ideal for safely teaching kids. John F. Kennedy Jr. is one of the Beetle Cat's more famous students. Though not the fastest racer, the Beetle Cat Boat Association originated in 1940 and maintains a strong presence in New England. Beetle Cat Class

Propelled to notoriety by the writing of cruiser-authors Lin and Larry Pardey, the Bristol Channel Cutter has become synonymous with seaworthy passagemaker. Inspired by the 19th century working cutters of England's west coast, designer Lyle Hess wanted a heavy displacement vessel that could sail well with cargo and withstand the punishment of crossing oceans. Custom made of fiberglass with wood details, the 28-foot BCC has a long full keel, a large interior for extra provisions, and a loyal following among cruisers. Sam L. Morse Company  

 

This classic 12-foot scow has made its name as a stable trainer, fun daysailer, and competitive one-design racer. And it was designed and built in 1961 by a man who didn't even sail, John Barnett. With a flat-bottomed fiberglass hull, deep cockpit, and Dacron sail, the Butterfly is comfortable, quick to launch and easy to handle. More than 10,000 Butterflies have been built to date, and the class remains popular on the Great Lakes. National Butterfly Association  

 

 

It may be young for this list of new "old" boats, but this 25-year-old classic trailerable sloop has plenty of staying power. Designed by Clark Mills, whose famous 1947 Optimist pram design became today's junior racer of record, the 23-foot cruiser was built by Gerry Hutchins and launched in 1978 as a simple but larger version of his popular Com-Pac 16. With its traditional lines, spacious teak and mahogany interior, rollaway galley, spoon bow, and long shoal-draft keel, it quickly made a name for itself as a seaworthy small cruiser. The easy-to-sail Com-Pac 23/3 has undergone three design phases since its launch but has never lost its versatility. Com-Pac Yachts

When 15-year-old Brit Seb Clover set the record earlier this year as the youngest singlehander to cross the Atlantic, it came as no surprise that he did it on a Contessa 32. Designed by one-time army tank designer, David Sadler, the 32-foot bluewater cruiser-racer has long been regarded as a tough and seaworthy vessel that inspires confidence in the heaviest of seas. In fact, it was the only one of 58 boats in its class to finish the disastrous 1979 Fastnet race. Built by Jeremy Rogers and named for Sadler's wife, Tessa, the fiberglass classic debuted at the 1971 London Boat Show and became an instant hit. Sailors were attracted to its fast hull, responsive performance, and early racing successes, and a two-year waiting list to buy one soon formed. During the first 10 years of production more than 500 boats were built. Despite its popularity, production eventually stopped until 1996, when skyrocketing demand for second-hand Contessas helped persuade Rogers to resume building the boat. Now 32 years old, the Contessa maintains an active and, some say, "cult-like" class association. Jeremy Rogers Company

The 17-foot O'Day Day Sailer launched in 1957 was a collaborative effort between legendary British designer Uffa Fox and American boatbuilder George O'Day. It's a trailerable family-oriented racer/daysailer. Ideal for either inland or coastal sailing, the centerboarder features a large cockpit and main, jib, and spinnaker. In 46 years, seven boatbuilders (currently Cape Cod Shipbuilding) have constructed more than 12,000 Day Sailers, and despite modifications along the way, the original hull design remains untouched. Noted for stability and ease of handling, the versatile Day Sailer boasts over 50 active fleets across the country and in Brazil. Day Sailer Association

The Ensign is possibly the only boat in the American Sailboat Hall of Fame to be re-named by dissatisfied owners at its first class association meeting. The 22-footer, originally called the Electra Day Sailer, has been described as both stodgy and exciting in the same breath. Dubbed "the little big boat" for its responsive handling and maneuverability, this fiberglass racer/daysailer has more than 40 active fleets and over 2,000 boats on the water. Designed in 1962 for Pearson Yachts by Swedish-born naval architect Carl Alberg (who is credited with designing 56 boats during the course of his career) as an upgrade to his 1959 Electra, the Ensign features a cut-away full keel, attached rudder, and deep cockpit that holds up to eight. After going out of production in 1983, this classic daysailer was reborn in 2000 when Florida-based Ensign Spars Company acquired the original molds and resumed limited production. Ensign Class

This is not a boat you take out for a fun family sail. The 30-foot (22-foot waterline) International Etchells is a premier, hard-core one-design. Described by Dennis Conner as "the world's best class," the list of past champions reads like a perennial Who's Who of sailing stars. In addition to Conner, other America's Cup skippers that compete on the sleek Etchells include John Bertrand, Russell Coutts, and Ken Read. The Etchells was originally designed in 1967 by Skip Etchells, a former U.S. Navy and Sparkman & Stephens designer, as a possible Olympic keelboat class. Although officials spurned the faster sloop in favor of the smaller Soling, the trials generated interest and Etchells began building the first of his 12 trailerable boats. Popularity grew internationally and today more than 50 fleets span the globe. A strict one-design association controls class rules and 696 boats are currently ranked worldwide.
Etchells Class

Serving as inspiration for the famous fiberglass 19-foot Flying Scot, the Highlander, a 20-foot daysailer with broad beam, was the 1951 design of Gordon "Sandy" Douglass. Despite playing second fiddle to its younger and slightly smaller protege, the Highlander remains a sturdy and trusted centerboarder known for its stability and large cockpit, ideal for developing racing skills or simply learning to sail. With over 1,000 built—today by the Allen Boat Company—the Highlander is popular on the lakes of the South and Midwest. Highlander Class International Association