2006 One Design Survey

There are three new classes in  this years survey of the top 20 one-design classes in North America.

Before I write any more let me review the un-scientific method for determining my list of the top twenty one-design classes in North America. What I have done is taken the number of boats competing in each class NAs or Nationals for each year. The location of the championship is also included. I think this is a good measure of relative class size and activity. To rank the classes I use the average number of boats over the last three years. The numbers going back to 2000 are included for general interest. Many people will notice that some popular Jr. Classes are not on the list and would  be at the top if they were. I have chosen not to include exclusively Jr. Classes in the survey.

The C Scow, 29er and Lido 14 have broken into the top 20 this year displacing the Albacore, Tartan Ten and J/105 classes. The C Scow and the Lido 14 have been around for ages but the 29er is  a real new kid on the block. This class is mostly a Jr. class but not exclusively. The 29er has seen great growth over the past few years but don't count on the 29er replacing the Club 420 any time soon. The Club 420 has a three year average of 124.33 but is not included in this survey since it has an age limit.

Class
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
2006
3yrAv
1 Thistle
74(NY)
92(MI)
74(OR)
94(FL)
80(IN)
80(NJ)
100(MI)
86.67
2 Laser
77(xx)
67(CA)
82(xx)
77(TX)
94(CT)
94(WA)
61(NS)
83.00
3 MC Scow
109(IN)
75(GA)
91(WI)
55(LA)
89(IN)
74(IO)
85(NC)
82.67
4 Lightning
92(MD)
101(VT)
110(MI)
66(CT)
103(NY)
66(WI)
71(CA)
80.00
5 Sunfish
71(AL)
95(IL)
98(RI)
81(MS)
88(NY)
83(DE)
62(TX)
78.00
6 E Scow
xx
79(MI)
70(WI)
39(NY)
56(MI)
48(NJ)
92(MN)
65.33
7 Hobie 16
31(ONT)
47(CA)
68(FL)
70(DE)
71(NY)
68(CA)
56(RI)
65.00
7 J/24
53(xx)
29(CA)
52(SC)
53(WI)
74(MD)
47(WA)
74(TX)
65.00
9 Radial
xx
xx
xx
53(TX)
55(CT)
68(WA)
64(NS)
62.33
10 Snipe
32(OK)
34(OR)
44(MS)
50(MA)
56(OH)
59(CA)
57(PA)
55.00
11 C Scow
xx
xx
xx
xx
51(NY)
63(MN)
50(IA)
54.67
11 Star
33(OH)
61(CT)
52(VT)
40(CA)
44(MA)
41(CA)
79(FL)
54.67
13 J/22
63(TX)
48(NY)
60(TX)
47(NY)
NA
56(OK)
59(MN)
54.00
14 Etchells
xx
48(MI)
38(CA)
55(MD)
53(CA)
NA
46(MA)
51.33
15 Flying Scott
xx
xx
64(FL)
90(NC)
54(IL)
39(TX)
56(MA)
49.67
16 505
45(CA)
35(ONT)
31(CA)
30(MA)
84(CA)
37(ONT)
27(CA)
49.33
17 29er
xx
xx
xx
13(CA)
37(CA)
57(CA)
50(ONT)
48.00
18 Inter Club
63(NY)
49(CT)
60(MA)
63(NY)
43(MA)
40(MA)
36(NY)
46.33
19 Vanguar15
xx
55(TX)
40(CA)
51(CT)
34(LA)
64(RI)
36(IL)
44.67
20 Lido 14
29(CA)
38(CA)
31(WA)
27(CA)
46(OR)
38(CA)
49(CA)
44.33

The big mover this year is the E Scow class moving up to 6th from last years 17th. A 92 boat regatta will do that for a class but it wasn't the top of the list. The venerable Thistle class moved into the number one spot with a 100 boat Nationals this year. Only the Lightning class has broken into the triple digits up to this point in the survey.

Generally any class that has a three year average greater than 40 makes it into the top twenty but the Albacore class just missed out this year with an average of 41.67 .

Looking to next year the easiest prediction to make is that the 505 class will drop off the list. The 505 was aided by a big international showing at the North Americans before the worlds in 2004. As of next year that event is no longer counted in the three year average.

It's tempting to think that some new high performance boat will move in to take the place of the 505 on the list but the truth is something different. The classes on the edge that haven't quite made the top 20 in the past are boats like the Ensign and the Rhodes 19. The closest "fast" boat at the moment is probably the Formula 18 with a three year average of 35.3 but growing.

As always please send comments and or corrections to me (Roger Jolly). Comments to the forum?

11/16/06