LENGTH: 11 FT. 5 IN. BEAM: 4 FT. 8 IN. SAIL AREA: 72 SQ. FT. WEIGHT: 200 LBS.
 
Penguin's designer, Philip L. Rhodes, has produced many successful and well-known cruising and racing craft. His ability is reflected in the fact that Penguins have consistently out sailed many other types of small racing craft.

Here is a dinghy class that has all the competition needed to satisfy the most rabid racing addict. A national championship is held each year, bringing together the best skippers of various fleets from all parts of the country. New fleets are keirig chartered constantly and boats are being built in Canada, Hawaii, Cuba, Alaska, the Canal Zone, the Philippine Islands, England, Australia, and Japan. In the not-to-distant future, there should be an international championship with all its attendant color and excitement.

The speed, attractiveness, and all-around practicability of the Penguin have been continually demonstrated since its birth in 1939. It performs well under varied conditions and on all points of sailing, and is not too heavy to be easily launched and transported on an automobile top or a trailer. While two is the racing complement, there is room to hold either three adults or four youngsters in comfort.

Thousands of individuals, clubs, and college and school yachting organizations have chosen the Penguin for their afternoon-sailing and racing needs. Because of its low cost and its high stability, it is a good boat for husband-and-wife sailing activities.

If you are a home-workshop fan, you will be happy to learn that complete building plans can be obtained. These plans include a lithographed sheet of full-size templates for the frames, the stem and stern knees, and the centerboard-trunk log. If you desire a set of the plans, send a check or money order for $7 (payable to the Penguin Class Dinghy Association) to John E. Biby, Jr., 179 Rivo Alto Canal, Long Beach, Calif. More than one boat may be built from the same set of plans upon payment of a number tax in the amount of $5 per boat. The purchase of plans or a number entitles the recipient to associate membership in the Penguin Class Dinghy Ass'n for the balance of the year in which the plans or number are purchased. When a completed boat is measured and approved, its owner is entitled to active membership in the class.

The use of waterproof plywood for the planking simplifies construction and at the same time provides a tight, durable boat that's light in weight and easy to maintain. Two standard 4xl2-ft. sheets of plywood provide all the planking. The typical homebuilt boat, complete with professionally made sails, will cost about $250.

For the many people who don't have the time or the ability to build their own boats, there are several boat builders who produce Penguins professionally. Two such concerns are Kingfisher Boats, Gary, Indiana, and Skaneateles Boats, Inc., Skan-eateles, N. Y. The price of a professionally built boat, with sails, is about $450. In addition to manufacturing completed boats, Skaneateles also produces kits.. A Penguin kit, without sails, will run you about $200.

The history of the Penguins is rather interesting. In 1938, a small group of sailors near Alexandria, Va., wrote to the leading naval architects for plans of a dinghy that could be built easily by an amateur. Phil Rhodes came up with an 111/2-footer that could be built of waterproof plywood.

By the end of the next year, 12 boats from these plans were being sailed on the Potomac River. The magazine Yachting printed the plans and specifications of the Penguin in May, 1940, and requests for more information nearly swamped the magazine's office. This led to the organization of the Penguin Class Dinghy Association.

Fleets began to pop up in all sections of the country. In 1941, the Seattle fleet held races during the winter season and ever since then frostbite racing has been a popular Penguin activity.

The first National Penguin Class Dinghy Association Regatta was held at Annapolis in September, 1941, with 35 Penguins from 10 fleets taking part. Walter Lawson, of the Potomac River Fleet, was the winner.

With the advent of World War II, Penguins became more popular than ever, for all large-boat use was drastically curtailed, so many skippers turned to the little dinghies for sport and relaxation. Also, such government installations as the U. S. Naval Training Center at San Diego bought large fleets for training purposes.

No National Regattas were held in 1942, 1943, or 1944, but in 1945, in spite of restrictions on travel, it was decided to hold the Nationals once more. Walter Lawson repeated his 1941 win. In the 1946 Nationals, held at Port Washington Yacht Club, Lawson once more came out on top, for his third straight win.

Lawson's domination of the class was effectively broken in 1947, when Runyon Colie, Jr., of the Downer Fleet, Mantolok-ing, N. J., won at the Hampton Yacht Club, Hampton, Va. Colie left no doubts as to his right to the title by repeating in 1948 and 1949. The present National Champ is George Ruby, of the Balboa Fleet.

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