70 years of Shearwater Heritage and Innovation - Visit us at the RYA Dinghy & Watersports Show

The Shearwater Class celebrates 70 years of heritage and innovation at the RYA Dinghy & Watersports Show 2026 © NSCOA

In 2026, the Shearwater Class celebrates its 70th anniversary, marking seven decades since the class's inception in 1956.

Over that time, the class has earned a reputation as one of the United Kingdom's longest standing and most respected racing catamaran classes. Its endurance is rooted not only in performance on the water but also in a unique balance between tradition and development, including the unusual but enduring use of the Symmetric Spinnaker, a feature many modern catamaran classes have moved away from.

The Shearwater Catamaran was first developed in the 1950s by Roland and Francis Prout, who experimented by lashing two kayaks together with bamboo poles, erecting a mast and sail. This early experiment created one of the very first sailing catamarans. Recognising its potential, they went on to design and build a dedicated racing version: Shearwater I.

A defining characteristic of the Shearwater is its restricted development rule. Rather than enforcing strict one-design uniformity, the class allows innovation within carefully controlled measurement limits. This philosophy has enabled Shearwaters to evolve alongside advances in materials and boatbuilding techniques while still ensuring competitive fairness. From early wooden hulls to modern composite construction, each era has added a new chapter to the class's story. A key part of this tradition is the ability for sailors to either home-build using class-owned tooling or commission a professional build, maintaining accessibility while embracing innovation.

This weekend, that story will be on display at the RYA Dinghy & Watersports Show, where the Shearwater Class is exhibiting on Stand B12 as part of its 70th anniversary celebrations. The show, one of the world's premier dinghy sailing exhibitions, provides the perfect setting to highlight both the heritage and the future of the class.

Fittingly, the Shearwater stand will feature two remarkable boats that symbolise the class's journey across seven decades.

The first is one of the oldest wooden boats still active in the racing fleet, a testament to the craftsmanship of early builders and the durability of traditional construction. More impressively, this wooden Shearwater is not merely preserved for display it continued to win races in the 2025 season. Its ongoing competitiveness demonstrates how well the original design has stood the test of time and how skill, tuning, and class development rules allow older boats to remain relevant on today's racecourses.

Alongside it will stand a nearly finished full-carbon Shearwater, representing the cutting edge of modern boatbuilding. Built using advanced composite materials, this boat showcases the technical possibilities permitted within the class framework. Lightweight, stiff, and engineered for peak performance, it embodies the forward-looking spirit that has kept the Shearwater evolving for seventy years. Pete Jary of Zest Boatworks, class sponsor and sailor, still has some work to do before the first Travellers Trophy of 2026 in April.

The contrast between these two boats one crafted from timber in the early decades of the class and still victorious, the other constructed in carbon fibre at the forefront of technology perfectly captures what makes the Shearwater unique. Few sailing classes can display such a tangible link between past and future within the same fleet, let alone at the same exhibition stand.

As the Shearwater Class marks its 70th anniversary in 2026, it celebrates more than longevity. It celebrates adaptability, craftsmanship, innovation, and a passionate community of sailors who have kept the boats racing generation after generation.

At the RYA Dinghy & Watersports Show, visitors will not simply see two boats, they will see seventy years of sailing history, alive and still accelerating into the future. With a packed 2026 calendar ahead. Including six Travellers Trophy events and a week-long Nationals at Stone Week held at Stone Sailing Club in August. The Shearwater Catamaran continues to thrive on and off the water. The class includes sailors from 2 years old to over 70, all engaged and participating, proving that the Shearwater spirit is alive and kicking on and off the water.

Join us at 1300 at Stand B12 for cake and to celebrate our history and future.

We look forward to the next 70 years!